Friday, May 6, 2016

SONGWRITERS NOTES E-NEWS #176 MAY 2016

Hello Songwriter,

We had a big calendar last month with lot's going on because of Arts Week. We were all blurry-eyed by the end of the month and are still recovering. The Mayor Mike Rollins says that next year April will be ARTS MONTH.

 The vocal workshop was a great success, with Debbie Beinhorn receiving accolades for showing us all how to sing better.

Last weekend we had a big presence at the Dallas Guitar Show.Thanks go out to Jimmy Wallace for making that happen. We handed out a hard copy of the Spring 2016 Songwriters Notes issue. You can get a pdf version here. http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/8182067/dsanewsspring2016-pdf-2-4-meg?da=y

We had a lot of fun at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science a couple of Fridays ago. Museum goers who dropped by our table participated in songwriting. There were several songs started and you could pick one or more and add a line or two, or just write your own. WHAT FUN!

DSA now has 8 regular monthly events. Our regular DSA monthly events are 1st and 3rd Monday SongSwaps and 1st and 3rd Thursdays and last Monday Open Mic, 3rd Tuesday Showcase at the Sons Of Hermann Hall, 4th Saturday Showcase at Angela's, and our 2nd Tuesday Workshop and Critiques. Our guest speakers for this month John Bryant in person.   For details, see #2 and #4 below. Some of us like to visit the Poor Davids Pub (hosted by Mr Troll) or Angela's (hosted by JT) Open Mic every Monday.

The Wildflower Songwriting School is coming up on May 20th with Terri Hendricks and Lloyd Maines. For details go to http://wildflowerfestival.com/singersongwriterschool.html    
 LIZ ROSE will give a workshop on June 12th. More details later.


For a complete calendar list see #8 Events below.

Some postings of note on our website. 

Members with Gigs and DSA events
https://dallassongwriters.org/members-with-gigs-and-dsa-upcoming-events/

Thanks to Paul Zander, Michael Brandenberger, Bobby Montgomery, Mimi Balkey, Suzi Morse for their contributions to DSA. Just a reminder that we are a non-profit and your tax deductible donations are always welcome. Follow this link to our donation spot on the website. https://dallassongwriters.org/shop/donation/
Songcerely,
Barbe

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1. ANNUAL SONG CONTEST -

2015 SONG CONTEST WINNER T EDWIN DOSS WITH GRAND PRIZE CASIO PRIVIA

Read interview with T Edwin Doss and learn about out other Grand Prize Winners.
Did you miss the Awards Dinner? Here's a blow by blow courtesy of Dan Roark

GRAND PRIZE WINNERS
1. Jessie Brown by T. Edwin Doss, Silver Spring, MD
2. Real Love Next Time by Bonnie Warren, Philadelphia, PA
3. Aina Hanu by John Keawe, Kapaau, Hawaii



WINNERS

MC and GRAND PRIZE JUDGE,  ROY ELKINS, left us with extensive comments on the grand prize winners and more. https://dallassongwriters.org/roy-elkins-on-songs-from-dsa-song-contest/

Hard Copy of Songwriters Notes Spring 2016 issue with 2015 winners
http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/8182067/dsanewsspring2016-pdf-2-4-meg?da=y 

SEMIFINALISTS   http://dsasongcontest.blogspot.com/ 

 WINNER OF THE IPOD – Samuel Miller, Chico, CA

                 2016 Dallas Songwriters Song Contest Opens in June
Now in its 26th year, The DSA 2016 Song Contest is one of the longest running international song contests for amateur songwriters. Over $5,000 in cash and prizes.

GRAND PRIZE  -   A Casio Privia Piano
and a Nashville recording session at Beaird Music Group. 
Beaird Music Group


1st Runner Up
 wins studio time at
River Sounds Recording Resort







2nd Runner up
wins recording time at 
Jo-Musik


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

Category winners get cash prizes


Listen to the 2014 winners on Soundcloud at:

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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 - SECOND TUESDAY WORKSHOP

  May 10th: John Bryant   Adjunt Professor at SMU, Bryant went from performing at UNT One O’Clock lab band to touring with Pau Winter and Ray Charles. Currently, Bryant, a founding member of the world music percussion group D’Drum, acted as producer of the group’s collaboration with composer and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer Stewart Copeland and the Dallas Symphony on the world premiere of Gamelan D'Drum, a three-movement concerto commissioned for D'Drum. http://www.bryanthamesmusic.com/ 

Meadows Conference Center

2900 Live Oak
Free to Members | $5 for visitors
Sign in and Networking begins at 6:30
Announcements at 7PM
Program about 7:30
Song Critiques follow – Members only may enter for $10

