The DC Bluegrass Union has announced winners of the annual Hazel Dickens Songwriting Contest. The list contains a number of writers well known in bluegrass and Americana circles.
First prize and $500 was awarded to John Cloyd Miller for the song Chestnut Mountain. Second prize and a check for $250 went to Timothy Scott for Big Table. Third prize ($100) was presented to Martha Trachtenberg for the song Near Miss. All three have participated in songwriting events at IBMA’s World of Bluegrass over the years.
Honorable mentions were presented to Anya Hinkle (Hills of Swannanoa), John Bolten (Little Bird) and John Cadley (The Hard Years).
Winning entries can be heard at the DCBU web site.
Judges for this year’s contest were Cathy Fink, Phil Rosenthal, and Celia Woodsmith. The contest, which honors Bluegrass Hall of Famer Hazel Dickens, is an annual fund-raiser for the DCBU.
Winners of DCBU’s Mike Auldridge Instrumental Composition Contest were announced earlier.
