Sunday, December 8, 2013

SONGWRITERS NOTES E-NEWS #149 DECEMBER 2013


Hello Songwriter,

We're in the deep freeze in Texas. The weather has been so bad that we had to cancel the 1st Thursday Open Mic.

Weather looks to clear up for our Christmas Party this Tuesday which will be at Tino's Too in Plano, Tx. in place of our regularly scheduled Second Tuesday Workshop at the CCC - see #2 below for details.

The SongSwap is coming up at Half Price Books on 1st Monday. Our regular DSA monthly events remain the same 1st and 3rd Monday SongSwaps and 1st and 3rd Thursday Open Mic. For details, see #2 and #4 below. Also we have a regular showcase at House of Blues every last Wednesday of the month. This has grown into a very special event. So please mark these regularly occurring dates in your calendar.

ASG is offering DSA members a discount to the Symposium in Jan. See workshops #7 below.

I can't believe the year has come and gone. It's been a busy one for me. I hope you all have a MERRY CHRISTMAS! and HAPPY NEW YEAR and enjoy your holiday season.
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Check out our pictures on the Dallas Songwriters Facebook. Go on Facebook and LIKE us. New, tell your firends about Dallas Songwriters on Meetup.

QUICK LOOK CALENDAR OF DSA MONTHLY EVENTS - put this in your bookmark.

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Help DSA today at no cost to you.

DSA has enrolled in a new program at BBVA Compass Bank. You can help DSA earn money by opening a Compass account and give Dallas Songwriters as your reason or if you already have a Compass account, go to your bank and connect to our program and use your check card.

COMPASS FOR YOUR CAUSE
No checks to write. No direct mail. No telemarketing. In other words, no hassles. The Compass For Your Cause Program allows your members to support your organization, by doing something many of them do virtually every day—use their check card for everyday purchases. And it's easy for them to get started. They simply:
  • Open a BBVA Compass Checking Account*
  • Open a Compass Visa® Check Card*
  • Sign for purchases using the Check Card
That's all there is to it. When they open an account, you earn a royalty of $50. Every time they use their Check Card for qualifying purchases††, you earn additional royalties. So start earning money the easy way with the Compass For Your Cause program. Contact us today to get started.

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1. ANNUAL SONG CONTEST -   Winners Announced.


                 2013 Dallas Songwriters Song Contest
Now in its 23rd year, The DSA 2013 Song Contest is one of the longest running international song contests for amateur songwriters. Over $5,000 in cash and prizes.

GRAND PRIZE WINNER - Do You Believe by Jay Gallagher, Philadelphia, PA

JAY GALLAGHER - RECEIVES 
A Casio Privia Piano
and a Nashville recording session at Bieard Music Group. 
Beaird Music Group


1st Runner Up
 Looking Glass by Rick Webster, Perth, Australia
 wins studio time at
River Sounds Recording Resort







2nd Runner up
3, 2, 1 by Jay Gallagher, Philadelphia, PA
wins recording time at 
Jo-Musik


Grand Prize winners receive:
($199.95 Value) 
Includes Artist Website, 1 Yr. Hosting
1 Yr. Sonicbids Membership

HARDCOPY OF NEWSLETTER ANNOUNCEMENT HANDED OUT AT THE ARLINGTON GUITAR SHOW

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Click here for more info about this contest, and for more information about joining DSA (membership not required to enter contest). Click here to view a list of frequently asked questions. 
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2001 - 2007 Winners Compilation CDs available at the DSA store

All winning songs are on a CD Compilation that was given out at the Awards Ceremony. To get any 3 double CD's simply make a quarter note donation to DSA through our online store and send us an email to request which 3 years of Cd's you want us to mail you.

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2. DSA MEETINGS - http://dsameetings.blogspot.com/

2nd TUESDAY WORKSHOP - 

 Tuesday, Dec.10 - CHRISTMAS PARTY OPEN MIC (We are not meeting at the normal place, CCC, for Second Tuesday Workshop - instead) 
Lisa Byrn will host our Xmas Party Open Mic (Christmas originals or Christmas covers) Tuesday Dec. 10 at Tino's, Too, 2205 K Ave. near downtown Plano. Networking starts at 6:30, and tunes start around 7. DSA will provide appetizers, but feel free to come for dinner and drinks. This is a great time to bring a friend or spouse to meet your friends at the DSA. 

