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2011 Contest Rules
Big Country 99 to host the 30th Annual Texaco Country Showdown,
America’s largest country music talent search and radio
promotion, during the Gallia County Junior Fair.
The Texaco Country Showdown, gives away approximately $200,000
in cash and prizes
nationwide, including the Grand Prize of $100,000 cash to the
National Winner, presented at the televised special.
Big Country 99’s Showdown begins with contestants performing in
the Preliminary Phase during the Point Pleasant Sternwheel
Regatta on Friday, July 1st at 7 pm. Each contestant must pay a
one-time $20 entry fee for the Preliminary Competition.
Twelve finalists will be selected to compete at the Gallia
County Junior Fair on Saturday, August 6th, beginning at 6 pm.
During the Preliminary, each contestant will sing one country
song and they must bring their own music on CD. The twelve
finalists will sing
two country songs and, again, must provide their own music on
CD, unless they are putting a band in the competition.
One person will win and represent WBYG. at the Parkersburg
Homecoming Festival in August.
First, second and third places will receive monetary prizes
donated by the Gallia County Junior Fair.
Rules for the event are as follows:
1. Must
complete a contest entry form
2. A
one-time registration fee of $20 per act is required for WBYG..
The fee is to be collected only once per station,
regardless of the number of performances
during the course of competition.
3. WBYG is
authorized to resolve all disputes at the local Showdown. SPI is
the sole authority in resolving all disputes at the state,
regional, and
national levels. SPI’s decisions are final.
4. Each act
entered in the Showdown must perform only with the personnel
listed on Section 1 and 2 of the Entry Form.
No personnel changes or substitutions
will be permitted once competition has begun.
Once an individual withdraws from an act
at any level of the Showdown, he/she cannot perform at the next
level.
5.
Individuals may perform with only one act during any local
showdown.
6. Each act
must perform live, vocally and/or instrumentally. No special
lighting, props or special effects may be used.
7. Any act
with three or more individuals playing an instrument may not
use prerecorded music.
8. The
amount or performance time given to each local Showdown
contestant will be
determined by the local radio station.
9. All
performances must be done in good taste: no music or lyrics that
the radio station or SPI considers to be offensive may be
performed.
10. Age
restrictions will be at the discretion of the radio station
and/or its venue.
11.
Contestants may perform their own music and receive extra bonus
points from the judges. Music eligible for bonus points will be
defined as any piece of music written or co-written by the
contestant (either individual or member of group). Any
contestant (either individual or member of group) who claims to
be using his own music may be disqualified at any level of the
contest at the discretion of SPI, if a musical copyright for the
music exists which does not name the contestant as author or
co-author.
12. Acceptable documentation to prove
ownership of your music shall include either a certificate
of copyright, proof of song registration with BMI, ASCAP,
etc., or a notarized copy of the application applying for the
copyright with a signed statement by the contestant as to its
status.
13. Performances will be awarded 0-10
points in each of the following categories: 1) Marketability in
country music; 2) Vocal/instrumental ability; 3) Originality; 4)
Stage presence/charisma: 5) Talent. An optional bonus of up to
three points may be awarded for acts performing their own music.
14. In the event of a tie, the first
tie-breaker shall be the highest number of points given in the
Talent category. The second tiebreaker shall be the highest
number of points awarded in the Stage Presence/Charisma
category. The third tiebreaker shall be by a secret vote of the
judges based on overall performance style and impact.
15.
LOCAL CONTEST PRIZES: The only official prize offered at the local
Showdown level is the opportunity for the winner to advance to
the state Showdown competition. Local Showdown contestants must
pay their own expenses during the competition at the local,
state and regional levels. In signing this Entry Form, the
Showdown contestant acknowledges that neither SPI nor Texaco is
responsible for any prizes promised or offered at the local
Showdown contest level (except for the local Showdown winner’s
chance to compete in the state Showdown competition). Gallia
County Junior Fair will honor the first three places with a cash
prize.
16.
