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

Session II, 2013 JLSC Winners Announced!

On March 1, 2014 The John Lennon Songwriting Contest announced each of the Grand Prize Winners and Finalists in each category for Session II, 2013.  To listen to all of the winning songs and find out more about the songwriters click here!  The contest does not end here, check back again in a couple weeks to find out more info about the Lennon Awards (an online voting battle where YOU determine the winner in each category).

Screw Valentine's Day

"Screw Valentine's Day" by Olivia Millerschin has been announced as the winning song for The John Lennon Songwriting Contest's special Valentine's Day competition!  Following a key selection process, Millerschin’s Valentine’s Day-themed song was chosen among countless entries based on melody, composition, originality, and lyrics. The winning composition was deemed the Grand Prize winner, with Millerschin receiving an Epiphone John Lennon Casino guitar, Neutrik custom John Lennon Educational Tour Bus Cable, and JamHub BedRoom.  In addition, Millerschin and each of the entrants in this special competition receive an automatic, inclusive entry into Session I of this year’s JLSC that officially began on February 14, 2014.  YOU can enter now at www.jlsc.com.

John Lennon Education Tour Bus Stops at the Old Town School of Folk Music

You may already know that Jonas Friddle & The Majority won the 16th annual JLSC Song of the Year Award for their amazing song "Belle De Louisville" which you can check out here. What you may not know is that Jonas Friddle & The Majority are all faculty and alumni at Chicago, Illinois' prestigious Old Town School of Folk Music. Jonas Friddle teaches banjo, fiddle, guitar and mandolin at the Old Town School and inspires children to make original music rooted in traditional American folk music.

To celebrate Jonas Friddle & The Majority's work as songwriters and as teachers, the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus will make a stop at the Old Town School of Folk Music on September 18th! The JLETB is committed to providing quality music education to children all around the world and is thrilled to have to chance to visit the Old Town School. While there, the Bus will hold tours and recording sessions with Old Town students and present Jonas Friddle with his prize of $20,000 in cash, an Avid prize pack, a Mackie Mixer, a pair of Mackie Studio Montiors, and a $1000 scholarship to Digital Music Academy!

Music is an integral part of the lives of the members of Jonas Friddle & The Majority, both in and out of work. Is the same true for you? Then head over to our website to learn how to enter a song into the JLSC for your chance at $20,000, and maybe even a visit from the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus!

Session I 2013 Winners Will be Announced September 1st!

Hey folks,

When you tons of entries from talented songwriters around the world, it takes a lot of time and effort to pick Finalists, let alone Grand Prize Winners or the Song of the Year. Jonas Friddle and the Majority entered their song "Belle De Louisville" in Session I of 2012 and just last week they took home the coveted Song of the Year. A year later after winning $20,000, Jonas Friddle's journey with the John Lennon Songwriting Contest is just beginning.

Now we're carefully listening to all of the entries from 2013 Session I and trying to find the next big songwriter. The entries this year have been strong as ever but our JLSC judges such as Fergie, Sean Paul, Bob Weir, and Natasha Bedingfield have been working hard to pick our winners and the results will be announced on September 1st.

Want to have your song heard by our judges and have a chance at winning our incredible prizes like $20,000 in cash, as well as gear from Avid, Mackie, Roland and Vox? Then why not start your journey with the JLSC now! Head over to our website to learn about all things JLSC and to enter your song online for Session II of 2013. And if you're looking for inspiration, then check out our previous winners like Jonas Friddle. It's been a blast listening to the entries from Session I and we can't wait to hear from you!

Congratulations to Jonas Friddle and The Majority, winners of the $20K Song of the Year Prize!

We'd like to offer a HUGE congratulations to our 2012 Song of the Year recipients Jonas Friddle and the Majority for their song "Belle de Louisville"! You can check out the song here. They took home the Grand Prize in the Folk category and edged out all of our other great Grand Prize Winners to claim $20,000 in cash, an Avid prize package, a $1,000 Mackie prize package, and a $1,000 gift certificate to Digital Media Academy.

Jonas Friddle and The Majority make music that is both timeless and immediate. They met at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music and make orchestral folk music that pairs traditional American instrumentation with intricate rythmes and harmonies. Bandleader Jonas Friddle, a North Carolina native, is a banjo virtuoso with a voice to match and his top-notch songwriting is reminiscent of American legends like Buddy Holly. You can watch Jonas Friddle and The Majority perform their award-winning "Belle De Louisville" here and watch and an interview with the band here.

It's always hard to pick just one song but Jonas Friddle and The Majority and "Belle de Louisville" represent songwriting at its finest and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to share his music with the world. The next session of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest has already begun so if you think you have what it takes to win Song of the Year like Jonas Fiddle, then head to the JLSC website to learn about the contest, judges, prizes, past winners and more.

Lennon Award Winners

Hey folks,

The Song of the Year Winner is going to be announced this month! Which Lennon Award Winner has what it takes to go all the way? Let's check out a few of them:

Eastern Sunz took the hip-hop prize with their smooth rhymes, clever wordplay and genuine walrus sounds. Check out their winning song "I Am The Walrus" and try to catch all the Beatles references.