Jan: Tony Ramey

MEETING DETAILS AND LOCATION

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DSA T-SHIRTS 
NEW shirts: $15 at the meeting (you must ask me for the special) or online by mail $20
OLD shirts: $10 at the meeting (you must ask me for the special) or online by mail $15
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MONDAY SONG SWAPS for peer critique
Song Swap Workshops
Monthly 7:30-10 PM
Free, Visitors Welcome
Where songwriters perform their songs for peer review. Bring your guitar and a few lyric sheets. This is like an old fashioned guitar pull with comments between songs.

FIRST MONDAY in East Dallas
Half Price Books, 5803 E Northwest Hwy Dallas, TX 75231-6519 (214) 379-8000
Roger Russell, Jame Pappas coordinating.
We'll be in the Community Room at the back left in the building.

THIRD MONDAY in PLANO - 
Tino's - Steve Sullivan, coordinator.
Tino's Too Mexican Restaurant 2205 Ave K, Plano, Tx  972 881-9226
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3. BEST SONGS of the 2nd Tuesday Meeting

NOV
I'll Be Your Someone by Gigi Costas and Abbey Cones

To view past winners go to the Best Songs blog. http://bestsongsofthemeeting.blogspot.com/
To hear the winners go to our myspace page.
Did you know that A and R reps from labels and music publishers are listening to our Myspace page each month?

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4. SHOWCASES AND OPEN MICS -


OPEN MICS
DUNN BROTHERS COFFEE HOUSE -
EVERY 3RD THURSDAY - 7:00pm to 9:00pm

HALF PRICE BOOKS - NORTHWEST HIGHWAY - Rotating guest host featured artist
EVERY 1ST THURSDAY - 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Sign up begins at 6:30
Featured Artist at 8PM

SHOWCASES

HOUSE OF BLUES
Every last Wednesday
You must be a member to showcase. 
Email Buck Morgan to get on the roster for this month.

SONGWRITERS CONNECTING TO SENIORS


SHOWCASE AND OPEN MIC - 

TEXAS SONGWRITERS IN THE ROUND at Sandstone Cellars Winery Showcase & Open Mic in Mason Texas.  
HOURS 6-9PM 211 San Antonio Street, Mason, TX 76856
Shows will be on the 3rd Thursday of each month .

Guidelines for our stars @ Texas Songwriters in the Round shows:
* All original set of 45 minutes
* A professional commercially released CD with some airplay and press.

We allow any songwriter to come be part of the TSR in the Round, with one star per month! If you'd like to come out and join in as a rounder I can make sure you have a place for the night! To Showcase contact: Jeri Alice
Other area open mics OPEN MICS
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5. DSA LYRIC CONTEST - Next deadline postmarked Dec 31th - FALL CONTEST


2013 SUMMER CONTEST WINNERS

2013 SUMMER WINNER

She's All Texas by Tom Ruffen, Burnaby, BC, Canada 

CURRENT WINNERS and PAST WINNERS and LYRICS POSTED ON THE WEBSITE

LYRICISTS GAIN RECOGNITION THROUGH COMPETITION
Next Lyric Contest Deadline is June 30th for Spring Lyric Contest
Entry fee is $10
Please see lyric contest webpage for details.

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6. MEMBER NEWS -

Wanna get involved? Become a committee member. It's fun! Be apart of the inner workings or the DSA. We have a board position open. We're looking for a Treasurer.

To view a list of the 2013 elected Directors go to this link:

If you are not a DSA Member, you missed these tips sent out through our yahoo group:

* Publisher looking for Childrens songs
* Artists/Producers looking for original material for recording artists
* Major Brand X (To be disclosed at a later time) Seeks Independent artist for music campaign.
* Where to get your cd reviewed
* Music related job listing
* Film Licensing Co. seeking instrumental music
* Cheap and free tickets - Free tickets to selected Winspear Opera House events.

Lyricists are invited to co-write with music writers by submitting your lyric through the member yahoo group.

THANK YOU PATRON L3: TREVOR DAHLEN
                   PATRON SAINTS: PAUL ZANDER, ROGER RUSSELL
Thanks to our president, Roger Russell for providing the PA at the Wildflower Festival and donating the Wildflower check to DSA.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS and RENEWALS - SONG CONTEST WINNERS: Whitley Hill, Eric Bettencourt, Brian Kalinec, T Edwin Doss, Brent Benton, Stephen McWhirter, Debra Gussin, Roger Kaye, Kevin Reardon, Rick Webster, Charlie Hill, Arek Religa, Nitanee Paris, Glen Naylor, Katie Hardyman, Kate Diaz, Renee Safier, Randy Sauer, Jay Gallagher, Maureen Fitchen, Denise Rosier, Cal Scott, Eddie Lott.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS: Jasmine Dia, BC Cornish, Cameron Hopson, Jenni Peal

