Meet The 2019 TCMA Songwriter Contest Final Round Judges

The Judges for the 2019 TCMA Songwriter Contest and awards is an impressive and influential team of professionals whose experience and background provide for a fair and quality judging process.  They are:  Del WayChad MauldinLinda Wilson, Richard Wilson, Eric Raines, David Chamberlain, Bernie Nelson, Chris Romain and Tye Phelps

Del Way

Del Way is a Christian Country singer/songwriter and and Pastor.  In the last twenty years, Del has written and recorded numerous songs, each with a unique message that reaches and changes people. He has been nominated for numerous awards and been awarded many – his most recent being the 2007 Entertainer of the Year for the Christian Country Music Association. He has written many songs that have charted number one on the Christian Country Music Charts. Some of Del's songs are Calvary's the Reason Why, There's a Cross Standing in the Way, The Old Man is Dead and many more.  Del is often invited to appear on the nationally televised Praise the Lord program called By The Way.

Del accomplished his 16th project, Livin’ this Life, with two of the songs from this project already doing well on the national charts for Christian Country Music. His current singles are Card Carrying Christian, which debuted at number 27 on the charts, and This Far From You. His latest number one single is Until Your Love from his Cavalry’s the Reason Why Reloaded project.

Along with a successful music ministry, Del is the Pastor of Calvalry Temple Church in Kerrville, Texas. He oversees three other churches in the area, Thousand Hills Cowboy Church, Calvary Temple Church in Centerpoint/Comfort, and Thunder in the Hills Biker Church.

Del’s life is busy to say the least, but he is not slowing down. He says he must make hay while the sun still shines, and the light is shining bright now. He is anxious to see what God has in store next, and Del knows that his best days are still ahead.

Chad Mauldin

Chad Mauldin picked up his first instrument when he was five years old. His father, an accomplished guitar player, songwriter and locally renowned performer, began Chad's musical education a full year before his traditional education would commence. Since those early days, Chad has been a passionate student of all facets of melody, song structure and performance. While the guitar is his specialty, Chad also developed proficiencies with piano, bass, drums and a variety of percussion instruments. It is from a musician's viewpoint rather than strictly a technical orientation that Chad approaches producing and mixing.

Having left the live performance side of music a number of years ago, now Chad's main focus is directed toward the other side of the glass, helping others realize their artistic goals. While basing much of his work  in the Dallas/Fort Worth area from 2003-2010 at Fossil Tracks recording, Chad worked with such luminaries as three time Grammy winner Larry Franklin, 1989 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees the Soul Stirrers, A-list multi-instrumentalist Milo Deering and rock guitar prodigy Lucas Martin. More recently in the East Texas area, Chad has worked with many Texas Country artists.

Mauldin has been actively involved in the Texas Country Music Association was Producer of the 2017 and 2018 Texas Country Music Awards and currently working on 2019.  He serves as one of TCMA's top advisors.

Linda Wilson
 

Linda Wilson is the Founder and President of the Texas Country Music Association which she founded in 2011. Her past and current involvement in the Country Music industry prompted her to initiate the TCMA and, along with it's members, have built it to be the most influential and energizing organization dedicated to the promotion and support of both established and independent Country and Christian Country Music Artists, Singers, Songwriters and Musicians from Texas as well as those who perform in Texas.

Linda Wilson formerly founded, owned and published Texas Country Music Magazine and Today's Country Magazine in Houston and cross promoted them with KIKK Radio.  She interviewed and wrote about a host of Country Artists who were both from and performing regularly in Texas, such as Terry McBride, Tanya Tucker, Shania Twain, Toby Keith, George Strait, Tracy Lawrence, and the TCMA’s past Spokesperson, Mark Chesnutt, along with many more.  

Additionally she partnered in a booking and management agency that secured performance dates in Texas for up-and-coming artists at that time, such as Tim McGraw, John Michael Montgomery, Doug Supernaw and Rick Trevino, and established artists such as Ricky Van Shelton, Travis Tritt, Mark Colle, John Conlee and Joe Diffie, to name a few. With over 3 decades of experience in the Country Music Industry in booking, management, marketing, media and promotion, event coordination, performance and recording, Linda Wilson’s experience, contacts, marketing and promotion savvy qualifies her to lead the organization with style and effectiveness.  She also served as Praise and Worship Leader in church for over 20 years.

