JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Songwriter Message Forum Erie Canal Song Contest 2011

This is a free contest sponsored by the Niagara County Historical Society for songs about the Erie Canal, the Locks or Lockport. Entries are judged on originality and content. For contest rules and application visit the website at: www.niagarahistory.org

Contest deadline is April 1st, 2011. Previous winners can be heard at the website as well as more information. The only thing that we ask is for permission to use your entry in a compilation CD compiled for the benefit of the Historical Society. You as the copyright holder would retain all your rights to your song.

You could win a really cool trophy and a hundred bucks! From the same county that Niagara Falls is in and the historic Lockport Locks.

Just added it to my calendar. I love writing historical songs. I think it comes from being a history geek in college.

I'm going to have to brush up on my Erie canal history though... :-)

Hey John, the song most folks identify with the Erie Canal is "Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal," or "Low Bridge." Same song. It was written around 1905 as a nostalgic piece. Most of the vessels plying the waters at that time were steam powered. Most entries are historically based, but they don't have to be of a historical nature. Glad to welcome you aboard, so to speak.

Just a little nudge...

Mornin' Rick:

I've been gathering historical (a few hysterical) notes about the Erie Canal and have started a lyric. I'll try to finish it today then put a melody around it. No promises but I'll do my best to finish it in time. Ya know, it's more difficult to muster the musical moxy to work on a song that probably won't have "commercial" value... but, like John Cook, one of my majors was History and the Erie Canal is a story worth telling.

In my opinion, that canal was just one of the "weapons" you brilliant Yankees had at your disposal when you kicked our Confederate posteriors into submission way back then... LOL!

Regards,

Dave

Well Rick:

I'm ahead of schedule, thank goodness... but my first version (melody) was so disappointing... I'm gonna have to put it back in the "oven" and bake it some more... LOL! Good thing I don't need to compete on "Idol." Aaargh!

Dave

I usually don't enter contests, but I have to get involved with this one because I live outside of Buffalo. I've got mine almost written and hope to have it done by next week. They say that no good commercial songs are ever gotten from a contest but you know what? Even if the song just places in the contest, it is doing one important thing for the writer: "feeding the muse". For those of us still waiting to get a cut, "feeding the muse" is very important.

Hey again, Rick (and fellow threadweavers):

Something reminded me to go back and read the "rules" for this contest... and sure enough, I was headed into immediate disfavor with my story line. It seems that Goose Island along the Eire Canal was not exactly a place where one would invite a sunday school teacher to visit... LOL! I had written a little ditty about the enjoyment the boatmen received from such activities and have interpreted the rules to discourage such songs. Although it was "tastefully written" and had no vulgarisms or naughty words, I would have been relegated to the "round file" on the first pass... LOL!

I hated the melody and thus have saved myself additional anguish and will simply abandon the project. Like Donna, I know this type of contest will do little to advance one's songwriting career due to the lack of perceived commercial value. Sorry Rick, scratch me from the list of candidates. At least I gathered some good material during my research and maybe next year I'll give it another crack.

Best of luck to everyone.

Dave

Dave, don't be discouraged. Ya never know. Submit your song anyway it sounds like a good one. I'll have to ask the historians about Goose Island!

Donna, looking forward to hearing from you.

Hi again ya'll! Well my Erie Canal song is completed and I have to say that I had a blast doing it. The research is fascinating and as a "Buffalonian" I'm appalled that such a treasure is in my back yard and I've never visited it! Even though I know that there may not be any commercial value in writing a song such as this, to be able to research history and write about your research can only inhance your skills as a writer. I'm recording the tracks today and hope to have the finished product for your critique in a couple of days. Isn't this what writing songs is all about, FUN?? That alone is the reason I write.

Well, my husband and I put the finishing touches on the Erie Canal song today. Give it a listen on myspace and let me know what you think. This is the first song that I haven't gotten professionally demoed and my husband and I are singing together. We did all that and are still married!!

Hey Donna and Hubby:

Good luck in the contest. Keep us posted. I'll try to do one next year. Just too many "irons in the fire" right now.

Best,

Dave

Thats a good un.

Post marked by the 1st of April.

The results are in: From Angola, our own Donna Dutchess and her husband Chris's song, "On the Erie Canal" placed 3rd in this years contest. 1st place went to Lockportian Joseph Baschnagel for his song, "West to Buffalo." Second place went to Buffalonian Larry Decz for his song, "On the Banks of the Erie Canal."

Congratulations to all! The awards will be presented Saturday, May 14th, 2011 at the Erie Canal Discovery Center, 24 Church St., Lockport NY. at the annual "Key to the Locks" ceremony, 11AM. If you are around, stop in and check out the awards and our new Charles Rand Penny Gallery.

We had our awards ceremony on the 14th of May, 2011. SRO. The top three winners all performed their respective songs for the very appreciative audience. Here is a link to the pics on FB.

https://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/photo.php?fbid=10150179675401867&set=a.10150179675136867.307122.361349341866&type=1&theater

I was fortunate to present the awards to the song contest winners. Donna Dutchess (JPF member)got her star.