THANK YOU FOR RENEWING YOUR MEMBERSHIP:  Bill Honker, Joanna Endsley, Alex Gorodiscas, Bobby Montgomery

TIME TO RENEW: The following members owe dues:
YOU HAVE A TWO MONTH GRACE PERIOD TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP OR YOU WILL BE DROPPED FROM THE MEMBER GROUP

EXPIRED IN FEB: Mark Glasmire, Melinda Starnes
EXPIRED IN MARCH: Ryan Eichenwald, Alexandra Brooks, Corey Anderson, Brian Coker, Tom Biles, Madilne Shaw, Holly Doubet, Jim Baker, George Pucini
EXPIRED IN APRIL: Daniel Anchondo, Margaret CuddiheeMolly Bush, Buz Craft, Jeremy Ellis, Casey Graham, Dewey Stark, Mofor Otang, Robert Harper, David Spence, Lanny Sherwin, 
EXPIRED IN MAY: Bob Paterno, Ginny Lane, Mathew Johnson
EXPIRED IN JUNE: Renee Safier, Noel Cohen, Andre Kerek
EXPIRED IN JULY: John Nitzinger
EXPIRED IN AUG: Wendy Jill Cohen Tobias, Becky Wright, Robert Graham, Daniel Sumber, Chris Alvarado, Philip Creamer, Steve Chizmadia, Gordon Lustig, Kevin Reardon, Susie McLean, Eric Colville, Diane Lekven, Nestor Cora, Chris O'Neill, Gavin Potter, Vanessa Padla, Andy Taylor, Keeton Coffman, Chase Thompson, Belle Schneiderman, Spencer Clark
EXPIRED IN SEPT: Devin Hill
EXPIRED IN OCT: Morri Hartgraves
EXPIRED IN NOV: Liz Miller
PLEASE RENEW THIS MONTH: Scott White, Buck Morgan, Michael Brandenberger

A New Members page off the Dallas Songwriters homepage has a list of members and a url link. Please check the page and email me your link if it is not included.

Member News : 
 Barbara McMillen's song, "In Your Eyes" from the musical, Give Me A Break made the 1st round ballot for the Grammys.

Former DSA guest speaker and friend, John Bryant, informs me that his group is funding a documentary film on Kickstarter about his group, Stewart Copeland and the creation of a composition for the Dallas Symphony. Check out the complete story, which is very interesting here and maybe you can help them reach their goal of $95,000.

Brook Malouf made the finalists for the Songs That Save contest for St Judes. Her song was performed at the Arlington Music Hall.
 
Read performance reviews here: http://dsareviews.blogspot.com/


SEE OUR NEW MEMBER NEWS PAGE HERE.

Renew your membership online,
You'll find the link to the store on the panel to the right

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7. WORKSHOPS - DSA WORKSHOPS 

(Each month DSA hosts 3 workshops at our monthly meetings on the 1st Monday, 3rd Monday and 2nd Tuesday these are ongoing. see item 2 above.)


Austin Songwriters Group Symposium Jan 8-12th

Interested in going?
ASG offers a discounted Symposium registration rate of $175 (50% off!) for Dallas Songwriter Association members.
Please respond to Loretta Dunnaway for the discounted group price.
Also,
Sign up for transportation with http://www.megabus.com/ $1 direct bus to Austin Jan 8 and $25 direct bus back to Dallas Jan 12. There is a discounted rate at the hotel Holiday Inn Midtown $79@ nite.

Want to study songwriting but don't want to get out of your PJ's? Take a class online through a songwriting workshop yahoo group.
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8. EVENTS - Featuring local and worldwide events of the songwriting community including, seminars, conferences, and showcases.



DEC
10  DSA Christmas Party, Tino's Too

JAN
8 -12 ASG Symposium, Austin, TX
25 & 26 10th Annual Songcrafting Seminar at the Bluebird Cafe

FEB
19-23  Folk Alliance, Kansas City, MO

MARCH
7 - 16 SXSW, Austin, TX

APRIL
4 - 6  Deep Ellum Art Fest, Dallas, Tx

MAY
2-4 Dallas Guitar Festival, Fair Park, Dallas, Tx
14-18 SERFA, Montreat, NC
16-18 Wildflower Festival, Richardson, Tx

SEPT
25-28  SWRFA, Austin, Tx

OCT
Far-West, http://www.far-west.org/
FARM, http://farmfolk.org/
Arlington Guitar Show, Arlington, Tx
NOV
NERFA http://www.nerfa.org/

