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SONGWRITERS CONTEST APPLICATION

2^nd Annual Cigar Box Guitar Festival held on June 7^th, 2014 at HWY61 Roadhouse located in Webster Groves MO.

Mail your entry to:

Steven Miles – Event Coordinator

The St. Louis Cigar Box Festival 2014

1419 N. 2nd St.

Edwardsville, IL  62025

Songs submitted must be original work. Songs may have multiple co-writers, but please designate one name only on the application. Contestant may submit one or two songs, but each entry requires a separate form, song, and lyrics.  Song must include a homemade stringed instrument (in the spirit of the CBG festival).  It does not need to be made by the contestant, just not mass produced.

Each entry must consist of:

·         Completed and signed application entry form (or photocopy).

·         CD(s), MP3(s) or audio cassette(s) must contain one song only and be four minutes or less in length.

·         If the song contains lyrics, a lyric sheet typed or printed legibly is required (please include English translation if applicable). 

All entrants must be willing and able to attend the finals on the event date above.

Entries must be postmarked no later than May 15, 2014.

Prizes to be awarded for:

1^st place prize – Custom CBG (cigar box guitar) and recording gear

2^nd place prize – Custom CBG and a songwriter’s software tool

3^rd place prize – Custom CBG

Name(s)_______________________________________________________________

Address_______________________________________________Apt._____________

City___________________________State_______Zip__________Country__________

Phone_____________________________________________Age________________

Email Address__________________________________________________________

Song Title______________________________________________________________

Check one:     [  ] Lyrics included           [  ] Instrumental composition

Songwriters contest held at Highway 61 Roadhouse in Webster Groves Missouri during the2^nd Annual Cigar Box Guitar Festival on June 7th, 2014.

Entries will be judged by a panel of music industry professionals who volunteer their time.  Please know that all submissions are treated fairly by the team of volunteer judges, but individual tastes are different including those of the judges.  All entries will be judged on originality, lyrics, melody and the song's overall appeal.  All decisions by judges will be final.  No entrants will be provided with scores or evaluations of their entries.

Judges and Festival host are not responsible for late, lost, damaged, misdirected, postage due, stolen, or misappropriated entries. Judges and Festival host are not responsible for faulty file uploads accompanying online entries.

Twelve entrants will be notified of being selected for the finals that will be performed live at the festival at 10am at the main stage.  Non-finalists will not be notified.

Live performances will be scheduled on the day of the festival.  Therefore all finalists who were chosen by the panel will be given a schedule ahead of time.  Finalists can check in 30 minutes before and must be checked in 10 minutes before the start time.  Failure to do this will result in a disqualification.

12:00 - 1:30 Justin Johnson

1:30 - 3:00 SW Competition

3:00 - 4:30 Justin Johnson

4:30 – 5:00 Judges and Awards

5:00 - 7:00 Justin Johnson

I am starting my own CBG company; Insolitus Guitars. I chose the name because cigar box guitars are unusual, uncommon and that is what I enjoy most. I love unusual things and music from these instruments is beautiful to me. Even on youtube from the least skilled player the music rings in my ears something sweet. I found out about cigar box guitars in college my sophomore year. I didn't have money for a guitar so I 'googled' DIY (Do It Yourself) guitars online and there they were. They were minimalist (which I love) and simple to make. The various tuning styles that people have developed for them allows them to be uniquely diverse and can play any style. They are socially and economically relevant today as they were back in their humble begining.

Today's recession has called upon inovative and resourceful thinking. Recycling cigar boxes to create musical instruments and amplifiers is one great way. Using discarded or simple sustainable wood for the necks and other parts is great as well. They cost a fraction of the cost of a normal guitar to make but can produce sounds that are just as good; if not better. So for me to not look into making my own to sell and play then i would be making a mistake.

I am still a beginner in playing guitar, I have been tinkering and playing around with guitars and basses since I was fifteen years old. I never really had the time nor the patience to sit down and learn how to play them. Until i found out about cigar box guitars. These wonderful instruments inspire me. So my blog at wordpress is called: http://insolitusguitars.wordpress.com/ and here at Cigar Box Nation. You can follow my adventure in learning how to play and build these soulful and simple instruments.

If anyone wants to catch more of what I do, that never gets posted here,...please do go to youtube and search cinderellalifestyle . lots off vids, uke specials, national steel guitar,...nature walks and my rambles , which a basically 

instrumental ditties put to pics, usually short and sweet...

if you want to look a vintage junque, or find my CD, that's here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/lauriescustomthingz

bye for now!