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Reviews of past DSA Second Tuesday guest speakers  

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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
 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

Harry Hewlett, Dori Weaver, Michael Brandenberger
Harry Hewlett, Dori Weaver, Michael Brandenberger
2016 
January - Time to Leave by Beth Murphy
February - My Pickup Truck by Charles Carter

March - Last Chance to Dance in Texas by Rio King

2015 Winner - Waiting to Breathe by Dori Weaver  
2. Jimmy Loves Jesus by Buck Morgan
3. Give 'Em Time Lord by Bobby Montgomery

Here is the list of winners of the meeting critiques from which the top three were chosen thanks to Judge, Ian Dickson, former DSA Director and Wildflower Contest winner.

Q&A With Winner, Dori Weaver
https://dallassongwriters.org/qa-song-year-winner-dori-weaver/

Songwriter of the Year 2015 
is Rio King with the most wins at the meeting critiques
To view past winners go to the Best Songs blog. http://bestsongsofthemeeting.blogspot.com/
To hear the winners go to our Soundcloud page https://soundcloud.com/dsa-best-songs

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4. SHOWCASES AND OPEN MICS -

http://showcases-openmics.blogspot.com/

OPEN MICS

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

DUNN BROTHERS COFFEE HOUSE - Addison
EVERY 3RD THURSDAY - 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Hosted by  Craig St.Clair 
In November 2015, DSA celebrated 11 years at Dunn Brothers
see review of

KITCHEN CAFE' - North Dallas
EVERY LAST MONDAY - 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Hosted by Michael Brandenberger

SHOWCASES

ANGELA'S AT THE CROSSWALK in downtown Plano
4th Saturday 7:30 - 11:00
Hosted by Buck and Harry
MAY 28

SHOWCASE AND OPEN MIC - 


SONS OF HERMANN HALL SHOWCASE and OPEN MIC - 3412 MAIN ST
EVERY 3RD TUESDAY - 7:00pm to 10:00pm
Sign up begins at 6:30 Hosted by Dan Roark


TEXAS SONGWRITERS IN THE ROUND at Sandstone Cellars Winery Showcase and 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 .

Every 1st Thursday 7-9 PM @ Fuel Coffee House 106 Main St, Llano, Texas

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 June 30

or by mail

SUMMER 2015 - SEMIFINALISTS
October Sky by Kerry Kean
If I Hold You Tenderly by Michael Roth, Dulles, VA
Ducky, If You're Listening by Brenda Peak, Council Bluff, IA
Trains by Nancy Line and Candy Kattenburg, Martinez, CA
What's Your Plan by David DelBianco, Wrightstown, PA

SPRING 2015 - WINNERS

PAST WINNERS and LYRICS POSTED ON THE OLD  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 of the DSA. We have committee positions open. Let us know if you'd like to be on the board. Just show up a our membership meeting.

Directors elected at our Nov 11th Annual Membership Meeting were:
Michael BrandenbergerBobby MontgomeryDicky JohnsonRachel WilhelmDan RoarkBarbe McMillenJoe Milton, Stephen McKinnell, Steve Sullivan, Ken Duren, James Pappas and Harry Hewlett.

Current Officers Elected at the Planning Meeting on January 9, 2016
Michael Brandenberger -  Prez
Bobby Montgomery - Executive VP, VP Programs
Dicky Johnson - Treasurer
Dan Roark - Lyric Contest Director, showcases, workshops
Barbe McMillen - Communications, Administration, Newsletter
Harry Hewlett - A/R
Stephen McKinnell - VP of Membership
Steve Sullivan and James Pappas - SongSwap Coordinators
Joe Milton, Ken Duren - At Large

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.
NEW MEMBERS: Have you joined our member only yahoo group where you can talk with the group and get special offers and last minute updates on events? subscribe: dallassongwriters-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

                   PATRON SAINTS: PAUL ZANDER
Patron Sponsor L3: Bobby Montgomery, Michael Brandenberger
Patron Sponsor L1:
Patron Sponsor: Mimi BalkeySuzi Morse