2014 Folk Alliance  REGIONAL CONFERENCE
SERFAMay 14-18, 2014, Montreat Conference CenterMontreatNC,
http://www.serfa.org/ <http://www.serfa.org/>
SWRFASeptember 25-28, 2014, Holiday Inn Mid-TownAustinTX,
http://www.swfolkalliance.org <http://www.swfolkalliance.org>
FAR-WestOctober 10 - 13, 2013, Hyatt Regency IrvineIrvineCA,
http://www.far-west.org/ <http://www.far-west.org/>
FARMOctober 24 - 27, 2013, Sheraton Westport TowerStLouisMO,
http://farmfolk.org/ <http://farmfolk.org/>
NERFANovember 7-10, 2013, Hudson Valley ResortKerhonksonNY,
http://www.nerfa.org/ <http://www.nerfa.org/>


South By Southwest Conferences, Festivals Now Open
South By Southwest (SXSW) Conferences and Festivals are now open for business at http://sxsw.com. Conference registrations, hotel requests, Film Festival submissions, Interactive Awards and SXSW Accelerator applications and Music Festival showcase applications are now being accepted. SXSW Music, SXSW Film and SXSW Interactive take place Friday, March 7 through Sunday, March 16, 2014 in Austin, TX.
Go to the events page to view links to local and Texas venues. There's a list of holiday music for this month.  http://songwriterevents.blogspot.com/

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9. Featured Articles:


1942 – "White Christmas" Becomes Holiday Classic
By ASCAP100 -- Irving Berlin's "White Christmas," recorded by Bing Crosby for the 1942 musical film Holiday Inn, resonated strongly with listeners during World War II...It went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song and today it remains the best-selling single of all time.
100 Years Of Rock Music In Less Than A Minute
By Suzanne LaBarre -- From gospel to grunge, this timeline shows the evolution of rock with addictively clickable audio samples.
Cue the Music: Songs Help to Create a Mood
By William Loeffler -- Music has always been used in movies or television to signal danger, romance or action...the digital revolution has brought music into countless aspects of our daily lives.
'12 Years A Slave' Is This Year's Best Film About Music
By Ann Powers -- 12 Years a Slave is the most compelling film about music to be released this year, maybe this century...director Steve McQueen [follows] the lead of his fiddler main character, to root out the way music has fed both racism and the fight against it since the time that his hero, Solomon Northrup, first earned his living playing Africanized tunes at white people's parties.
This Is Your Brain On Music [INFOGRAPHIC]
We know that music has a profound affect on people, but what exactly does it do to their brain, their ability to think, make decisions or learn?
America's Great Music Towns: Meet Kansas City...
By Matt Diehl -- Way back in the '20s and '30s, Kansas City first got put on the musical map as one of the most esteemed locales for jazz and blues in the country, famed for the nightclubs dotting the neighborhood around 18th Street and Vine. Kansas City was the birthplace of jazz legend Charlie Parker, and the likes of Count Basie and Lester Young made their names there, as did locals like blues titan Big Joe Turner.






PREZ SEZ: Tune in to DSA President, Roger Russell's, musings and DSA goings on.
VIDEO

New 'Do-Re-Mi' Music Video For The Sound of Music With Carrie Underwood & More
By Pat Cerasaro -- "Do-Re-Mi" is reworked and remixed in a compelling and dynamic new manner byway of the new music video headlined by digital music star Mike Tompkins, who directed it, and highlighting popular YouTube personality Chester See.
The First-Ever Official Video for 'Like a Rolling Stone' Is an Interactive Masterpiece
By Devon Maloney -- This is important, Dylanites. Nearly 50 years after its release, Bob Dylan's classic "Like a Rolling Stone" has finally got an official music video, and it's pretty much the best thing ever: an interactive video that lets the viewer flip through channels on a virtual television and watch such luminaries as Drew Carey on The Price Is Right, Marc Maron on his "WTF" podcast and the dudes from Pawn Stars lip-syncing to the 1965 recording of the song.
[If you missed this on 60 Minutes last night, here's your chance to get your heart warmed. Trash, kids and music: an unbeatable combination.]
By Bob Simon -- The residents of Cateura, Paraguay, don't just make a living from the massive garbage heap in their town. They also make music - crafting ingenious instruments from the trash.

