Mission

Annual Song Contest held by the Dallas Songwriters Association to provide a benchmark for popular songwriting competency. Winners in each category, plus grand prize winners.

CATEGORIES AND JUDGES:Finalists in each category will be judged by music industry professionals from record labels and publishing companies; Grand Prize winner will be chosen by A&R and/or industry professionals of Broadjam.com

DSA is CELEBRATING 35 YEARS IN 2025

JOIN * LEARN * COLLABORATE * GROW - MOTIVATING & UPLIFTING SONGWRITERS THROUGH EDUCATION

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Semifinalist for the DSA Song Contest Announced with Songwriters Added

SEMI-FINALISTS

 AMERICANA

1. Bayou Sef--Dedicated to Frank Allen Swayze by Charles Edmund Carter, Terrell, TX

2. Boxcar Lullaby by Steve Ledford, Garland, TX

3. Build Your Last Fire by Frank DaCosta, Allen, TX

4. Dewberry Duel by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX                                                     

5. Forevermore by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX                                                 

6. HOW DO YOU KNOW? By Debra Gussin, M Dodson, Los Angeles, CA    

7. My Wild Oats Are Sown by Brant Miller, Antioch, TN        

8. Old Faithful by Michelle Raybourn, Nashville, TN                

9. The Bloody Years by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX                                     

10. The Last Songwriter by Brant Miller, Antioch, TN  Bj.   3

11. Thirty Cats by Bob Juch, Oro Valley, AZ           2

12. True As Love by James Tristan Redding, Craig Hendricks, Nashville, TN 

13. Up Against the Wall by Steve Ledford, Garland, TX

 

CHRISTIAN/INSPIRATIONAL

1 Blood of My Son by Steve Ledford, Garland, TX

2 Glory Forever Amen by Jim Vierra, Manteca, CA          

3 God Moment by Louis Cate, John Monno, Alexandria, VA

4 Higher by Matthew Stemme, Clayton, NC                               

5 How Can You Love Me Now by Steve Ledford, Garland, TX

6 I’m Going to Make It by Tanisha Menefee, Monroe, LA

7 Make the Change for Good by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX      

8 Million by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX                                            

9 Rain on Me by Jim Vierra, Manteca, CA

10 Spirit of Sound Mind by Katie Smith, Plano, TX         

11 The Children of Adam Reborn by Frank DaCosta, Allen, TX

12 The List by John Harling, Garland, TX

 

COUNTRY

1. Anything But This by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX                                            

2. Boot Scootin' High Falootin' Crazy Little Country Girl by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX

3. Boots and Brass by Robert Juch, Oro Valley, AZ                           

4. Drunk (And I Wanna Go Home) by Robert Juch, Oro Valley, AZ                       

5. Forevermore by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX          

6. FREE AS THE WIND by Andrew Wolf, Washington, DC

7. Let It Rain by Steve Ledford, Garland, TX                              

8. Lost in Yesterday by Robert Juch, Oro Valley, AZ                   

9. Margarita Mist by Kevin Reardon, Riverside, CT

10. Nothing To Gain by Distinguishing Marks Music BMI, Plano, TX        

11. Out Of The Blue by Wanderlust, Glendale, WI          

12. Out Too Late by Randy Bishop, Lawrenceville, Georgia      

13. Sittin in My Lap by Charles Edmund Carter, Terrell, TX      

14. Somebody Else's Tree by Charles Edmund Carter, Terrell, TX                                              

15. Somethin' That'll Last by Distinguishing Marks Music BMI, Plano, TX                    

16. Starting Again by Robert Juch, Oro Valley, AZ                                

17. Take This House by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX                             

18. Texas In You by Will Townsely, Kyle Level, Arlington, TX

19. The Last Snow In Nashville by Louis Cate, Alexandria, VA  

20. The Measure Of A Man by Distinguishing Marks Music BMI, Plano, TX    

21. Too Young to Say Goodbye   by Robert Juch, Oro Valley, AZ             

 

INSTRUMENTAL

1. Escape by Robin Carr, Los Angeles, CA  3

2. CHESAPEAKE AUTUMN DAY by Andrew Wolf, Washington, DC       

3. Dunno Y by Stephen Sutton, Stafford Springs, CT   

4. Father (acoustic version) by symiphony, Balingen, Baden-Wurttember, Germany 

5. Stardust by Twilight by Kendall Yancey, The Colony, TX

 

