Representing radio station WWKA Orlando, the charismatic Central Florida based singer/songwriter Johnny Bulford was named “Best New Act In Country Music” at the 27th Annual Colgate Country Showdown (www.countryshowdown.com), which was hosted by superstar LeAnn Rimes at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium and was syndicated across the country. The multi-talented performer, who plans to invest the $100,000 Grand Prize check he received into furthering his blossoming career, beat out four other finalists with renditions of his original songs “How Could I Not” and “What Happens Here Stays Here,” the title track from his popular 2007 indie album.“It’s the best thing that’s happened in my career so far, and it seemed like everybody in Nashville was watching the show, so people wanted to know why I wasn’t jumping up and down and acting more excited,” says Bulford. “I guess I deal with this kind of thing differently, and I was in shock a little bit. When they announced my name, my legs started shaking and all I could think about was not falling down and not saying something silly. I thought back to when I first started listening to country music, when my grandmother popped in a cassette of Garth Brooks when I was 11 and thought, wow, it’s been quite a journey. Yet really, it’s only beginning.”
Bulford, who recently scored a highly coveted endorsement deal with Taylor Guitars, came close to the mountaintop experience with the Colgate competition before as a Florida finalist in 2003 and Florida State winner in 2004. He’s following in the giant footsteps of some of today’s top country artists who also competed in past local, state, regional and National competitions, including Brad Paisley, Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, Billy Ray Cyrus, Sara Evans and Miranda Lambert.
At the tender age of 24, the seasoned performer—whose competition accolades also include placing second in the Recording Academy sponsored Florida Grammys in 2007—has already opened major shows for Collin Raye, The Warren Brothers, Josh Turner, Emerson Drive, Chris Cagle, Diamond Rio, Tracy Lawrence, Tanya Tucker, Darryl Worley, Jason Michael Carrol, Justin Moore, Gretchin Wilson, John Anderson, Montgomery Gentry, Colt Ford, Jamie Johnson, Blake Shelton and even Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night fame.
Bulford is active on the charity circuit and recently performed an acoustic benefit concert for cancer research and medical grants at the University of Central Florida, where he’s taken time off from his pursuit of a master’s in business and marketing. This whirlwind of activity is leading up to the highly anticipated release of Livin It Up, which features tracks written or co-written and produced by the singer and collaborations with renowned Nashville songwriting heavyweights, the Grammy nominated Charlie Craig (Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton) and Robert Arthur (Brad Paisley, Mark Chesnutt). Many of the songs are currently available on his MySpace site
We had a chance to talk with the charismatic Bulford and this is what he shared with TNS recently.
That Nashville Sound- What brought you to music in the first place?
Johnny Bulford- Garth Brooks, I went to a Garth Brooks concert when I was 13 and when we left I told my mom that was what I wanted to do.
TNS- Describe your music- what's the mission behind the music?
JB- It depends on which song you are talking about. I write a side variety of styles but basically the jest of it is to enjoy life and don't let YOU keep you from being happy.
TNS- Give us the skinny on winning Colgate...
JB- LeAnn Rimes. She's in great shape! It's opened a lot of doors and right now I'm trying to keep my foot in them to make sure they stay open till something happens.
TNS- What kind of music are you listening to? What's in your iPod?
JB- Songwriter/Acoustic/Folk. My favorites are Jason Mraz, Amos Lee, and Damian Rice.
TNS- What's next for you? Where do you hope to be career-wise a couple years from now?
JB- Mainly I'd like to be branching out more to other states. I'd love to be on the road.
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