Richard A. Wilson
 
Richard Wilson is an accomplished musician -- primarily a drummer and percussionist, as well as a vocalist who has spent a lifetime involved in the performance end of live music and studio session work.

As a teen and young adult, Richard traveled with The Wilson Family Singers, his family's gospel music evangelistic group where he played drums and led vocals. Since that time Richard has been drummer and vocalist in live country bands opening for and playing with major acts in Texas such as Stoney Larue, Whiskey Myers, Gene Watson and many more.

Richard has served as Music Director for the Texas Country Music Awards since its inception and played in the TCMA Band backing performing artists including Doug Stone, Doug Supernaw, Brandon Rhyder, Curtis Grimes, Holly Tucker and many others.

Mr. Wilson serves as a Board Member and Executive Vice President of the Texas County Music Association.


Eric Raines

Eric Raines is an all-around clutch player for the heritage Austin radio station, KOKE-FM.  Eric starts his mornings with KOKE in the Morning, transitions into KOKE-FM music director and program director, and slides seamlessly into Afternoon Drive host Monday through Friday. 

Eric took a hiatus or two here and there to tour with some of the nation’s best live acts, including; Ty England, Rick Trevino, Sons of the Desert, Cory Morrow, Charlie Daniels, Radney Foster and others.

While planting his roots in Central Texas, fans of country music could hear Eric’s voice on Austin’s own KASE-FM and KVET for more than 15 years.  But it was a fateful night in 2012 that Eric took his passion to new heights and joined the ranks in bringing the legendary KOKE-FM call letters back to the air.

His love for Texas and Classic Country, fueled by the passion and loyalty of fans of the genre, has led Eric Raines to become one of the leading champions for the artists and their craft.  It seems spending much of his youth chasing a dream and living on tour busses and passenger vans, has given him a perspective not many Radio DJ’s have the pleasure of experiencing.  The respect he is shown from artists, management, music labels, and promoters is apparent each time a new artist hits the scene.  Eric continues to enjoy the ride, and as his listeners will attest, it is his dedication and affection for all facets of the Country Music lifestyle that keeps his candle burning bright. 

Tye Phelps








Chris Romain

Chris Romain is a highly accomplished music and video producer as well as artist manager.  He is founder, engineer and producer of Split Window Studios, as well as Production and FOH Engineer for Emerald City Band.  He manages country artist Austin Michael.

Chris has produced many music projects and music videos for all genres of artists, specializing in Texas Country.  Chris also serves as Executive Director of the Texas Country Music Awards, and is Producer of TCMA's television show Texas Country OnScene.




David Chamberlain

David Chamberlain was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas where he sang in numerous night clubs and discovered he could write songs.  After working in Corpus Christi and Houston, he moved to Nashville in the 1970’s.  He currently lives in Hendersonville, Tennessee on the outskirts of Nashville with his wife, Jean.   He spends most of his time in downtown Nashville on Music Row working with other writers and artists.   Recently, he has expanded into record producing, including award-winning artist, Johnny Lee, Texas artist Kelly Kenning, and others.

Some of his best memories to date include being in the studio the same time as George Jones and Tammy Wynette, the time Johnny Paycheck came to a demo session to sing “From Cotton to Satin” to present to his record label, and the night he won ASCAP’s Song of the Year at their annual awards for “What’s Going On In Your World” which was recorded by George Strait.  He said he was totally blown away when Jerry Bradley, head of Acuff Rose, told him that “Am I Blue”, another song recorded by George Strait, was going to be a Disney cartoon. 

David is grateful that God gave him a talent to write, not only standard country music, but also what’s happening in country music today, writing with some of the top writers that Nashville has to offer.  He has written for some of the world’s largest publishing companies including Tree International (owned by Sony), world renown Acuff Rose Publishing, and Killen Music.  Today, David writes  and has his own publishing company, WeNewIt Music.

His songs have been recorded by such artists as George Strait, Gene Watson, Conway Twitty, Tanya Tucker, La Costa, Charley Pride, Johnny Paycheck, Keith Whitley, Dottie West, Connie Francis, Donna Fargo, Tammy Wynette, Billie Jo Spears, Sammi Smith, Larry Boone, Margo Smith and Barbara Fairchild to mention a few.