Meet the 2027 American Songwriter Lyric Contest judges! This year’s panel spans generations and genres, from Nashville hit-songwriter veterans to acclaimed Americana and folk voices, rising Texas country favorites, and breakout pop and punk-rock artists. It’s a lineup built on range as much as talent, bringing fresh perspective to every entry. Get to know our judges below!
Skip Ewing
A natural born storyteller, Skip Ewing’s signature gift for vivid songcraft and true-to-life human connection made him a chart-topping star at the turn of the 1990s with six top 20 hits, including the top 5 country classics “Burnin’ a Hole in My Heart” and “It’s You Again.” Along with his own solo successes, Ewing is one of Nashville’s most prolific songwriters, with eleven No. 1 songwriting credits, including Randy Travis’ “If I Didn’t Have You” and NSAI Song of the Year “Something That We Do” from Clint Black. With songs recorded by country superstars such as ERNEST and Lainey Wilson, Keith Urban, George Strait, Zac Brown Band, Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Willie Nelson, and Shania Twain, he’s earned countless honors including a CMA Triple Play Award, a BMI Songwriter of the Year Award, and multiple ACM, BMI, CMA, GRAMMY®, NSAI, and Songwriter Hall of Fame nominations. After stepping away from Nashville for several years to live and work on a ranch outside Yellowstone National Park, Ewing returned to writing and performing, releasing a string of critically praised albums, most recently 2026’s DRAGONFLY.
Cleto Cordero (Flatland Cavalry)
Cleto Cordero is a Texas-born singer-songwriter best known as the frontman and chief songwriter of Flatland Cavalry. Forming in Lubbock, TX, the band is celebrated for its blend of country, folk, and Americana. Raised in Midland, Texas, Cordero developed a passion for songwriting early on, influenced by his family and the lyrical storytelling of Texas music legends. His songwriting is praised for its vivid imagery and emotional depth, capturing the spirit of West Texas life. Under Cordero’s leadership, Flatland Cavalry has released several acclaimed projects, including Humble Folks, Homeland Insecurity, Welcome To Countryland, Songs To Keep You Warm, Wandering Star, and their latest album, Work of Heart. The band has achieved seven #1 singles on Texas Country Radio and amassed over 1 billion streams.
Dave Hause
Dave Hause is a Philly-bred, California-based singer-songwriter best known as the former leader of beloved Philly punk rockers The Loved Ones. Nearly 20 years into his career, he has built a celebrated body of solo work spanning punk, rock, and Americana-tinged songwriting, including 2021’s Drive It Like It’s Stolen and 2023’s Blood Harmony, both produced by Will Hoge. His latest album, …And The Mermaid, marks a return to his rock and roll roots, recorded with his full touring band — including brother Tim Hause — and co-produced by Jesse Gander (Japandroids, White Lung) in Vancouver. Known for his lyrical elan and anthemic melodies, Hause has spent his career balancing raw punk energy with deeply personal songwriting, building a devoted fanbase across both scenes.
Caroline Spence
Caroline Spence is a singer and songwriter based in Nashville, TN. Her five solo albums have been featured in Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and NPR Music. Established artists Emmylou Harris, Matt Berninger of The National, Sarah Jarosz, and Lori McKenna have joined Caroline on her songs as featured vocalists, and her body of work has been streamed over 80 million times. Over the last decade, she has toured as the opening act for Tyler Childers, Mary Chapin Carpenter, John Moreland, Madi Diaz, Hayes Carll, and American Aquarium, in addition to festival appearances and headlining shows across the US, UK, and Europe. Caroline released two albums on the legendary Rounder Records and is signed as a songwriter to Concord Music Publishing. Her songs have been placed in television shows on ABC, NBC, Fox, and Apple TV, and recorded by artists including Lucie Silvas, Andrew Combs, Della Mae, and Sierra Hull, whose recording of Caroline’s song earned a 2025 GRAMMY nomination for Best Bluegrass Album. Notably, Caroline’s song “Mint Condition” won the overall prize in the 2013 American Songwriter Lyric Contest, days after she finished writing it — it later became the title track of her 2019 Rounder Records release.
Greylan James
From the moment his Papaw gifted him his first guitar at age 5, Knoxville-raised Greylan James knew he was meant to be a musician. Since arriving in Nashville, he’s become a “celebrated songwriter” (Country Now), earning cuts from some of country music’s biggest artists, including Kenny Chesney, Morgan Wallen, Cole Swindell, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, Bailey Zimmerman, and BRELAND. He earned his first ACM Award for Song of the Year co-writing Jordan Davis’ No. 1 hit “Next Thing You Know,” which also brought him a BMI Award and his first CMA Award nomination. To date, Greylan’s songbook has landed three No. 1 hits and amassed over 900 million streams. He’s also stepping out as an artist in his own right, with his buzzy Top 25 single “Water At A Wedding” prompting SiriusXM to call him “a superstar just beginning to hit his stride.”
