Are You Ready For The #LennonAwards

Are you ready for the #LennonAwards? The Grand Prize Winners in each category of Session I & Session II of The John Lennon Songwriting Contest are going head to head in an online voting battle!

This is your chance to select who continues on to compete for the coveted $20,000 ‘Song of the Year.’ Until April 30th you can vote once per category, per day in each category. On May 1st (12) Lennon Awards winners will be announced and one lucky VOTER will be selected to win a brand new Epiphone Casino guitar! That’s right, YOU can take home prizing too!

Voting is easy, fast and fun so don't wait…go to http://jlsc.com/vote and make your voice heard!

2013 Song of the Year Winner!

New York, NY (August 1, 2014) — Helen Austin & Paul Otten were announced as the winners of the coveted John Lennon Songwriting Contest 'Song of the Year' for their original song “Colour It.” The announcement was made on Cumulus Media's 95.5 PLJ in New York with radio host Ralphie Aversa.

As 'Song of the Year' winners, Helen Austin & Paul Otten won $20,000 in cash in addition to prizes from SSL, Avid, Mackie and Digital Media Academy. They have also received other prizing throughout 2013 after winning both the Lennon Award and the Grand Prize packages in the Children’s category. The song was selected to win the top prize by the John Lennon Songwriting Contest’s Executive Judges Panel, consisting of superstars such as Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas, Natasha Bedingfield, George Clinton, Prince Royce, Bootsy Collins, Sean Paul & more.

Helen Austin is currently from Vancouver Island in Canada, though she started as a classical musician in the UK. Paul Otten is from Cincinnati, OH in the US. The two met while both on a songwriting conference panel, where they began a songwriting relationship. Helen and Paul are currently focusing on a new project together called Big Little Lions.

A total of over $300,000 in cash awards and prizes will be distributed this year by the year-round John Lennon Songwriting Contest, which is open to both amateur and professional songwriters. Visit JLSC.COM for more information about the contest and to enter for your chance to become the next 'Song of the Year' winner. All entry fees from the contest help support the non-profit John Lennon Educational Tour Bus.

JLSC Presents Roots N Blues N BBQ Contest!

The John Lennon Songwriting Contest is proud to announce a special opportunity to perform at the Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival in Columbia, Missouri. In addition to a main stage performance slot, the winner of this contest will also receive full accomodations and over $3,000 worth of cash awards and prizes. Songwriters are able to enter their original songs through 8/11. A winner will be announced on 8/26. Ben Jaffe from Preservation Hall Jazz Band will be a special guest judge in the contest. Other performers at the Roots N Blues N BBQ festival include The Avett Brothers, Amos Lee, John Prine, Trampled By Turtles, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Blackberry Smoke, Roseanne Cash, Matthew Curry & more.

Submissions also include entry into Session II, 2014 of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest.

Contest deadline: 8/11
Winner Announcement: 8/26

Entry Platforms: JLSC.com & Sonicbids
Entry Fee: $30 per song*, inclusive of Session II, 2014 entry

PRIZE PACKAGE:
$1,000 CASH
Performance slot on main stage at the festival
Hotel accommodations for the duration of the festival
VIP laminates with access to VIP area (includes brunch, dinner & snacks)
Epiphone Casino guitar
Audio-Technica System 10 Stompbox - Digital Wireless System
JamHub BedRoom
IK Multimedia iRig PRO
SESAC magazine feature & SESAC Swag bag
Neutrik custom John Lennon Educational Tour Bus cable

*All entry fees from the contest help support the non-profit John Lennon Educational Tour Bus

Lennon Awards Announcement!

The verdict is in! YOU have selected our 12 Lennon Award winners for 2013! Please visit www.jlsc.com to hear each of the #1 songs in each category! These 12 tracks will now be judged by our Executive Panel of Judges who will determine our $20,000 'Song of the Year' winner. Congratulations to all of our winners!

Also, since the fans picked the Lennon Award winners we decided to give away an Epiphone Casino guitar to a lucky voter. That winner is Jackson C. of Erie, Colorado! Enjoy your new guitar!

Stay tuned for our Executive Judges Panel to select the $20,000 'Song of the Year' winner next!

Congratulations to Wildcat Apollow - winners of the JLSC Vans Warped Tour Prize presented by Neutrik USA

Thanks to Neutrik USA, Wildcat Apollo will join the epic summer festival with the Lennon Bus! You can catch this Austin, Texas-based indie rock band who experiments with shoegaze, garage, psychedelic, pop, and dance music on the Hard Rock Kevin Says Stage from June 13-June 19th. Songwriters/Artists/Bands: This opportunity could be YOURS in 2015! ENTER the John Lennon Songwriting Contest now for your shot to perform on the Warped Tour!

Lennon Awards - Vote Now!

After an incredibly difficult selection process for our judges to choose all of the Grand Prize Winners for Session I, 2013 and Session II, 2013 we finally arrive at the Lennon Awards. This online voting battle pits the Session I winner of each category against the Session II winner of that same category.

The best part about the Lennon Awards is that YOU decide who will become a winner. Simply visit www.jlsc.com/vote and vote one time per day in each category, every day until the voting period ends on April 29th. The Lennon Award winner in each category will be announced on May 1st!

Support your favorite songs now because the Lennon Award winners will then be played for our Executive Judges panel (which includes songwriters/artists such as George Clinton, Prince Royce, Jim Steinman, 311, Switchfoot, etc.) who will collectively decide who wins the $20,000 Song of the Year prize!

JLSC Finalist Goes Viral!

JLSC's Session I, 2013 Finalist, Kawehi, set the world on fire with her amazing, original solo cover of Nirvana's "Heart Shaped Box!"

You can view the live, looping performance here, where she has amassed over 1 million views on vimeo alone: http://vimeo.com/88165960

Courtney Love also got involved and tweeted: @courtney: This is genius @iamkawehi @Esquiremag http://www.esquire.com/blogs/culture/one-woman-band-heart-shaped-box-cover