SONG WRITER WINNER 2007 - Again, we congratulate KEITH RIVERS.

KEITH RIVERS – SONG WRITER WINNER 2006 - Keith started writing songs when he was 14.  He was inspired by his older brother Will, who is also a wonderfully talented musician, and actually gave Keith his first guitar, and a few lessons here and there.  Keith, now 45, likes to think that he has grown as a songwriter/singer over the years.   He has written and copyrighted over 300 songs. Writing has always been one of his passions.  He has had a Poem Published in 1995 in The Encyclopedia of American Poets. In the late 80’s early 90’s Keith wrote two children’s stories published by a New York based magazine called “Kid’s Life and Times.” He is currently working on a collection of short stories geared more toward adults, but, his first love remains Songwriting.   Keith never writes a song with the intent of making money; he writes for the shear joy and love of the process, often writing about many subjects, spirituality, love, the old west, the current state of our world, and politics.  Writing songs is as much a part of him as breathing.  Keith would like to thank various members of his family and friends for their love and support of him over the years, but first and foremost he thanks God for this wonderful talent He has given to Keith to express himself.   “WE’RE AMERICA” Keith’s winning entry in the SONG WRITER CONTEST was inspired after the attacks on September 11, 2001, like most all American’s he found himself in shock, and very saddened by the events.   A few days passed and he began to try to make sense of how someone could do this, and no answer ever came.   Soon he began to feel the need to document in a song, his own thoughts about what had happened and at the same time to try and express what other American’s might be feeling.  Days passed, then weeks, and he just couldn’t put it all into words. Finally, one morning in early October of 2001, while waiting for the coffee to finish brewing before heading off to work, he picked up his guitar, and pressed the record button on his ever-present tape recorder and just started singing the lyrics to what would become “We’re America”. The song just came out of him pretty much the way you hear it today, only changing a word or two here and there to fit the overall melody and theme of the song.  When he pressed the stop button on his recorder and put his guitar down, he just sat there for a minute or two, absorbing what he had just heard himself sing, and thanked God for giving him that song. It helped to heal his spirit, and when he plays and sings it others always seem to be greatly affected by the song.   Keith is very thankful that something he has written has touched so many.

Jenny Douglas Simms, winner of the second annual ALABAMA PECAN FESTIVAL HANK WILLIAMS/JETT WILLIAMS SONG WRITING CONTEST, is pictured here holding the 1st place Trophy and the Guitar donated by MMI, and the certificate entitling her to 8 hours of professional recording time donated by JADA PRODUCTIONS, INC.

Jenny was born in Gulfport, Mississippi she has been entertaining since she was seven years old and writing original songs from the tender age of ten. Her career accomplishments have been motivational and diverse. She has performed at Bayfest in Mobile, Alabama; the Hank Williams Tribute in Lineville, Alabama and performed the National Anthem at the Mobile Bay Bears Stadium among a wide range of others. She is a member of the NSAI, MSI(Mobile) and MCMI(Mobile). Hoping to have a long reign in the music industry her goal is to return the simplicity to country music and one day be the next QUEEN OF COUNTRY MUSIC.

John Davis, the winner of the first HANK WILLIAMS, SR./JETT WILLIAMS ANNUAL SONG WRITING CONTEST is pictured here holding the 1st place Trophy and the Fender Guitar donated by MMI.  Mr. Davis also received professional recording time from LIVE WIRE PRODUCTIONS and JADA PRODUCTIONS. 

His song, DOWN TO THE WATER, placed first in a field of 26.  The judges had some mighty fine talent to analyze and were hard pressed to find the best.  But, find it they did and we are proud to have John Davis as our first winner in a contest we hope will bring some recognition to the massive amount of talent in this area.