Nashville, TN (PRWEB) August 31, 2012 Unsigned Only is pleased to announce its 2012 winners selected from almost 7,500 entries worldwide. The Grand Prize, Unsigned Onlys highest honor, goes to San Francisco, CA artist Lara Johnston with the song, K.I.S.S. Johnston was the highest scoring artist overall in the competition and a favorite among the judges. Upon learning the news, she stated, The Unsigned Only Competition presents truly unique, hands-on opportunities for an undiscovered artist like myself, and I’m beyond honored and excited to be recognized as their first Grand Prize winner! What makes Lara Johnston so captivating, aside from her girl-next-door beauty, is her powerful voice, dynamic stage presence, creative spirit, and great songwriting. Only 22 years old, she has shared the bill with such acts as Willie Nelson, Huey Lewis and the News, Journey, Heart, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Miller, Don Henley, rapper J. Dash, and many others. Over the past three years she has toured throughout the world, writing and co-writing songs in LA, London, and Nashville, and balancing her career pursuits with her time as a student at USCs Thornton School of Music. This summer, Lara is touring locally, collaborating as a writer and singer with multiple producers, and putting the final touches on her debut album. Launched only a year ago and judged by a roster of celebrity notables such as Cyndi Lauper, 3 Doors Down, Kelly Clarkson, Kenny Rogers, St. Vincent, and many more, Unsigned Only is a unique music competition designed for solo artists, bands, and singers who are not signed to a major label. With 36% of the entrants and 47% of the winners coming from outside the USA, Unsigned Only has quickly established itself as the international music competition for unsigned artists. Unsigned Onlys goal is to find outstanding, talented artists: newcomers or veterans… raw or polished the gems that need to be discovered. Candace Avery and Jim Morgan, the founders and directors of Unsigned Only, emphasize that what is different about Unsigned Only is the mentoring component. The Grand Prize winner will be mentored by a group of upper echelon music industry executives, ranging from label presidents to heads of A&R. Because these industry pros are typically hard to reach, this is a rare opportunity for an artist. Gaining access to them for guidance on a one-to-one basis could be a career changer, and we are pleased to offer the opportunity to this years Grand Prize winner, Lara Johnston. She is an exciting artist with a great future. In addition to the Grand Prize winner, many other deserving artists are winners in their respective categories. With a total of nine categories and First and Second Place in each (along with a list of Honorable Mentions), Unsigned Only covers all genres of commercial contemporary music, including: Adult Album Alternative (AAA); Adult Contemporary (AC); Christian; Country; Folk/Singer-Songwriter; R&B/Hip-Hop; Rock; Pop/Top 40; and Vocal Performance. For a complete list of Unsigned Only winners and to hear the winning songs, go to unsignedonly.com/winners 2012 Judges include: 3 Doors Down; Kelly Clarkson; Robert Smith (The Cure); Kenny Rogers; Jeremy Camp; Musiq Soulchild; St. Vincent; Manchester Orchestra; Angie Stone; G. Love; Craig Morgan; Aaron Shust; Charlie Daniels; Steve Lillywhite (Producer); Matt and Kim; Cyndi Lauper; The Mountain Goats; Josh Jackson (Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief, Paste Magazine) and Scott Lapatine (Founder/Editor-In-Chief, Stereogum. 2012 Mentors include: Monte Lipman (President of Universal Republic); Pete Ganbarg (Executive VP/Head of A&R, Atlantic Records); David Wolter (Senior VP of A&R, RCA Records); Kim Stephens (President, Forward Entertainment and A&R/Capitol Music Group); Trevor Jerideau (VP of A&R, J Records); David Wilkes (VP of A&R, eOne Music); Pete Giberga (Head of A&R, Razor & Tie Records); and Jason Geter (President, Grand Hustle Records). Sponsors include: Posse, Steamboat Ampworks, Verve Management, Music Business Registry, Mrs. Fields Cookies, and Spider Capo Unsigned is now accepting entries for 2013. Many new judges will be added, as well as a new Teen category for artists 18 years old and younger. Information on how to enter can be found at unsignedonly.com. The complete list of 2012 Unsigned Only winners is below: GRAND PRIZE Lara Johnston San Francisco, CA, USA K.I.S.S. AAA (ADULT ALBUM ALTERNATIVE) First Place Jacob Butler Melbourne, VIC, Australia Mind Waltz Second Place Village (AKA The Village Musicians) Yakima, WA, USA All This Time Honorable Mention Jen Foster Nashville, TN, USA Venice Beach Jonell Mosser Nashville, TN, USA Come On Home To Me Kelsy Davis Radical Soul Atlanta, GA, USA No Grudge (Classic) LeeMon Albury, NSW, Australia Land On The Moon Matthew Curry & The Fury Normal, IL, USA Blinded By The Darkness Oh Village Abbotsford, BC, Canada Red Death OTiS Brooklyn, NY, USA Making Love Easy Skipping Girl Vinegar Melbourne, VIV, Australia You Can Tommy Indian Prague, Czech Republic Slow Slow Slow ADULT CONTEMPORARY (AC) First Place The Franklin Electric Montreal, QC, Canada Old Piano Second Place Kate Vigo Melbourne, VIC, Australia Wanna Run Honorable Mention Amoric Burgas, Bulgaria Symphony Benjamin Dunn & Friends Santa Cruz, CA, USA Circus Of Love Jen Foster Nashville, TN, USA There For You Jessica Beach Vancouver, BC, Canada Warning Signs Lucio Rubino St. Augustine, FL, USA Fallin From The Start Tiki Taane Waitakere, New Zealand My Lion (RWC Remix) Worldfly Darwin, NT, Australia A Small Boat CHRISTIAN First Place The Amorous Clarksburg, WV, USA Here It Goes Second Place AMP Burtonsville, MD, USA Shine Honorable Mention Alathea Unicoi, TX, USA The River American Swim Lesson Saratoga Springs, NY, USA Lovers Anna Weatherup Sydney, NSW, Australia Miracle Dan Bremnes Kelowna, BC, Canada Beautiful David Upton Trabuco Canyon, CA, USA Unshackled Nathan Ironside & The Stirring Sydney, NSW, Australia Born To Worship The Amorous Clarksburg, WV, USA Free The Classic City Collective Athens, GA, USA God On High COUNTRY First Place Molly Hunt Franklin, TN, USA He Only Broke My Heart Second Place Burly Clyde Nashville, TN, USA Enjoying The Ride Honorable Mention Brandon Lepere Seabrook, NH, USA She Drives Me Country Brantley East Dublin, GA, USA Plainville Brantley East Dublin, GA, USA Country Life Bryce Hitchcock Franklin, TN, USA Fortune Cookie Chance Cody & Spur 503 Denison, TX, USA You Cant Argue With That Codie Prevost Saskatoon, SK, Canada Rolling Back To You Jaylene Johnson Winnipeg, MB, Canada When It All Goes South Kenny Scharlatt Marshalls Creek, PA, USA Lie Memphis High Memphis, TN, USA Pistol Heart Michael Whitworth Athens, GA, USA Just As Surprised As You FOLK/SINGER-SONGWRITER First Place Timothy Nelson & The Infidels Perth, WA, USA Let Her Go Second Place Ed Romanoff Brooklyn, NY, USA I Must Have Done Something Right Honorable Mention Related Argentina Music Press Releases Grand Prize Winner Lara Johnston Sets the Bar in Inaugural Unsigned Only Music Competition

