As always , the South Country Fair Songwriting competition is always a popular event for folkies and songwriting aficionados champing at the bit to get to the South Country Fair after a long winter.
The ninth annual Songwriting Competitions was no exception, April 18 at the Slice, where a full house saw songwriters from Edmonton to Lethbridge competing for cash prizes and the chance to play the South Stage during this year’s fair.
As opposed to last year, when there were two categories for amateurs and people who have a CD out, all of the songwriters competed against each other with South Country Songwriting Fair veterans and former winners Lethbridge Folk club regular Cathy Hawley winning the $800 first prize for her divorce themed song “ War on the Homefront,” while former Lethbridgians, current Edmontonian Michael Granzow took the second prize of $400 for “ Answer Back Brother.”
Calgary one man band Rob Lagace and Lethbridge’s George Arsene took home the $200 and $100 third and fourth prizes.
All of the competitors made it tough for the judges to choose the winner as there were a variety of different musical styles, backing musicians and bands competing.
Beaver Mines songwriter Jolaine Kelley tested the waters, ukulele in hand for her song “Lotus” to open up the evening. Lethbridge’s Tyra Whitson played some pretty guitar on her song “ She.” Another former Lethbridge raised, Edmonton based songwriter Andrew Scott was up next with an upbeat number about alcoholism called “Black Heart.”
Calgary’s Laurie Fuhr reminded me of Carolyn Mark as she picked up the tempo with a catchy Western swing number called “ Break up Blues” featuring some fine fiddling and thumping stand up bass from Chris Penner and Scott Duncan.
Fellow Calgarian Leanne Copithorne continued with the alcohol theme of the night with She’s Your Whiskey” which featured some pretty accordion playing giving the song a French cabaret waltz feel. Another Calgarian South Country Fair Songwriting Competition veteran Chris Gheran plugged in for a more (comparatively speaking) lighthearted number “Lie To Me.”
And Michael Granzow finished the first set on a strong note with “ Answer Back Brother.”
The songwriters in the second set took the competition to another level, with Cathy Hawley’s winning song hitting the crowd's resonant frequency.
She prove to be a tough act to follow for George Arsene, with another alcohol themed song “ Whiskey I Owe.”
Another Lethbridge transplant Derek Hrynyk added some blues to the evening on “The Grass Is Red” a personal song about moving away from home. He traded bluesy solos on the acoustic guitar with his lead guitarist.
Rob Moss played a different song than the judges were lead to believe with a folksy story song called “ Dalton’s Trail.”
He had some pretty imagery and some beautiful guitar playing.
One man band Rob Legace ended the night by setting up a bass drum behind him and thumping out a rhythm on an upbeat, optimistic sounding number called “ Keep Me Strong,” which reminded me of cats like Peter Katz.
