Press Release: Named Top 10 Finalist

Portland Singer/Songwriter Named Top 10 Finalist Out of 10,000 for Guitar Center’s National Songwriter Search with Don Was

Portland, OR – Guitar Center recently announced the top 10 Finalists in their ‘Search for the Next Great American Songwriter’ contest, with Grammy-winning producer Don Was. Out of 10,000 national contestants, Portland singer/songwriter, Tyler Stenson, has been officially named as one of the 10 Finalists and thus, invited to Los Angeles for a live competition for the chance to win $25,000 cash and to record a new EP with the legendary producer himself.

Tyler Stenson - Guitar Center Top 10 Finalist

In the early stages of the challenge, fans voted on contestant video submissions where, despite the heavy competition, Stenson finished with the third most votes overall. Although garnering top-ranked votes guaranteed each entrant would be listened to for consideration, it did not solely determine the Finalists. In the end, renowned producer, Don Was, handpicked each of the 10 Finalists based on their overall talent, embodiment of the competition and his interest in working with the grand winner.

“The fact that my fans vaulted me into the third spot, warms my heart to no end,” beams Stenson about his loyal supporters that he dubs the ‘Elegant Folk’ – the same words he uses to summarize his sound. “But, above that, the fact that the same producer, who has worked with the likes of Bob Dylan and Bonnie Raitt, has personally chosen me as someone he would like to work with, well that’s affirmation of the largest kind.”

This isn’t the first competition that the ‘Elegant Folk’ have helped Stenson to win within the year. In 2013, out of nearly 4,000 national artists, Stenson was hand-selected by Adam Duritz (Counting Crows) and Ryan Spaulding (Ryan’s Smashing Life) to perform at their Outlaw Roadshow at the SxSW music festival in Austin, TX. In similar fashion, Stenson’s fans voted him into the top 10, putting him in a position to be considered because of his voting rank but ultimately selected because of his musical ability. Déjà vu.

Stenson has been twice named the “Songwriter of the Year” by the Portland Songwriters Association (2007 and 2008) and “Best Male Artist” at the 2011 Portland Music Awards, but being named the “Songwriter of the Year” by the nation’s largest music store and backed by a historical producer is certainly the next level. With that, Stenson is proud to have been named a top 10 Finalist in Guitar Center’s latest singer/songwriter search but he aims to stand alone as the grand winner at Hotel Café in Los Angeles on March 1st, 2014.

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Tyler Stenson is an active singer/songwriter in Portland, OR that is increasingly known for his signature brand of ‘Elegant Folk’ music. He has opened for LeAnn Rimes, Chris Isaak, John Popper and Matisyahu and has placed multiple original songs on popular television series and two national Chevrolet ad campaigns.

PRESS CONTACT:
Joseph Beck
media (at) tylerstenson (dot) com

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