Singer-Songwriter T.J. McFarland Wins Music Contest

By JENNIFER CHANCELLOR

Local singer-songwriter T.J. McFarland is going places.

Mainly, he’s going wild on the Internet, recently winning first place in a prestigious BMI music contest, where listeners picked his soulful single, “Ain’t Afraid to Die,” over songs from four Nashville singer-songwriters in the country music category.

As a prize, Broadcast Music Inc. will pay all CD duplication costs for his next album, “Apolitical Blues,” expected out later this year, according to the BMI site.

An Okie who’s also lived in L.A. and Nashville, McFarland released his fourth independent record “Howlin’ Wild,” which includes his winning single, last year.

Also, a new video single, “Crazy If You Wanna Go,” from his upcoming record, was released via YouTube last week. It was filmed in several high-profile historic areas around Tulsa and features a lively “who’s who” of local celebrities, including Dave “Skin Tight” White, Steve Liddell, Dustin Pittsley, Billy Earl Padgett, Jesse Aycock, Danelle Phillips, Philip Zoellner and more.

It was directed by local filmmaker and photographer Austin Tolin, who also worked on the Hanson documentary series, “Taking the Walk,” and its “Great Divide” music video.

He’s also worked with popular Tulsa acts The Hero Factor and Stephen Speaks.

“Howlin’ Wild” followed 2005′s “Rosenbum’s Gin,” an album he made while living in Los Angeles.

That record was a top seller on alternative country Web sites Miles of Music and Lone Star Music and had significant radio success, reaching No. 5 on the XM12 Radio Charts as well as being played on various feature shows including the Bob Harris weekly show for the BBC.

McFarland, also a 2007 Spot Music Award nominee in the singer- songwriter category, is currently in the final stages of completing his next project, “Apolitical Blues,” a full ensemble affair recorded in Nashville and produced by Will Kimbrough (who’s worked with Todd Snider and Rodney Crowell).

Online

www.tulsaworld.com/TJMcFarland

Watch the video: www.tulsaworld.com/Crazy

Originally published by JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer.

(c) 2008 Tulsa World. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.