NewSong • Where Great Artists Are Discovered

Guidelines You MUST read this before submitting to the Mountain Stage NewSong Contest.

1) A total of 12 finalists will be selected to perform in the international contest finals, held this year on Saturday, October 10, 2009 in Charleston, West Virginia’s Cultural Center theater – the home venue of the internationally broadcast Mountain Stage radio and television show. All finalists will attend the Mountain Stage show on Sunday, October 11, 2009, where the first place winner of the contest will be a featured performer of the show. The twelve finalists this year will be selected as follows: One (1) from each of this year's six (6) 'virtual' regional rounds (see table below for info and eligibility) and Six (6) from the general round, which is open to anyone from any geographic location. Two of the six general round spots are reserved for “Early Bird” finalists, selected from entries submitted before midnight on July 6, 2009. Complete contest entry information is available at http://www.newsong- music.com/contest/index.html#enter.

2) Each entry must be an original, unreleased musical composition (“composition”) for which the contestant retains the copyright and authority to submit and perform the composition in the contest. Payment for each composition entered in the contest must be made at the time of submission. NewSong is not responsible and disclaims any liability for late, lost, damaged, misdirected, postage due, stolen, or misappropriated entries or for any errors in online submissions, including, but not limited to unsuccessful file uploads, whether or not such errors were the fault of the submitting contestant. Materials submitted will not be returned and NewSong reserves the right to dispose of all submitted material in any manner.

3) The contest is open to amateur and professional songwriters who are 18 years of age or older on the date of entry submission. Any entrant who is a minor in his or her jurisdiction of legal residence will be required to obtain and submit written permission of his or her parent or legal guardian to participate in the contest. Employees of NewSong and Mountain Stage, their families, subsidiaries, and affiliates are not eligible. However, unpaid NewSong volunteers are eligible to compete in the contest.

4) Winners of the regional and general rounds will be notified by mail and each winner must provide the following items to be eligible to compete in the international contest finals in Charleston, West Virginia: (1) an affidavit confirming (a) that the winner meets the contest eligibility requirements, (b) that his or her composition is original and unreleased, and (c) that he or she owns the copyright in the composition; (2) a performance license and mechanical and synchronization licenses for audio and video recording rights; and (3) a publicity release (collectively, the “Affidavit”), all within 14 days of the notification date. The failure to sign and return the Affidavit within Fourteen (14) Days or the submission of false or inaccurate information will result in immediate disqualification and an alternate winner will be selected for the applicable regional or general round. Affidavits for winners under 18 years of age at the time of submission must be countersigned by a parent or legal guardian. All Affidavits are subject to verification by NewSong and its agents. Each contestant’s submission constitutes his or her permission to use his or her name, likeness, and voice for future advertising and publicity purposes without additional consideration.

5) This contest is void where prohibited. All federal, state, and local laws, regulations, rules, and ordinances apply.

THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO ENTER THE CONTEST:

ONLINE - submit quickly and easily through sonicbids. Click here to enter online.

MAIL-IN - mail your submissions. Click here for details.

Contestants should designate the style of song they consider their entry to fit when submitting tunes. The categories are: Rock & Blues; Americana; Folk; World; Country; Hip-Hop; Christian; Jazz; Humor; Pop/Alternative; Children's and Other/Open.

If a contestant declines to specify a particular category, the judges will determine which style they believe applies (which could be “"Other/Open"” if the judges disagree on how to characterize the tune). Judges will not be required to select a winner in every category, but will choose winners representing a diversity of these genres.

To enter a song, it must be a non-commercially released, original song.

Submissions are not subject to a time limit. But if you are selected as one of our twelves finalists, your live performance of two original songs on the finals contest stage must meet a strict ten (10) minute limit or you will be penalized.

In this age of home studios and micro-record labels, there are new challenges in determining what constitutes a "non-commercially released" song. NewSong's general standard is: If you were compensated by someone else for the writing, publication or release of a song, it would not qualify for the contest. If, however, you released the song on your own CD which you sell at gigs, on the web and elsewhere, or you sell your music independently via digital download, it would qualify. (As would, of course, all other original songs by performers who have not released any CDs.)

The song MUST be performed by the song contest entrant. Songs that have been recorded with more than one backing musician can be submitted -- for example, sending in a cut from a CD with multiple players. But remember, should you advance and perform live, you will only be allowed one backing musician on stage. This accompanist may play an instrument(s) and/or sing backup.

Co-written songs may be submitted, but the person who enters the song must be the one who is the lead singer of the tune.

IMPORTANT POINT: Though co-writers will be acknowledged, only the performer of the tune can qualify to win a prize.

The writer(s) retains all rights to the song.

This being a performing songwriter contest, instrumental songs without lyrics will not be considered.

Artists who submitted in last year's Mountain Stage NewSong Contests who were selected as co-winners are NOT eligible for re-submission. However other finalists – and this includes regional and general round finalists (who were not chosen as one of last year's winners) CAN resubmit.

You may submit the same song(s) to both a regional round AND the general round, provided your residency makes you eligible to submit to a regional round.

On stage at the live contest finals, a single accompanist may sing along with you, play an instrument, or both; but you, the entrant, are the sole performer being judged.

Contestants from outside the United States are welcome to enter. But all chosen finalists, whether from around the corner or around the world, must get themselves to the NewSong Contest on their own.

In the final rounds of the NewSong Contest (both regionals and the general), finalists will perform 2 songs and have 10 minutes to do so.

IMPORTANT POINT: In the finals round, you may perform any two songs you choose, not necessarily the one(s) that got to you to the finals. Contestants may use their time however they think best, performing for example a three-minute song and one seven-minute one. The 10 minutes also includes any introductions and stage patter
Performers who appear, or have appeared, as paid acts on either Mountain Stage OR NewSong festival stages are not eligible for the contest.

Unpaid NewSong volunteers ARE eligible to compete in the contest.

-------NEED MORE HELP?

Please re-read the rules again and if you remain befuddled on a point, email: contest@newsong-music.com

Good luck! Be sure to subscribe to the NewSong News e-mail newsletter for contest updates. Send an e-mail to: NewSongFestival-subscribe@topica.email-publisher.com

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