The heat is beginning to break in Dallas, school has started back and my house is no longer a construction zone, yeah!
In August, I was lucky to meet a great Texas band, Blue October, backstage at the House of Blues.
They are really nice guys and very talented songwriters. Switchfoot also played the show. Tickets and passes were complimentary from the Recording Academy. We had a blast.
I was interviewed for a recent article in the business section of the Star Telegram. Read the article about online sites to host your EPK. http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/1553531.html
We are starting a number of SongSwap Workshops in the nieghborhoods as a grass roots movement. Our membership is so spread out. Hopefully, bringing these educational workshops close to you will give you more opportunities to participate. I hope you will take advantage of these small groups.
Southwest Folk Alliance is coming to Austin this month. The Buzz is that there may be a Southwest Folk Alliance event in DFW next spring.
Mark your calendar in October for the Guitar Show in Arlington, TX Convention Center on the 17 & 18, The World's Largest Consumer Guitar Event , http://www.texasguitarshows.com/NewArl.htm
and in November for a big 5 year anniversary celebration in November at the Dunn Brothers Open Mic.
Hit Nashville songwriter Robert Jason is now taking reservations for his first Dallas workshop on Saturday, Oct. 24. See details below under workshops.
We have a great program scheduled for next Tuesday with Christian producers Mark & Mike Stitts. They have worked with major label artists, so bring you best songs for critique.
Don't forget to get your lyrics in for the Summer Lyric Contest Deadline.
Mary Guthrie is looking for performers for a new live performance series at the Heritage Village, Old City Park. See Events below for a link to the details.
QUICK LOOK CALENDAR OF DSA MONTHLY EVENTS - put this in your bookmark.
http://calendar.yahoo.com/dallassongwriters
I hope to see you at one of the events soon.
Songcerely,
Barbe McMillen
Founding President Emeritus
Editor, Songwriters Notes
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ATTENTION ARTISTS AND COMPOSERS !!
NOW YOUR MUSIC CAN BE HEARD WORLDWIDE !!
DIAMOND BACK compilations are distributed to country radio worldwide every two months. Diamond Back came into existance in January 2006 and is highly accepted by radio stations. Many of the songs appearing on our compilations have made both U.S. and international charts, giving deserved recognition. If you have songsyou feel are air-worthy, we welcome your material for review. For only $100 per song, you will receive a million dollars worth of exposure on our Diamond Back Compilations.
WE WILL NEED THE FOLLOWING FOR REVIEW: Your name, mailing address and email adderess. Titles of your songs, name of writer and, if published, name of the publisher. We need to know if you are affiliated with BMI or ASCAP. All songs must be submitted on CD format. Genre of music may be country, gospel or middle of the road. The singer may be you or another artist. Dust off your material and mail it to us. Lets get your songs to radio stations for the world to hear.
B. Jeff Stone, CEO
Diamond Back Records Of Texas
725 SE County Road 3122
Corsicana, Tx. 75109
EMAIL: bjeffstone@att.net
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1. 2008 SONG CONTEST - WINNERS ANNOUNCED
We will open the contest for submissions on September 15th by mail, We'll let you know when you will be able to upload your songs online.
We are still looking for committee members to help with the 2009 song contest. Reply to this email.
http://www.dallassongwriters.com/songcontest/2008/2008winners.htm
Here is winning songs in a series of three podcasts at:
http://www.dallassongwriters.podomatic.com
Drawing for the IPod. Number 66 was drawn by our guest speaker at the meeting. Congratulations to Gaylon Embrey for his entry, Little Angel Faces, being the 66th song contest entry.
SEMIFINALISTS ANNOUNCED
http://www.dallassongwriters.org/scontest.htm
or direct link:
http://www.dallassongwriters.org/semifinalists.htm
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2. SONGS FROM THE SOUL OF SERVICE
http://www.songssoulservice.org
The Cd of the winning songs, Songs From the Soul of Service Vols. 1 & 2 are available online at: http://store.kagi.com/cgi-bin/store.cgi?storeID=7TE_LIVE&page=SSS4
If you missed the concert, you can catch the Tribute to our fallen soldiers from DFW at our Podomatic site:
You Know Me Tribute to Fallen
URL: http://dallassongwriters.podOmatic.com/entry/2009-05-21T21_14_44-07_00
Read the latest story about this years winners
http://songssoulservice.blogspot.com/
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3. DSA MEETINGS
MONTHLY MEETING - http://www.dallassongwriters.com/meetingblog.htm
2nd Tuesday - SEPTEMBER 8
CHRISTIAN PRODUCERS MARK & MIKE STITTS
Producers Mark & Mike Stitts will speak at the Meeting
Aerial Digital Media, owned by brothers Mark and Mike Stitts, is an artist production, development, and management company. For over 20 years the team at Aerial Digital Media have been involved in nearly every aspect of the music industry. Having worked with and developed everything from major label artist to smaller independent projects in all styles and genre’s, the Aerial Digital Media team focuses on products that promote values of faith, family, and integrity.
