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Meet Sanctuary Sessions performer Beth Snapp

Thursday, May 31st, 2018

Beth Snapp’s careful and sincere music drifts across genres, borrowing from folk, bluegrass, pop, early R&B and jazz. No matter what influences might drive her, all of her songs share the goal of good storytelling. Snapp will perform as part of the Sanctuary Sessions series Saturday, June 2nd at the Central United Methodist Church in downtown Asheville. Songwriter Wilder Adkins shares the bill.

Wilder Adkins and Beth Snapp will share the stage at the Central United Methodist Church in downtown Asheville June 2nd as part of NewSong Music’s Sanctuary Sessions series.

Snapp’s new EP, Don’t Apologize, was recently recorded at Asheville’s Echo Mountain Recording Studios with producer and NewSong Music founder Gar Ragland at the helm. “When I first stepped into Echo Mountain during the NewSong Songwriting competition, it was immediately clear this was a very special place,” says Snapp, who is a past competitor in the NewSong competition. She told herself that he next project would be recorded at the Asheville studio. “Luckily, I was able to make it happen, and recording there was no less magical,” she says. The EP will be released in August.

 

 

The Sanctuary Sessions are a benefit for Blue Ridge Public Radio, a cause that Snapp supports one hundred percent. “I think public radio’s role is just as important as independent and local music in our communities,” she says. “Both independent music and public radio offer diverse perspectives in art that one may lose in mainstream formats. They both support local arts and businesses, which generate community awareness and promote pouring back into the community.”

Of her performance June 2nd, Snapp says, “I am definitely excited to share the stage with Wilder Adkins.We may have a little surprise in store.”

WHAT: Sanctuary Sessions: Beth Snapp and Wilder Adkins

WHERE: Central United Methodist Church, 27 Church Street, downtown Asheville

WHEN: Saturday June 2; Doors: 7 / Show: 7:30

TICKETS: $15 advance / $20 day of show; advance tickets available theorangepeel.net  

 

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Posted in Contest, News, NewSong Music | 3 Comments »

Meet Sanctuary Sessions performer Wilder Adkins

Tuesday, May 29th, 2018

Wilder Adkins and Beth Snapp will share the stage at the Central United Methodist Church in downtown Asheville June 2nd.

 

Wilder Adkins’s songwriting nods to the earthy poetry of Wendell Berry and Mary Oliver as well as folk giants Richard Thompson and Bruce Cockburn. His dry wit and deft guitar playing shine through in his work, which explores thematic territories ranging from love and hope to pirate songs. The Birmingham, Alabama-based musician and 2016 Grand Prize Winner of the NewSong Music Songwriting Competition will perform as part of the Sanctuary Sessions series on Saturday, June 2nd at the Central United Methodist Church in downtown Asheville. Songwriter Beth Snapp shares the bill. 

 

The Sanctuary Sessions are a benefit for Blue Ridge Public Radio, with performances taking place the first three Saturday evenings in June (June 2, 9, 16). Those attending the Sanctuary Sessions may be as taken by the artists as they are by the beautiful and acoustically stunning venue. “The venue, Central United Methodist Church, sounds lovely,” says Adkins. “I have heard that Methodists only sprinkle for baptism instead of dunking. That sounds good to me because I don’t want to have to change clothes.”

Adkins is one of many past NewSong contestants sharing their tunes at the Sanctuary Sessions series. “Being part of the NewSong family has given me the chance to play for a much wider audience at some of the nations best venues,” says Adkins. “NewSong has a great network of artists, as well, who are great for networking with.”

Adkins says he is always working on something new. He will put out a Springsteen cover this summer and is looking forward to finishing up a new album this fall. “Also on the horizon,” says the songwriter, “a lullaby album and a collection of pirate songs.” And why not? We will gladly listen to whatever this clever and heartfelt songwriter from Alabama puts out.

