GALATYN PARK SINGER SONGWRITER STAGE!

The Singer Songwriter Stage is located in the Bank of America Theatre within the Eisemann Center for Performing Arts.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2009 Wildflower! Singer/Songwriter Contest!

Colin McGrath
New York
Grand Prize Winner of a $4,000 Guitar Donated by Gallagher Guitar and a $100 Cash Award

Adam Ezra
Massachusetts
Winner of a $500 Cash Award and Named the "People's Choice"

Margo Valiante
Texas
Winner of a $500 Cash Award

Matt Harlan
Texas
Winner of a $500 Cash Award

The following 10 finalists in the 2009 Singer/Songwriter Contest vied for a Judges Choice Award of a Gallagher Guitar valued at $3,999 plus $100 and three $500 cash awards on Saturday, May 16:

Carolyn Currie – Maine
http://www.carolyncurrie.com
A self taught guitar player, Carolyn released her first album in 1995 which won prizes at a number of prestigious national songwriting competitions. Her third CD, Kiss of Ghosts, garnered enormous praise among critics, was chosen in 2005 as one of the top independent releases by Performing Songwriter Magazine and won the 2005 People's Choice Award at INATs East. Her current CD is Waves of Silence.

Colin McGrath – New York
http://colinmcgrath.com
New York-based singer/songwriter Colin McGrath began performing original songs when he was 18. After years of writing instrumental music and helping others write their own stories, he released his own CD, Window Seat, in 2007. Most recently he was the Grand Prize Winner of The Listening Room Retreat Competition in California and the 2009 winner of the Belfast Nashville Songwriting Festival Competition in Belfast, Ireland.

Mary Bragg – New York
http://www.marybragg.com/
Mary Bragg began her career as an Americana singer-songwriter at the University of Georgia, where she quickly found her means of expression through singing and songwriting. She recorded her debut album, Certain Simple Things, in 2004. Her current CD is entitled Sugar.

Adam Ezra – Massachusetts
http://www.adamezra.com/
This Boston-based singer/songwriter is a member of the Adam Ezra Group whose genre is described as Acoustic Roots Rock. Adam has two CDs to his name - Chain in 2005 and Adam Ezra in 2000 but most of Adam's touring is done these days with his band, "The Adam Ezra Group".

Michael Nero – Texas
www.myspace.com/michaelneromusic
San Antonio, Texas based singer/songwriter Michael Nero genres include Texas, Folk Rock/Acoustic/American. He lists his influences as Jesse Winchester, Dougie MacLean, Tony Joe White, Mississippi John Hurt, and Taj Mahal.

David Llewellyn - Tennessee
http://davidllewellyn.com/
A native of South Wales, David released his first US CD David Llewellyn in 2004. Three years later, David released Limited Edition, a CD about his upbringing in Wales. Most recently he was the 2008 Winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest - Folk Category and the 2007 Winner of the Kerrville Folk Festival "New Folk" competition.

Matt Harlan – Texas
http://www.mattharlan.com/
After gigging in rock bands around San Antonio and Austin, Harlan dropped the pick and the power chords to develop his own unique finger-picking technique. In 2003, Matt Harlan won the Kerrville Folk Festival's Texas University Songwriters Competition. The Houston Fort Bend Songwriter's Association (HFBSA) nominated Matt’s “Heavy Steel and Spinning Wheels” for their 2006 Song of the Year award.

Margo Valiante – Texas
http://www.margovaliante.com/
Recently uprooted from her Jackson Hole, Wyoming stage, Margo Valiante now calls Austin, Texas home. Margo's voice and writing style have often been likened to that of Alison Krauss, Patty Griffin and Norah Jones, with a little Bonnie Raitt thrown in. Her songs from her latest CD, New Blue, received Honorable Mention at The Telluride Troubadour Competition in 2007.

Dana Hubbard – California
http://www.danahubbard.com
Born and raised on the Central Coast of California, Dana shared the stage with legends like Albert King, James Cotton and Etta James and opening shows for artists like Greg Allman, Chris Isaak and Robert Cray. All this performance experience culminated in his first CD release, Tummy Lust which showcased his impressive guitar skills as well as his songwriting ability. His latest CD, is called The Grounds Keepers.

Jennie DeVoe – Indiana
http://jenniedevoe.com/
This Indianapolis, Indiana-based artist recorded her latest CD, Fireworks & Karate Supplies, in England with famed producer John Paris. DeVoe's vocals have a wise, raw, human quality that reveals lyrics that are smart, kooky and often pleasingly simple.