Weavers Of Stories: Eoff wins 2024 Texas Troubadour and Song of the Year at Bosque Arts Center’s 11th annual Texas Troubadour Songwriter Classic
CLIFTON – It takes a lot of talent, a fair amount of gumption and resilience, a lot of long days and nights playing your music and a little bit of luck to break through in the music industry. Whereas Nashville, TN is the Mecca for country music, Clifton offers a golden opportunity for songwriters to be heard, recognized for their talents as they are put in the spotlight and celebrated.
At the 11th annual Texas Troubadour Songwriter Classic Oct. 26, the audience that filled the Tin Building Theatre at the Bosque Arts Center heard five finalists offer their “three chords and the truth,” staying rooted in country and southern gospel.
The five singer/songwriters wove their stories while strumming their guitars, and between the notes and the rhythms listeners found stories of heartache and loss, of love and longing, faith and hope. And especially in country music - that story is all the more important and in the foreground. This year’s judge was none other than Jimmy Fortune, formerly of the renowned and acclaimed Statler Brothers band.
Fortune, assisted by two of his band members Stuie French and Brand Benge, declared 23-year-old Courtney Eoff winner of the 2024 event after she also won the Song of the Year award for her song “My Luck” – a song about a bad run when everything just keeps falling apart, and life is just so hard. Her other two songs followed the country/western love for heartache and heart break.
Thanks to award underwriters Toby, Melissa and Cullen Rouquette and an anonymous friend of the BAC, Eoff took home $2,500 in award money. Fortune commented that Eoff had a unique sound and a talent for songwriting that could take her far in the country music business.
Eoff is a recent Texas A&M University graduate and is currently studying for her Masters in Business Management at Tarleton State University in Stephenville. She grew up in a musical family who claim she was humming melodies before she could even talk. From a young age she performed in school programs, talent contests, rodeos, fairs, church, acoustic show venues and more. But even with all that experience performing for audiences, she admitted being a bit nervous performing her own material in front of Fortune, one of Western Music’s great voices and songwriters.
“I just needed to let loose; people are here to enjoy music, so get rid of the nerves and just have fun,” Eoff said about her initial jitters.
“It was so much fun, and it was proving it to myself, being able to come and do something like this; it was the first time I was putting my original music out there for people to hear,” Eoff said. “So, it was just a huge honor that people outside of my family enjoyed it tonight. If I connected with one person in the audience tonight, and one person had a good time, then I’ve done my job.”
After Fortune and his band performed, Eoff was able to talk to the icon about how to proceed with her career and get photo with the man who clearly saw something special in her voice and talent as a songwriter. A jingle she wrote already was selected for the Don’t Mess with Texas campaign.
“I’m really excited for the future, and will definitely be writing more,” Eoff said.
Music is her passion, and she is happy to share it with others. It is a blessing that has transformed her life and will further transform her future.
Finalist Randy Lewis Brown from was the other finalist chosen by the jury to perform a third song. His songs resonated with a majority of the audience, earning him the event’s People’s Choice Award, worth $500 offered by Mechelle Slaughter and Phyllis Gamble.
Brown is a celebrated Americana and folk musician, influenced by legends like John Prine and Rodney Crowell. Beyond music, Brown is a songwriting instructor, graphic designer and video creator, dedicating his craft to inspiring others and nurturing future songwriters.
Brown sang about times changing with photos and memories like old tattoos and scars; even though one song had the word “good” in every line, it was so, so sad, because sometimes good is not good enough and you need a good cry; and finally he painted a picture with his words about a one horse town, fading into oblivion with the passing of time, but he can’t leave, because “it’s the only home I know,” and he doesn’t want to leave the town where his wife is buried.
A retired executive turned singer/songwriter John Highbaugh from San Antonio looks like he just walked out of a Western movie set in the late 1800s. He often sings at wineries in the Fredericksburg area. He opened the evening with a hint of sarcasm in his song “Unexpected Pleasure.” A Desert Storm veteran with a family member in the Civil War, World War I, World War II and Vietnam, his song “I Stand,” honored them and their service to their country, flag and anthem.
With a burly and warm, drawling, deep baritone, matching his physique and taupe cowboy hat, Allan Peterson from Burleson loves to sing songs that reach people; to unite and inspire with music that reflects the raw spirit of the Lone Star State. He combines elements of country and gospel to create an authentic sound that resonates. Father of six, his lyrics tell stories of faith, love, heartache and the beauty of everyday life. He wrote “Through the Whiskey” for his son battling alcoholism and “Streets of Gold” written for his mother when his father passed away.
Mother of three livestock show kids, Christian Country artist Julie Reese from Killeen closed the ranks of the first round of songs with her melancholy song “Everything to Me,” about missing her beautiful mother-in-law and more lighthearted fare “Preachin’ to the Choir” because every Christian slips sometimes and needs some extra guidance.
The finalists were chosen out of 20 artists that supplied 74 song entries for the event.
While some in the audience primarily came for the Jimmy Fortune concert after the competition, they got to enjoy hearing original country/western songs, straight from the heart from some very talented and entertaining musicians.
Photos by SIMONE WICHERS-VOSS
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