Wednesday, March 6, 2024

SONGWRITERS NOTES ISSUE #241 MARCH/APRIL 2024

 Hello Songwriter,

It's looking like spring here in Dallas. I have some exciting news to tell you about our contest winners of the 2023 DSA International Song Contest and our Member Awards. Also, we have a busy calendar with our virtual and live meetings with 9 regular events monthly and a special event almost every month. So hold on to your hats (Texas hold "Em?), cause here we go.

What happened in JANUARY - We held elections for officers at the Board of Directors Planning Meeting on January, 6 where we enjoyed the hospitality of Michael and Karol Brandenberger who opened their home to us. Our monthly workshop guest speaker was Chuck Rainey on January 4. You can find his talk on our Youtube channel.  On January 13 we held a virtual awards program for the DSA International Song Contest with semifinalist performing and directors and judges presenting, all made possible by the wizard HH Hewlett as director. Look for that program on YouTube. See below, more on our Grand Prize winners, M'Lynn Musgrove and Will Townsley along with all the category winners. plus the winner of the Young Songwriters Contest, Emma James.

What happened in FEBRUARY  -  Our monthly workshop guest speaker was Roy Elkins who spoke about the use of AI in songwriting on February 1. You can find his talk on our Youtube channel. On the 13th we celebrated Red Byboth's birthday at Love and War. 

Choya and Alexis Tapp, Red Byboth, Barbe McMillen, Troy Inslee, Karol and Michael Brandenberger    

On the 17th we held a virtual Best Songs of the Meeting Awards Program with 11 performers and 21 songs from the submissions of the meeting critiques. Winners were announced for the Song Of The Year Award, Keith Dodson, and the Vern Dailey Songwriter Of The Year Award, Wayne Gathright. See below for details and YouTube for the program.

SPECIAL EVENTS coming up.

DSA HALL OF FAME PROGRAM -
 
 
DSA announces the Hall of Fame inductees for 2024 and a lit of suggested songs for performance on the program. On April 20, 2024, Rising Stars, DSA Members and the BYO Band will perform songs by our inductees. There will be performances by M'Lynn and Pam Musgrove, Sue Schildts, Wayne Willingham, Rio King, Kenzie Hutcheson, Bella Raper, Taya Bell, Dylan George, Claire Halsey, Junia Rodriguez, Cloe Rae, Vada Burns, and Taylor Aline. Here are our Inductees and the songs to be performed.
Tom Douglas - The House That Built Me, Little Rock
Billy Joe Shaver - Georgia On a Fast Train, Old Chunk of Coal
Nora Jones - Don’t Know Why, Come Away With Me
Buck Owens - I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail, Love’s Gonna Live Here
Miranda Lambert - Gunpowder and Lead, Famous In a Small Town 
Erykca Badu - On and On, Back In The Day
Michael Aday (Meat Loaf) - Hot Patootie Bless My Soul, Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad
Music Industry inductees - Dave Choas of KNON, Jack Calmes, Chuck Rainey- Bass Player
 
DEEP ELLUM COMMUNITY ARTS FAIR - DSA STAGES
DSA members will be performing on the outdoor stages and inside at the Wounded Ostrich 
 
 REGULAR EVENTS

Six Springs wants you to perform at our 1st Thursday open mic 7 - 9. Rickey Gene Wright hosts with a songwriters round format. Come out and sign up with RGW.   Mar 07
 
 The SECOND THURSDAY VIRTUAL MEETING WORKSHOP is held monthly and features a guest speaker and song critiques. It is streamed live to facebook. See below for details and the Zoom meeting link. 
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2476523092
DSA Monthly Meeting and Song Critiques - March 14
Harry Hewlett, the reel, creating and posting for social medis PR.
https://dallassongwriters.org/song-critique/
 
Third Thursday join Emmeline Miles for the Opening Bell Showcase - March 21, 6 - 8
 The Journey of A Song - Songwriters perform in the round. Please sign up with host Emmeline Miles open mic 7 - 9. 
 
  Love and War wants you to perform at our 4th Thursday open mic 7 - 9. Rickey Gene Wright hosts with a songwriters round format. Come out and sign up with RGW.   Mar 28, Apr 25
 
Third Tuesday Songwriter Spotlight streams to YouTube. 7-9 Hosted by Harry Hewlett featuring co-host Barbe McMillen and songwriter performance and interview
Tuesday, March 19 - M’Lynn Musgrove 

Quick look events page: https://dallassongwriters.blogspot.com


Thursday, January 4, 2024

SONGWRITERS NOTES ISSUE #240 JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2024

 Hello Songwriter,

Happy New Year 2024. We've had a  active year in 2023 and we will carry on with our virtual and live meetings schedule from last year with with 7-8 regular events monthly and a special event almost every month. Also, we have 2 special awards events coming up (scroll down) and 3 workshop announcements from ASG, Ironbridge and Steve Seskin (see workshops below.) Wildflower Performing Songwriting Contest deadline is coming on Feb.15. see below in Contests. 