Sign in & Netowrking begins at 6:30
Announcements at 7PM
Guest Speaker 7:15
Critiques will follow:
Have any suggestions? What kind of programs would you like?
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DSA T-SHIRTS $10 at the meeting (you must ask me for the special) or online by mail $15
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Songwriting, Song Swap Workshops
http://www.dallassongwriters.org/workshops/workshopframe.htm
FIRST MONDAY
White Rock Coffee in East Dallas. http://www.wrcoffee.com/ We had a great meeting with James Pappas coordinating. We're scheduled at this venue through the end of the year.
Yes, there will be workshops on Labor Day.
I will be at the White Rock Coffee. I don't have class that night.
PLANO - Tino's at Collin Creek Mall - Steve Sullivan and Anna Terry will be coordinating this one.
At the last board meeting, we decided to encourage other SongSwap Workshops in various neighborhoods. Look for one starting soon in Euless, coordinated by Karon High.
The Directors feel that DSA can support a number of these small area Song Swaps which are beneficial to attaining crucial feedback for developing your works in progress and as Annie Benjamin pointed out, works best in small groups of 10 or less. If you live in a suburb and would like to host one in your area, please reply to the group and ask for interested attendees in your area. Three people make a group for peer review or interested co-writers. I know several people who have attended the Song Swap in the past have developed beneficial co-writing relationships.
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4. SHOWCASES & OPEN MICS -
http://www.dallassongwriters.org/showcasesblog.htm
OPEN MICS
DUNN BROTHERS COFFEE HOUSE -
EVERY 3RD THURSDAY - 7:00pm to 9:00pm
5th Anniversary Celebration on November 19th.
TEXAS SONGWRITERS IN THE ROUND Sept 16th at Hilltop Cafe, Castell, Tx 76831
There will be 3 of us in the rounds- we will have food!
Sound check at 5:30. We play from 6-7 and 8-9 with Graham Warwick our star @ 7PM! Open mic follows 8-9PM!!
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5. LYRIC CONTEST - SPRING WINNERS ANNOUNCED
FINALISTS
The Rider by David McElhinney
Just For One Day by Amy Ralmuto
We Are The Banksters by Eddie Becker
VIEW WINNERS, LYRICS & COMMENTS AT WEBLINK BELOW
LYRICISTS GAIN RECOGNITION THROUGH COMPETITION
Next Lyric Contest Deadline is Sept 8th, 2009 for Summer Lyric Contest
Entry fee is $10
Please see lyric contest webpage for details.
http://www.dallassongwriters.org/lyriccontestblog.htm
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6. MEMBER NEWS -
If you are not a DSA Member, you missed these tips sent out through our yahoo group:
* 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
* Cheap and free tickets
There are three committee seats open.
Vacant - Coordinator Song Swap Workshops
* Coordinators may open neighborhood workshops
Vacant - Librarian, workshops
Vacant - Monthly Meeting Critiques- runs the A&R at the meetings.
Please contact Steve Sullivan, sullarch at verizon dot net, to express your interest in serving.
