Songwriting Veterans Dominate Top Two Spots In USA Songwriting Competition

Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA (PRWEB) December 13, 2010

Results of the 15th Annual USA Songwriting Competition have been announced. Canadian singer-songwriter Alannah Myles and prolific Los Angeles songwriter Ken Hirsch won the top two positions of the 15th Annual USA Songwriting Competition. This also marks the first time that music industry veterans dominate the top two positions of the USA Songwriting Competition fifteen year history.

Toronto Canada based Alannah Myles and co-writer Nancy Simmonds won Overall Grand Prize as well as the first prize of the Rock/Alternative category with their song Give Me Love. Alannah Myles is known for her Classic Rock hit Black Velvet. Black Velvet hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1990, won a Grammy award in 1991 for the same song. That song has become a classic and is a mainstay on Classic Rock and Pop radio stations worldwide. With her latest win, Alannah Myles is launching a comeback. This also marks only the second time that the top prize went to a non-US based songwriter. The last time the top prize when to a non-US based songwriter was 2006 when Vikki Simpson of the group The Waifs won.

Ken Hirsch and co-writers Rosie Casey, Peter Roberts & Hillary Podell of Los Angeles, CA, won first prize in the Pop category as well as Overall second Prize with their song Is that So Bad. Ken Hirsch is a prolific songwriter with several hits on the charts and is well known for his number one hit I’ve Never Been To Me. Like Alannah Myles’s Black Velvet, I’ve Never Been To Me has also become a classic hit and is a mainstay on Classic Pop, Soft Rock and easy listening radio stations worldwide. Ken has also written hits such as Two Less Lonely People In The World, a top 40 hit for Air Supply which he wrote with late legendary songwriter Howard Greenfield. Ken Hirsch has his songs recorded by music legends such as: Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Stevie Wonder, Dolly Parton. Ray Charles and Mary J. Blige.

Christopher Tin, an Honorable Mention winner of the 15th USA Songwriting Competition has been nominated for two Grammys at the latest 53rd annual Grammy Awards: ‘Best Classical Crossover Album’, and ‘Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists’ for his USA Songwriting Competition song entry ‘Baba Yetu’. ‘Baba Yetu’ won an honorable mention award in the 2010 USA Songwriting Competition.

USA Songwriting Competition has a long history of having winners getting recording and publishing contracts, have their songs placed on the charts as well as having their songs placed on film and television. 2009 First Prize winner (country) was signed to Universal Records. 2005 First Prize winner (Pop) Kate Voegele was signed to Interscope Records the year after she won and had her winning song hit top 40 on the Billboard Charts, her latest album hit Top 10 on the Billboard 200 Album charts this summer. 2007 Overall Grand Prize Winner Ari Gold had his winning song Where The Music Takes You hit #10 on the Billboard Dance Charts. Darrell Scott, winner of the country category of the 2005 USA Song writing Competition had his winning song cut by award winning country singer Faith Hill. Judges include A&R managers from record labels such as Warner, Capitol Records, Universal, BMG/SONY Music.

The following is the list of winners of the 2010 USA Songwriting Competition:

OVERALL GRAND PRIZE

Give Me Love – Alannah Myles & Nancy Simmonds; Toronto, CANADA

OVERALL 2nd PRIZE

Is that So Bad – Ken Hirsch, Rosie Casey, Peter Roberts & Hillary Podell; Los Angeles, CA

OVERALL 3rd PRIZE

Be Inspired – (T. Custis, T. Haddon) Ason; Upper Marlboro, MD

FIRST PRIZES IN EACH CATEGORY

1st Prize – LATIN

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Songwriting Veterans Dominate Top Two Spots In USA Songwriting Competition