LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kenny Walker spent 25 years working for Jefferson County Public Schools but, since retiring, spends his time writing gospel songs. And now, he's recognized in an international songwriter contest.

Walker worked with JCPS for 25 years managing heating and air units for about 30 schools. After retirement, he felt moved to write songs about his faith.

He said he was in church one Sunday evening last year, and it clicked for him.

"That night, after trying for a year to write something, something came over me," Walker said. "I was actually praying and I said the words 'Thank you for you.' And it was like somebody poured warm water over my head. It's the only way I can describe it. I came home that night and wrote my first song."

After having a hard time getting his songs into the hands of industry experts in Nashville, Walker turned to songwriting competitions.

"I was Googling these things, trying to figure out how to get my music out there to people to hear this," he said. " I don't play instruments and I don't have a band. So I thought, all right, I'll try the John Lennon. So I went ahead and put four of my songs in the gospel and inspirational genre and just hoping that something would happen."

Walker entered the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. And it paid off. He's the Gospel/Inspirational 2024 Grand Prize Winner for "Thank You For You," and his song "I Went Under" was named a finalist in the same category.

"I was actually floored when I first saw," he said. "I actually thought when it said the three finalists that's who I was going against."

The John Lennon Songwriter Contest has two sessions per year because of the number of entries it receives. Walker won in Session II. Next, people can vote between him and the Session I winner for the Gospel/Inspirational category to declare an overall winner for the genre.

Voting will open in April.

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