The 1974 and 1981 Festival Song winner, Tinga Stewart, and past Jamaica Gospel Song winner, Lester Lewis, have joined the list of contenders for the $1 million cash prize for the Jamaica Festival Song 2009 competition.

Stewart and Lewis join a previously selected group of 23 semi-finalists, including 2008 finalists Clevon Edwards and Monty Montgomery and newcomer, popular actor and comedian, Christopher 'Johnny' Daley.

The performers will face-off in a semi-final showdown tomorrow at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre starting at 5 p.m. from which 10 finalists will be selected. Once chosen, an islandwide campaign will be launched to promote the top 10 songs as the public, through text voting, will influence the selection of the winning song.

The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) is aiming to select a song for the 2009 Independence celebrations which will invoke a spirit of celebration, and one that also has international appeal and relevance beyond the festive period.

Last weekend, the JCDC engaged the selected songwriters and performers in a series of developmental workshops aimed at preparing them for the final face-off.