WHAT: Sanctuary Sessions: Wilder Adkins and Beth Snapp

WHERE: Central United Methodist Church, 27 Church Street, downtown Asheville

WHEN: Saturday June 2; Doors: 7 / Show: 7:30

TICKETS: $15 advance / $20 day of show; advance tickets available theorangepeel.net  

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Posted in Contest, News | 3 Comments »

NewSong partners with the Kennedy Center to present grand prize winner Crys Matthews this summer.

Thursday, May 17th, 2018

2017 NewSong Music Competition grand prize winner Crys Matthews, performing at New York’s Lincoln Center in last year’s finals.

 

NewSong Music is excited to partner with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. to present the 2017 NewSong Music Competition grand prize winner Crys Matthews this summer

 

The performance is Wednesday, August 22 at 6:00 PM EDT, on the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. 

This performance is featured as part of the Kennedy Center’s free daily performance series on its Millennium Stage in the Grand Foyer, and will be live-streamed on the Kennedy Center’s YouTube channel.

www.kennedy-center.org/video/upcoming
www.youtube.com/user/TheKennedyCenter

RSVP on Facebook

Submit to the 2018 NewSong Music Competition

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Carly Taich wins the fifth annual LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition, presented by NewSong Music

Monday, May 14th, 2018
 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Folk-pop artist Carly Taich has been named the winner of the fifth annual LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition, presented by NewSong Music. Taich – who along with seven other finalist singer-songwriter solo and duo acts – was selected from more than 500 entries to this year’s contest. The finalists performed at LEAF Saturday, May 12, in front of the packed Barn venue and judges Gar Ragland, music producer and founder of NewSong Music; Alli Marshall, arts editor at Mountain Xpress; and Jeff Santiago, a local musician and operations manager at the Orange Peel.

2018 LEAF Contest winner Carly Taich, performing with accompanist/violinist Alex Travers on Saturday, May 12 in the Barn at the 46th LEAF Festival in Black Mountain, NC.

 

 

Other finalists were Alexa Rose from Asheville, NC; Randy Steele from Chattanooga, TN; My One and Only from Nashville, TN; Lee Jean Jr. from Raefield, NC; Joe Shields from Northern Michigan; and Leon + the Fantastic from San Mateo, CA. Taich, My One and Only and Alexa Rose were the three songwriters selected to move on to the second and final round.

Taich will release a new single this summer, the first release since her October 2017 album titled Reverie. Her music video for her song “Give Me a Likeness” recently won “Best Soundtrack” at the Music Video Asheville awards show. She, along with her band, will perform at Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival this June.

 

 

Of her time spent at the LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition, Taich says, “The LEAF/NewSong Competition was awesome. From start to finish, a great experience. I loved their emphasis on it being a celebration of songwriting rather than a cut-throat competition.”

Taich says she played mostly new songs at the competition, as opposed to what she calls “the more tried and true stuff.” This made the win that much sweeter, says the songwriter. “This really affirmed the direction I’m going with my writing,” says Taich. “I have so much respect for the judges and admire their work, so that makes the win all the more rewarding. I’m so grateful to NewSong, LEAF, and my good friend Alex Travers for accompanying me on violin and adding greater depth to my songs. I am still pinching myself that I get to perform at the fall LEAF later this year!”

“We had an outstanding pool of finalists this year for the 5th annual LEAF Competition,” says NewSong founder and producer Ragland. “I’m always amazed at the caliber of songwriting and performances each year, and this year was certainly no exception.”

“The caliber of musicianship was so high, and the creativity really on-point.” says judge Alli Marshall. “Each artist managed to channel themes and sounds from the American songbook while bringing something truly authentic to the stage. From roots-country to radio-ready pop, it was a thrilling showcase.”

Adding to that, judge Jeff Santiago, an accomplished songwriter and performer himself, says “Choosing this year’s winner was quite difficult. I felt Carly made bold choices in her writing, as well as the selection of songs she presented.”

