Derek Norsworthy has been named the winner of the 2018 Boswell Media’s Songwriter of the Year contest.
Norsworthy was one of fourteen finalists to perform Saturday night at Skylight Grill in downtown Kosciusko.
Contestants competed for a chance to have their song professionally recorded at the famous “Wishbone Studios” in Muscle Shoals, AL.
Wishbone Studios is known as the heartbeat of the “Muscle Shoals Sound.” Some of the most famous artists and albums have been produced there.
Norsworthy, a native of Escatawpa, MS, won the 2018 Boswell Media’s Songwriter of the Year Competition with the song, “Raised by the Radio.”
Brian Harrison of Fulton, MS finished in second place with his song “Autumn Leaves.” Wayward Jones of Lucedale, MS rounded out the top three with their song “You Ain’t Johnny.”
Muscle Shoals musician/historian and local “Shoals” icon, Johnny Belew served as a judge for the contest for the second year in a row.
“I get super excited when I see young people coming out to perform. I have the utmost respect for all the iconic musicians in Muscle Shoals, but when I see young people, I just get really, excited. It lets me know that Muscle Shoals music is in good hands for years to come,” Belew said.
Newly crowned 2018 Boswell Media’s Songwriter of the Year Derek Norsworthy will travel to Muscle Shoals where he will stay two nights at the Marriott Shoals Hotel & Spa, have his song professionally recorded at Wishbone Studios, and enjoy a tour of the famous Fame Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studios.
“We are so excited about the partnership between Boswell Media, The Mississippi Songwriters, and Muscle Shoals. The 2018 Mississippi Songwriter of the Year event has been a huge success, and we are looking forward to an even bigger Mississippi Songwriter of the Year in 2019,” said Boswell Media’s Melissa Townsend.
Audio: Derek Norsworthy
[su_audio url=”https://www.breezynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Derek-Norsworthy-Songwriter-of-the-Year-audio.mp3″ width=”75%”]Pictured: Jones, Harrison, Norsworthy and 2017 Boswell Media Mississippi Songwriter of the Year Josh Jolly