Why We Create Music
MUSIC BUSINESS - more articles posted on the new blog DSA Music Biz News





[Strange. No one suggests getting a tattoo.]
49 Female Music Entrepreneurs Share Their Best Advice
By Ariel Hyatt



How Does a Song Get from Shane Mcanally's Guitar to Country Radio? Explaining the Complex Process in the Making of a Country Hit.
By Chris Richards -- [ASCAP member] Shane McAnally — the red-hot country songwriter who helped pen Kacey Musgraves's "Merry Go Round" and Miranda Lambert's "Mama's Broken Heart" — explains the long, convoluted journey that a song makes from his fingertips, through Music City's time-worn machinery, to the listener's ear. [Thanks to The Copyright Alliance for the link.]
IN MEMORANDUM


[The flame of mischievous fun that used to light up Music Row has one less torchbearer. Bob Beckham was a great music publisher.]
Bob Beckham Dead: Singer, Publisher and Mentor to Dolly Parton Passes Away at 86
By Billy Dukes -- Bob Beckham scored two country hits early in his music career, but soon found his niche on the other side of the radio. The 86-year-old is remembered as a friend and mentor to songwriters like Kris Kristofferson and Dolly Parton.
PERFORMANCE
LISTEN 

Marc Benno is playing at Red Hot and Blue on December 30th

RECORDING

5 Myths Of Vintage Recording Many Of Us Should Stop Believing
By Russ Hughes -- They say nostalgia isn't what it used to be, but perhaps the modern recording world has more than its fair share of rose tinted glasses - you don't see too many computer sites waxing lyrical about wanting to recreate their old gear. [Don't miss the "Monty Python - Four Yorkshiremen" video that accompanies this article.]
CRAFT OF SONGWRITING


Why You Aren't as Creative as You'd Like to Think
By Jeffrey Marlow -- You're a smart person: a believer in science, an acolyte of technology, a 21st century citizen. So answer this: Could you, and you alone, make something as simple as a pencil?

Barbe McMillen's blog, The Craft of Songwriting

Online Thesaurus and Rhyming Dictionary



Great web tool for lyric writing
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10. Song and Talent Contests
DSA Quarterly Lyric Contest http://dsalyriccontest.blogspot.com/

Acoustic Music Competition Deadline SoonThe 10th Annual IAMA (International Acoustic Music Awards) promotes excellence in Acoustic Music Performance and Artistry. Artists gain exciting radio and web exposure through this competition. Participating sponsors include D'Addario, New Music Weekly, Loggins Promotion, AirplayAccess.com, Acoustica, The A&R Promo, NoisyPlanet, SongU, Acoustic Cafe Radio Show, Broadjam, Sonicbids and XM Satellite Radio. IAMA is open to all independent artists and labels. Unlike other music industry competitions, IAMA focuses on developing new markets for Acoustic artists, labels--with or without CD releases. Win prizes in 8 categories. Deadline is November 8th. Complete information: http://www.inacoustic.com.See contest details at:
Song, Lyric and Fiddle Contests

A comprehensive list of Song Contests compliments of MusesMuse.com
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11. Songwriting Resources -  Now accepting book reviews

Links to websites about songwriting, performance, music industry.

DSA Book Store - reviews, links, lists of recommended reading, and what's in the DSA Library.
12. Archives of Past Programs and Activities

SONGS FROM THE SOUL OF SERVICE

Did you know???  DSA held two song contests for active military and the Cds of the winning songs, Songs From the Soul of Service Vols. 1 and 2 are available online at:http://store.kagi.com/cgi-bin/store.cgi?storeID=7TE_LIVE&page=SSS4

Tribute to our fallen soldiers from DFW at our Podomatic site:
You Know Me Tribute to Fallen
Read the latest story about this years winners

CROSSROADS SHOWCASES

View past showcase performances and workshops on Crossroads Youtube.
                       
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DSA depends on your support.

Giving Rocks! While it never hurts to remind you that DSA is a non-profit organization (and so your contributions are tax-deductible) -  this year it means so much more. We're proud to be celebrating our 21th Anniversary as a non-profit. DSA has been an organized songwriter group since 1985 and became a non-profit in 1990.

Your gift
 enables us to meet our mission.

Our programs created to meet our mission goals are: a monthly newsletter, workshops, critique sessions, showcases, contests, networking opportunities and community service.
If you like what we do, and want to help us keep doing it, please make a contribution today. Gifts of all sizes are meaningful and appreciated.
Donations are welcome year round. 
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Thanks for reading this far. If you have any suggestions for the newsletter, please let me know. Follow me on Twitter @barbemcmillen. Give me a tweet.
  Songcerely,
  Barbara McMillen, Editor
  Songwriter Notes
  Founding President Emeritus, DSADSA Online Store
  Online Songwriting Workshops and Classeshttp://www.songwritingcompetition.com.