As the winner of the LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition, Taich will receive a paid, featured performance at the fall 2018 LEAF Festival (October 18-21, in Black Mountain, NC), including lodging and accommodations. She’ll also receive an opening performance at Asheville’s the Grey Eagle music venue on Thursday, October 18, for artist Eileen Jewell, and a featured performance on Wednesday, October 17, in the Lounge at Asheville’s Isis Music Hall.

Taich also advances as a finalist in the 17th annual, international NewSong Showcase and Competition, held later this year. The grand-prize winner of that contest will be awarded the opportunity to make a six-song EP, recorded and mixed at Echo Mountain Recording Studios in Asheville and released on the NewSong Recordings label; and a performance showcase at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival’s coveted ASCAP Music Café. The 2018 NewSong Music Contest is now accepting entries.

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Meet LEAF Contest finalist: Randy Steele

Thursday, May 10th, 2018

Randy Steele is a charismatic banjo picker from Chattanooga, Tennessee and frontman of the award-winning band Slim Pickins Bluegrass since 2008. His passion for acoustic-based storytelling and bluegrass and blues roots shine through in his solo work. “I enjoy writing stories, and the pieces on Songs from the Suck [his first solo release] are mostly fictional,” he says. “Seems like the newer fans are there not just to enjoy the musical atmosphere, but to really experience the songwriting. I grew up loving that storytelling style of songwriting, and it’s exciting to have the opportunity to share it. Whether I’m playing solo or with the band, I’m having fun making music with my friends.”

Look out for Randy’s latest EP, Moccasin Bender, which is slated for release on July 13th. 

We asked some Randy some questions to learn more about his songwriting process and vision. 

Randy Steele will perform at NewSong’s LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition Saturday May 12.

What is your songwriting process like?

My songwriting process varies.  Sometimes I begin with melody and see where it goes from there. I keep a notepad of lyrics as another way to kickstart the songwriting process. Some songs take less than a day to finish and some take multiple years. I enjoy writing on the banjo a lot. The possibilities of intertwining melodies between the instrument and the vocals and backing them with an understated chord progression has been the mine I’ve dipped into the most lately.  My written music from the guitar is a completely different thing. The main tension in those songs tend to be between the chord progression and the lyrical content. It is the way I write the most even though it doesn’t tend to be the easiest for me personally. I have found that ‘experience dictates the song’ or to say it another way that ‘experience is the muse’.

Where do you find inspiration? Do you have any songwriting heroes?

My early inspirations ranged from Townes Van Zandt, Garcia/Hunter, John Prine, and Robert Earl Keen.  Lyric driven music stories were my early favorites and continue to be the Songwriting Medium that I feel the most comfortable with.  While I was listening to these guys I was studying some Jazz greats like Wes Montgomery, Thelonious Monk, and John Scofield while I was in school at the University of Tennessee.  After school I got into Bluegrass, especially Banjo driven Bluegrass. Jimmy Martin, Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, and about every ounce of Bluegrass that I could be around during the last 15 years has been my major influence. I enjoy American Literature as well and most of my lyrical content is influenced by Dylan Thomas, Ernest Hemingway, and John Steinbeck with the ‘Spoon River Anthology’ by Edgar Lee Masters being one of the most significant influences.

What does it mean to you to be selected as a NewSong finalist, and what do you hope to get out of the experience?

I have submitted to NewSong for the last three years so to get selected meant a lot. I can’t wait to be a part of the LEAF and to hear all of the great songwriters who are also finalists. Honestly I just feel blessed about the whole deal, so my expectations can really be summed up best by the words Honored, Excited, and maybe a little bit Scared.

What would you like your audience to know about you and/or your music?

I am a Banjo pickin’ Singer/Songwriter from the Tennessee Valley with something to say and stories to tell. I’m beyond excited to play for music for new people and hang out at LEAF!