Collin Classes start soon. You can sign up for my songwriting class on Monday nights 6-9pm as continuing ed in a class with credit students. I hope you will take this opportunity to do so now. There may not be this opportunity in the future. Here is the link to Continuing Education Registration. Located on the Plano campus, in the Commercial Music Dept. MUSC 1021. Barbara McMillen is your instructor. If you need help call CE Information 972.985.3750 or email ceinfo@collin.edu

What happened in NOVEMBER - We held Director elections (see below for the list). Officers will be elected at the Planning Meeting on January, 6. We had some final song critique entries for the Member Song Contest and we had a very informative Speaker, Chris Robley. You can find his talk on our Youtube channel.  

What happened in DECEMBER  -

DSA's Barbara McMillen and Bobby Montgomery present and $500 check from Dallas Songwriters to Bobby Wilbanks to buy bicycles for the Larry Tutson Jr. Toy Drive, Barbara and Gregg Smith's Foundation serving the kids of South Dallas. Bobby M, Barbe M, Hippie Bobby, Barbara, Gregg.


 

DSA Prez Emeritus Barbara McMillen and Director Harry Hewlett presenting a plaque of the Dallas Songwriters Community Service Award to the Opening Bell. Pictured from left to right - Harry, Robin, Barbe.

Jim Collins, 2023 DSA Hall of Fame recipient, takes a selfie of his plaque which was sent to him through the mail. He lives in Nashville. We gave up on him coming to Dallas, so Harry put it in the mail.

 

Thanks to our hosts Karol and Michael Brandenberger for hosting a great DSA Christmas party at their home. Their was lots of good food and carols.

Photo by Allen Larson  


SPECIAL EVENTS coming up.

SONG CONTEST AWARDS PROGRAM - On January 13, 2024 we will celebrate the 2023 Song Contest winners. The program will run from noon to 3pm central time and feature 15 performances by our semifinalists from all over the US and as far away as Australia. The event will be streamed to the DSA Facebook page, so please join us on Facebook.

MEMBER AWARDS PROGRAM - On February 17, 2024 we will celebrate the 2023 Best Songs Of The Meeting where we will award the Vern Dailey Songwriter of The Year Award and The Song of The Year Award. The program will run from noon to 3pm central time and feature 15 performances by our semifinalists. The event will be streamed to the DSA Facebook page, so please join us on Facebook.
 
 
DSA announces the Hall of Fame inductees for 2024 and a lit of suggested songs for performance on the program. On April 20, 2024, Rising Stars, DSA Members and the BYO Band will perform songs by our inductees.

Michael Aday (Meat Loaf) - I’ll do Anything for Love, Whatever Happened to Saturday Night, Hot Patootie Bless My Soul, Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad, Paradise By the Dashboard Light
Billy Joe Shaver - Georgia On a Fast Train, Wacko From Waco, Old Chunk of Coal, Live Forever, Honky Tonk Heroes, Black Rose
Nora Jones - Don’t Know Why, Chasing Pirates, Thinking About You, What Am I To You, Sunrise/Come Away With Me
Erykca Badu - Didn’t Cha Know, Window Seat, Back In The Day, Appletree, Cleva
Tom Douglas - The House That Built Me, Little Rock, Southern Voice, Grown Men Don’t Cry, Meanwhile Back at Mama’s, I Got a Car
Buck Owens - Crying Time, I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail, Love’s Gonna Live Here, Together Again, Under Your Spell Again
Miranda Lambert - The House That Built Me, Gunpowder and Lead, Famous In a Small Town, Baggage Claim, Crazy Ex Girlfriend, Keeper of the Flame

 REGULAR EVENTS

The FIRST THURSDAY VIRTUAL MEETING WORKSHOP is held monthly and features a guest speaker and song critiques. It is streamed live to facebook. See below for details and the Zoom meeting link. 
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2476523092
DSA Monthly Meeting and Song Critiques - Jan. 4
Chuck Rainey, the most recored bass player in the history of music
https://dallassongwriters.org/song-critique/

Our virtual open mic is still occurring every Wednesday 7 - 9. Join us via the Zoom meeting number. 247 652 3092 or just watch on the Dallas Songwriters Facebook page as we stream live. Some of our members, who are home bound or from out of town depend on this weekly opportunity to share their songs. The hosting duties are shared by Bill Martin, Ace Pounder, Allen Larson, Keith Dodson and Harry Hewlett. Jan. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28

