John Francis Songwriting Contest at Cash Cabin Studio

Acclaimed songwriters John Francis and John Carter Cash (only son of Johnny Cash) are holding the first ever John Francis Songwriting Contest at Cash Cabin Studios, offering amateur songwriters the opportunity to develop their writing skills with seasoned songwriters and to record his/her song in a premiere Nashville recording studio. The selected artist will win a 90 minute songwriting session with John Francis and John Carter Cash at Cash Cabin Studios. Thirty artists will enter into the final round, where their submissions will be judged by John Francis, John Carter Cash, and Ken Coomer. All submissions will be provided with a song critique from the judges. Accepted genres include acoustic, Americana, folk, singer-songwriter, classic country, alt-country, rockabilly, and folk-rock.



Sonicbids will award the selected artist:

• A 90 minute songwriting session with John Francis and John Carter Cash at Cash Cabin Studios


• A professionally recorded demo of the session


• Travel stipend to cover up to $500


• Hotel stay and a meal/beers


• Guided tour of the most famous Nashville destinations by John Francis

John Francis and John Carter Cash will work with the winner to select a date for the songwriting session that works for all parties involved.



About John Francis:


He has been called a "Madman genius songwriter; full of heart" (ASCAP) , and an "Inspired Lyricist" (Philadelphia City Paper). The Philadelphia Inquirer reviewed Francis' new album, "Ripe with the kind of honest questioning we used to look to guys like Dylan and John Prine to serve up." And Sojourners magazine compared Francis to Springsteen saying, "The tale and the telling haunt the listener. At 12, Francis started writing, recording, and performing. In college, he immersed himself in the classics of poetry and prose, honing his craft as a songwriter. While living in Philadelphia, Francis released the critically acclaimed "Strong Wine & Spirits." With the single "Heavy, Heavy Love", the record garnered extensive radio play in the North East. Francis was honored by ASCAP as the recipient two national lyricist awards, the prestigious Sammy Cahn Lyricist Award, for his song "Love Came to Me Dressed in Red", and recently he received the Jay Gorney Award for Socially Conscious Lyrics (ASCAP) for his poignant song, "Who?". His current album, "the Better Angels" climbed to #19 on the Americana Radio Charts. Francis has shared the stage with Ray Lamontagne, Jeff Tweedy, Amos Lee, M. Ward, Josh Ritter, Suzanne Vega, Rachael Yamagata, Rickie Lee Jones, Andrew Bird, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Juana Molina, Peggy Seeger, Tom Paxton, and many others.
Francis tours and performs in Ireland, England, Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, and in listening rooms all over the United States.



About John Carter Cash:


John Carter Cash has been surrounded by music his whole life, writing songs and staying active in the creative process. He is the Grandchild of Maybelle Carter and the only son of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. Since 1993, John Carter has worked as a music producer. John Carter, his wife Laura, and cousin Dale Jett (A.P.Carter and Sara Carter's Grandson) have released a CD as The Carter Family III entitled "Past & Present." All in all John Carter has been a producer on five Grammy award winning recording projects. His 2004 production Unbroken Circle: The Musical Heritage of the Carter Family, received three Grammy nominations. His credits include productions for Loretta Lynn, Josh Turner, Brooks & Dunn, Elvis Costello, Wylie and the Wild West, Dave Matthews, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, Earl and Randy Scruggs, Rosanne Cash, and Vince Gill among many others. John Carter Cash worked alongside Rick Rubin as Associate Producer on Johnny Cash's last several masterpiece al