In the opening moments of last week’s penultimate American Song Contest heat, three more acts joined Tennessee’s Tyler Braden (the jury winner of the third heat) in the competition’s semi-finals. They were: Riker Lynch of Colorado Ni/Co of Alabama Grant Knoche of Texas And, after another pack of up-and-coming artists performed, the jury had their say, sending Washington’s Allen Stone …

In the build up to the final episode of qualifiers, we were able to sit down with Idaho resident and artist Andrew Sheppard for an interview. While we were together Andrew talked about how his participation in the American Song Contest was a complete chance happening, and how a certain life altering event put him on the path to being …