Feautured Songbay Artist: Mandy Vinson This week we take a look at the work of the winner of the 2020 Songbay Lyric Writing Competition – Mandy Vinson.   “How did you get in to songwriting?” I started writing at a young age, my first song I ever wrote is called “Roses”. I remember asking my brother to give me a topic, any topic to write about. He gave me the title Roses. I remember sitting up in my room that night, Continue

Featured Songbay Artist: Martin Hampton This week we take a look at the work of the runner up of the 2020 Songbay Lyric Writing Competition – Martin Hampton.   “How did you get in to songwriting?” I was given my first acoustic guitar and a John Pearce learn to play guitar book when I was eleven. I drove everyone mad by trying to learn ‘She’ll be coming ’round the mountain’. My fingers were red raw afterwards! Around the early 1970’s  I was introduced Continue

Feautured Songbay Artist: Sheena Hope This week we take a look at the work of Songbay lyricist – Sheena Hope. For the second year in a row, Sheena has been a prize winner in the Songbay Lyric Writing Competition. “How did you get in to songwriting?” I love singing and have been involved in choirs since I was eight years old. I started in a Gaelic choir and one of my first jobs was as a singing waitress at a Jacobean Continue

Six Ways to Write a Christmas Lyric The festive season is here again! Christmas is going to be very different this year, but hopefully we can still celebrate the holidays safely – and flex our creativity! Now is the ideal time to write a festive song. Our trees are up, the halls are decked, the joy of Christmas is in the air! There’s no better time to pen a Christmas lyric than when the festivities are in full swing. Most importantly, it’s not too early Continue

Winners of the Songbay Lyric Writing Competition 2020 We are delighted to announce the winners of the 2020 Songbay Lyric Writing Competition.   First Prize Mandy Vinson with lyric Watching  View Lyric Second Prize  Martin Hampton with lyric Good Grace and Hope View Lyric Third Prize  Sheena Hope with lyric The Fire View Lyric  Fourth Prize Maria Teresa Guzman with lyric Tomorrow Without Me View Lyric   Commended Entries (in no particular ranking order) Brett Hunt with lyric Buffett  View Lyric Songs4Singers with Continue