Local musicians win Lennon prize

By JoAn Bjarko
North Forty News

Working from a studio in LaPorte, two musicians have put together a recording that won a 2003 grand prize in the John Lennon Song Writing Contest.

Recording artist Kristi Krings of Bellvue and engineer Aric Johnson of Fort Collins won the top prize in the world music category. "It's like the Oscars of songwriting," Krings said. The contest attracted 25,000 competitors.

The song Krings wrote, "I Am Found," now competes for song of the year in the Lennon contest. Johnson noted that it will be heard by "a long list of industry heavies" as the international competition progresses.

The John Lennon Song Writing Contest is open to professional songwriters and new artists. Songs are judged on originality, melody, composition and lyrics. The grand prize comes with $2,000 cash, $5,000 of recording equipment and an advance on a contract with EMI music publishing.

Krings, 20, who holds the title of 2001 Miss Montana Teen USA, moved to Bellvue a couple years ago. She taught herself to sing and play as a child and can boast of a four-octave range. As a result, she gets many invitations to sing the National Anthem, and she also performs with the Rock Doctors, a local band.

Johnson, 34, grew up in Fort Collins and attended Brigham Young University as a film major. He later worked as an art director at Robert Redford's Sundance Institute, but his love for music brought him back to the recording industry.

An electronic wizard who holds a patent, Johnson pulls together computer-recorded sounds to provide the background for Krings' voice - both lead and harmony. For example, "I Am Found" is accompanied by sounds of jangling keys, sizzling metal, impact wrenches and aircraft hanger doors, along with prerecorded orchestra notes.

"We specialize in playing the studio," Krings explained.

With Krings' operatic voice, the innovative recording duo has dubbed their style "popera." "It's a collision of styles," Johnson explained. "One of our main goals is to be cutting edge."

Krings has signed as an artist for MGA Records of Fort Collins, which is giving her artistic freedom as she and Johnson work on an album titled "Nation of One." They hope to have it finished by the end of the year.

Johnson noted that they are also composing for surround sound and are in a race to get their work to market.

The prestige of the Lennon prize is already bringing in support for their work. "The John Lennon people are very much about helping artists develop," Johnson said.