Get your songs heard by some of the best in the business!

HOOKED! 2025 JUDGES TBA!

We have two distinguished and diverse judging panels.

1) The SHOW JUDGES, who will be hearing and adjudicating your songs for the first time during the show.

2) The SUBMISSIONS JUDGES, who will be listening to all of your submissions and selecting the Top Ten to compete in the show.

Last year’s panel had amazing credits and experience:

Beyonce - Jennifer Lopez - Morgan Wallen - Rascall Flatts - U2 - Backstreet Boys - Rehab - Maverick City Music - Billboard Charting - Grammy Nominations - 100s of millions of streams - 100s of millions of YouTube views - George Strait - Kenny Chesney - 98 Degrees - American Idol - Jesse McCartney - REO Speedwagon - Never Shout Never - The Ready Set - the King will come - Years of Radio Experience - And More!

HOOKED! 2024
Show Judges

  • Garon was just eight years old when his family moved to Branson, Missouri to start performing. Growing up on stage, he soaked in every aspect of entertainment and has become a consummate singer, songwriter, producer, and musician. 

    Garon now resides in Utah and is pursuing his own music career as a solo artist. He was the Grand Prize Winner of the 2010 NSAI Song Contest and a Winner of Battle of the Bands at the Velour Music Gallery in Provo, Utah. Garon is currently working on his upcoming solo album, having released two singles, "I Still Love You" and "Medicine".

    He is also the co-founder, musical director and composer for the King will come, a collective of artists writing music about their relationship with God and each other. The group's first single, "yet" was on the Billboard Hot Christian Chart and has reached 30+ million streams worldwide.

    In addition to his solo work and the King will come, Garon enjoys helping others bring their music to life. Notable writing and producing credits consist of Sail North (60+ million streams) and song placements in television and film, including The Good Doctor. He also recently finished his time as a songwriting professor at Brigham Young University. 

    In his spare time, he enjoys going to movies, (mostly for the popcorn) and he loves Legos.

  • For over two decades, Dean Z has performed thousands of shows for millions of people around the globe, being named by Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE) as the world’s greatest Elvis tribute artists in 2013. Dean was officially awarded EPE’s prestigious “Ultimate” title, and starred in their international touring production Elvis Lives (with over 500,000 tickets sold). Dean Z has thrilled Elvis fans across Europe with his portrayal of the King performing to sold out audiences in some of the UK’s most historic venues including the London Apollo, Manchester Arena and The Echo in Liverpool. He is the only Elvis tribute artist to regularly guest host SiriusXM’s Elvis Radio channel. Beyond accolades, his partnership with EPE transcends mere recognition. Serving as an ambassador, content creator, and official host for Elvis Week and various sanctioned events, Dean Z is deeply ingrained within the vibrant tapestry of Elvis Presley's legacy, ensuring its enduring resonance with audiences worldwide.


    He is currently stars in his own multi-award winning production in Branson, MO titled “Dean Z - The Ultimate Elvis” being named Branson’s Entertainer of The Year and Male Vocalist of the Year multiple times over.

  • Katie Petersen is the musical leader, fiddle player and songwriter for The Petersens. Katie has enjoyed writing songs for over 15 years, and released her first solo album last october, “i wrote you a song.” She has enjoyed cowriting over the past couple of years with some of her favorite artists, Caroline Cobb, Selah, Brandon Heath, Johnny Meyer, and Emmett Franz.

    She currently performs with her family and writes music for their band, sharing these songs both live and online to millions of viewers worldwide.

HOOKED! 2024
Submissions Judges


  • Originally from Washington D.C., singer/songwriter/producer Aaron Space is one half of the pop songwriting and production duo, Prince Ivan. His work with Prince Ivan has led him to work with Grammy winning songwriters and has landed him a co-writing credit on the song “Let Her Be Beautiful,” which was placed in the upcoming film, “The Never List.” In addition to his career with Prince Ivan, Aaron also works as a performing and producing member of ATCK, which has led him to produce for and work with artists such as 98 Degrees, AJ McLean of the Backstreet Boys, Chris Kirkpatrick of N’Sync and many others. In addition to his work as an artist, songwriter and producer Aaron is also an in-demand lighting designer and tech specialist, having designed for some of the top shows in Branson, MO as well as the musical Label·less.

