Concert video and report from FOX Toledo available here.

Hear the winning song

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

.

Before a crowd of some 100 during an outdoor concert May 20 at Main Library, the local band Empire Drift was announced the winner of the Songs In the Key of Toledo: 2009 Songwriting Contest, organized by Toledo Free Press and FOX Toledo.

Empire Drift

The contest, which drew some 60 entries, sought to discover the best song written about the city of Toledo from local musicians. A concert was held on the downtown North Lawn of Main Library featuring five contest finalists and a People’s Choice winner. The finalists included Buck 69 (People’s Choice winner), Highbinder, Purpose, Wanna Bees, Kyle White, and Empire Drift with the winning song, “A Good Place to Call Home.” Copies of a compilation 45-song, 2-CD set, funded by Columbia Gas and researched and compiled by the Toledo Free Press, are available for check out at the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library.

Brief comments were made by local political figures during yesterday’s concert, including Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop and Toledo City Councilman Tom Waniewski. Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner, who was unable to attend, issued proclamations from the City of Toledo for all six performers. Present in the audience were Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak, Toledo City Councilman George Sarantou, and Toledo Mayoral candidates Keith Wilkowski and Jim Moody.

Songs In The Key of Toledo winner Empire Drift was formed in the summer of 2007 and includes members: Dave Pfenning (Lead Vocal/Rhythm Guitar/Harmonica), Rick Shugarman (Lead Guitar/Keyboard/Harmonica), Allen Spencer (Kit/Percussion Beat Box/Accordion/Vocal), and Pfenning’s twin brother, Mike Pfenning (Bass/Vocal). Empire Drift’s first album is titled “Reality Is Genius” and they are currently in the studio at work on their second album. www.EmpireDrift.com

Empire Drift received the following for winning the Songs In The Key of Toledo contest:

• The song will be submitted to be proclaimed the official song of the City of Toledo and Lucas County for one year.
• The winning artist will receive free studio time at Strawberry Fields Recording Studio in Swanton.
• The winning artist will receive stage time at this summer’s Columbia Gas Smoke on the Water – Ribs for the Red Cross event.
• The winning artist will open for a national act before a televised August NASCAR race at Michigan International Speedway.
• The winner was mentioned during a local TV commercial break in yesterday evening’s season finale of FOX’s American Idol.

Organizers plan to host another contest next February.

For more details, call the Library’s Audio Visual department at (419) 259-5285.

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 21st, 2009 at 5:09 am and is filed under Arts and Life, Breaking News, Songs in the Key of Toledo.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.