Effron White Takes The Gold

Local singer-songwriter places first in Billboard contest category

Effron White of Fayetteville has something new to crow about: a first place finish in the Americana/folk category of  Billboard Magazine’s 18th annual Billboard Song Contest. His song “Long Haul,” about a truck driver coming to terms with fatal illness, won the competition.

According to an email news release, “Long Haul” will be included on a CD of all the top winners in each of 13 categories.

A little bio info from the release:

“White has consistently won awards for his songwriting. Eight of his original songs have placed in various contests since 1998. In 2004 he won the prestigious “New Folk” award at the Kerrville Folk Festival, in Kerrville, TX. He soon became a NW Arkansas Music Awards Hall of Fame Artist, having won “Best Singer-Songwriter” for 3 years. In 2010, he was featured in American Songwriter Magazine’s “Lyric Spotlight” feature in the March/April issue.  The Billboard win is one of the most significant wins, due to the worldwide scope of the contest and the prominence of the magazine in the music industry.”