Wendy’s Sizzlin’ Sounds of Late Night – a national songwriting contest being conducted this summer – will encourage amateur songwriters to compose a fun, original song about their hamburger cravings. The focus is on those times in the evening at home, work or cruising with friends when the urge hits for a hot, juicy hamburger.
With program partners RollingStone.com, Shure Incorporated and Sonic Foundry on board, the search is on to find the best tune in the U.S. and Canada (excluding Quebec). Entries will be accepted from June 1 – August 31, 2001.
The contest grand prize winner will receive a private, daylong demo recording session with all-star rock producer Eddie Kramer. Throughout his 30-year career, Eddie Kramer has produced music for such legendary artists as the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and Kiss.
“We’re expecting outstanding musical entries in this year’s Sizzlin’ Sounds of Late Night contest,” said Dave Thomas, Wendy’s founder and spokesperson. “I think musicians are some of the most creative people around and Sizzlin’ Sounds gives them a chance to combine their musical talent with their love of hamburgers. What a great combo!”
“This is a great way for amateur musicians to show their chops and let the public hear their creation,” said Eddie Kramer. “Who knows? This could be the start of something big for a talented musician.”
In September, five regional winners will be selected. From these, a grand prize winner and runner-up will be determined.
In addition to the demo recording session with Kramer at Chicago Recording Company, the grand prize winner will receive studio microphones provided by Shure Incorporated, the world’s leading supplier of microphones and audio electronics; $2,000 in music mixing software from Sonic Foundry, the leading developer and marketer of digital media and Internet software tools, services and systems; a $2,000 music equipment gift certificate ($25,000 value). The runner-up receives a Shure KSM32 microphone and a drum microphone kit from Shure Incorporated, $2,000 in music mixing software from Sonic Foundry and a $2,000 music equipment gift certificate ($6,200 value). All five regional winners will receive $2,000 in music mixing software from Sonic Foundry.
A panel of music experts from the contest partners will judge all entries for creativity, originality, lyrics and melody with each category weighted evenly. In addition, fans and hamburger lovers can log on to the website at www.sizzlinsounds.com and vote for their favorite entry, with fans’ votes counting for a portion of the final tally. The grand prize winner and runner-up will be announced in October 2001.
How to Enter
Hamburger lovers can submit their original song (music and lyrics required) in one of two ways:
1. Record their song on audio cassette tape and mail it, along with a typed copy of the lyrics, to RollingStone.com, 640 N. LaSalle Street, Suite #560, Chicago, IL 60610, Attn: “Sizzlin’ Sounds of Late Night” Contest; OR
2. Create an MP3, or online music file and submit it along with typed lyrics to www.sizzlinsounds.com.
Submissions will be accepted from June 1 through August 31, 2001. Finalists will be selected in September and the grand prize winner and runner-up will be announced in October.
Contestants can visit www.sizzlinsounds.com to get additional contest information, official rules and sample hamburger lyrics. This interactive site is also linked to Wendys.com, EMusic.com, RollingStone.com, Shure.com and SonicFoundry.com, as well as several local radio stations’ web sites across the country.
