The Walnut Valley Festival NewSong Showcase is curated by Chris Jones, of Chris Jones and the Night Drivers
The NewSong Showcase is a chance for aspiring songwriters to submit their work for review by a professional songwriter/artist, with a chance to appear on stage at one of two sets during the festival. It features ten categories, including Songs About Winfield, Suitable for Children, Religion/Spirit, Feelin’ Blue, Instrumental, Sweet Memories, Love Songs, Better World, Humor and None of the Above. Entries may be made entirely online, allowing participants to upload their song and accompanying lyrics.
Chris Jones NewSong Showcase Curator 2020- Present
Showcase Categories
Two songs from each of these categories will be selected to be performed on stage during the festival.
- Songs About Winfield
- Sweet Memories
- Suitable For Children
- Love Songs
- Songs For A Better World
- Feeling Blue
- Humorous Songs
- Religion Or Spirit
- Instrumentals
- None Of The Above
Walnut Valley Festival Master Songsmith
In addition to the songs selected to be performed, one songwriter will receive a prize of $800 + 2 Full Festival tickets for a total prize value of over $1000 and be invited to perform as part of the Champion Showcase Concert on Wednesday, September 15, 2027. The selected songwriter may still submit songs to the NewSong Showcase and be selected to perform those songs in subsequent years, HOWEVER, they are ineligible to receive the Walnut Valley Festival Master Songsmith award for a period of 5 years.
Additional Information:
IMPORTANT: Please read these before entering!!
- You may enter as many times as you like, but you can only submit ONE song at a time. Each entry will need to complete the entire checkout process SEPARATELY. DO NOT proceed to checkout with more than ONE entry in your cart.
- Judges will only be able to access ONE entry per transaction. Additional entries on a single transaction will be disqualified and will not be refunded.
- Contratcted 2027 Walnut Valley Festival entertainers are not eligible to enter.
- Each song may only be entered in ONE category.
- Songs that have previously been selected to perform in the Walnut Valley Festival NewSong Showcase are not eligible for submission.
- Uploading your MP3 and song lyrics will take place during the online checkout.
- INSTRUMENTAL category entries must include an mp3 recording of the song and may upload notes about the song in place of lyrics if they choose. ALL OTHER CATEGORIES must upload BOTH an mp3 recording and the song lyrics to be accepted. (Please type lyrics to ensure readability by the judges)