We got so many great jazz songs this year but Rick Webster took home the prize for his very classy  song "Fade Away" with vocalist Allira Wilson. Give it a listen and enjoy Webster's guitar chops.

Finally, banjo-master Jonas Fiddle swept the folk category with his beautiful composition "Belle de Louisville". Watch him perform it live here at the Square Roots Festival in Chicago.

With so many great choices, it's going to be hard to pick just one. Head over to our website to check out the rest of the Lennon Award Winners and send us a message on Twitter or Facebook to tell us who you think deserves win. And remember that Session II of the JLSC is open now! Enter your songs here for a chance to win $20,000, gear from Avid, Mackie, Roland and more!

Song of the Year Winner to Be Announced Soon!

Hey everyone,

The Lennon Award winners for 2012 have already been announced so that means there's only one thing left to decide... The Song of the Year winner! We've had so many great entries and this has been one of the hardest years to decide ever. Sometime this month the winner will be announced but until then, why don't you help us decide! You can check out the Lennon Award winners here and listen to all of their songs for free. Go to our Facebook page or Twitter and tell us who you think deserves to win, and be sure to hashtag it #jlsc!

Think you've got what it takes to be a Song of the Year Winner? Then here over to the John Lennon Songwriting Contest website and enter your song for a chance to win $20,000, a slot on the Vans Warped Tour and much much more! You can also check out this year's judges and past winners, so what are you waiting for?

Hey folks,

Just wanted to share a couple songs from some of the very talented artists that have won in the past:

Lunic took home the Grand Prize in the electronic category in 2012 for her beat making skills and violen chops. Talk about multi-talented! Check out the video for here song "Self Destruct" here.

If you're looking for something a little smoother, check out the video for Banky W's song "Yes/No". Banky took the Grand Prize in 2006 and not only does he have the voice of an angel, but he's also an activist and community-builder. His blog The Bank Statements gives some insight into this incredible man's mind.

And finally, for the children, take a look at the wonderfully zany Gustafer Yellowgold who was a Grand Prize Winner in 2008 in the Children's category. Gustafer makes music that's accesible enough for children yet interesting enough for adults. Don't believe me? Check out the video for "I'm From the Sun".

We've had so many great artists in the past and every year we find more! To learn more about the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, head over to jlsc.com where you can hear more from past winners, learn about our fantastic prizes, and enter your own original material for your chance to win!

Shawn Pander Performs in UK and Yoko Ono's Meltdown Festival

Hey folks,

Last month, at the Launch Event After Party for the John Lennon Bus Europe, 2006 Grand Prize Winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest Shawn Pander performed his original song "Let Me Love You" at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, UK. Pander blends jazz, country, blues, soul and wise songwriting to create music that beautifully illuminates the world around him. You can check out the video here and learn more about Shawn Pander here. 

Yoko Ono's Meltdown Festival in London is well under way and the John Lennon Education Tour Bus Europe is there from June 14th to the 23rd! The bus is offering tours to the public and you can check out the Meltdown website here to find out when. Be sure to check out the rest of Meltdown for performances from Yoko Ono, Iggy & the Stooges and Patti Smith, along with films, panels on activism, and more!

Also, Session II of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest has just begun. Check out our website to learn more about the contest and sign up for your chance win cash, recording gear and performance opportunities! 

The Deadline Approaches!

Hey everybody,

The time comes once again.  The first session of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest ends on June 15th at 11:59PM PST so be sure to enter before then! We have so many great judges this year including Fergie, Sean Paul, Natasha Bedingfield and Bob Weir and they're all are excited to hear your best songs.

This year's prize package is bigger than ever before with a $20,000 cash prize for our Song of the Year winner and great gear from Avid, Mackie, Roland, Neutrik and many more for our Grand Prize Winners and Finalists.

For more information about the competition, judges and prizes, check out the John Lennon Songwriting Competition website. If your submission isn't ready by the 15th, remember that Session II starts right when this one ends so there are always more opportunities to get your music heard.

Any questions or concerns? Send us an at info@jlsc.com and we'll help you out. Good luck and keep the songs coming!

Remeber Dovetail?

Dovetail won our Session I, 2012 Grand Prize in the Rock category and went on to become the 2012 Lennon Award winner in the Rock category. Recently they sat down with the Dallas Morning News! Check out what they had to say here. 

Session I, 2013 Deadline is Approaching!

Hey folks,

Session I, 2013 will be closing on June 15 at 11:59PM PST, so be sure to enter your original songs before then!

Just so you know, this year, our prize package is our biggest one yet -- totaling over $320,000.00 in cash and prizes! If you'd like to take a piece of that home, you have to be sure to enter!

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at info@jlsc.com anytime. We look forward to hearing your songs! 

Lennon Award Winners Announced!

The 2012 Lennon Award Winners have been announced! The lucky 12 have advanced to the final round of judging with our Executive Panel. One of the 12 will win the $20,000 Song of the Year prize and much more! Click here to hear their winning songs!