  • Andrea Brett is co-producer of The Bretts Show and co-founder of The Nest, a singer/songwriter venue in Branson, MO.

    Her original music has earned her the title of Branson's Songwriter of the Year four times, and her innovative vocal arrangements are central to The Bretts' signature sound. She also composes music for solo piano and has two albums, "Noel" and "Perfect Day."

    Andrea is widely known for her skilled crafting of words. Her most notable contribution is her original patriotic poem, "I Am a Veteran," which has touched the hearts of millions all throughout the United States.

    Because of Andrea’s dedication to fostering creativity and nurturing the gifts of others, she has developed an 8-week course, called “The Creativity Course,” aimed at helping people reach their creative potential.

    As a result of her many contributions as a singer, songwriter, arranger, poet, and work as a creativity coach, Andrea is a respected musician, artist and mentor.

  • Sundi Jo is an Americana/Roots Gospel Branson & Nashville Recording Artist and Songwriter. With an impressive songwriting background and dedication to her craft, Sundi Jo has become a prominent figure in various genres, including Country, Southern Gospel, Faith Country, and Americana.

    She has secured three single-song publishing contracts in the Faith Country and Country markets and released her debut single, "Jesus & Time," in 2023. The song captures listeners with a poignant and heartbreaking glimpse into the world of domestic abuse and addiction.

    Beyond her individual pursuits, Sundi Jo actively contributes to the music community as the Coordinator of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) Southern Missouri chapter. She's passionate about supporting and nurturing fellow songwriters and fostering a collaborative and inspiring environment for aspiring and professional songwriters.

    She hosts The Songwriting Chronicles, launched in the Spring of 2024, where she shares her experiences, insights, and tips on songwriting, providing valuable resources for aspiring artists and fans and connecting with industry pros.


  • Austin Armstrong is a pop producer/songwriter based out of Los Angeles. He is a multi-instrumentalist capable of creating across multiple styles. After a few years in LA Austin has achieved a variety of writing and production credits and worked with artists such as; Cyn, Emmy, David Alexander, R3HAB, Braden Bales, Sky McCreery, Noah Davis, Jesse McCartney, Chri$tian Gate$, Suriel Hess, Alexander Stewart, Armaan Malik, THEY., Bonnie McKee, and AB6IX to name a few. With his abilities as both a producer and songwriter, Austin can seamlessly work with any artist, helping to develop their sound and create something unique.

  • David Orlando Cassavitis has been a touring musician / musical director for over 25 years, and has worked with many well known artists over the span of his career. Among those artists are, Tony Orlando (David’s Brother), Joan Jett, Rick Springfield, Air Supply, Fastball, Gloria Gaynor, REO Speedwagon, and many others.

    David has also spent many years producing, arranging, and writing for many well known brands or entities. Some of these include ESPN, The History Channel, Bravo Network, Coca-Cola, WABC Radio, Sirius / XM, and many others. If you have ever watched Ghost Adventures, Pawn Stars, Swamp People, or Duck Dynasty, you have most likely heard some of the music that David has created for these various shows.

  • Billy Yates is a Nashville based, Grammy-nominated, singer/songwriter whose songs have been recorded by artists such as George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Chris Young, Sara Evans, Gary Allan, Joe Nichols, John Michael Montgomery, Daryle Singletary, The Oak Ridge Boys, Mark Chesnutt, Gene Watson, Sammy Kershaw, Doug Stone, Rhonda Vincent, Willie Nelson, Leonard Cohen, and more. Yates also co-wrote the George Jones classics, “I Don’t Need Your Rockin’ Chair” and the Grammy-award winning, “Choices”.
     
    A seasoned entertainer, Billy Yates also tours Europe extensively where he was recently named the European CMA Male Vocalist of the Year. With 13 number 1 singles on the European charts. Here at home, Yates has been featured on the world-famous Grand Ole Opry 50 times and has also appeared on TV shows such as Larry’s Country Diner and Country’s Family Reunion. In addition, Billy holds the distinct honor of being one of the first American artists to perform in China's former Capitol city, Xian. He is also the first American artist to be featured on the popular Irish TV documentary, Opry an luir and is the first American artist to record in the traditional Irish Gaelic language.
     
    As a record producer, Yates has produced a number of major European and Australian artists, plus a few US artists including country music legend, Charley Pride's last record, "Music in My Heart".
     
