HANOVER COUNTY, Va. — The town of Ashland is inviting musicians of all ages to find inspiration in the self-proclaimed "Center of the Universe" and turn it into song.
Now in its second season, the Ashland Song Contest brings together artists from all music genres and asks them to write about what they love about the town.
Sarah Forty, who has lived in Ashland for eight years, participated in last year's contest. She says her son's love for the train inspired her previous song. This year, she's taking a more comical approach by writing about the number of cars that get stopped along the tracks by passing trains.
"There was no sense of rivalry or competition among the songwriters who came out. It felt like there was a lot of camaraderie and just joy in hearing one another's music, and so it was a really positive atmosphere. And anyone of any skill level would, I think, have a really good time," Forty said.
The deadline to submit original, family-friendly songs has been extended to Sunday, Aug. 10. The winner will be announced live at Ashland Fourth Fridays on Aug. 22.
One song will win the grand prize, which includes a recording session and a live performance opportunity. Every qualified submission will be included on the album "Songs from the Center of the Universe Volume 2."
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