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NEWSONG MUSIC AND BLUE RIDGE PUBLIC RADIO PARTNER TO PRESENT THE ‘NEWSONG SANCTUARY SESSIONS’

Thursday, May 10th, 2018

Three-part weekly acoustic concert series to benefit Blue Ridge Public Radio (BPR) will be held in the beautiful sanctuary of downtown Asheville’s Central United Methodist Church

 

Blue Ridge Public Radio and NewSong Music have announced the upcoming ‘Sanctuary Sessions,’ a concert series to benefit BPR. The concerts take place the first three Saturday evenings in June (June 2, 9, 16) and feature some of North America’s most talented emerging singer-songwriters. Concerts will be held in the beautiful and acoustically stunning sanctuary of Central United Methodist Church, located in the heart of downtown Asheville at 27 Church Street. Performers include Rose Cousins, Max Hatt & Edda Glass, Beth Snapp, and Wilder Atkins.

 

 

BPR’s General Manager and CEO David Feingold said “Blue Ridge Public Radio reports on our region’s vibrant creative sector and we deeply appreciate the support  and encouragement we received from Central Methodist Church to present these concerts. The three partners – BPR, NewSong Music, and the Central United Methodist Church – share a vision of supporting the arts and directly engaging with our community. We deeply appreciate having the Sanctuary Sessions serve as a benefit for BPR, which relies on community financial support to continue our high quality of public radio service to Western North Carolina.”

Tickets for each concert are available in advance for $15.00 at The Orange Peel website, and will be available at the venue on the day of show for $20.00. 100% of the ticket proceeds will benefit Blue Ridge Public Radio, NPR for Western North Carolina.

The concerts feature general admission seating in the 800-person capacity sanctuary, and will begin promptly at 7:30 PM. Doors will open each evening at 7:00 PM. Ample downtown parking is located in the new parking garage located immediately behind the church at 40 Coxe Avenue.

Each of the three concerts pairs two acts from across the continent.  

 

Saturday, June 2

  

Advance tickets: http://theorangepeel.net/event/beth-snapp-and-wilder-adkins/

Wilder Adkins (Birmingham, AL)

Beth Snapp (Kingsport, TN)

Wilder Adkins is a recent grand prize winner of the international NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition. Adkins’ sound is deeply rooted in the folk traditions of the South, deftly blending thoughtful lyrics with an accomplished fingerpicking style. wilderadkins.com

The music of Beth Snapp drifts across folk, bluegrass, pop, early R&B and jazz. Her new EP Don’t Apologize was recently recorded at Asheville’s Echo Mountain Recording Studios. Her band features some of eastern Tennessee’s most accomplished bluegrass and Americana players, who are joined by guest artists Dave Eggar (cello) and Cruz Contreras of the Black Lillies on the new recording. bethsnapp.com

 

 

Saturday, June 9

Advance tickets: http://theorangepeel.net/event/max-hatt-edda-glass/

Max Hatt / Edda Glass (Santa Fe, NM)

Becca Leigh (Charleston, SC)

Max Hatt / Edda Glass have a “unique sound” (Larry Groce, NPR) that’s taken them across the county from NPR Mountain Stage to NYC’s Lincoln Center, DC’s Kennedy Center, and the Sundance Film Festival. Praised for her “impeccable vocal command” (PopMatters) and compared to a gamut of singers from Astrud Gilberto to Billie Holliday, Glass’s voice ultimately “one of a kind…you cannot confuse her with another artist” (New York Theatre Guide). Hatt’s equally distinctive guitar work combines the harmonic innovations of jazz and classical with the melodic resonance of folk, creating music that’s “subtly poignant, elegantly funky, and haunting without trying to be” (Nels Cline, Wilco). Together with Glass’s literate lyrics, this Jazz Americana evokes the grandeur of the western landscape, telling intimate stories of little people on Great Plains, and leaving audiences with a feeling both light and deep. maxhatteddaglass.com

Becca Leigh (Becca Leigh Nicholson) is a songwriter based in Charleston, South Carolina. Her songs emerge from a folk tradition, focusing on melody, imagery, and emotion. They press on the tension between melancholy and hope, beauty and pain. In November, 2017 she was selected as a finalist in the New Song Music Competition and performed at the songwriter showcase at Lincoln Center in New York City. beccaleighmusic.com