To view a list of the 2009 Officer & Directors and Committees go to this link:
http://dsadirectors.blogspot.com/
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS: Don Wall, & Scott Fant
THANK YOU FOR RENEWING YOUR MEMBERSHIP:Bill Honker, Dave Dalton, Buck Morgan & Mary Guthrie
TIME TO RENEW: The following members owe dues:
OCT: Judith de los Santos, Tony Burroughs, Michael Hart, Adam Donmoyer, Rich Ellis, Danny Everitt, Mathew Marsh, Brad Price
NOV: Robert Couch, Joni Ringo, Donna Aylor, Jenna Drey, Mike Hyden, Richard Kirwin, Will Brown, Elizabeth Kirchgatter, Al Scroggins, Ian Dickson, Will Livingston, Clif Munroe, Jan Seides, Steve Smith, Alisha Jackson, Sharon Pisors, David Carter, Tim Dawson, Terry Fann, Jason Heald, Brad Henske, Forrest Lawson, Phillip Marcus, Linda Moroziuk, Paul Reaney, Walter Sargent, Andy Taylor,
DEC: Jeff Sharp, Lisa Mickelson, Bil Basinski, Steve Hill
JAN: Jeff Moxcey, Beverly Houston, Kathy Davidson, Drew Harakal, Sidney Miller, Ann Abercrombie, Kay Seamayer
FEB: Carol Shaw, Jennifer Carson, Jason Winford & Bill Amos
MARCH: Helene Cronin, Mark Hughey, Barbara Seiler, Michael Franceus, Neal Fletcher, Troll Mallow, Rory Moore
APRIL: Mike Parrish, Stephen Boone, Ed Williams, Akin Akintola
MAY: Annie Cornelius, James Cornelius, Kathy Dunn, Mark Evans, David Lott, Michael Shane Russell, Aaron Rodriquez, Jeff Odon, Alicia Smither, Grady Yates, Beth Scivally, Rick Yentsch, & Richard Pickett.
JUNE: Rod Phelps, Anna Terry, Jerome Douglas, Karen High, Mark Dittenber, Bobby McBride, Michael Hollingsworth
AUG: Phillip Cooner, Edd Haynes, Tom Carder
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: http://store.kagi.com/cgi-bin/store.cgi?storeID=7TE_LIVE&&
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7. WORKSHOPS - DSA WORKSHOPS ARE SPONSORED BY BMI
(Each month we have a workshop at our monthly meeting on the 1st Monday and 2nd Tuesday.)
ROBERT JASON'S SONGWRITER'S WORKSHOP - OCT 24TH, PLANO, TX
http://www.robertjason.com
Robert Jason is a multi-talented Songwriter, Producer, Composer, and Studio Vocalist, whose songs have been recorded by Alabama, Reba McEntire, Barry White, and The Fox Brothers.
Robert's music career began in Miami, with stops in Dallas, Los Angeles and finally, Nashville, TN
His membership affiliations include Screen Actors Guild, American Federation Of Television And Radio Artists, Local 47 Musicians Union, BMI (writer/publisher), ASCAP (publisher), NSAI, CMA, and the CCMA.
Robert is an honors graduate of the University of Miami (Fla.), holding dual degrees in Piano Performance and Music Education.
Robert's Artist/Producer endorsements include AKG, SE Electronics, Antares Audio, Universal Audio, and GML (George Massenburg Labs).
Details here: http://dallassongwritersworkshops.blogspot.com/
If you'd like for me to add you comment, just send me an email.
SECOND TUESDAY GUEST SPEAKER & SONG CRITIQUES - see Monthly Meeting above
http://www.dallassongwriters.com/meetingblog.htm
FIRST MONDAY SONG SWAP at White Rock Coffee for peer critiques
http://www.dallassongwriters.org/workshops/workshopframe.htm
OTHER WORKSHOPS
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8. Events -
Featuring local and worldwide events of the songwriting community including, seminars, conferences, & showcases. Click on the link #8 to the right or copy and paste this link in your browser.
http://songwriterevents.blogspot.com/
SEPT
4-6 Kerrville Wine & Music Festival, Kerrville, Tx
14 North Texas music meeting at Dallas Public Library
22-25 NSAI Songposium, Nashville, TN
23- 27 Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference, Austin Texas
27- Oct 4 Listening Room International Songwriter Retreat Samso, Denmark
OCT
2-4 SongWritersFestival.com, Loretta Lynn's Ranch
8-10 Colorado Springs Expo, Marriott Colorado Springs
17-18 World's Largest Consumer Guitar Event, Arlington, TX Convention Ctr/
17-18 Texas Independent Music Expo, Sons of Hermann Hall, Dallas, Tx
22-24 Barbara Cloyd's Play For Publishers, Nashville, Tn
29-30 Billboard Film & TV Conference, Hollywood, CA
25- Nov 1 Listening Room International Songwriter Retreat Ireland
NOV
15 5th Anniversary Celebration at Dunn Brothers Coffee Open Mic
DEC
7-12 5th Annual Texas Songwriing Cruise
JAN 2010
10-17 Listening Room International Songwriter Retreat California Sequoias
FEB
17-21 Folk Alliance, Memphis
MARCH
12-21 SXSWeek 2010
12-16 Interactive
12-20 Film
17-21 Music
APRIL
14 Grammy Advocacy Day in Washington DC
MAY
9-16 Listening Room International Songwriter Retreat
For more details visit the events page.
