Lyrics on the Lake, in conjunction with B99.9fm, presents its annual open-mic competitions for aspiring singers. The contest gives local talent the opportunity to compete for a trip to Nashville that will include a writing session with professional songwriters, a showcase performance at one of Nashville’s best venues and a performance at the Smith Mountain Lake Wine Festival.
The competition is not a karaoke competition, but is open to solo artists and duos who are accompanied by their own instruments. Although this competition is a lead-in to the “Lyrics on the Lake Songwriters Festival,” competitors do not have to be songwriters or perform original music. They should be prepared to perform up to six songs each night. The full list of rules is posted on the Lyrics website at lyricsonthelake.com.
The open-mic competitions, which raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals of Central and Southwestern Virginia, will begin Wednesday, May 8 at Mango’s at Bridgewater Plaza in Moneta and will continue each Wednesday night leading up to the Songwriters Festival. Due to time constraints, only the first eight competitors will be accepted each week. One finalist will be chosen each week, and the remaining competitors are welcome to return the following week to try again, as space allows. The five finalists will compete for the grand prize during the Songwriters Festival kickoff on Wednesday, June 12 at 8 p.m. at Mango’s.
Onsite registration for the weekly competitions is from 7:30 until 8 p.m. each Wednesday, with the competition beginning at 8 p.m. Competitors can also register for the week of their choice ahead of time online at www.lyricsonthelake.com.
There is no entry fee for the competitors and no cover charge for the audience; however, tax-deductible charitable donations for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals will be gratefully accepted.
The open-mic competitions lead up to the “Lyrics on the Lake Songwriters Festival,” which will run from Wednesday, June 12 through Sunday, June 16. The Festival provides music fans with a variety of great entertainment, as well as an opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the nation’s most talented songwriters.
Lyrics on the Lake is a local volunteer organization dedicated to serving the community, especially its children, through fundraising, toy drives, flood relief efforts, etc. Lyrics on the Lake does this primarily through hosting musical events, such as the Songwriters Festival. The “Lyrics on the Lake Songwriters Festival” is a five-day fundraiser, primarily for the benefit of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, an organization that raises money for 170 children’s hospitals across the United States and Canada. The funds help provide training, research, equipment and care for children facing a variety of health challenges. Contributions collected at the Festival will be used locally by Carilion Children’s Hospital, Centra Virginia Baptist and Lynchburg General hospitals.
These contributions will be donated through Lyrics on the Lake’s parent organization, The Musicpreneur Storehouse Foundation, a non-profit organization inspired by the life of Erik Blumenfeld, that provides mentorship, consulting and other resources for artists and entrepreneurs in the music industry. The foundation requires its artist recipients to “pay it forward” by serving other charitable organizations, such as Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
This year’s Songwriters Festival will include six songwriter shows at three different venues around Smith Mountain Lake and this year, two special concerts have been added to the schedule. The Festival will culminate on Sunday, June 16 at Mango’s at Bridgewater Plaza with a worship service in the morning and an all-afternoon music performance. There is no cover charge for the public to attend any of these songwriter shows; however, tax-deductible charitable donations will again be gratefully accepted. In addition, there will be opportunities to purchase various items and collectibles to commemorate your experiences at the “Lyrics on the Lake Songwriters Festival.”
More information regarding the songwriters, the schedule and the venues, as well as the open-mic rules, can be found at www.lyricsonthelake.com or on Facebook.
