On Thursday (Dec 8), Nashville-based songwriter Mason Caviness was named the 2022 American Songwriter Lyric Contest Grand Prize Winner for his song “Long Line of Cars”, co-written with Emily Rose.
“It feels incredibly surreal and honestly really validating,” Caviness tells American Songwriter. “I’m making some personal moves and choices in the new year to be able to spend more time on music, and I cannot think of a better way to head into this new season.”
When asked what it was like to receive the good news, Caviness says, “The day I got the call I was the winner. I was on my way to one last work event, and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. I was saying goodbye to friends and students on one hand, and then on the other, I had this incredible news! What an awesome way to end the year.”
Read The Winning Lyrics Here:
“Long Line of Cars” By Mason Caviness and Emily Rose
There’s a long line of cars
Rolling down main street
In barely a town down in New Mexico
Hazard lights flashing
Making a scene
A sober parade through the dust and the weeds
The radios are down
The reverence is cutting
Through the silence in ways that you can’t see
No one’s a stranger
All friends and family
Taking a drive down their own memories
We’re born and we grow and we live and we die
But what is success when you measure a life?
It ain’t status or money at the end of the road
It’s the long line of cars bringing you home
Then it’s back to the house
For a meal and some stories
A toast to the glories with beer and sweet tea
We’re all crying and laughing
Over brisket and beans
Food for the soul if you know what I mean
We’re born and we grow and we live and we die
But what is success when you measure a life?
It ain’t status or money at the end of the road
It’s the long line of cars bringing you home
There’s a long line of cars
Waving goodbye
All headed back to the places they’re from
They carry you with them
The old and the young
You live on in them, yeah the story’s not done
We’re born and we grow and we live and we die
But what is success when you measure a life?
It ain’t status or money at the end of the road
It’s the long line of cars bringing you home
It’s the long line of cars bringing you home
Caviness won First Place in American Songwriter’s November/December bi-monthly contest. Each year, all six bi-monthly contest winners (coinciding with each print issue) are re-evaluated, and a single Grand Prize winner is chosen.
This year, the Grand Prize package includes a two-night stay at the Union Station Hotel, during which Caviness will get a one-song, full-band demo recording session at OmniSound Studios, a co-writing session with the legendary rock artist Chris Daughtry, and more.
“I’ve been a fan of Chris Daughtry since his American Idol days and have really enjoyed his music over the years!” says Caviness. “I don’t typically write with rock writers, so I’m pretty interested in what we could come up with and excited to learn from him. I’ve always gotten the impression that he’d be a pretty cool guy to hang with, so I’m really looking forward to it!”
The Grand Prize winner was announced, via video, by Chris Daughtry, the 2022 “Dream Co-Write” hit songwriter.
The bi-monthly contest winners alongside Caviness were: Rich Deans, Dan Edwards, Rachel Gore, Jim Chaulker, and Laura Lemons.
With the conclusion of the 2022 contest comes, of course, the beginning of the 2023 contest. The new judges were recently announced, and include hit songwriters Pam Sheyne, Shelly Peiken, Adam James, Sarah Siskind, Dave Bassett, Sharon Vaughn, Judy Stakee, Lance Carpenter, and more. Read more about the official judges HERE.
When asked what advice he’d give other songwriters considering entering American Songwriter’s Lyric Contest, Caviness says, “There is literally no reason not to. If you have a song you believe in, enter it. Believe in your work.”
Enter Your Lyrics and Get Recognized Today
Congratulations to Mason Caviness and all the other contest winners and honorable mentions from the 2022 American Songwriter Lyric Contest—watch the full announcement below and read the lyrics to Mason’s winning song “Long Line of Cars.”