The winner of the 2026 Will McLean Best New Florida Song Contest is Gainesville songwriter, Daniel Stepp with his original song, All The Way Around. Stepp says he got the idea for the song after reading a book called, Ditch of Dreams written by two of his colleagues- Steven Noll and Stepp’s friend Dave Tegeder. The book told the story of the proposed Cross Florida Barge Canal. “We had some great conversations about it on drives to music shows and I owe this song to him.”
The original plan was to have a barge canal system that would connect the St. Johns River to the Withlacoochee River by way of a much altered Ocklawaha River. In the end the canal system would have saved boats from having to travel for three days around Florida to ship their goods. “Otherwise they had to go all the way around, hence the song title,” says Stepp.
“Like any story of “progress,” economic and industrial gains are sometimes at odds with ecological and human concerns. What would have been a catastrophic ecological disaster for Florida springs, rivers, and potentially the entire aquifer, was shut down in large part because of the activism of Marjorie Harris Carr,” says Stepp.
Now where the barge would have gone is a greenway named after Carr with 70,000 acres and 300 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and a wildlife corridor.
Stepp added, “It struck me that we could be living in a radically different state had the project succeeded and we owe the incredible nature we inhabit to folks who fought to keep it that way. They helped educate the public on the value of what we have and the fragility of our ecosystem.”
His song, All the Way Around also addresses some of the violence that happened in the 1930s during the initial efforts to dig the canal.
“A labor organizer named George Timmerman, who had come to Ocala to institute worker protections, was rounded up and later found crucified to a cypress tree. His lips were sewn shut as a warning to union organizers. I started the song with that event, and closed it with the recognition of Marjorie Harris Carr.”
Stepp points to other great songs about the price of progress such as Woody Guthrie’s Pastures of Plenty, John Prine’s Paradise and Joni Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi. “It’s the same tale of what we lose for what we gain. For now at least, it feels like we won this one.”
Stepp says his songwriting draws on influences of folk, traditional country, blues, bluegrass, jazz and the Great American Songbook. In addition to being the current winner, Stepp placed second last year with his song Goodbye Senator. His current projects include the chamber folk group The Wire Birds, an americana group, the Hard Luck Society, and the jazz and blues influenced group the Ramblin’ Mutts. All of Daniel Stepp’s music and most recent project, The Wire Birds Vol. 1, can be found on streaming platforms. The Wire Birds Vol. 2 will be released in early 2026.
The second place finisher is Eli Mosley from Mulberry, Florida with his song, Anna Maria. He says the song is about an escape to a tropical island where the sights and sounds take you back to a lost love and a hope of reuniting.
Mosley’s love for performing began when he was six years old. His family took him to the Florida Strawberry Festival where he saw country artist Tracy Byrd perform live. He says that concert changed everything. He watched the connection between Tracy and the crowd and that’s when he knew he wanted to be a country artist.
His father Michael, who helps manage his son’s schedule, says Eli sang in school and church choirs. He learned performance with heart and harmony, connection with people through song, and how to carry himself with confidence on stage. After high school, Eli Mosley took that passion to the next level at Southeastern University where he majored in Music Business and received classical training in performance and an understanding of the music industry.
Michael Mosley says his son wanted to be more than a singer; he wanted to be a professional musician who knew how to sustain a career. During his final year, Eli was accepted into the Contemporary Music Center in Nashville, Tennessee, a hands-on program where students live and work like real artists. “That’s where Eli learned how to write songs, collaborate with other musicians, and perform for live audiences in one of the toughest music cities in the world,” says Michael.
After that experience, Eli joined the United States Marine Corps which he says gave him discipline, focus, and leadership; qualities that define his work ethic. He wrote songs drawn from real-life stories about family, faith, service, and the road that brought him here.
Mosely has produced four studio albums in Nashville. When he’s not on the road, Eli is a ranch foreman. He says he doesn’t sing country music, he lives it.
Singer Songwriter Grant Peeples is a 7th generation Floridian. He describes himself as a vehement anti-fascist and a militant environmentalist. His third place song is called, State of Things. Peeples says, “This song is a reflection upon the state of things in the state of Florida.”
A self-described “tree-hugger that watches NASCAR,” Grant Peeples has become known for his axe-sharp socio-political tunes, raucous humor and heart-gigging ballads. His 14th album, “A Code to Live By,” was released this past Christmas. He has published three poetry books and a book of short stories. He lives in Tallahassee in a pink house.
Peeple’s website says he is the recipient of the Focus Foundation Award for Creative Excellence, which cited the “humor, compassion and wisdom of his songs,” and their “unflinching social insight and cultural acuity.” He spends most of his time touring and is a regular performer at Will McLean Music Festival, The Woody Guthrie Folk Festival, the 30A Songwriters Festival, and The Florida Folk Festival.
4th Place Finisher Daniel Stepp- Castle for Two
5th Place Finisher Bear and Robert- Don’t Feed the Monkeys on the River
6th Place Finisher Shadric Smith- Fiddles Down in Florida
7th Place Finisher Charles Brown- Zephyrhills
8th Place Finisher Frank Julian and Jordan Cherkinsky- Gypsies of the Sea
9th Place Finisher Kim LeCouteur- Florida Pines
10th Place Finisher James Hawkins- Black Hat Troubadour
Mindy Simmons, Passerine, Grant Peeples, Frank Julian, Jordan Cherkinsky, Amy Carol Webb, Brian Smalley and Still Friends are the Friday and Saturday night headliners who will grace the Main Stage of the 
The weekend event kicks off Friday, March 11th at noon with musical performances at four covered stage areas plus a variety of workshops. 
Attendees may camp alongside performers for the weekend, or come for the day. Pets are welcome (on leashes). Bring your chairs for a one of kind experience of fun and entertainment. There will also be activities for children.
