It’s the final countdown! Each week, six artists performed their original songs in the hopes of making it to the next round. One winner will be chosen at the final round on Nov. 2.
Amplify Nashville is back for its second year as a unique showcase of folk, blues, roots and country music featuring fan-favorite musicians, according to the Brown County Music Center’s website.
The festival got its start as a way to showcase music and bringing the roots home to Brown County. The event benefits Mother’s Cupboard Community Kitchen and the Brown County Music Association and had around 800 people in attendance last year.
“With the big Amplify event, we’re able to give back,” Founder Corey Flick said. “We’re able to get artists in town that may normally not have an opportunity.”
This year, founders Flick, Jan Bell, Kenan Rainwater, Jeff Shew, Sarah Meneffe, Bob Bloss and others wanted to add a special element to the festival.
They decided to implement a contest to showcase singer songwriters where the winner opens the Amplify festival.
“We were like, how do we make it bigger and better this year?” Flick said. “We were shocked because we said people have to like the Amplify page (on Facebook), send an email and the first 24 at 8 a.m. on the day the contest opens are in. It was filled by 8:01 a.m., we ended up getting around 300 submissions.”
Applications for the Songwriter Showdown were free, but spots were limited.
“We tell them, this is your audition for the big show,” said Flick “This gets you in, but you need to be promoting. We give them a little bit of music business training, so we say that the 10 or 15 people you bring can vote for you, but also have to vote for another artist performing so then it’s a level playing field.”
The average attendance rate for each round has been around 90, with more than 100 at many of the dates. Each Thursday six artists in the running would take to the stage with the opportunity of performing three original songs. At the end of the show, the audience voted for their two favorite acts and the top three moved on to the semifinals.
The final round of the Songwriter Showdown is on the books for Nov 2. at the Brown County Playhouse (70 S. Van Buren Street) at 7 p.m.
The winner is set to receive a $1,500 recording package, professional photography session, social media package, 500 pressed CDs, the opportunity to open for a touring act at the Playhouse and the opportunity to open for the Amplify festival on Dec. 7 at the Brown County Music Center (200 Maple Leaf Boulevard), according to Founder Bob Blass.
Tickets cost $9.70 per person and can be purchased online at browncountyplayhouse.org/event/singer-songwriter-showdown-finals/.
