Popular Hey Nonny Songwriting Contest returns
Is there a song just outside your door? Chip Brooks, co-owner of Hey Nonny, Arlington Heights’ thriving music venue and bistro, thinks so. And he’s ready to help you find it.
Brooks and the energetic team at Hey Nonny are launching their third annual Songwriting Contest and are ready to wade through dozens of submissions to find the greatest song that meets one simple requirement — the original songs must be written about something specific to the Northwest suburbs.
“It can be about a place, a person, an event, an experience, but it must be uniquely about living in this area,” Brooks said. “In each of our first two contests we’ve received some really amazing works but if they were too general, we had to pass over them.”
Those submitting works will want to catch the attention of the judges as the winning entry receives a $1,000 prize and a performance slot at Hey Nonny. Additional $400 and $300 prizes will be offered to the second and third place selections. Brooks thanked attorney Richard Wittmeyer (Law Offices of R.F. Wittmeyer) for sponsoring the contest.
“Richard has been a loyal supporter of Hey Nonny and his sponsorship has allowed us to host this event on an annual basis. He really makes this event possible.”
Songs must be submitted by Aug. 11, and after a first round of in-house judging, 42 works will be scheduled for a live performance on Sept. 3, 10 or 17. The song does not need to be performed by the writer but if they do not sing, they are responsible for finding someone else to perform it. Brooks noted that the live performance can make a big difference in the judging process.
“It’s not a performance contest, but our two previous songwriting contests were a revelation. Time and time again, songs that I had written off as simple or merely pleasant were devastatingly great in performance because the songwriter/performers brought them to life on stage.”
What makes a song unique to the Northwest suburbs? That is what Brooks and team are most interested in.
“Songs with more local specifics provide a fascinating take on what we see when we look in the community mirror. We’ve had songs about bars, transportation, streets or even specific houses,” Brooks said. “We want to get a look into what makes life here special and meaningful whether it’s funny, sweet, sad, memorable or impactful to the writer in any way.”
Full details and the application form can be found at bit.ly/4cbGKIF.
Hey Nonny is a bistro and music venue located in the heart of downtown Arlington Heights. The bistro, helmed by Chef Noe, serves an array of fresh seasonal Midwestern comfort-food-with-a-twist and a seasonally changing menu. The music venue is one of the best new “listening rooms” in the country, and hosts live music six days a week, featuring the best Chicago and touring acts playing jazz, blues, country, folk, and rock.