 

 

Saturday, June 16

Advance tickets: http://theorangepeel.net/event/rose-cousins/

Rose Cousins (Halifax, NS)

Maya de Vitry (Nashville, TN)

Rose Cousins lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia when she’s not touring internationally. Her 2012 album WE HAVE MADE A SPARK won a JUNO, 3 ECMAs, a CFMA, was long listed for the Polaris Music Prize, and made featured/best of lists in USA Today, NPR and Oprah Magazine. Her music has appeared in several TV shows including Grey’s Anatomy and Nashville. To make her new record NATURAL CONCLUSION, she enlisted GRAMMY award winning producer Joe Henry. The result is what Cousins calls “the most honest and vulnerable thing” she has made to date. rosecousins.com

A lover of the strange and beautiful conversation between words and music, Maya de Vitry experiences and embraces being alive through song. She has spent the last six years touring the United States, Canada, and Europe with her celebrated Americana band The Stray Birds.  In her solo work, her lone, dynamic voice, and her muses and meditations, explore a striking new landscape.  Originally from Pennsylvania (and twice a resident of Asheville), Maya makes her home in Nashville, where she has watched more sunsets on the same lake than ever before in her life. www.mayadevitry.com

 

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Meet LEAF Contest Finalist: My One And Only

Tuesday, May 8th, 2018
My One And Only is an Americana duo comprised of married couple Kassie and Benjamin Wilson. Their music can be described as “Southern soul mixed with curious grittiness” and their talent has been shared across the country, from intimate house concerts to the legendary Ryman Auditorium in their hometown of Nashville. 
 
My One And Only will record their debut EP in late May with producer Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes “Boys and Girls”) in Nashville. “You can expect reckless meanderings about loud people, some thoughts about our parents’ age, and some cries for Divine mercy,” says Benjamin. The album is due for release mid-2018. 
 
We asked My One and Only some questions to learn more about their songwriting process and vision. 

My One And Only will perform at NewSong’s LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition Saturday May 12.

 

What is your songwriting process like? 

Kassie and I consciously make time to songwrite each week. In a lot of cases, we find that inspiration follows action. Since there are two of us, our songs are put through two filters, which brings about a unique blend of style and point-of-view. We always try to come from a fresh perspective, and to have something in our songs that the listener can really grab ahold of, whether that be a sweet harmony or a slightly off-kilter lyric.
 

Where do you find inspiration? Do you have any songwriter heroes? 

Together, we have been inspired by (and loved) old country songs written by the likes of Kris Kristofferson and Hank Williams, Sr. Also, John Prine and Lori McKenna have been songwriters we’ve looked up to. Adam Duritz of Counting Crows was very influential to me growing up, and Lionel Richie was frequently on the record player as Kassie was growing up.
 

What does it mean to you to be selected as a NewSong finalist, and what do you hope to get out of the experience? 

We were so excited to be chosen as a NewSong finalist. Of the many entries into this competition that seeks out the best songwriting, to be picked out is reaffirming and encouraging. Most of all, we are looking forward to just being a part of the LEAF Festival as performing NewSong finalists. This will be an incredible opportunity to put our art in front of people, and also to be a part of a community that has the same mind as us. 
 

What would you like your audience to know about you and your music? 

Music is powerful! Combining the emotions that notes and melodies can bring with the transfer of thoughts in lyrics is a dynamite recipe. We hope that, in our music, you can feel what we feel and learn what we have learned. We hope that it connects with you on some level, that it feels natural and sweet. We hope that it feels like home. And if it does, then hang with us for a while! We can walk this journey together.

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Meet LEAF Contest Finalist: Joe Shields

Monday, May 7th, 2018

Joe Shields, also known as Cousin Joe Twoshacks, is an award-winning cartoonist-turned-songwriter from Michigan. A decade ago, at the age of 47, Joe attended a songwriter’s retreat and has been writing his heartfelt and original songs ever since.

