Four Battle Creek singers up for awards at Grand Ole Opry as part of … – Battle Creek Enquirer
Battle Creek is known at the Cereal Capital of the World.
But there is an argument that Battle Creek might soon be known for its songwriting and singers, too.
Four Battle Creek artists have been invited to the ‘Songwriting Capital of the World’ in Nashville, Tennessee to be a part of the Josie Music Awards.
Battle Creek residents Ada LeAnn, Jack Austin, Sage Castleberry and Sam Luna have all been nominated for awards as part of the 2023 Josie Music Awards, which will be Sunday at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.
Not only are all four from Battle Creek, but all four went to Lakeview High School as well.
“Lakeview is a great school for performing arts. It has amazing performing arts teachers there and the school really encourages students to pursue their dreams,” Austin said. “There is some awesome talent and achievements coming out of Battle Creek and Lakeview.”
The Josie Music Awards is described as the “largest, most respected, revered award show” for the independent music industry.
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LeAnn, who was also featured on the NBC singing show “Great American Song Contest”, advancing to the semifinals, is heading to the Josie Music Awards for the third straight year as a nominee.
The 2022 Lakeview graduate won ‘Single of the Year’ last year for her song ‘Natalie’.
“I think it’s like the third year for me, so it’s really cool,” LeAnn said. “I was talking to someone about it the other day. It’s really crazy that four people from Lakeview are nominated this year. It’s awesome.”
LeAnn has been nominated in three categories, including ‘Pop Vocalist of the Year’ and ‘Rising Star of the Year’, as well as ‘Best Josie Music Award Performance’, as she sang at the 2022 show.
Austin has been nominated for ‘Song of the Year’ for his song ‘Veronica’, as well as getting the nod for ‘Pop Vocalist of the Year’.
Castleberry and Luna earned a joint nomination for ‘Song of the Year’ in the Pop/Multiple Songwriters category for their song ‘I Kinda Like It’.
“It’s great to see so many people from Lakeview succeed like that,” Austin said. “Through the years, I think we have been able to support each other in different ways and it’s cool that we are all finding success as we all have the same dream of being songwriters and artists.”
LeAnn, who recently worked with Austin on a new song, said there is something to being from Battle Creek when it comes to song writing.
“I am close to Jack, went to school together, and it’s awesome to be able to talk to people who are doing the same thing you are doing. We push each other,” LeAnn said. “To be nominated feels like validation for what you are doing. And there is a lot of support from Battle Creek for what we are doing and to see a lot of people from your town get nominated, it’s great to see.”
Bill Broderick can be reached at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on X/Twitter: @billbroderick.
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