Nashville, TN (PRWEB) August 31, 2012

Unsigned Only is pleased to announce its 2012 winners selected from almost 7,500 entries worldwide. The Grand Prize, Unsigned Onlys highest honor, goes to San Francisco, CA artist Lara Johnston with the song, K.I.S.S. Johnston was the highest scoring artist overall in the competition and a favorite among the judges. Upon learning the news, she stated, The Unsigned Only Competition presents truly unique, hands-on opportunities for an undiscovered artist like myself, and I’m beyond honored and excited to be recognized as their first Grand Prize winner!

What makes Lara Johnston so captivating, aside from her girl-next-door beauty, is her powerful voice, dynamic stage presence, creative spirit, and great songwriting. Only 22 years old, she has shared the bill with such acts as Willie Nelson, Huey Lewis and the News, Journey, Heart, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Miller, Don Henley, rapper J. Dash, and many others. Over the past three years she has toured throughout the world, writing and co-writing songs in LA, London, and Nashville, and balancing her career pursuits with her time as a student at USCs Thornton School of Music. This summer, Lara is touring locally, collaborating as a writer and singer with multiple producers, and putting the final touches on her debut album.

Launched only a year ago and judged by a roster of celebrity notables such as Cyndi Lauper, 3 Doors Down, Kelly Clarkson, Kenny Rogers, St. Vincent, and many more, Unsigned Only is a unique music competition designed for solo artists, bands, and singers who are not signed to a major label. With 36% of the entrants and 47% of the winners coming from outside the USA, Unsigned Only has quickly established itself as the international music competition for unsigned artists.

Unsigned Onlys goal is to find outstanding, talented artists: newcomers or veterans… raw or polished the gems that need to be discovered. Candace Avery and Jim Morgan, the founders and directors of Unsigned Only, emphasize that what is different about Unsigned Only is the mentoring component. The Grand Prize winner will be mentored by a group of upper echelon music industry executives, ranging from label presidents to heads of A&R. Because these industry pros are typically hard to reach, this is a rare opportunity for an artist. Gaining access to them for guidance on a one-to-one basis could be a career changer, and we are pleased to offer the opportunity to this years Grand Prize winner, Lara Johnston. She is an exciting artist with a great future.

In addition to the Grand Prize winner, many other deserving artists are winners in their respective categories. With a total of nine categories and First and Second Place in each (along with a list of Honorable Mentions), Unsigned Only covers all genres of commercial contemporary music, including: Adult Album Alternative (AAA); Adult Contemporary (AC); Christian; Country; Folk/Singer-Songwriter; R&B/Hip-Hop; Rock; Pop/Top 40; and Vocal Performance.

