International Song Contest 2022
Sponsored By
The International Song Contest this year was judged by an independent panel of Ten ( 10 ) jurors who are currently part of the Worldwide Blues & Roots Radio team, they are all active in their music communities in Canada, USA, Europe and Australia, a number of the jurors sit on regional and national award panels in their respective countries.
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Thank you to everyone who submitted their songs to this years contest, we had a record number of entries from around the world, the quality of entries was extremely high making it a difficult task for our jurors.
Listed below are the chosen finalists in each category.
Category Winners Announced January 25th 2023
($250 CAD Cash Prize )
Overall Winner Announced January 30th 2023
(Annual Award + $250 CAD Category + $750 CAD Overall = Total Cash Prize $1000)
Thank You To Our Amazing Sponsors
Blues & Roots Radio International Song Contest 2022
Overall Winner​
André Bisson - Down The Line
Blues & Roots Radio Annual Award + $1000 CAD ( $250 Category Winner + $750 Overall Winner )
Andre Bisson was presented with the award in Burlington, Ontario, Canada by co-founders of Blues & Roots Radio, Anne & Stevie Connor
Left To Right: Anne Connor, Andre Bisson, Loretta Hale and Stevie Connor.
From a small town in Northern Ontario to lively crowds across England and Wales, André Bisson has proved that he has a message worth listening to. With a career that spans over 20 years, his musical resume includes 9 studio albums, countless awards, and sold out shows across Canada, US, UK, and Europe.
As the sole songwriter and arranger for a group that spans from 6-20 musicians, André has created his own musical brand infused with soul, roots, blues, and R&B. Using an eclectic combination of instruments, he creates a musical story that becomes the soundtrack for his lyrics.
Since first taking to the stage at age 15, André’s love and dedication has always been to the live show. Combining his powerhouse vocals with a group of world class musicians, André makes it a priority to always give the audience an exciting, intense, and memorable musical experience. The connection between the musicians, the song, and the audience is always the ultimate goal.
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Blues & Roots Radio International Song Contest 2022
1st Place Runner Up​
Izzy Burns - Guessing Game
( $250 Category Winner )
Izzy Burns is a young singer-songwriter from Moscow, Idaho, USA, she has already been placed in finalist lists of prestigious international songwriting competitions, it's testament to the quality of her creations, and for someone so young, there is a long bright future ahead if she maintains her current path. The latest album from Izzy is called A Heartbeat Of Your Time and contains five beautifully crafted original songs. Izzy sings indie music with folk and jazz undertones.
Incredibly, having no voice due to airway difficulties and a tracheostomy as a baby, Izzy still had a love for music. Once she was able to speak, she began singing and playing guitar and eventually writing songs. She has gone from strength to strength since then, and, in this recording she has demonstrated what a rare gift she has, every track on this EP stands on it's own merit as proof of her exquisite writing abilities, but, collectively it showcases the breadth of her arsenal, from the upbeat americana-roots driven track Broken Compass to the beautiful acoustic storytelling version of Pages.
Izzy Burns is a class act, we can't wait to see how she develops further.
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Blues & Roots Radio International Song Contest 2022
2nd Place Runner Up​
Jeff Plankenhorn - Trouble Find Me
( $250 Category Winner )
Nicola Gell Photography
Jeff Plankenhorn is a world-class songwriter and had been an accompanist to the stars and first-call session musician in Texas (Joe Ely, Ruthie Foster, Ray Wylie Hubbard, etc.) for 16 years when he decided to go solo with his critically acclaimed SoulSlide album (featuring performances by Ruthie Foster, Malford Milligan, Rami Jaffe (Foo Fighters, The Wallflowers), and The Resentments, with co-writes from Bret Dennen, Gary Nicholson, and Miles Zuniga (Fastball).
He's a virtuoso multi-instrumentalist who designed his own signature lap-steel "The Plank" that gained him an Austin Music Award in 2017. As a Black Fret major grant recipient in 2018 and with the release of his second full-length album as a solo artist, Sleeping Dogs (featuring Ray Wylie Hubbard, and Patty Griffin, and co-produced by Scrappy Jud Newcomb). His hard work is paying off and he’s building his audience at festivals and venues all over Canada & the US, building lifelong friends and fans along the way.
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His current releases are a pair of EP’s Covered/Uncovered Vols.I and II. In 2023, he’ll extend his reach into Europe for the first time since he was on the side of the stage.
