The list winners and finalists of the 9th Annual Christmas Songwriting Competition have been released. Songwriters Ben Winship and Tim O'Brien of Victor, ID won top honors with their song "Santa Ate a Gummy".
“This is a great honor to win the top prize. We are thrilled to have been selected - happy and proud that you have selected our song!” said the top winners Ben Winship and Tim O'Brien.
Victor, ID based Ben Winship is a songwriter and producer with credits from Mike Dowling that won a Grammy award in 2005 in the Best Pop Instrumental category. Ben has performed at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and NPR's "A Prairie Home Companion".
Tim O'Brien is a songwriter as well as a former member of the group "Hot Rize". His songs have been recorded by kathy Mathea, Garth Brooks, Nickel Creek and the Dixie Chicks (now called the Chicks). He has won 2 Grammy awards: 2014 - Awarded Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album for "The Earls of Leicester" and 2005 - Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album for Fiddler's Green.
Karin Bachner & Tobias M. Hoffmann from Vienna, Austria won the second prize with their song “In the Mood for Christmas”.
"Mingle Neath the Mistletoe" by Jan Edwards, Lucy LeBlanc and Corey Lee Barker from Naples, FL won the third prize with their song “Mingle Neath the Mistletoe”.
All top three songs were multi-way co-writes.
Here is the list of the winners:
1st Prize:
"Santa Ate a Gummy" by Ben Winship & Tim O'Brien; Victor, ID
2nd Prize:
"In the Mood for Christmas" by Karin Bachner & Tobias M. Hoffmann; Vienna, AUSTRIA
3rd Prize:
"Mingle Neath the Mistletoe" by Jan Edwards, Lucy LeBlanc & Corey Lee Barker; Naples, FL
Top 20 Finalists:
"Santa Ate a Gummy" by Ben Winship & Tim O'Brien
"Nights and Christmas Lights" by Robin Sandoval, Paul Laliberte, Jeffrey Laliberte & Shelby Archer
"Once Again It Is Christmas" by Clive Kennedy & Justin Wilde
"Reindeer Rebellion" by Ava Della Pietra, Shane Stevens & Nash Overstreet
"What Santa Wants" by Jan Edwards, Deema Homsi, TJ Kirby
"Mingle Neath the Mistletoe" by Jan Edwards, Lucy LeBlanc & Corey Lee Barker
"Song To The Longest Night" by Patti Shaffner
"In the Mood for Christmas" by Karin Bachner & Tobias M. Hoffmann
"Christmas X12" by Michelle Rose Bergh & Andy Karg
"Christmas Angel" by Nadine Stockmann & Torsten Bader
"Little Christmas Song" by Ayesha de Groot & Jan Flubacher
"Ornaments" by Tamsin Lancaster, Max Jackson & Liam Quinn
"There's A Candle" by Calvin Bridges & Tore W Åas
"1-800-Santa-Helpline" by Marissa Hernandez, Joe Gautrey & Sean Price
"Greater Than That" by Mary Dawson & Beverly Houston
"Oh! Santa, Please" by Robby Johnson, Clarence Jey & Danny Rader
"Sing His Name" by Harrison Kraft
"Christmas Star" by Katie Pederson & Frankie Jason Turner
"Wishlist" by Damon Sharpe, Eric Sanicola & Laura Bryna
"Christmas Kiss" by Randi Soyland Sparrman & Donald James Harper
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