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS: Phillip Casteel, Kathryn Adams
THANK YOU FOR RENEWING YOUR MEMBERSHIP: Ian Dickson, Catt McGee
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 MAY: Ann Cornelius, Julie Jean White, Mathew Cords.
EXPIRED IN JUNE: Joanna Endsley, LaToya Cooper
EXPIRED IN JULY: Jay Gerwertz, Stephanie Stewart, John Knoblauch
EXPIRED IN AUGUST: Sandra Foster Brown, Glen Naylor
EXPIRED IN SEPTEMBER: Dru Richmon 
EXPIRED IN OCT: Rick Webster, Jay Gallagher, Jenni Peal 
EXPIRED IN NOV: Richard Pickett, Lisa Byrn, Steve Wilson, Martha Myre
EXPIRED IN DEC: Kathryn Taylor
EXPIRED IN JAN: Terry Bloss, Bill Kapac, Cat McGee, Matt Nestor, Ben Neumann, Al Hovden, Chris Troll, Rob Lutzwig, Maxim Senin, Stephen Blackwell, Rene Safier, Kyle Vincent, Stacy Hogan, Jacquelyn Christina, Will Kincaid, John Martinez
EXPIRED IN FEBAnthony Castillo, Mark Pierce, Katrina Pitts
EXPIRED IN MARCHPete Miller, Tippy Balady, Ken Duran, Phoenix Rose, Tim York
EXPIRED IN APRIL: Suzi Morse, Phillip Wildman, Shane Andrews, John Mason
TIME TO RENEW: Ted Pearce, Mark Evans, Dan Roark, Dickey Johnson, Tamara Stamps, Ray Baker, Timothy McGarity
  Renew your membership online.
You'll find the link to the store on the panel to the right
Or paste this link in your browser: https://dallassongwriters.org/shop/dsa-membership/

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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.)



May 20th, WildFlower Songwriting School, With Terry Hendrix and Lloyd Maines TERRIHENDRIX.COM LLOYDMAINES.COM
Terri Hendrix has run an independent record label since 1996, releasing all of her music through her own e-commerce store at her website. She’s also conducted workshops alongside producer and Austin City Limits Hall of Fame inductee Lloyd Maines, for the past sixteen years. Together they offer an all-inclusive creative experience for everyone from the novice to the actively performing musician. An attendee can expect the brass tacks of releasing independent music in the digital age to be discussed as well as production, performance, and songwriting. Several handouts that delve into alternate tunings and rhyme schemes will also be made available to all attendees. Time is equally divided between the “The Part That Ain’t Art” (music business) and “The Part That’s Art” (creative approaches to all things song craft and production). It’s a Q&A format in which both Hendrix and Maines engage each and every student. They encourage those that attend to bring their instruments and/or their notepads and partake in what’s proven time and again to be an inspiring event for all involved.
All Inclusive Songwriting Workshop
Bring your instrument and/or notepad
Creative experience for novices
Alternative Tunings
Tips on performing
Marketing your songs and CDs
Songwriter survival in the digital age
Writing to recording to marketing
Bring your songs (or not)
Creative experience for performing songwriters
Rhyming Schemes
Producing demos or your own CD
Be a successful independent recording artist
Q-A Time

http://wildflowerfestival.com/singersongwriterschool.html

Coming SUNDAY, JUNE 12
 LIZ ROSE WORKSHOP

 Review of Larry Beaird Workshop
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.

2015

2016

MAY
2 DSA Song Swap at Half Price Books
5 DSA Open Mic at Half Price Books

10 DSA Second Tuesday Meeting - John Bryant
14 Texas Tunes Series with Michael Martin Murphy at MCL Grand, Lewisville
16 Song Swap at Tinos
17 DSA Showcase at Sons of Hermann Hall
19 DSA Open Mic at Dunn Brothers
 20 Wildflower Songwriting School
20 - 22 Wildflower Festival, Richardson, Tx
28 DSA Showcase at Angelas  
30 DSA Open Mic at Kitchen Cafe
  JUNE
9 - 12 Idyllwild Listening Room Songwriters Retreat
11 Liz Rose in the Round at the Kessler
12 Liz Rose Workshop 
  JULY
2 Texas Tunes Series with Marcia Ball at MCL Grand, Lewisville.
10 Walt Wilkins at MCL Grand, Lewisville.

Moses Avalon's List of Top Ranked Music Conferences.
Go to the events page to view links to local and Texas venues.   http://songwriterevents.blogspot.com/

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9. Featured Articles:



By Michael Craggs
With the iTunes Store, Spotify and Twitter replacing the record shop, instant recognition and meme-friendliness has spurred an unexpected evolution in cover art. Continue Reading f5ec743b4e5e4c2c9587db8c6ec80b4d.gif


By Jack B. Osborn


By Sheldon Pearce
We've crunched the numbers and identified the 11 super-producers and songwriters who give today's artists the best chance of ruling the charts. Continue Reading f5ec743b4e5e4c2c9587db8c6ec80b4d.gif

By Sheila Weller
It is perhaps the most brilliant single act of pop reinvention in the history of American music, and it made Franklin a star overnight. Continue Reading f5ec743b4e5e4c2c9587db8c6ec80b4d.gif