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Category Finalists
Duo | Trio | Band Category Finalists
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Andrew Bate & Chloe Gorman - Flowers On My Grave
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André Bisson Band - The Ballad Of Lucy Stone
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Andres Roots feat. Lorete Medne - Solitaire
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Andres Roots feat. Louie Digman - Alligator Blues
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Emma Gale - Love Got The Better Of Me
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igoodea - Winter Sun
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Jeff Plankenhorn - Piece Of Cake (feat. Emily Gimble)
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Jeff Plankenhorn - Trouble Find Me
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John Duer & the Blues Freaks - Baby, Wont You Come Back Home
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Matt Storch & The Miles Between - 18 Wheels
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Mermaid Avenue - Prisoner
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Mist & Wing - Country Mile
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Pamela Ward & Paul Cherrington - Sail On By
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Pete Temple & The Cornerstones - What is The Blues
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Robert Hill & SJ - Maybe You Will Someday
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Rusty Creek - Hello Old Friend
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Smiling Jack Smith - Nowhere To Go But Up
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Stacey MacNeil & Jonathon Smith - Lies
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Sun-Pinned Leaves - Monterey Bay
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Vince Vanguard - Broken Bones
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Jurors Top Ten Song Choices
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Jeff Plankenhorn - Trouble Find Me
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Vince Vanguard - Broken Bones
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Andres Roots feat. Lorete Medne - Solitaire
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Robert Hill & SJ - Maybe You Will Someday
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Emma Gale - Love Got The Better Of Me
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André Bisson Band - The Ballad Of Lucy Stone
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Matt Storch & The Miles Between - 18 Wheels
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Andrew Bate & Chloe Gorman - Flowers On My Grave
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Mist & Wing - Country Mile
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Pamela Ward & Paul Cherrington - Sail On By
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CATEGORY WINNER
Jeff Plankenhorn - Trouble Find Me
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Cash Award $250 CAD
Female Category Finalists
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Ashley Puckett - Anchor
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Ashley Puckett - Tequila
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Christina Hutt - I Should Have Changed
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Christina Hutt - Thought You'd Always Be My Man
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Emma Gale - She'll Never Be Me
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Emily Brown - Weren't There
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Evelyn Laurie - My Scottish Heart
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I, Claudia - The Envy Of Kings
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Izzy Burns - Bandaids On Bruises
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Izzy Burns - Guessing Game
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Laura Keating - Blue Water
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Lucie Tiger - Burn It Down
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Madison Galloway - The River
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Melissa Jane Carroll - Where Are You Chris
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Mia Kelly - Garden Through The War
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Ruth Hazelton - Aphelion
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Shirley Jackson - Before It's Over
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Ingrid Gerdes - Red Bird
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Ingrid Gerdes - The Weight Of Blood
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Isobel Thatcher - Wings
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Jurors Top Ten Song Choices
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Izzy Burns - Guessing Game
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Mia Kelly - Garden Through The War
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Ingrid Gerdes - The Weight Of Blood
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Emily Brown - Weren't There
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Lucie Tiger - Burn It Down
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Ashley Puckett - Tequila
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Madison Galloway - The River
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Ruth Hazelton - Aphelion
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Emma Gale - She'll Never Be Me
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Christina Hutt - I Should Have Changed
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CATEGORY WINNER
Izzy Burns - Guessing Game
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Cash Award $250 CAD
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Male Category Finalists
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André Bisson - Down The Line
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Cormac O Caoimh - When My Kids Grow Too Old To Hold Hands
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Cory M. Coons - Freedom Road
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Daniel Cook - Lucky
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Dougal - Beat Up Old Ford
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Ian David Green - White Sand, Black Star
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Jason Baker - The Dream Of Peace
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Joel Brogon - Little Warbler
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Jeff Plankenhorn - Bird On The 9th
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Kayulta (Solo) - Anither Wey (fae thi steamhaimer)
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Kenny MacDonald - Don't You Be A Stranger
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Keyon Harris - The Devil
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Mark LeCornu - Sunflower
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Matt Storch - Wish Upon A Star
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Oatpod - Sense Of Place
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Smiling Jack Smith - New Shoes Blues
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SOHM - In The Morning
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Sun King Rising - No.6 Magnolia Avenue
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Victor Nesrallah - The Train Don't Stop Here No More
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Vince Vanguard - Let Me Go
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Jurors Top Ten Song Choices
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André Bisson - Down The Line
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Vince Vanguard - Let Me Go
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Jeff Plankenhorn - Bird On The 9th
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Mark LeCornu - Sunflower
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Daniel Cook - Lucky
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Cormac O Caoimh - When My Kids Grow Too Old To Hold Hands
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Kayulta (Solo) - Anither Wey (fae thi steamhaimer)
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Sun King Rising - No.6 Magnolia Avenue
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Smiling Jack Smith - New Shoes Blues
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SOHM - In The Morning
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CATEGORY WINNER
André Bisson - Down The Line
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Cash Award $250 CAD
OVERALL WINNER 2021
Terra Spencer - Feels Like Home
OVERALL WINNER 2020
Colin Clyne - Where The Ships Go To Die
OVERALL WINNER 2019
Lynne Hanson - Higher Ground
OVERALL WINNER 2018
Thornetta Davis - I Believe ( Everything Gonna Be Alright )
