May Songwriting Contest Results

May's songwriting contest winners and finalists include songwriters from The United Kingdom, Canada, Israel, Germany, The United States, The Netherlands, Romania, Bermuda, Italy, France, South Africa, and Australia. The songs were judged on songwriting alone. Vocal ability was not taken into consideration. Production/mixing quality was also not taken into consideration. For example, the Folk winner won with a simple live acoustic recording. Song of the Year maintains a different set of judges each month to ensure that different opinions are determining the winners throughout the year. 

 

Lyric Only

Winner

Nahara Abrmov - As long as you'll be happy (Tel Aviv, Israel )

Finalists Stacy Desoya Jackson - What I'm trying to say (Roxbury, Massachusetts) Judith Yerka - River of lost dreams (Uxbridge, Massachusetts) Levon Russell - How do you mend a broken heart (Wurzburg, Germany ) G. Brent St. John - I only wanna dance with you   (Pacific Palisades, California )

Christian/Gospel

Winner

Katie Miner - Forever Amen (Franklin, Tennessee)

Finalists Keith Johnson - Christmas Love (El Paso, Texas) Craig A Thompson - A Dream (Rossford, Ohio) Brian Neubauer - Let me be (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) Theodore Peregrim - Saviez-Vous 'Did you know?' (Lexington, Kentucky)

Pop

Winner

Fred Ferraro - Always seems to end this way (Stewart Manor, New York)

Finalists Laurentiu Cazan - Say Something (Buzau, Romania)   Noshayah Morgan - Next 2 U (New York, New York ) Alan Grier - Sow the Seeds (Lancashire, United Kingdom) William Menacher - Take a chance (Holland, Ohio)

Rock

Winner

Scott Hinkson - Lately (Winnipeg, Canada)

Finalists D.J. Kwas - American dream come true (Wauwatosa, Wisconsin) Scott Gorsuch - Mary (Columbus, Ohio) Olatunji Talabi - Can't Run, Can't Hide  (Erlanger, Kentucky) James Fisher - Fame (Davenport, Iowa)

Instrumental/Jazz/World

Winner

Itai Dattner - Blues for Cheli (Golan Heights, Israel)

Finalists Wylie Rudo - Culture (set we free) (Pembroke, Bermuda) Alessandro Boschi - Shade of Sun (Ghiffa, Italy) G.M. Selemon - Our love is true love (Newburgh, New York) Andre T. Cousar - Symphony DeLa Dre (Los Angeles, California)

Folk

Winner

Marce - Beginning of an Ending (Gainesville, Florida)

Finalists Roger Nelson - Adjusting to the light (Rochester, Minnesota) Buddy R. Kelly Jr. - Six Bullets (Mulberry, Arkansas) A.J. Szozda - Darling come home to me (Toledo, Ohio) Charles Green - The Red White and Blue (Danville, Illinois)

Adult Contemporary

Winner

Shane Scott - Holding On (Birmingham, Alabama)

Finalists Liz Garvin - True Colours (Rochdale, United Kingdom) Jack Evans - Dangerous Times (Katonah, New York) Charlie Ray Fetty III - Alla Sha La Na (Pueblo, Colorado) Callum Hendry - Boyfriend (Wick, United Kingdom)

Country

Winner

Sean Patrick McGraw - Watching Somebody Else Dance (Nashville, Tennessee)

Finalists Don Martin - You and Me (Ontario, Canada) Adam Johnson - She gave it up (Bountiful, Utah) Anthony Stockl - Ride Away (Frankfort, Illinois) Richard Patrick Hoverter - Finish Line (Reading, Pennsylvania)

Hip-Hop / R&B

Winner

Sergio Suarez - Mo' Betta Blues (Great Neck, New York)

Finalists Jamilah Smith - Take it back (Irvington, New Jersey)  Cassandra Henderson - Let it Go (Bronx, New York) Jean Moses - Mystery under desire (El Paso, Texas) Patricia Campbell - Watcha gonna do about it (Paulsboro, New Jersey)

Electronic/Dance

Winner

Nakedi Mabusela & Tebogo Motlhabi - Summer Days (Gauteng, South Africa)

Finalists Clyde Brett Barnes - Miss U when U go (Vernal, Utah) Tony Profit - December 2012 (Salles Sur Mer, France) Shannon Simmons - Garden of You (Bakersfield, California) Mary Taylor - Synchronization (Sydney, Australia)