By the Riverside: Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest winners revealed
Published 12:00 pm Monday, August 23, 2021
- Amanda M. Usher | The Valdosta Daily TimesRachel Hillman of Tallahassee, Fla., serenades the crowd Saturday at the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest sponsored by WWALS in the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts Art Park.
This report was updated at 11:08 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 24, to correct a name in the cutline.
VALDOSTA – Sweet William Billy Ennis of Palatka, Fla., is the first-prize winner of the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.
The annual competition was sponsored by WWALS and took place Saturday at the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts Art Park and was also live-streamed on Zoom.
Scott Perkins and the Little Perks in Paradise headlined the show. Perkins is a past winner of the contest.
Ennis is a singer/songwriter who has penned original songs of multiple genres relating to various subjects, including love and war with blues influence, for 50 years, according to his biography.
As the first-place winner, he received $300 along with $300 value in studio time.
Jimi Davies of Atlanta, who rocked the stage with his 15-year-old brother on drums, was the winner for best song submitted from outside the Suwannee River Basin. Davies is a native of Valdosta, according to his biography.
K.J. Wingate of O’Brien, Fla., is the winner for best song submitted from inside the Suwannee River Basin.
Both contestants received a $50 prize.
Judges were Kenji Bolden, John Jeffery “J.J.” Rolle and Josh Duncan. Each of them individually performed.
“We’re looking for the originality of the lyrics and the importance and the integrity that the lyrics pertain to our local watership, and we’re looking for the originality of the music and the composition, as well,” Duncan said.
Kicking off the contestant performances was Rachel Hillman of Tallahassee, Fla., with her song, “Gossiping of Butterflies.”
David Rodock of Adel, Davies and Ennis followed. Other scheduled performers were Katherine Ball of Valdosta, Brandon Fox of Leesburg and Kathy Lou Gilman of Kingsland.
They were tasked with writing original songs that focused on the Suwannee River or its tributaries.
Duncan said this year’s entries were extremely diverse in style.
As part of his judging, Bolden said he was in search of one thing.
“As a songwriter myself, I want to fall in love with the song,” he said.
The Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest drew a small crowd to the Art Park, where visitors could not only listen to music but visit with Hibachi Highway, Skoll Axe Company and The Pour House Mobile Bar.
A silent auction and kayak raffle were also held.
Proceeds benefitted the WWALS Watershed Coalition.
Visit wwals.net to learn about WWALS.