Read below to learn more how our esteemed panel of judges picked the winners for the Session Five 2026 Lyric Contest.
Meet the Judges HERE.
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1st Place – “Nobody Said Goodbye”
By: Samantha Cugini (Sammi Lee)
Caitlyn Smith: “This reminds me of a Don Schlitz song as I read it down… I love the idea and wasn’t sure where it was going. I like the chorus and the pictures, and the concept was such a cool scene – I haven’t heard anything like it before.”
Danielle Bradbery: “I picked this one because I love how much emotion is sitting underneath such an ordinary, familiar scene. Nobody is saying the hard thing out loud, but you can feel everyone knows it, which makes the lyric hit even harder.”
Harper Grace: “THIS JUST RIPPED MY HEART OUT! Crying while reading these beautiful lyrics!”
Jillian Jacqueline: “The hook lands really well, and the lyrics do a great job of portraying the complexity of emotion in this situation.”
Lily Rose: “This song uses its lyrics effectively to paint the story. The imagery really jumps out and makes the whole song feel alive. You can actually see the scenes playing out as you listen.”
Read Lyrics HERE.
2nd Place – “Paris In Her Mind”
By: TJ Downey
Erin Enderlin: “This song feels so real and is such a beautiful, thoughtful portrayal of a woman. I love the depth of the character. The wonder that’s portion with a slight sadness of regret. I love the line “trying to keep us all intact” using the word intact really captured so much about a life of duty, expectation, and limitation – but she’s described as so loving, and gives the air of quiet sacrifice that isn’t resentful or expecting. “But dreams can turn to dust so slowly, you don’t see them die” – come on! This line is gorgeous. And the image of sitting with her in her bedroom as she’s dying and telling her y’all are somewhere over the ocean…just gorgeous.”
Jillian Jacqueline: “Love the concept, and felt very drawn in by the imagery the writer uses to show the grief behind this woman’s unlived life.”
Katie Pruitt: “I loved because I felt it paid homage to classic songs like “Carolina in my Mind” or even “Angel From Montgomery” without ripping those songs off. It paints a picture of a person who could never afford to visit a place in real life so they have to settle for the fantasy. I thought it was really beautifully written.”
Parker Welling: “I love how descriptive it is. I can see the characters and I can picture the story as it unfolds.”
Read Lyrics HERE.
Since 1984, American Songwriter’s Lyric Contest has helped aspiring songwriters get noticed and have fun. Enter the 2026 Lyric Contest today before the deadline:
3rd Place – “Under the Tree we Planted”
By: Ben (Dax) Morrisson
Chase McDaniel: “I love the titles that pay off more as the song progresses. It’s a writing journey that’s uniquely paired with great country storytelling. And man, did this song do some great country storytelling. I could see the movie in my head. What a great tribute to life, love, and grief. I couldn’t help but feel this has to be a true story. If not, they wrote it like it was. To the writer, I want to say thank you for sharing this story, it matters.”
Kassi Ashton: “I love the storytelling. It’s both a familiar and dreamy occurrence to be with someone long enough to watch a tree grow. People will listen for both reasons.”
Read Lyrics HERE.
4th Place – “Black Lung”
By: Stape Michaels
Chase McDaniel: “This is a fantastic example of writing what you know. I’m a Kentucky boy, and my family comes from east Kentucky. It was wild to me when I moved to Nashville that most people didn’t realize how important the coal mines were to our life. The lyric has a natural edge and authenticity to it. It doesn’t feel like it was written for the listener. It feels like it was written to be expressed. I love that. It’s real, shows you the dark side of the mines, and exposes the reader to a way of life that is both figuratively and literally underground. Other than “Sixteen Tons,” there’s not a lot of these. I think you may have a market!”
Kassi Ashton: “I can already hear the production, which is refreshing in this competition. “just to feed that black lung” is a great hook and I like that the chorus started and ended with black lung. “But a man can leave a woman and still carry her around” is my favorite line.”
Read Lyrics HERE.
Since 1984, American Songwriter’s Lyric Contest has helped aspiring songwriters get noticed and have fun. Enter the 2026 Lyric Contest today before the deadline:
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Photo by Jill Mullin
