11th Songwriters Open Mic Finals at Red Clay

Hosted by Eddie Owen, the SONGWRITERS OPEN MIC SHOOTOUT is a gathering of national and local performers competing in a head-to-head competition. EOP Shootouts are annual events and are always scheduled for the Friday after Thanksgiving.

These writers of original song were chosen over the past year of Sunday night Songwriters Open Mic hootenannys.

A panel of music industry judges will decide who progresses to the next round based on the following criteria: songwriting, vocal performance, playing ability, stage presence, and audience response.

The competition is single elimination of five rounds consisting of 21 performers. In each round, players will play one song and the judges will choose one performer to advance.

11 players will bypass the first round and begin their competition in the “Sweet 16.” Those 16 then become eight, then four, then two, and finally a winner!

The final two artists will play one song per round.

Founder Eddie Owen likes to say, “Life is in the song,” and he has a particular talent for spotting emerging artists. After all, he helped superstars John Mayer, the Indigo Girls, The Civil Wars, and Sugarland get their start by giving them an intimate stage to hone their craft and build a following. On any given Sunday night in Duluth, the next great music sensation may take the stage during Songwriters Open Mic.