Amy Speace
A modern folksinger whose music nods to the genre’s 1970s glory days, Amy Speace is considered one of the great contemporary singer-songwriters. Heralded by Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Billboard, and NPR’s All Things Considered, Speace was discovered by Judy Collins, who signed her to her record label and recorded Speace’s song “Weight of the World.” Her songs have also been recorded by Red Molly, Christine Lavin, and Memphis Blues Hall of Famer Sid Selvidge, among others. Her song “Me and the Ghost of Charlemagne” won International Song of the Year in 2020 from the American Music Association (UK). Craig Havighurst of Nashville’s WMOT radio calls her “sublime and inimitable… one of Nashville’s premiere folk artists of the last decade.” Amy has played festivals around the world, including Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, Philadelphia Folk Festival, and Glastonbury, along with legacy stages like the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman Auditorium. A well-respected writer, she’s also had essays published in The New York Times, No Depression, and elsewhere, and her debut poetry collection, The Cardinals, was published by Red Hen Press in 2026.
Liz Longley
Liz Longley is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter celebrated for her stop-you-in-your-tracks voice and deeply emotional music. Known for her distinctive blend of folk, pop, and Americana, Liz has earned accolades from prestigious songwriting competitions, including the BMI John Lennon Songwriting Scholarship Competition. Her self-titled debut album was praised as “stunning” (HuffPost), and the follow-up, Weightless (2016), was called “a thing of beauty” by Pop Dose. Her sixth album, Funeral For My Past, became a notable success after fans raised over $150,000 on Kickstarter to fund its release, making her the #4 most-funded solo female musician in Kickstarter history — earning acclaim from Forbes and Billboard alike. Becoming a mother in 2022 profoundly shaped her songwriting, and her most recent album, New Life (2025), reflects that new chapter and her continued evolution as an artist.
Drew Kennedy
Drew is a master-class lyricist in both the pop and country spaces. As an artist with a catalog eleven albums deep, one novel penned, and two annual music festivals created, Kennedy has done more than build a strong career — he has reimagined what it means to be a songwriter, both artistically and entrepreneurially. Billboard, No Depression, CMT, American Songwriter, and Cowboys and Indians have all praised his work. Drew has cuts with Cody Johnson, Patrick Droney, Lori McKenna, Nate Smith, Randall King, Morgxn, RaeLynn, Forest Blakk, Canaan Smith, Travis Meadows, Tyler Hubbard, Brantley Gilbert, David Hodges, Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, and many more. In 2025, Drew released his self-titled album, Drew Kennedy, written entirely on his own and recorded in Los Angeles with longtime collaborator, producer/songwriter Davis Naish.
Kyshona
Nashville-based singer-songwriter Kyshona crafts songs that are as much about personal discovery as they are about collective healing. A former music therapist turned artist-activist, Kyshona blends roots, R&B, folk, and soul with purposeful storytelling. Her 2024 album, Legacy, traces five generations of her family’s history and features contributions from Keb’ Mo’, Ruthie Foster, and Odessa Settles. Her work has been praised by NPR, The New York Times, The Tennessean, The Boston Globe, Rolling Stone, and American Songwriter. She regularly performs on stages and at festivals across the globe, was featured on the PBS series Ear to the Common Ground, and delivered the keynote for the 2023 Fulbright Scholars. In 2026, she narrated and contributed songs to Citizens Revival, a documentary on the state of American democracy, and was honored with Folk Alliance International’s People’s Voice Award.
Trousdale
Trousdale is the Los Angeles-based trio of Quinn D’Andrea, Georgia Greene, and Lauren Jones, known for their striking three-part harmonies, emotionally candid songwriting, and genre-blurring blend of folk, pop, country, and indie rock. After building an audience through harmony-driven covers and original songs online, the group released their debut album, Out of My Mind, in 2023, followed by their sophomore album, Growing Pains, in 2025 — later expanded into a 20-track deluxe edition featuring collaborations with Lake Street Dive, Tors, Ken Yates, and Haffway. Trousdale has toured extensively, including their own sold-out headline run and opening slots for Maren Morris and Lake Street Dive.
Chris Blair
Chris Blair is the founder and visionary behind The Listening Room Cafe, one of Nashville’s premier venues for hit songwriters. Raised in St. Louis, Blair moved to Nashville in 2003 to pursue his own artist career before seeing an opportunity to combine the city’s renowned songwriter scene with top-notch sound, food, and service — leading him to open The Listening Room in 2006. The venue’s stage has hosted talent including Vince Gill, Trisha Yearwood, Chris Stapleton, Garth Brooks, Lainey Wilson, and HARDY, and in 2026 celebrated its 20th anniversary with a sold-out show at the Ryman Auditorium. Beyond the venue, Blair serves on the boards of the Entrepreneur Organization and Operation Song, and leads The Listening Room’s Sound Good, Do Good program, which donates 100% of ticket sales from select shows to local nonprofits.
The post Introducing the 2027 American Songwriter Lyric Contest Judges appeared first on American Songwriter.
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