Also, hear the song contest winners podcast from this page.
http://songwriterevents.blogspot.com/
PERFORMERS NEEDED FOR SMALL-VENUE CONCERT SERIES - please see events blog for details
TEXAS CONCERT LISTINGS
http://www.dirtylinen.com/special/dl-states/TEXAS.html
Comprehensive VENUE LIST - compliments of Uncle Calvins
http://www.unclecalvins.org/OtherVenues.aspx
DALLAS TEXAS CONCERT LISTINGS
http://mojam.wolfgangsvault.com/concerts/city?city=Dallas,TX
Dallas Morning News Guide Live Music Listing ( hit search after opening the page)
http://listings.guidelive.com/portal/page?_pageid=33,97314&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
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9. Featured Articles:
FORMER DSA SONG CONTEST WINNER & MEMBER RACHAEL SAGE ON NEW "FAME" FILM SOUNDTRACK
MPress Records is pleased to announce that Rachael Sage's song "Too Many Women" will be featured in the new "Fame" film hitting theatres on September 25, 2009. The soundtrack album will be available for digital and physical purchase nationally on August 25, 2009. "Too Many Women", which also appears on Sage's critically acclaimed album "Public Record", was hand-picked by director Kevin Tancharoen, and remixed by Damon Elliot specifically for the movie.
http://www.mpressrecords.com
Grammys Will Put Americana on the Map
By Jerry Shriver -- The building blocks of American popular music are moving into their own home. When the Recording Academy announces nominees for the 52nd Grammy Awards in late fall, a spotlight will shine on the new Americana album category, designed to recognize works that combine folk, rock, bluegrass, R&B, blues, pop and "outlaw" country.
http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/yb/134738892
MUSIC BUSINESS
100 FREE & AFFORDABLE HIGH & LOW TECH MUSIC PROMOTION TIPS? By Hypebot.comll
http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/100-free-affordable-high-.html
Bob Paterno's blog Making Music Making Money
http://www.makingmusicmakemoney.blogspot.com
CRAFT OF SONGWRITING
Practical Advice on Composing for the Screen An Interview with Jeff Rona
Jeff Rona's impressive composer credits include Ridley Scott's White Squall, contributions to Traffic, Black Hawk Down, Mission: Impossible 2, and Gladiator as well as Chicago Hope and Profiler and even music for the 2008 Olympics. In the newly expanded edition of his book The Reel World, Rona details the technical, business, and creative aspects of becoming a successful film scorer. Jeff Rona recently spoke to ASCAP with some great advice and inspiration for aspiring composers and songwriters and film lovers.
For those who don't know… briefly explain the process a composer goes through when composing film music?
Step one is to actual get a job! That comes from either submitting a demo of music similar to whatever the film is looking for, or through some kind of word of mouth from someone involved. Agents are helpful but by no means the only way to find projects.
Once you've been hired, and the business is settled (contracts, fees, budgets, deals and the such) a composer will meet with the director and others to 'spot' the film. That's a meeting to discuss the placement of music in the film, and to articulate as best as possible what each piece of music is to achieve. Music might be in a scene to add tension, make one character more sympathetic (or less), or help convey to the audience any of a wide range of emotions. From the spotting session comes the master list of cues to be written for the film.
http://www.ascap.com/playback/2009/08/RADAR/Jeff_Rona.aspx
Online Thesaurus & Rhyming Dictionary
http://www.rhymezone.com/
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10. Song Contests
http://songcontests.blogspot.com/
GREAT AMERICAN SONG CONTEST Deadline Oct 30
SONG DOOR: Deadline Nov. 15th
more ....on song contest blog
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11. Songwriting Resources
http://songwritingresources.blogspot.com/
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12. Best Songs of the 2nd Tuesday Meeting
JANUARY 2009
Cross My Heart by Vern Dailey
FEBRUARY
Easy For You by Ray Philips & Richard Davis
MARCH
1st. Shined On Me by Ray Phillips & Richard Davis
2nd Look Beyond by Jerry Dobson
APRIL
Our Heaven On Earth by Vern Dailey
Always A Day Behind by Roger Russell & Bill Amos
MAY - no critiques
JUNE
First Place...Cross My Heart by Vern Dailey and Leslie Brooks
Tie for Second Place...Wishing In One Hand by Jerry Dobson and Daughter of Texas Wind by Morri Hartgraves
JULY
Which Side of My Heart by Vern Dailey
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&R reps from labels and music publishers are listening to our Myspace page each month?
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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, DSA