STATE, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL FINAL:
A.The winner of the local Showdown is
eligible to compete in the State Showdown. Contestants may enter
as many local competitions as they wish until winning. Local
winners may reenter the contest at the local level only after
being eliminated at a State or Regional Final. They must
complete a new entry form and pay the entry fee when entering at
another station. Each contestant will have seven minutes to
perform at the state Showdown. No prerecorded music is permitted
at State, Regional or National Final. The winner of each state
Showdown will receive $1,000 and the opportunity to compete at
one of the five regional Showdowns. Prizes won by minors will be
awarded to a parent or legal guardian, if requested.
B.There will be five regional Showdowns
where State winners will compete for seven minutes to win an all
expense paid trip to compete at the National Final. Contestants
under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or legal
guardian who must execute releases of liability and publicity.
National Final expenses paid by SPI are listed below. All other
expenses not specified shall be the responsibility of the
contestants. 1. Hotel accommodations (double occupancy). 2.
Round-trip coach airfare on the airline designated by SPI from a
continental USA airport closest to contestant’s home served by
that airline. 3. Reasonable meal expenses.
C. The National Final will be
announced.. The winner will receive $100,000. The winner, or
winner’s parent or legal guardian (if winner is a minor), must
execute an affidavit of eligibility within 30 days of the
National Final. Failure to comply may result in forfeiture of
the prizes. Prizes are nontransferable. Winners shall be solely
responsible for all taxes in connection with their prizes.
17.
PROMOTIONAL AUTHORIZATION:
By submitting an Entry
Form, the act (and each individual member thereof) grants to SPI
and Texaco, the right to utilize the act’s (and each individual
member’s thereof) name, likeness, image, voice, appearance, and
performance in perpetuity worldwide for advertising, trade or
any other lawful promotional purposes whatsoever, in any and all
media now known or thereafter developed, without compensation.
I/we grant SPI and Texaco the right to broadcast, market, sell
and otherwise distribute my name, image, likeness, voice,
appearance and performance,either in whole or in parts for
commercial, non-commercial television, close-circuit exhibition,
home video distribution, internet, or any other purpose SPI and
Texaco, in their sole discretion may determine. I/we hereby give
all clearance, copyright or otherwise, for the use of my name,
likeness, image, voice, appearance embodied in my/our
performance/state presentation. If under 18 years of age, parent
or guardian must sign the entry form.
18. ASSUMPTION OF
RISK: By
submitting this entry form, the act (and each individual member
thereof) assumes all risks of property damage or bodily injury
(including death) that might occur during the local, state,
regional and national Showdown events. The act (and each
individual member thereof) agrees not to bring against Texaco or
other national sponsors any claim for property damage or bodily
injury (including death) that might occur during local, state,
regional, or national Showdown events.
19. GOOD
CHARACTER: The act
agrees that it may be disqualified immediately from any level of
Showdown competition if the act (or any member thereof) commits
any act or becomes involved in any situation that would
adversely reflect on the Showdown or any party furnishing a
prize, or tend to bring it into public disrepute.
20.
ELIGIBILITY: Submit any
questions regarding eligibility to SPI.
A. I am/we are not an act with over
seven individuals.
B. I/we have not performed on a record
listed in Billboard, Radio and Records, or the Gavin Report
within eighteen months preceding local competition.
C. I/we have (each) paid the $20.00
registration fee before performing live at the local Showdown.
D. I am/we are not part of the backup
band nor am I/are we related to any member of the backup band by
birth or marriage nor have I/we performed with the local backup
band or any member of the local backup band for monetary
compensation within the past year.
E. I am/we are not an owner, controlling
stockholder or employee of and I am/we are not related by birth
or marriage, nor do I/we live in the same household as the local
Showdown judge, the radio station sponsoring the local Showdown
contest, Texaco(or any national sponsor), SPI, or any employee,
controlling stockholder, owner, officer or agent of any of the
foregoing parties.
F. I/we have not already been declared a
local winner of a 2011 Country Showdown and eligible for State
competition.
G. I/we have never been a national
winner, either as an individual or as part of a group of the
2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 Country Showdown.
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