For a complete list of Unsigned Only winners and to hear the winning songs, go to unsignedonly.com/winners

2012 Judges include: 3 Doors Down; Kelly Clarkson; Robert Smith (The Cure); Kenny Rogers; Jeremy Camp; Musiq Soulchild; St. Vincent; Manchester Orchestra; Angie Stone; G. Love; Craig Morgan; Aaron Shust; Charlie Daniels; Steve Lillywhite (Producer); Matt and Kim; Cyndi Lauper; The Mountain Goats; Josh Jackson (Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief, Paste Magazine) and Scott Lapatine (Founder/Editor-In-Chief, Stereogum.

2012 Mentors include: Monte Lipman (President of Universal Republic); Pete Ganbarg (Executive VP/Head of A&R, Atlantic Records); David Wolter (Senior VP of A&R, RCA Records); Kim Stephens (President, Forward Entertainment and A&R/Capitol Music Group); Trevor Jerideau (VP of A&R, J Records); David Wilkes (VP of A&R, eOne Music); Pete Giberga (Head of A&R, Razor & Tie Records); and Jason Geter (President, Grand Hustle Records).

Sponsors include: Posse, Steamboat Ampworks, Verve Management, Music Business Registry, Mrs. Fields Cookies, and Spider Capo

Unsigned is now accepting entries for 2013. Many new judges will be added, as well as a new Teen category for artists 18 years old and younger. Information on how to enter can be found at unsignedonly.com.

The complete list of 2012 Unsigned Only winners is below:

GRAND PRIZE

Lara Johnston San Francisco, CA, USA K.I.S.S.

AAA (ADULT ALBUM ALTERNATIVE)

First Place

Jacob Butler Melbourne, VIC, Australia Mind Waltz

Second Place

Village (AKA The Village Musicians) Yakima, WA, USA All This Time

Honorable Mention

Jen Foster Nashville, TN, USA Venice Beach

Jonell Mosser Nashville, TN, USA Come On Home To Me

Kelsy Davis Radical Soul Atlanta, GA, USA No Grudge (Classic)

LeeMon Albury, NSW, Australia Land On The Moon

Matthew Curry & The Fury Normal, IL, USA Blinded By The Darkness

Oh Village Abbotsford, BC, Canada Red Death

OTiS Brooklyn, NY, USA Making Love Easy

Skipping Girl Vinegar Melbourne, VIV, Australia You Can

Tommy Indian Prague, Czech Republic Slow Slow Slow

ADULT CONTEMPORARY (AC)

First Place

The Franklin Electric Montreal, QC, Canada Old Piano

Second Place

Kate Vigo Melbourne, VIC, Australia Wanna Run

Honorable Mention

Amoric Burgas, Bulgaria Symphony

Benjamin Dunn & Friends Santa Cruz, CA, USA Circus Of Love

Jen Foster Nashville, TN, USA There For You

Jessica Beach Vancouver, BC, Canada Warning Signs

Lucio Rubino St. Augustine, FL, USA Fallin From The Start

Tiki Taane Waitakere, New Zealand My Lion (RWC Remix)

Worldfly Darwin, NT, Australia A Small Boat

CHRISTIAN

First Place

The Amorous Clarksburg, WV, USA Here It Goes

Second Place

AMP Burtonsville, MD, USA Shine

Honorable Mention

Alathea Unicoi, TX, USA The River

American Swim Lesson Saratoga Springs, NY, USA Lovers

Anna Weatherup Sydney, NSW, Australia Miracle

Dan Bremnes Kelowna, BC, Canada Beautiful

David Upton Trabuco Canyon, CA, USA Unshackled

Nathan Ironside & The Stirring Sydney, NSW, Australia Born To Worship

The Amorous Clarksburg, WV, USA Free

The Classic City Collective Athens, GA, USA God On High

COUNTRY

First Place

Molly Hunt Franklin, TN, USA He Only Broke My Heart

Second Place

Burly Clyde Nashville, TN, USA Enjoying The Ride

Honorable Mention

Brandon Lepere Seabrook, NH, USA She Drives Me Country

Brantley East Dublin, GA, USA Plainville

Brantley East Dublin, GA, USA Country Life

Bryce Hitchcock Franklin, TN, USA Fortune Cookie

Chance Cody & Spur 503 Denison, TX, USA You Cant Argue With That

Codie Prevost Saskatoon, SK, Canada Rolling Back To You

Jaylene Johnson Winnipeg, MB, Canada When It All Goes South

Kenny Scharlatt Marshalls Creek, PA, USA Lie

Memphis High Memphis, TN, USA Pistol Heart

Michael Whitworth Athens, GA, USA Just As Surprised As You

FOLK/SINGER-SONGWRITER

First Place

Timothy Nelson & The Infidels Perth, WA, USA Let Her Go

Second Place

Ed Romanoff Brooklyn, NY, USA I Must Have Done Something Right

Honorable Mention

Related Argentina Music Press Releases

Grand Prize Winner Lara Johnston Sets the Bar in Inaugural Unsigned Only Music Competition