Second Thursday Songwriter Spotlight streams to YouTube. 7-9 Hosted by Harry Hewlett featuring co-host Barbe McMillen and songwriter performance and interview
Thursday Feb 8, 2024, 7pm - Bradley Banning

Love and War wants you to perform at our 4th Thursday open mic 7 - 9. Rickey Gene Wright hosts with a songwriters round format. Come out and sign up with RGW.   Jan 26, Feb 22

Quick look events page: https://dallassongwriters.blogspot.com


Saturday, November 4, 2023

SONGWRITERS NOTES ISSUE # 239 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

 Hello Songwriter,

We've are finally blessed with some cooler weather and a season of fun. 

SEPT - Brought the close of the DSA 2023 International Song Contest, our Young Songwriters Song Contest and Summer Lyric Contest on Sept 30. The songs are in the judges hands.

Our North Texas Giving Day was a big success. We really appreciate your contribution. 

Lilly Harrigan receives a $500 scholarship from Dallas Songwriters. She's majoring in music at the university of Rochester where she is taking classes in music theory, musicianship, and intro to sound design and audio recording. She's an active member of the school’s musical community and participates in two choirs. She is also the head of an acoustic ensemble. She has started another band with her friends where they play her original songs at restaurants around Rochester. 

OCT  - DSA Prez Michael Brandenberger presenting a plaque of the Dallas Songwriters Community Service Award to the Tone Shop. Pictured from left to right - me, Mike Doty, Tommy Roberts, Austin Locker, and Grant Sheffield. 


DSA VP Bobby Montgomery presenting a plaque of the Dallas Songwriters Community Service Award to the Ruth Brinkmann of GuitArlington with Keith Dodson, Troy Inslee, and Jamey Shannon looking on. DSA members manned the booth for 2 days during the guitar show.


Former DSA President Ron Grimes has a song, Love Only Love, up for Grammy nomination with singer IMAJ.

DSA announces the Hall of Fame inductees for 2024 and a list of suggested songs for performance on the program. On April 20, 2024, Rising Stars, DSA Members and the BYO Band will perform songs by our inductees.

Michael Aday (Meat Loaf)  
I’ll do Anything for Love
Whatever Happened to Saturday Night
Hot Patootie Bless My Soul
Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad
Paradise By the Dashboard Light

Billy Joe Shaver
Georgia On a Fast Train
Wacko From Waco
Old Chunk of Coal
Live Forever
Honky Tonk Heroes
Black Rose

Nora Jones
Don’t Know Why
Chasing Pirates
Thinking About You
What Am I To You
Sunrise/Come Away With Me

Erykca Badu
Didn’t Cha Know
Window Seat
Back In The Day
Appletree
Cleva
 
Tom Douglas
The House That Built Me
Little Rock
Southern Voice
Grown Men Don’t Cry
Meanwhile Back at Mama’s
I Got a Car

Buck Owens
Crying Time
I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail
Love’s Gonna Live Here
Together Again
Under Your Spell Again

Miranda Lambert
The House That Built Me
Gunpowder and Lead
Famous In a Small Town
Baggage Claim
Crazy Ex Girlfriend
Keeper of the Flame

 REGULAR EVENTS

The FIRST THURSDAY VIRTUAL MEETING WORKSHOP is held monthly and features a guest speaker and song critiques. It is streamed live to facebook. See below for details and the Zoom meeting link. 
DSA Monthly Meeting and Song Critiques - Nov 3
Chris Robley will speak about empowering your communication with your fans
https://dallassongwriters.org/song-critique/

Our virtual open mic is still occurring every Wednesday 7 - 9. Join us via the Zoom meeting number. 247 652 3092 or just watch on the Dallas Songwriters Facebook page as we stream live. Some of our members, who are home bound or from out of town depend on this weekly opportunity to share their songs. The hosting duties are shared by Bill Martin, Ace Pounder, Allen Larson, Keith Dodson and Harry Hewlett. Nov. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Dec. 6, 13, 20, 27

Second Thursday Songwriter Spotlight streams to YouTube. 7-9 Hosted by Harry Hewlett featuring co-host Barbe McMillen and songwriter performance and interview
Thursday Feb 15, 2024, 7pm - Bradley Banning

Love and War wants you to perform at our 4th Thursday open mic 7 - 9. Rickey Gene Wright hosts with a songwriters round format. Come out and sign up with RGW.   Nov 16, Dec 28

Quick look events page: https://dallassongwriters.blogspot.com