Hello,

I'm glad to see this message started. I have not been coming to JPF regularly and this particular subject has been on my mind. I joined OurStage in February because of the post about it that I found here at JPF. I was skeptical, even with the talk about its contests being cheat proof. I've only ever entered one other contest with my music before.

I was very surprised when my song "These Old Shoes" was voted as the number one pick by listeners in the April contest to win an opportunity to perform at the Newport Folk Festival. That's out of 402 entries for that monthly contest. I was competing against all kinds of talent performing music in a variety of genres. I never imagined that my song writing, performance and recording could reach such status in any contest.

From what I can ascertain, this particular contest ran for four months. The number of opportunities to play at the festival was indicated as being as many as four but at least two. As the winner of one of those four monthly contests, I thought that I had a good chance to be one of those lucky two or four to perform at the event but I guess luck wasn't with me.

Unlike other monthly contests at Ourstage, where listeners choose those who will win in certain genres of music, this contest had different rules about who would be selected the winner of this stellar performance opportunity. Truthfully, I didn't read the fine print about how the winners of this contest would actually be chose until after my song reached the number one status in April. When I did read the fine print, it wasn't very clear to me who exactly would choose the winner or exactly how the winner would be chose. Realizing that my monthly win of this contest wouldn't secure me the opportunity that I was seeking, to play at the event, made my celebration at being chose number one a somewhat hollow victory.

During my search for answers to my questions about how the winners would be chose for this contest, I found out that I would be awarded a gift card worth $100 and a notation on my page at OurStage that one of my songs had been voted number one. While these items are wonderful to receive, I had entered this contest seeking neither awards notations nor gift cards. I wanted a chance to play at the Newport Folk Festival.

I wrote to the staff to ask for clarification about the process of how the winners would be chose. Due to the process of having to email the message, the answer took some time to receive back and was no clearer as to exactly who selected the winners or how they were chose. It was stated that the decision was going to be made by the OurStage staff and Newport Folk Festival folks and that they would choose from among high ranking artists in a variety of genres. I took that to mean that I wasn't privy to the actual info or that those actually making the selections did not wish to be identified or have their criteria for making the selections known. It's not as though every aspect of such a decision can be known. Like many of the contests I see other artists entering on I'm certain much of the decision making is subjective.

I fully realize that it's their site and their contests and they can certainly make what ever rules they wish to guide the outcome of such contests. They also have every right to either inform those entering such contests of any and all of the processes regarding the selection of the winners or to keep any of the process as private as they wish. I was simply surprised by the outcome.

After the winners were announced, I read that their age had some bearing on the selection process. Those selecting thought that the festival needed an infusion of younger talent. Being a rather new writer but an older performer, with grey starting to show, I supposed that I didn't look the part of a younger talent.

I'd like to offer these words of advice to those of you entering contests at OurStage. Read the fine print first to gain as clear an understanding as possible regarding such contests as you might enter there. Though you may, as I did, win the popular vote, you may not win the vote of those super 'secret' delegates and in some of the contests at OurStage it's their votes that really count. And one more thing, you might also want to post pictures of yourself that have been taken 20 years earlier because looking young might be as important as being an award winning popular choice by those listening and voting.

Many thanks, hugs and smooches to all who voted my song, "These Old Shoes", a number one listener's choice in April at OurStage.

Reggie Miles