Late start or not, Shields has made his mark on the folk scene. He is a past winner of the prestigious Kerrville New Folk competition in Kerrville, Texas and recently recorded a new album in Austin, Texas, produced by legendary singer-songwriter and producer Gurf Morlix.

We asked Joe some questions to learn more about his artistic process and vision.

Michigan-based singer-songwriter Joe Shields will perform at LEAF for NewSong’s 5th annual Singer-Songwriter Competition.

What is your songwriting process like?

My process 90 percent of the time comes from finding chords or a rhythm that feel interesting. I noodle with that, and words just seem to come. Other times a line will fall out of my head and bounce on the table, so I try to follow it.

Do you have any songwriting heroes?

My favorite artists were and still are Neil Young, Muddy Waters, and Iggy Pop way back in the day. In the last few years, I’ve made a lot of friends whose music I just love!

 

 

 

What does it mean to you to be selected as a NewSong finalist, and what do you hope to get out of the experience?

I’m a 57-year-old artist. This is an adventure for me. I love the music, the writing and the crazy creatives I get to meet and hang out with. It’s a great honor to be selected, and I’m thrilled to be included.

What would you like your audience to know about you and your music?

I’m a delicate flower that just wants to be loved. Take me home. Plant me in your yard. I have my own tent. I only require fresh cold beer and three meals a day. Just like prison had. My music sounds like all that.

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Announcing the 2018 LEAF Festival Finalists

Friday, April 27th, 2018

 

CONGRATULATIONS to our 2018 LEAF Festival Contest Finalists!

Alexa Rose – Asheville, NC
Joe Shields – Alto, MI
Carly Taich – Asheville, NC
Grace Kelly – New York, NY
Lee Jean Jr – Rae, NC
Leon Rosen – San Matteo, CA
My One And Only – Nashville, TN
Parker Ainsworth – Los Angeles, CA
Randy Steele – Chattanooga, TN

They’ll be joining us next month, on Saturday, May 12 at the 46th Annual LEAF Festival to showcase, network and compete.

On behalf of everyone at LEAF Community Arts and NewSong Music, we thank the many gifted songwriters who submitted to this year’s program. It’s a privilege to discover all the great new music coming from all of you, and we appreciate your participation.

#WhereGreatArtistsAreDiscovered #newsongmusic #LEAFTrailblazing #LEAFFestival

Posted in Contest, News | 8 Comments »

Announcing the 5th annual LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition, presented by NewSong Music

Wednesday, March 21st, 2018

NewSong Music and the LEAF Festival announce the 5th Annual LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition.

Wednesday, March 21. (Asheville, NC) – LEAF Community Arts (LEAF) and NewSong Music announce the launch of the 5th annual LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition.

With a mission to identify and celebrate exceptional performers and songwriters from across North America, the competition aims to bring some of the continent’s most accomplished emerging artists to showcase, network and compete at the 46th LEAF Festival, which takes place May 10-13, 2018

Festival headliners include Snarky Puppy, Ani Difranco and 2017 LEAF Contest finalists Ordinary Elephant, who return to LEAF as the festival’s most requested act by last spring’s festival attendees.

The LEAF Festival Competition is accepting song submissions now throughApril 8.

Judges will select eight finalists from the pool of entries, who will perform in the live showcase and competition finals at the Spring LEAF Festival onSaturday, May 12, 2018. A panel of music industry judges there will select the overall winner of the competition.


The folk duo Ordinary Elephant, performing as finalists in the 2017 LEAF Contest.

The GRAND PRIZE winner will be awarded a paid, featured performance (including lodging & accommodations) at the Fall 2018 LEAF Festival, heldOctober 18-21 in Black Mountain, NC (near Asheville). The winner will also advance to perform and compete later this year in the live performance finals of the 17th annual, international NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition.

 

TO LEARN MORE AND ENTER, CLICK HERE.

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