Songwriters to compete Saturday

Songwriters to compete Saturday 

April 02, 2009 09:38 pm

— Twenty-two Oklahoma songwriters, their songs and panache will kick off Muskogee’s month-long Azalea Festival during Saturday’s Muskogee Songwriting Contest Songfest.
The musical contestants range from a 17-year-old Cromwell girl, Tessa Rae Newman, who also barrel races, to an Oklahoma City father of four, Patrick Cullen, and a Jenks school teacher, Andrea Turner.
The one thing that binds all the contestants is a passion for music and an early introduction to it, according to a media release.
“I got my love for music from my mother, who bought me a piano at the age of 10 and my first guitar when I was 14,” Cullen said.
Cullen will be one of 12 adult contestants at the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame for the second annual Muskogee songfest, a free concert. Last year, 10 adults competed for $1,000 in prize money, with a local man, Ted Aukerman, winning the $500 first prize.
The format was expanded this year to include, beside the competing adults, a youth division, songwriters 18 years old and younger, and two $500 first prizes, one for the winning adult and youth contestants.
Last year, all the contestants were from eastern Oklahoma, but this year the contest attracted nearly 200 entries from songwriters from across the state. The youth division has Tanner Evan Hodges, a contestant from Randlett, a town of 511 people in Cotton County in the southwest part of the state, as well as two contestants from the Tulsa area.
The adult division features songwriters from Tulsa and Oklahoma City, as well as Gans, Grove and Cromwell, a town of 265 people southwest of Henryetta.
The contest does not restrict the type of song entries, so those attending the songfest will hear a wide range of music. Song entries include those in the R&B tradition and genres representing country, gospel and a blend of folk and blues.
Three judges will have to choose first-, second- and third-place winners from the 22 performances. The judges are Muskogee’s latest addition to the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, songwriter Chick Rains, and Kelli Doolen Farmer, a Northeastern State University music instructor, and her musical husband, Shannon Farmer.
If you ask the contestants, the event is more than just a competition. All 22 are laying their passion on the line, and almost every last one of them can point to someone who put that spark for telling a musical story in them.
“I use my music as a weapon and a vase of flowers, for protest and for praise,” said Tucker Carter, a Tulsa songwriter, who is actually a Muskogee native. “My family, including my grandfather, Wilburn Carter, has always supported me and pushed me onward. They’re why I’m in the place I find myself today.”
The songfest is sponsored locally by the Muskogee Area Arts Council, John Michael’s Music and Sound, and the Muskogee Chamber of Commerce, as well as by the Oklahoma Arts Council.

Adult contestants

Racheal Jackson of Guthrie, “Tonight’s the Night”
Born in Guthrie, Jackson is one of two children, who said she had a hard but was blessed as a child. The family moved to Oakland, Calif., where she started singing at 9. She sang in church, school choirs, and to family and friends.
“I’ve always had a passion for music. It’s a form of expression and therapy.”

Andrea Turner of Jenks, “Moon Song”
Andrea Turner was raised on crayons and vinyl. Growing up in Oklahoma, she thrived on drawing but also had a passion for playing guitar and singing great 1970s music. After 20 years of corporate graphic design jobs, she decided to re-enter the classroom.
After attending an Oklahoma Arts Institute songwriting workshop at Quartz Mountain, Turner began spending more time with her guitar and writing. Taking opportunities to perform and write, she feels fortunate to still be living a life filled with music and art.

Aaron Michaels of Muskogee, “I Love You More”
Michaels has been writing and playing music for the past 18 years performing as the front man in several different bands. He’s now gone solo. He is involved doing music at his church and coaching youth sports for his two sons. He said he loves spending time with his wife. His mission statement: “Saving the lost and keeping the saved motivated.”

Tucker Carter of Tulsa, “Man’s Gotta Work”
Carter is a singer/songwriter who plays a mixture of folk, blues, and Americana that is acoustically driven. He focuses on telling a story in a different manner as much as he focuses on making his feet tap as well as yours. His interests and inspirations have always come from the nooks and crannies of society and the world we live in, the ironic situations we find ourselves in sometimes. His family, including grandfather, Wilburn Carter, have supported him and pushed him onward.

Patrick Cullen of Oklahoma City, “The Long Way Home”
Patrick Cullen lives in Oklahoma City with his wife of 25 years and two of their four children. He got his love for music from his mother who bought him a piano at 10 and his first guitar when he was 14. A composer from the start, he has written songs fit for everything from the sacred to the saloon. He still entertains as a solo artist, hosting a weekly open-mic night every Tuesday, and as a regular guest every Sunday night with a local band.

Greg Pierce of Grove, “Free Fall”
Born an Air-Force brat, Pierce said he moved all over the place growing up. Every two to three years I’d be somewhere new, making new friends, going to new schools. He never had much of a desire to write music until he was about 20 and in college. His mother always told him he’d probably end up doing something he never thought he would do in life – she was right. He’s a high school teacher who writes music on the side. His passion is to play music for the Lord. “Once I started, I have never looked back.”

Pierce A. Nix of Tulsa, “Too Far Gone”
Nix, 20, has been writing music since he was about 6. He was heavily involved in the music at Victory Church in Oklahoma City growing up, and for the past couple of years, has been writing songs for their youth and adult worship services. He sings, plays bass, piano, violin, viola, accordion, and a little bit of guitar. He is a sophomore music composition major at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa.

Jeremy Kerns of Muskogee, “Waiting”
Kerns grew up in Fort Gibson. He found his love of music through piano at 12, when he took lessons. He found his passion three years later with a guitar. Kerns wrote “Waiting” in 2008 with the inspiration of his wife of eight years, Angie. Kerns said he felt “Waiting” is relevant in today’s tough economic times. He said he feels like music always has been the outlet for things that are sometimes impossible to put into words.

