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 33 YEARS IN 2023

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

Saturday, January 13, 2024

2023 Song Contest Semifinalists and Winners

 WINNERS

YOUNG SONGWRITERS
1. Dreaming Wild by Emma James, Corpus Christi, Tx
2. Happy For You by Ava Della Pietra, Old Field, NY
3. Worst Of Times by Ava Della Pietra, Old Field, NY
HM Your Plans by Nyasia Robreno, Heartland, TX
HM I Don’t Know the Words by Braden Meek, Grapevine, Tx

AMERICANA/FOLK/BLUEGRASS,,,,,
1. My Beautiful Mistake by Louis Cate, Alexandria, VA
2. When You Were Loving Me by Andrew & Elizabeth Wolf, Washington, DC
3. Bayou Sef--Dedicated to Frank Allen Swayze by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX

CHRISTIAN/INSPIRATIONAL,,,,,
1. I'd Be A Fool by Theodore Henning II, Fort Worth, TX
2. Other Side of the Wind by Louis Cate, Alexandria, VA
3. The Media's at War by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX

COUNTRY,,,,,
1. Close Enough by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX
2. Nothing to Do With You by Will Townsley, Arlington, TX
3. Dallas by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
HM. I Fall Apart by Renee Safier, Redondo Beach, CA

INSTRUMENTAL,,,,,
1. Song for George by Andrew Wolf, Washington, DC
2. Armadillo Blues by Theodore Henning II, Fort Worth, TX
3. Summer Daze by Lance French, Rowlett, TX

LOVE SONGS/EASY LISTENING,,,,,
1. Fade Away by M'Lynn Musgrove, Eva Honey, Dallas, TX
2. Until You Become Mine by Phil Ipsan, New York, NY
3. We Say I Love You by Kenney Noguera,  Conconully , WA

NOVELTY/CHILDRENS,,,,,
1. Hey Little Hero by Kelli Caldwell,  Portland, OR
2. Like This (A Dancing Song) by Kevin Reardon, Riverside, CT
3. The Door To Your Dreams by Mark Patterson, Plano, TX
HM. Santa Claus Got Lost by Louis Cate, Alexandria, VA
HM I Got An App For That by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX

POP/ROCK/ALT/R&B,,,,,
1. Everything by Ethan Senger, Canton, GA
2. Look Away by Christy Sasser, Fairhope, AL
3. Safety Net by M'Lynn Musgrove, Eva Honey, Dallas, TX
HM Pick Up Those Pieces by Kenney Noguera,  Conconully , WA

SINGER/SONGWRITER,,,,,
1. Lonesome Is As Lonesome Does by Louis Cate, Alexandria, VA
2. Life Is Hard by Eric Ramsey, Scottsdale, AZ
3. Wonderland by Trinity Reed, Plano, TX
HM Behind a Wall by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX
HM Forever Drive by Jeffrey Widman, Plano, TX

GRAND PRIZE WINNERS
1. Fade Away by M'Lynn Musgrove, Eva Honey, Dallas, TX
2. Country USA by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX
3. 3. Safety Net by M'Lynn Musgrove, Eva Honey, Dallas, TX
HM Nothing to Do With You by Will Townsley, Arlington, TX

  Judge Roy Elkins comments: https://dsasongcontest.blogspot.com/p/dsa-2023-song-contest-awards-grand.html

SEMIFINALISTS

AMERICANA/FOLK/BLUEGRASS,,,,,
All That Remains by Michael R. J. Roth, Harri Wolf, Panama City, FL
Bayou Sef--Dedicated to Frank Allen Swayze by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
Country USA by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX
Hayride by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
My Beautiful Mistake by Louis Cate, Alexandria, VA
Old Abandoned Farmhouse by Andrew Wolf, Washington, DC
Right About You by Mark "Patterson, Barney Doyle", Plano, TX
Spending Time by Don Wall, Nashville, TN
Texas in My Genes by Don Wall, Nashville, TN
When You Were Loving Me by Andrew & Elizabeth Wolf, Washington, DC

CHRISTIAN/INSPIRATIONAL,,,,,
Forever in Love by Dave Peeler, Pottstown, PA
Gratitude, Love, and Forgiveness by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX
Here I Am by Matthew Mordhorst, Grapevine, TX
I Am Praying by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
I Found Jesus In a Bottle by Robert Juch, Oro Valley, AZ
I Miss Touch by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX
I'd Be A Fool by Theodore Henning II, Fort Worth, TX
Miracle by Emma James, Corpus Christi, TX
Other Side of the Wind by Louis Cate, Alexandria, VA
The High Pasture (In The Shadow Of The Rockies) by Mark Patterson, Plano, TX
The Media's at War by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
There Is a Way by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX
To Be A Tree by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX
You're Killing Me by Wayne Gathright Austin,TX

COUNTRY,,,,,
All I Wanna Do Is Dance by Tommy Patterson, Comanche, TX
Anything But This by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX
Back Then by Steve Ledford, Garland, TX
Bayou Sef--Dedicated to Frank Allen Swayze by Charles,Carter, Terrell, TX
Blue Collar Man by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
Bourbon Trail by Mark Patterson, Plano, TX
Close Enough by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX
Dallas by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
Folsom by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
I Fall Apart by Renee Safier, Redondo Beach, CA
I Still Got Enough for You by Robert Juch, Oro Valley, AZ
In Dreamland by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
Lord Lay Me Down by Andrew & Elizabeth Wolf, Washington, DC
Meet Me In The Moment by Mark Patterson, Plano, TX
Millie From Oklahoma by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
Nothing to Do With You by Will Townsley, Arlington, TX
Only The Warriors by Mark Patterson, Lee Parvin, Plano, TX
Proud To Call It Home by Kevin Reardon, Bobby Joe Peace", Riverside, CT
The Tunnel by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
Wedding Party by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX
Who do You Belong To by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
Who's Lying to You About Me by Steve Ledford, Garland, TX
You’re Working For Somebody by Mark Patterson, Plano, TX