    Yates was recently honored by his home state of Missouri as they named a stretch of federal highway that runs through his hometown the "Billy Yates Highway".

  • Dominic Haygood has been a successful musician, songwriter, and entrepreneur for the past 30 years making his homebase in Branson, Missouri. During his 3 decade long stint, he has performed over 10,000 live performances for nearly 5 million people. He is proficient on saxophone, violin, and lead vocals and currently performs 120 concerts a year with his family in Branson.

  • Ashley Hess is a singer/songwriter, recording artist from Fremont, California. She was a finalist on the 2019 season of American Idol where Katy Perry deemed her a “bonafide star” and Luke Bryan called her voice “world class.” She has shared the stage with acts such as Jason Mraz, JP Saxe, Andy Grammer, Brandon Flowers of The Killers, Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons, Maverick City Music and more. In 2023, she released her debut album “STAGES” inspired by the stages of grief, which included her hit song “yet.” Her release “yet (don’t give up)” in collaboration with the King will come landed a spot on the Christian Billboard Hot 100 charts for 13 weeks, earned a spot on the Grammy nominated album “The Maverick Way”, and has reached 30M+ listeners worldwide.

  • Tom Brett is a singer, songwriter, piano and guitar player, recording artist, vocal coach and co-owner and co-producer of The Bretts Show in Branson, MO. His artistpreneurship and talent have put The Bretts in front of millions on television and on stages from Georgia to Germany. Tom has been nominated Branson’s Male Vocalist of the year and has produced and/or hosted numerous live events in Branson and beyond.

    Driven by a deep love for songwriting and a desire to foster creativity, Tom and his wife Andrea opened The Nest, an intimate songwriting venue in Branson. This welcoming space provides a nurturing environment for the songwriting community, allowing artists to refine their craft and unlock their full potential. The Nest has even inspired Tom himself, and he is thrilled to announce that his debut single, "Always in My Heart," is currently in production and will soon be available for streaming!

  • Adam Carpenter is a 35-year-old realtor from Springfield, MO. He is married with 4 kids and has been writing music for more than 12 years. He played college basketball and suffered a knee injury in his junior year. That's when he got his first guitar, learned to play a few chords, and started writing. Ever since then, he has been HOOKED.

    Adam is our 2023 Contest Winner and is honored to be part of this year's submissions panel!

  • Not everybody can boast their own Apple Essentials Playlist or 100 million+ plays on Apple Music, but Brillion can. Add to that his impressive array of mastering credits through his mastering company Signal Hills Mastering (@signalhillsmastering), and another 500k+ monthly listeners and 100 million+ plays on Spotify and you'll see why we're so honored to have Brillion as a HOOKED! submissions judge this year. Make sure to follow Brillion (@itsbrillion) wherever you can for authentic lo-fi brilliance. 

  • Even though he isn’t a fixture on the stages of Ozark Mountain Country, Joshua Clark has been part of Branson’s entertainment scene for more than a decade. Originally from the Southern United States, Clark first visited Branson in the early 1990s and was hooked. In 2006 he decided to make Branson is permanent home. Less than a year later, Josh took a job as the Sports Editor at a local paper, thanks to a fortuitous turn of events. After three years as a Sports Editor, he decided to take the reins as Entertainment Editor for the Branson Tri-Lakes News, which he did for 11 years.

    In August 2020 after nearly a decade as an award-winning journalist, Josh decided to pursue a new career, this one in radio. Josh is the producer and host for The Up Side with Josh & Them Monday through Friday on 106.3 KRZK. He also serves as a local Emcee, as well as a non-bias judge for local talent shows and Elvis Tribute Artist Contests. 

  • Ellen Haygood is banjo player, vocalist, and marketing director for The Petersens. She graduated from College of the Ozarks with a degree in Chemistry and went on to graduate school at Missouri State University to earn her MBA with an emphasis in marketing. In 2015 she auditioned for American Idol and was a top 48 finalist. Ellen enjoys using YouTube and other online platforms to share the music of The Petersens where they have gained an international audience and nearly 250 million views.

  • Kevin W. Gates has spent the last 15+ years as a producer, engineer, mixer, writer, and music marketing consultant.

    With over 5 million sales and multiple gold records to his name, Kevin continues to collaborate with bands, singers, and songwriters daily from his Springfield, MO-based studio: Reach Audio.