Nick Knudsen of Durant, “The Road to Alcohol”
Knudsen was born in a small Iowa town called Newton. His father was a professional country guitar player who became an electrician after falling in love with Knudsen’s mother, who wanted a little more stability.
“I’ve heard tales from an early age about traveling all over and playing music for people who love it, so I’ve known for a long time what it is that I wanted to do. I’m trying to see as much of the world as I can in the short amount of time I have and write as many songs about what I see as I can,” he said.

Angie Cockrell of Broken Arrow, “Like a River”
Cockrell began singing in 2003 after “sitting it on the shelf” to raise a family and maintain a business. Singing every chance she could and recording copy tunes for studio experience gave her the encouragement to begin writing songs. In 2006, she recorded her first song, “Like A River.” Cockrell’s versatile style is reflected in her songwriting and singing. Her inspiration comes from lives that are touched as she shares the songs that are in her heart.

Pam Newman of Cromwell, “Cinderella”
Newman enjoys being a homemaker, wife and mother of three. She has competed professionally on her barrel horses, traveling throughout the U.S. Qualifying for the IAHA Nationals on her working cow horse. The duo came home with a U.S. National Top 10 Championship. Her newfound hobby is songwriting with her daughter, Tessa Rae. They both recently returned home from Nashville, where they are working on Tessa Rae’s second album. Pam and Tessa Rae plan to continue making music and writing meaningful songs.

Jordan Burch of Oklahoma City, “Let You Down”
Burch is a self-taught musician who’s been playing and writing for about seven years. She bought an acoustic guitar in 2003 or 2004 and not long after that, wrote her first song. In 2007, she began getting serious about songwriting and in August 2008, started a band called “The Friendship Business” with some friends at church. She plays drums in the band and writes all the songs.


Youth contestants

Boone Brady of Wagoner, “Shoot the Sun”
Abstract Sounds in Muted Audio, the band, consists of Boone Brady, vocals; Cody Caughman, guitar; Ryan Harrison, piano; Dylan Peters, drums; and Collin Spriggs, bass. Their influences range from The Beatles and Led Zeppelin to The Goo Goo Dolls, Matchbox Twenty, JET and Oasis to punk/ska and hardcore bands.

Darien Williams of Tahlequah, “Sleep”
Williams can remember writing songs when he was in kindergarten. He plays the piano and guitar.
“My purpose in making music is to help others come alive to their own hearts, and become who God made them to be,” Williams said. I graduate from Tahlequah High School this May, and I will be attending Victory Bible Institute School of Worship in the fall.

Emily Thompson of Sand Springs, “Tears Were All Gone”
Thompson, 16, said she loves music. She started writing songs around seventh grade and have been writing ever since. Her dream in life is for people to hear her music. She wants to perform someday and if that fails, would like to teach music. I would like to learn more instruments but so many instruments, so little time.

Tessa Rae Newman of Cromwell, “On the Wings of an Angel”
Rae, 18, is no stranger to performing, whether in the singing arena or as a competitor in the rodeo arena. This past year, Rae performed in Nashville at a showcase at BB King’s. Now she is writing her new album in Nashville and looking forward to her first release, “Status Quo.” Her love for music, family and horses is surpassed by only one thing, her relationship with the Lord.

Beth Allison of Keefeton, “Jericho”
Allison, 18, has lived in Keefeton all her life. She is a high school senior and student at Connors State College. She is a member of Keefeton Free Will Baptist Church. Her parents are Herb Jr. and Kim Allison. Her hobbies include songwriting, working puzzles, and watching movies. She also plays guitar and piano.

Tanner Evan Hodges of Randlett, “I’m Not Through Loving You”
Hodges, 16, has performed at the Oklahoma City Opry, Clinton Jamboree, Johnny High Country Music Revue, Red River Bottom Jamboree and the Honeyfest Idol competition in Burleson, Texas, winning the Horizon Award, Male Vocalist and Male Entertainer of 2005 at the Opry. He plays guitar, piano, and keyboard and writes some of his own music.

Jonah Corn of Muskogee, “Black Swallowtail”
Corn’s first guitar teacher introduced him to the more challenging genre of classical music, and he has spent the last four years concentrating on music theory and technique. Corn hopes to attend college as a music major and has his sights set high on the Peabody Institute or Juilliard. He hopes to continue in music as a performing artist and instructor.

Sarah Aukerman of Muskogee, “Daydreamer”
Aukerman, 18, started playing music and singing at a young age with her dad, and soon started writing her own songs. She played in the praise and worship band at her church for more than eight years. She is a music major at Northeastern State University and enjoys playing various instruments including flute, guitar, piano and bass.

Sarah Dickenson of Broken Arrow, “Windowsill”
Milos Fare is a young, in-your-face rock band from Tulsa, consisting of Sarah Dickenson, vocals; Sean Fisher, guitar; Mike Usrey, bass; and Detrick Carroll, drums. The band is only a few steps out of the neonatal stage, but their work showcases their dedication to success. Dickenson’s soaring pipes come as a bit of a surprise, as her tiny frame wouldn’t seem capable of producing such a sound.

Justin Lance Springwater of Gans, “Goodbye”
Springwater always knew what I he wanted to do — be a singer\songwriter. His biggest dream is to have No. 1 hits and a style that people recognize. He never has been popular, so he know how it feels to be on the outside.
“I use my pain in my songs,” he said. “I feel as if I see the world different than any other person and my outlook on life will get me somewhere.

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