Submissions being accepted for 5th annual Jimmy LaFave Songwriting Contest

Now in its fifth year, the Jimmy LaFave Songwriting Contest is open to unsigned and emerging Oklahoma songwriters. The contest is free with a grand prize of $500 and a feature of the song at Bob Childers Gypsy Café, Oklahoma’s largest songwriter festival to be held April 27 in Stillwater, Okla. Each artist may submit one lyric-driven song by March 3rd.

Three contest finalists will be selected based on lyrics, melody, originality, form and musicality by a panel of judges, including renowned songwriters and industry professionals Chris Buhalis, Ellis Paul, David Amram, Troy Campbell, Deana McCloud, Brad Piccolo and Roger Ray. Finalists will be asked to submit a video recording of their song (acoustic) for public voting online April 1-9. This video can by made on a phone (professional production is not required). The judges’ scores of overall performance will be combined with public votes to determine 1st prize of $500 and the song feature at Bob Childers’ Gypsy Cafe and People’s Choice prize of $100. For the first time, the top three finalists will also be invited to perform at Mayfest in Tulsa on May 6-8.