Featuring all-new regional songwriting contest with $2,500 cash prize

Deadwood, SD - What do songs like “Kerosene” and “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” by Miranda Lambert, “Wild Angels” by Martina McBride, “She’s Country” by Jason Aldean, “International Harvester” by Craig Morgan, “Truck Yeah” by Tim McGraw and many more hits have in common? They were all written by songwriters that will be performing at the 12th annual Wild West Songwriter’s Festival October 12-14 in historic Deadwood, South Dakota.

New to this year’s event will be a regional songwriting competition where artists may submit an original song to be one of 15 chosen to participate in the ‘National Songwriting Rounds’ with world renowned songwriters as well as a grand prize of $2,500 cash. Artists may submit their entry at https://bit.ly/WWSF2023 by September 1st. The top 15 entries will be chosen by a panel of judges and will be notified by September 8th. Songwriters that aren’t chosen as part of the top 15 may still participate in local rounds throughout the weekend. If you were not chosen as one of the top 15 but would still like to participate, you can email [email protected] for details.

Dubbed one of the “best live music festivals for fans” and one of the “top ten songwriter’s festivals you don’t want to miss”, the three-day event (produced as a collaboration between the Deadwood Chamber & Visitors Bureau and local business leaders) will feature songwriters that have produced or co-written hits for artists such as Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert, Dierks Bentley, Reba McEntire, Linda Ronstadt, Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney, Garth Brooks and many more.

The festival will feature three days of free “writer’s rounds” which will showcase songwriters who are excellent performers in their own right, singing the hits they have written and telling the story behind the music. These rounds are fan favorites most notably because they are able to listen to songs that have sold millions across the world in very intimate venues throughout the historic town of Deadwood.

Already slated to appear and perform are Danny Myrick, Megan Linville, Kent Blazy, Travis Howard, Dean Alexander, Matraca Berg and more. Writer’s rounds will begin Thursday night and continue through Saturday including many local and regional songwriter’s playing locations throughout historic Deadwood.

Friday evening will culminate with the local songwriter’s jam at a soon to be named location. Also scheduled for Saturday is a national Songwriter’s Showcase at Deadwood Mountain Grand beginning at 8:30pm featuring many of the national writers performing newly written material as well as old favorites.

For more information, email [email protected]. To enter the regional competition and submit an original song visit https://bit.ly/WWSF2023