By Charlotte Hassan

By Charlotte Hassan


Instead of this disingenuous slight of hand, YouTube should pay creators fairly and let them develop their own talent!
By Andy Gensler
YouTube has informally launched an initiative to develop music talent under the name "YouTube Music Foundry," which gives artists new tools and guidance on how to successfully grow their presence on the video platform, according to YouTube. All Foundry content is available for free on the main site as well as on the YouTube Music app. Continue Reading f5ec743b4e5e4c2c9587db8c6ec80b4d.gif


MUSIC BUSINESS - more articles posted on  DSA Music Biz News
By Christine Occhino

By Larry Butler
Here then are the ten most important things to remember as a touring musician that must be memorized in order to survive. There's no trick to coming out healthy, wealthy and wise at the end of a tour (assuming you started the tour that way), as long as you follow these few simple tenets. Continue Reading f5ec743b4e5e4c2c9587db8c6ec80b4d.gif

By P "Barney" Barnes

By Jorge Brea
Keyword research is vital in the digital marketing industry. It is valuable because of its high return on investment (ROI) ... Researching keywords that relate to you can help you to learn which terms and phrases to target with Search Engine Optimization (SEO.) This is a good way to learn more about your fans, too. Choosing the most important keywords and phrases that describe you will help you to attract qualified traffic to your website. Continue Reading f5ec743b4e5e4c2c9587db8c6ec80b4d.gif

By Chris Castle

By Jon Ostrow
Whether you're a brand new musician establishing yourself online for the first time, or an already established band with a dedicated fan base, there is one thing that love it or hate it, all musicians will have to do. That, my friends, is marketing your music. So what is marketing?  Continue Reading f5ec743b4e5e4c2c9587db8c6ec80b4d.gif

LISTEN
By Paul Resnikoff
The 'bombshell' involves guitarist Davey Graham's arrangement of the 1953 Arthur Hamilton classic, CRY ME A RIVER although Arthur, a classic himself, is not mentioned as the writer of the song in this story. A riff used by Graham in his presentation of Arthur's song does have the feel of the intro to 'Stairway to Heaven' and pre dates the claim that 'Stairway' plagiarizes a song recorded by the group Spirit. DK
IN MEMORIAM
A fiercely independent artist who influenced country music like few others...
By Steven Gaydos
Country legend Merle Haggard, often called "the Poet of the Common Man," whose music reflected his hardscrabble roots and hard-living ways as well as a tenderness that made him a revered songwriter, died Wednesday at his home near Redding, Calif. He was 79. Continue Reading 

By Keith Caulfield
And, one authorized amazing video you won't be able to take your eyes off. DK

By Zara Golden
He didn't especially love doing interviews, but when he did speak, it was always worth listening. Continue Reading 
f5ec743b4e5e4c2c9587db8c6ec80b4d.gif
RECORDING
By William M. Borchard
Parody involves copyright and trademark considerations. You might want to use someone else's content, or their trademark, to joke about, comment on or criticize either their work or mark or society in general. Or someone else might want to make a similar use of your work or mark. Can this be found to be an infringement of intellectual property rights? Is it protected by the U.S. Constitution's right of free expression? There are a few guiding principles to consider. However, their application is hard to predict in a particular case. Continue Reading 
f5ec743b4e5e4c2c9587db8c6ec80b4d.gif
CRAFT OF SONGWRITING
By Gail Mitchell
One of the most popular sessions during the opening day of the 11th annual ASCAP Expo was "We Create Music." Relaying the skinny behind what it takes to become successful songwriters and composers was what one audience member referred to as a creative "dream team": Lady Antebellum's Charles Kelley, OMI ("Cheerleader"), Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas, composer David Vanacore (Survivor, The Apprentice) and Dan Wilson (Chris Stapleton, Adele). Continue Reading 


By Billy Seidman
While emotion and enthusiasm are an important part of songwriting, being able to hone and refine your work is critical to developing a solid finished product. Here we look at five rules to keep in mind when transitioning from the creation space to the re-write space. Continue Reading 




By Tom Service
Music of every genre, every culture and every period employs repeated phrases for effect. Why do we love to listen to the same things again and again? Continue Reading 
f5ec743b4e5e4c2c9587db8c6ec80b4d.gif
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/
Next deadline - June 30

DSA Song Contest Coming in June

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

DALLAS SONGWRITERS OLD WEBSITE WITH ARCHIVED LINKS TO PAST PROGRAMS

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 25th 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,
  Online Songwriting Workshops and Classes