A Brookhaven native was selected this month as a rising star inthe songwriting business and received a national award from theNorth America County Music Association.

Greg Waldrop, 48, an area supervisor for Fleet Morris Petroleum,won the 2006 Rising Star Songwriter of the Year Award fortraditional country at the NACMA Show held at Country TonightTheater in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., on March 12.

Waldrop’s entry, “It’s Worth Loving You,” won a regional contestin 2005 to advance to the national competition.

The song, written in 1999, “tells a story about a guy who feltit didn’t matter what he had to do, it was worth it loving her,”Waldrop said.

The songwriter said he always liked the song, but worried itwasn’t competition caliber and would submit others to the contest.Several of those songs placed in the regional competition, butfailed to get the judge’s attention at the national level.

“It’s Worth Loving You” seemed to resonate with the judge’s thisyear, Waldrop said.

“That’s amazing,” he said. “I have 106 songs in my catalog and Ican’t believe this is the one that won me the national award. Allmy life I’ve been seeking recognition as a songwriter, and when Iwon this award I feel I achieved that.”

Waldrop started writing songs in 1979, but it wasn’t until MartyRobbins personally responded to a letter of his in 1982 that hefelt he may have a career in the business. The letter to Robbinsincluded the lyrics to the first song Waldrop wrote, “GoingHome.”

“It was a moment in my life when someone else saw what I thoughtI saw – that I could write a song,” he said. “It really impressedme that he saw enough in that song to refer me to someone who couldpossibly publish me. It made an everlasting impression in my heartthat a man that busy would take the time to do that.”

Although Robbins’ publishing suggestion did not work out,Waldrop cut his own record, “I’ve Been Blowing In The Wind,” in1983 at Carlton Brown’s studio in Brookhaven. Brookhavenite HaroldLuther Smith published the song on his label – Piano ManProductions.

However, the song drew no response in the music industry.Disheartened, Waldrop continued to write songs, but it wasn’t until1998 that he again began to seek a publisher. Six months later, hewas picked up by Misty Mountain Memories, a publishing firm inPenrose, Col.

Shortly afterward, Waldrop joined the Colorado Country MusicAssociation because that was where he was published and where hisconnections to the music industry were located.

“It’s Worth Loving You” won the Colorado regional last year toadvance the national competition this year.

The award is especially significant, Waldrop said, because hismusic has taken a turn in the past six to eight months.

“God has led me into gospel writing to minister to peoplethrough music,” the Pearlhaven Baptist Church member said. “It’sbeen a long road pitching this song or pitching that song, butthrough it all He led me.”

When the decision was made to switch to gospel writing, Waldropsaid, he was not aware he had won the national award. However, itwould not have influenced his decision.

“I accomplished what I wanted to accomplish in the countryfield,” he said. “There is a closer relationship to God in thegospel writing, and I believe He leads me to where he wants me togo.”