Canadian roots duo Madison Violet have beaten thousands of other entrants to win the overall first prize – Song of the Year – in the annual international John Lennon Songwriting Contest.
 
Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac won with “The Ransom”, the opening track from their latest album, No Fool For Trying. The song, started by MacEachern in Australia at the end of a long tour and later finished by both of them, bemoans both the financial difficulties and the loneliness of a life on the road.
 
The song had already won this year’s overall prize in the folk category following a public internet vote, and was up against 11 other songs in categories as diverse as jazz, electronic, latin and children’s. The pair joked on their website that if they won the competition they would be able to change their name to “Queens of the World”. The competition should also help them a little with the problems they discuss in the song – the award comes with a $20,000 cash prize as well as various other prizes to further their musical career.
 
Madison Violet last toured the UK at the beginning of this year and are expected back in January and February 2011.
 
For the Backroads interview, more music and other information, go to the artist page:
Madison Violet on Backroads