RON SHORT NAMED TENNESSEE SONGWRITERS WEEK FINALIST AT THE DOWN HOME IN JOHNSON CITY
RON SHORT NAMED TENNESSEE SONGWRITERS WEEK FINALIST AT THE DOWN HOME IN JOHNSON CITY
FINALISTS WIN PERFORMANCE AT THE LEGENDARY BLUEBIRD CAFE
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Feb. 23, 2023 – The fifth of seven Tennessee Songwriters Week finalists wowed the crowd on stage at The Down Home in Johnson City last night, The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development announced today. Ron Short competed against 17 other songwriters to win the showcase with his song “France”. Six other showcase events are scheduled this week, including at Lafayette’s Music Room in Memphis, Songbirds Foundation in Chattanooga, Ole Red in Gatlinburg, The Bijou Theatre in Knoxville, The Franklin Theatre in Franklin and The Palace Theatre in Gallatin.
Each of the seven finalists across the state earn the opportunity to perform at The Bluebird Cafe during a private event in March with music industry professionals, a branded commemorative Taylor guitar, two-night stay in Nashville, $100 gift card for travel and one-year membership to Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI). Songwriters performed at qualifying rounds in February at more than 50 venues, museums, attractions and cafes to advance to the showcase events.
The event was emceed by Ed Snodderly. Snodderly is co-owner of The Down Home, which has been bringing live music to the people of Johnson City since 1976. He is an accomplished songwriter, musician, and supporter of live music.Judges included radio personality and host of “Women On Air” Susan Lachman, university instructor Brandon Story, and songwriter/musician Seth Thomas. Judges considered lyric originality, performance and connection with the audience.
Short is a singer, musician, songwriter, playwright, and actor, who has carried on his family’s singing tradition that dates back to the 1800s. He joined Roadside Theater in 1979, has had 12 major recordings of his music, and has served as the producer of four collections of Appalachian music for PBS.
“Thanks to Ed and thanks to Tennessee Songwriters Week, you’re never too old to follow your dreams,” said Short.
Previous Johnson City finalists Seth Thomas and Chancellor Lawson performed as special guests.
With a wide variety of genres present in Northeast Tennessee including country, rock, jazz, metal and more, music and songwriting run deep into the roots of the region. As Bristol, TN holds the title of “The Birthplace of Country Music” the region has a long history within the genre and was the setting for some of the earliest country records including those of the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers.
Helmed by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, Tennessee Songwriters Week was established in 2019 to support music venues, celebrate songwriters with live performances in all genres of music, drive visitation and inspire travelers to experience the state’s music stories, history, attractions and venues. Since its inception, more than 3,500 songwriters have shared their original music across Tennessee stages during the annual celebration.
The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development partners with The Bluebird Cafe, NSAI, Taylor Guitars, music venues and local convention and visitors’ bureaus, chambers and partners across the state, all committed to make sure songwriters can share their original work onstage with other writers.
Follow the journey of these songwriters and join the fun by following @tnvacation on social media and #tnsongwritersweek.
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ABOUT TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TOURIST DEVELOPMENT
Tennessee is the home of the blues, bluegrass, country, gospel, soul, rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll— delivering an unparalleled experience of beauty, history and family adventure, infused with
music that creates a vacation that is the “Soundtrack of America. Made in Tennessee.” Explore more at tnvacation.com and join other Tennessee travelers by following “TNVacation” on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube and “Tennessee” on Snapchat.
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