LOVE SONGS/ EASY LISTENING

1. Something About You by Kendall Yancey, The Colony, TX

2. All I Have to Give by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX                                            

3. Back Then by Steve Ledford, Garland, TX                          

4. DRIVING AND DRIVING by Andrew Wolf, Washington, DC

5. Every Little Thing by Mike Abbass, Denver, CO

6. Fleeting Dreams by Christopher Ryan Poissant, Lakewood, CO

7. Looking for Love (Playing Your Game) by Steve Ledford, Garland, TX                          

8. Makes My Day by Kendall Yancey, The Colony, TX

9. Me and Your Memory by Steve Ledford, Garland, TX                          

10. Miss May by Mike Abbass, Denver, CO

11. That Man You Imagine by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX   

12. The Tender Trap mix 1 by Charles Edmund Carter, Terrell, TX

13. Then I Found You by Paul Petruccelli, Portland, OR   

14. True As Love by James Tristan Redding, Craig Hendricks, Nashville, TN

15. Under Every Frozen Heart by Louis Cate, Alexandria, VA

16. Underneath the Stars by Bob Juch, Oro Valley, AZ 

17. You’re A Halo By Debra Gussin, Los Angeles, CA 

 

NOVELTY/CHILDREN

1. Fire Is Not A Toy by Kevin Reardon, Riverside, CT

2. Tacos by Randy Sauer, Hays, Kansas

3. I Love Ukuleles by Keeth Apgar, Nordland, WA

4. Floating On a Ball by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX    

5. My Clichés Just Don't Cut It Anymore – L by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX                    

6. That Christmas by Mack Reynolds, Northfield, IL  

7. We Need More Santas by Mack Reynolds, Nick Deutsch, Northfield, IL   

8. Zipcode by Charles Edmund Carter, Terrell, TX    

 

POP/ROCK 

1. 100 Days by Luke Jones, Horah, TAS, Australia                  

2. Company Men by Mike Abbass, Denver, CO  

3. Dream a Bigger… by Kendall Yancey, The Colony, TX

4. Fate by Melany Azpiolea, Garland, TX

5. Help Someone Else by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX                      

6. I’ll never be a Falling Star by Steve Ledford, Garland, TX                    

7. In the Quiet of Your Absence Bob Juch, Oro Valley, AZ   Bj

8. My Beautiful Calliope by Philip Ipsan, Pompano Beach, FL 

9. Nothing Left by Joren Cain, Plano, TX

10. Perfect Harmony by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX              

11. Remember by Luke Jones, Howrah, TAS, Australia 

12. Santa Ana Fire by Charles Edmund Carter, Terrell, TX    

13. She Drove a Little Red Car by Steve Ledford, Garland, TX                          

14. Solitary Gull by Starburst Records, North Dartmouth, Massachusetts          

15. Sun Coming Up by Starburst Records, North Dartmouth, Massachusetts          

16. The Devil’s Supplier by John LaGasse, Grants Pass, OR            

17.The Doomsday Clock by Charles Edmund Carter, Terrell, TX            

18.Trophy Room by Christopher Ryan Poissant, Lakewood, CO

19. Where the Harleys are Parked by Steve Ledford, Garland, TX                          

 

SINGER SONGWRITER

1. Come to My Senses by Will Townsley, David Banning, Arlington, TX

2. Cool Jazz by Kendall Yancey, The Colony, TX  

3. I'm Building Me A Sunroom by Starburst Records, North Dartmouth, Massachusetts 

4. ONE SMALL STEP by Bobby McCormick, Westchester, PA    

5. Talk to Me by Gracie Farris, Jasper, AL

6. True As Love by James Tristan Redding, Craig Hendricks, Nashville, TN 

7. You Were My Baby...(Rough Scratch Demo) by CW Walsh, Denton, TX 

8. Venus! By Carter Sams, McKinney, TX






TOP TEN REASONS TO ENTER THE DSA SONG CONTEST

10. You can win a casio privia keyboard.

9. You can win cash

8. You can win a one year DSA membership or more.

7. You can get a free trial membership for entering online at Broadjam

6. Semifinalists get a chance to perform at the Awards or other DSA Showcases

5. Semifinalists and Winners get their names published in Songwriter Notes and the Press Release

4. Entrants can get peer review on their song

3. Winners get their songs on the awards soundcloud site.

2. Contest recognition looks good on your resume

1. We are a small contest, so you have a better chance to win.

Now in it's 33rd year!

The DSA Song Contest is one of the longest running international song contests for amateur songwriters. Offering over $5,000 in cash and prizes this year, the DSA has EIGHT categories in all. See Contest Rules for eligibility.

JOIN LEARN COLLABORATE GROW

Join -Learn - Collaborate - Grow
DSA is a 501 C-3 non-profit educational organization dedicated to providing to songwriters everywhere opportunities for learning about the craft and business of songwriting. Songwriters Newsletter is published by the Dallas Songwriters Association c/o Sammons Center for the Arts 3630 Harry Hines Blvd Box 20 Dallas, TX 75219.
Barbara McMillen, Editor, Founding President Emeritus http://www.barbaramcmillen.com

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