SOUTHWEST REGIONAL ROUND

The following information is from the 2008 Mountain Stage NewSong Contest. Regional round results will be posted here once the finalists have been determined. Thank you.

Photo by Darina Neyret.

Thursday, August 28; Austin, TX.
Boris McCutcheon of Ojo Sarco, New Mexico Wins the Southwest Regional Round in Austin, Texas
www.borismccutcheon.com

INFORMATION

Date: Thursday, August 28
Venue: Cactus Café
Location: Austin, TX
Time: 8:00 PM
Tickets: $10 at the door (no advance)
Youth Showcase: Yes!

FINALISTS

	American Hitmen Orem, Utah Born out of the fiery depths of Fallujah, Iraq, during Operation Phantom Fury in 2004, five talented musicians joined forces in hopes of creating the ultimate, no-holds-barred, in your face rock group. Playing only on acoustic guitars and ammo cans, the hardcore group of United States Marines began writing songs about the true face of combat; a side of the story that the media has never and will never show the public. www.americanhitmen.com
	Joanna Barbera Austin, Texas She sings about her experience, but her creativity makes it so you can’t know for certain. Joanna Barbera’s ethereal lyrics, reminiscent of the songwriting styles of Tori Amos and Cat Power, work like an Impressionist painting – depicting nothing in its exact form yet inducing overwhelming feeling in the listener. Live performances spur audience members to describe Joanna’s style as nothing less than “pure.” www.myspace.com/joannabarbera
	Aimee Bobruk Austin, Texas The last thing Bobruk and producer Darwin Smith wanted to do with The Safety Match Journal was make another singer-songwriter record. Yes, Bobruk writes her own songs, and sings them too, but for the Huntsville, Texas, native now dwelling in Austin, that’s as far as it goes. www.myspace.com/aimeebobruk
	Trey Brown Austin, Texas Trey Brown brings a fresh sound that comes from a century of influence. From Jimmy Rodgers to Outkast, Jeff Buckley to Woody Guthrie, Trey's vast influences have lead to one essential outcome: sheer originality. From the first few tracks of Trey's new record, "Smoke a'Risin", its evident that the Americana/Folk genre is far from being worn through. www.treybrown.net
	Carrie Elkin Austin, Texas A troubadour in the most classic fashion, Elkin has ridden a Gypsy breeze of serendipity for the last ten years, landing for a time in Cleveland, Athens, Taos, Steamboat Springs, Colorado Springs and Boston, finally coming to settle in Austin, TX in the summer of 2007. www.carrieelkin.com
	Mark Wayne Glasmire Arlington, Texas Raised in Bethlehem, PA, Mark learned to play the acoustic guitar at an early age. Influenced by James Taylor, Harry Chapin, Jimmy Buffet and the Beatles, he started writing and performing his own music while in college. While in school, Mark played at many local venues in the Eastern Pennsylvania area, including many music festivals and clubs. He recorded his first album, "Sad Songs" in 1981, an effort that highlighted his fresh and original material. www.markwayneglasmire.com
	Lilli Lewis Red Feather, Colorado Lilli Lewis has been composing music since she was 3 years old and playing piano for just as long. She studied classical piano and opera at the University of Georgia in her hometown of Athens, GA, but gave that all up to “do her own thing.” She joins a love for classical music with jazz, folk and gospel traditions to create what she calls "truth" music. www.lillilewis.com
	Boris McCutcheon Ojo Sarco, New Mexico Boris McCutcheon was born on Massachusetts farmland, but has found his place in the mountains of New Mexico. His writing and music are reflections of the characters he has encountered and the landscapes he has surrounded himself with. Currently, the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo mountains provide inspiration but his songs are peppered with experiences on the shores of Cape Cod, Northern California, and Southwest deserts. www.borismccutcheon.com
	Claude "Butch" Morgan Devine, Texas Butch has been a regular on the San Antonio music scene since the 70s, breaking ground by merging Country, Rock, Folk and all the other influences in his life into original songs filled with insightful lyrics and catchy melodies. He has also refined the craft of 'putting on the show', a consumate ringmaster making sure a good time is had by all. Crowds of loyal fans all over Texas sing along with his originals and marvel at the energy and the innovative new twists he brings to the standards. www.butchmorgan.com
	Plumtucker Austin, Texas Plumtucker, conceived in late 2003, is thus David’s musical alter-ego and brain child. David, a multi-instrumentalist, performer, and songwriter wrote, performed, and co-produced with famed Austin producer/engineer, Boo Macleod (Willie Nelson, Robert Plant, The Barenaked Ladies, to name a few), all of the songs on his critically-acclaimed, 2006 release, “Lightning Wheels,” which represented a culmination of songs from two prior self-released EP’s in Austin. www.plumtucker.net