2011 Judges
Grand Prize Judge : Roy Elkins, CEO of Broadjam, Inc.
Roy Elkins is a well-known music technology entrepreneur who has been leading industry innovations for over twenty years. Elkins is the Founder and CEO of Broadjam Inc., serving independent musicians and industry giants such as Warner/Chappell, The Academy of Country Music, AMD, Yamaha, Peavey, Roland, ProSoundWeb and others. Broadjam.com, the company's popular web site, now hosts one of the largest collections of searchable independent music on the planet. The site is known for its user-friendly services for musicians, including artist web pages, song reviews, song contests, Top 10 Charts and the revolutionary METAJAM software.
Before founding Broadjam, Elkins was the Vice President-Sales & Marketing for Sonic Foundry, and held several director-level positions with Ensoniq Corporation. He maintains a database of over 5,000 music industry contacts include executives at virtually every company in the music industry and past and/or present artists such as Will Smith, Eddie Murphy, D.J. Jazzy Jeff, the Beach Boys, the Allman Brothers Band, BoyzIIMen, Roy Firestone, Joe Walsh (The Eagles), Paul Broucek (Lord of the Rings), ELP, Yes, Journey, Skid Row, Bill Walton, Jackie Martling (Howard Stern), David Arkenstone, Randy Jackson and many others. He is an accomplished musician and songwriter who thoroughly understands the musician's world.
Category Judges
Americana: MIKE HALL, manager and booking coordinator of Uncle Calvin’s Coffee House. Set inside the fellowship hall of Northpark Presbyterian Church, this area landmark of acoustic music has become a haven for musicians and audiences looking for a laid back but engaging concert experience for a quarter century.
Singer Songwriter: DAVID CARD, Owner, Poor David’s Pub
Most of Texas’ greatest songwriters have one thing in common: they’ve headlined at Dallas’ legendary music venue, Poor David’s Pub. For the past 31 years, Poor David’s Pub owner David Card has been host to outstanding artists such as Sara Hickman, the Dixie Chicks, Patrice Pike, Max Stalling, Guy Clark, Jimmy Webb and more. Card is also the founder of the annual BW Stevenson Memorial Singer-Songwriter Competition, held at Poor David’s every April and now in its 20th year. Card, Poor David’s Pub and the annual contest have helped the careers of past singer-songwriter winners including Adam Carroll, Max Stalling, Kristi Kruger, Gordy Quist, Elizabeth Wills, Colin Boyd, Owen Temple and many others. http://www.poordavidspub.com
Children's/Novelty : Deborah Poppink created Didi Pop, a singer songwriter that has a cool, catchy, totally original take on life and who is married to the president of Bug Music in Hollywood.
Her songs can be heard on The X-Files TV series as well as in a new feature film, Jack and Jill and her latest family friendly project, DIDI POP! Original Music for kids. She has performed all over the world and is signed with Bug Music and BMI. She'll be touring soon with DIDI POP but now is ultra busy taking care of her two small daughters in Mar Vista California.
Christian: Art Greenhaw - Grammy Award-Winning musician and producer Art Greenhaw, a sixth generation Texan, was born in Dallas. As a child, Art was part of the very first group of students admitted by audition to Southern Methodist University's newly-created Piano Preparatory Department, and was eventually taught by flamboyant, master concert pianist and visual artist Lucien Leinfelder. From family nurtured musical and artistic beginnings by homemaker mother Patricia and pro musician, educator and entrepreneur father Frank, Art's love of recording has resulted in Grammy Awards and multiple Grammy Nominations on his label, Greenhaw Records (www.myspace.com/greenhawrecords). In his performing and touring career, Art leads the quintessential Texas band and one of the world's top historical bands, The Light Crust Doughboys(www.myspace.com/artgreenhaw). In the field of motion pictures, Art produced and arranged the music for Hollywood Film Awards Best Documentary Nominee LUGOSI: HOLLYWOOD'S DRACULA and several other music videos and documentaries.
Country: MARTY RENDLEMAN, President and CEO of Rendleman Management Group, Rendleman has been involved in the entertainment industry since 1984. She has experience in every facet of the business from PR to management, and has a reputation for spotting and developing hot new talent. In 1992, Marty discovered and then managed LeAnn Rimes for three years. She obtained the song "Blue," from her dear friend, Bill Mack, and the rest, as they say, is history. In 1996, Marty would again sign a 9-year old, Mikaila, and start the process all over -- but this time in "Pop" music. In June of l999, at the age of twelve, Mikaila signed one of the biggest new-artist deals in history with Universal's Island Def-Jam Label. In August of 1999, Marty signed Kristy Lee, another blonde-haired, blue-eyed country singer. Kristy has just released her first album, "Devoted." http://www.rendleman.net
Instrumental: Grammy Award Winner Richard Theisen has built a successful career in the music business from the studio to the stage. In his twenties her toured the country with Eddie Rabbitt and played with some of the World's finest musicians. Alabama, The Beach Boys, Frankie Avalon, Mickey Gilley and Bob Hope, just to name a few. His theatrical credit include co-writing and performing in the international touring production of American Jukebox. Richard's film credits include: Beverly Hills Cop as co-writer of the grammy award winning album cut, Rock n Roll Me Again" performed by The System; and Thinking Big & Perfect Profile as the composer of the sound tracks for AFC Pictures.
Love Songs/ Easy Listening- Michael Nieves, Managing Director, Sugaroo - Before launching the musical empire that is Sugaroo! in early 1999, founder Michael Nieves served as head of Rhino Records’ licensing and publishing departments. Prior to that, he worked in business affairs/licensing at MCA Music Publishing in his beloved NYC. Michael also co-founded Sugaroo!’s sister label, HackTone Records, which earned accolades from music geeks and critics alike for releases like Lewis Taylor’s Stoned and Mark Olson’s The Salvation Blues. When he’s not listening to, talking about, or licensing music, Michael is generally either cooking and/or eating, usually with a NY sports team playing in the background...http://www.sugaroo.com
Rock/Pop - Joe Milton is well-known for his independent recording studio, Jo-Musik, where he writes and records his own material and produces new talent. Joe's songs have been featured in film and television, including the NBC mini-series, Hunt For the Unicorn about fugitive Ira Einhorn. http://joemilton.com/mus.html