INSTRUMENTAL,,,,,
Armadillo Blues by Theodore Henning II, Fort Worth, TX
Conundrum by Conrad Swartz, Vancouver, WA
Ray Gun Ranger by Conrad Swartz, Vancouver, WA
Song for George by Andrew Wolf, Washington, DC
Summer Daze by Lance French, Rowlett, TX

LOVE SONGS/EASY LISTENING,,,,,
Again by Jill Riddiford, Dee Why, NS Wales, Australia
Dreaming Me Home (Song for Ukraine) by Andrew Wolf, Washington, DC
Fade Away by M'Lynn Musgrove, Eva Honey, Dallas, TX
I Still Got Enough for You by Robert Juch, Oro Valley, AZ
In Dreamland by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
Kids On The Beach by Mark Patterson, Plano, TX
Linda Mar Girl by Mark,Patterson, Plano, TX
Strawberry Margaritas by Robert Juch, Oro Valley, AZ
There's a Whole Lot More by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
Until You Become Mine by Phil Ipsan, New York, NY
We Say I Love You by Kenney Noguera,  Conconully , WA
We're a Couple by Robert Juch, Oro Valley, AZ
You're A Halo by Debra M Gussin, Los Angeles, CA

NOVELTY/CHILDRENS,,,,,
Bluebirds & Butterflies by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
Dreamland by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
Hey Little Hero by Kelli,Caldwell,  Portland, OR
Hit Song by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX
I Got An App For That by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
In Dreamland by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
Like This (A Dancing Song) by Kevin Reardon, Riverside, CT
Santa Claus Got Lost by Louis Cate, Alexandria, VA
She’s A Vampire by Allan Corby, Edgewater, NJ
Tex-Mex Ex by Allan Corby, Edgewater, NJ
The Door To Your Dreams by Mark Patterson, Plano, TX

POP/ROCK/ALT/R&B,,,,,
57 Chevy by Steve Ledford Garland,TX
Ballad of Wally Funk by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
Dixie & the Kidd by Kenney Noguera,  Conconully , WA
Eleven 11 by Louis Cate, Alexandria, VA
Everything by Ethan Senger, Canton, GA
Fade Away by Pam & M’lynn Musgrove, Eva Honey, Dallas, TX
Fame by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
Fuse 42 by Andy Hill, Redondo Beach, CA
Getting Started by Michelle Holbert, Paul Smith, Coppell, TX
He Ain't Got Diddly by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX
Jagged Memories by Steve Ledford, Garland, TX
Little Miss Logical by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX
Look Away by Christy Sasser, Fairhope, AL
Love And Smoke by,Scott Thoroman, Norfolk, VA
Love Me Tonight ft. Nekane by David Hardwick, Stuttgart, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany
More Blues Than I Can Use by Mark Patterson, Plano, TX
Pick Up Those Pieces by Kenney Noguera,  Conconully , WA
Safety Net by M'Lynn Musgrove, Eva Honey, Dallas, TX
She Turns To Wave Goodbye by Kenney Noguera,  Conconully , WA
The Devils Gone High Tech by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
The Media's at War by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX

SINGER/SONGWRITER,,,,,
A Thought by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX
Bayou Sef--Dedicated to Frank Allen Swayze by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
Behind a Wall by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX
Dallas by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
Dallas Tonight by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
Forever Drive by Jeffrey Widman, Plano, TX
Golder by Wayne Gathright Austin TX
I'm Sorry by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
In Dreamland by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
Life Is Hard by Eric Ramsey, Scottsdale, AZ
Lonesome Is As Lonesome Does by Louis Cate, Alexandria, VA
Love And Smoke by Scott Thoroman, Norfolk, VA
River Of Memories by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX
Second Chances by Andrew Wolf, Mark Reynolds, Washington, C
The Tunnel by Charles, Carter, Terrell, TX
Wonderland by Trinity Reed, Plano, TX
Zipcode by Charles Carter, Terrell, TX

YOUNG SONGWRITERS
Dreaming Wild by Emma James, Corpus Christi, Tx
Happy For You by Ava Della Pietra, Old Field, NY
Worst Of Times by Ava Della Pietra, Old Field, NY
Your Plans by Nyasia Robreno, Heartland, TX
I Don’t Know the Words by Braden Meek, Grapevine, Tx

LYRIC CONTEST WINNERS 2023
SUMMER  The Last Song  by Wayne Gathright, Austin, TX
SPRING  Final Moments by Dwayne Hummel, Gig Harbor, WA
WINTER  Kingdom Come by Bill Kapac, West Wildwood, NJ 

Winner of the Drawing: Entry #138, "Again" by Jill Riddiford, Dee Why, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA

Charles Carter is winner of the Charles Carter Most Nominated Songs award again this year.

Announcement of Winners at Awards Program Jan 13, 2023 on Youtube.

https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkx3AUPhNG5ZXU69o9IPQlGGp7n96FRGKm_?si=aS2aqcqwlGakgM06

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

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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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