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Inspirations For Songwriters (I F S)
IFS aims to INSPIRE YOU into ACTION
over 2,600 songwriters, music publishers, artists, and music fans
receive IFS
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DIFS/
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Please forward IFS to your songwriting friends

If you want RECEIVE IFS or
CHANGE your email address with IFS
SEND an EMPTY email to

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If you want to email me. If you just HIT reply, It won't work.
Your message will bounce.
You actually have to send it to
AndeRasmussen@...

IFS has now sent out over 600 messages but there have been over 33,000
attempts to spam our list. To increase security, I now turn off the ability to
post
on IFS when I'm not posting. When I'm about to launch a message, I go into
yahoogroups.com, turn on the post feature, post the message then turn it off
again.

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Dear IFS Friends,

Wednesday April 7th 2004 I attended a Naras Texas meeting for musicares.org,
Musicares exists to assists musicians in crisis. Maybe they can help you or
someone you know. I am also looking for first hand stories from people they've
helped.
drop by www.musicares.org
and check them out.

later Wednesday night I attended ASG's monthly meeting. Freebo, Jim
Photoglo, Lisa Hayes and Freddy Krc. Everyone was really great.

Jim Photoglo: - ASG writer
www.JimPhotoglo.com
cowrote "Fishing in the Dark"

Freebo - ASG writer
www.Freebo.com
Played Base with Bonnie Raitt for years

Lisa Hayes - ASCAP writer
www.lisahayesmusic.com

Freddy Krc - ASG writer
http://nonerds.com/krc/

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Cowrite INVITE
here's a note I got from a producer friend of mine
he's looking for non overt Christian lyrics for a 17 year old female artist.

Ande,

I've just been contracted to write 6 more song for a talented 17 year old
female Christian artist.

I'm already using one of the lyrics you sent me, but I still need 5 more.

She's moving into a modern rock / r & b style.
Kinda like Liz Phair meets Stacy Orrico meets Avril Lavigne.
Her sound will be similar to what "the MATRIX" is doing
http://songwritersuniverse.com/matrix.htm

Listen to Liz Phair's new CD to hear what I mean, Except of course her CD is
Christian.

Ande I ONLY want LYRICS. I don't care if you wrote them by yourself or
cowrote them with another writer. I need to have 50% of the copyright for
doing
the music and melody.
I'm looking for Tight hooky hip well written Christian Lyrics, but not
OVERTLY Christian
the kinda stuff an 18 year old girl would say and sing
the kinda stuff people 13 - 23 would love to sing and share with their
friends
NO DEMOS, NO MELODIES, just completely written fresh original Christian
lyrics

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(FROM ANDE) IFS READERS
If you would like to attempt to cowrite with me for this project
I'm looking for are fresh unique original lyrical STARTS
appropriate Titles, lines, choruses, concepts and stories.
Email one at a time to
AndeRasmussen@...
in the subjectfield write
IFS CHR

the submission deadline is 24 hours from now
Noon CST April 11th

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MP3.com is gone

when you got to
http://www.mp3.com/
it leads you to
http://music.download.com/
check it out

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I received the following email from john Arthur martinez.
I'm excited about it because I'm a cowriter on the title track and "Home Made
of Stone"


You can now preorder my upcoming CD "Lone Starry Night" at
www.johnarthurmartinez.net
or
http://www.dualtone.com/jam_lsn_cd.htm

Dearest friends and fans,

Since all of you were motivated enough to post a note in my guestbook, I
thought I should respond to you now at this critical time in my career.

Independent labels must deal with the powerful gatekeepers of radio known as
program directors or music directors. At stations where Nashville Star was a
regular topic of discussion I'm greeted favorably. At other stations (a list of
stations you may call is on my homepage) I must still prove myself as a
legitimate artist.

One way of doing so is to show them in album sales that there is an audience
out there eager to hear my music. Therefore, if any of you know a friend or
family member out there who believes in my music please ask them to preorder the
CD at:

www.johnarthurmartinez.net or http://www.dualtone.com/jam_lsn_cd.htm.

If they prefer they can wait until it hits the stores on May 4 at their Best
Buy, Wal-Mart, Hastings, Borders, or favorite CD store, but the key is a
concerted effort early in the life of the album. In the music business, as in
any
other business, sales are the ultimate indicator of success.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your passionate belief in me.

john Arthur martinez

Recent & future highlights:

Performance at premier of the Alamo movie in San Antonio

Endorsement & spokesperson deals with
Knapp Chevrolet, Harlingen, TX,
Texas Hat Company, Dallas, TX and
Takamini Guitars

April 12 St. Jude's benefit concert, (taped for Nashville Star)

April 17 Nashville, TN, Look for me on Nashville Star II

April 24 San Marcos, TX, Cheatham Street Warehouse show
(a note from Ande, since I live near San Marcos I will definitely be at this
event and will work hard to fill the room with FANS)

April 30 2004 Austin, TX, Augila Awards,


ON CD Release Parties all over TEXAS:

May 2 Dallas, TX, Wolf show,

May 4 San Antonio,TX, Wal-Mart in-store and County Line show,

May 5 Corpus Christi, TX, KRYS event & Wal-Mart in-store,

May 6 Marble Falls, TX, Wal-Mart in-store

May 7 San Angelo, TX KDCD event & Hastings in-store

May 8 Abilene, TX, KEAN Radio event

May 9 Ft. Worth, TX Wolf concert

May 6 Austin, TX, Cinco de Mayo show with Rick Trevino

May 22 Ventura, CA, Charity concert with Randy Travis

August Opening for Josh Turner

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Another note from ande
Looks like jAm is gonna be one busy man.

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Singer Searching for Songs

A male artist who is, at the present, what you would classify an Elvis
impersonator but wants to expand on that and come out with CDs of new songs
sorta
in the Elvis style and launch his own career but still keep the Elvis tribute
going. You can check him out at
www.jashmore.homestead.com/home.html
The site doesn't really do him justice but a new site is coming out VERY soon
that will be much better.

We're looking for all tempos, everything from ballads and 50s to 70s type
rockabilly songs to gospel songs that Elvis loved so much.

There is really no deadline because this will be an ongoing project but we
would like to introduce the new songs relatively soon.

Please try to send me ONLY songs that would be suitable for an Elvis-type
voice. It doesn't have to be a studio demo BUT make sure the melody is clear
and
it's a good presentation of the song.

You can send cassette tapes or CDs with 3 to 4 songs on them with typed lyric
sheets and contact information to me at:

Suzanne Wanvig
1336 W. Hillsboro
El Dorado, AR. 71730

OR

If you want to send MP3s you can send them to
SWanvig@...
Please make sure your contact information is in your e-mail if you do send
MP3s.

Thanks,
Suzanne

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Let the World Know

Cindy B. Gordon is a BMI songwriter, keyboardist and music journalist. Cindy
writes both lyrics and music and writes in various genres including new
country, pop, rock, alternative and adult contemporary. Cindy has extensive
writing, performing and recording experience, having written, performed and/or
toured with bands and artists including Elroy Rock and Lisa Coppola. Cindy's
songs
have been played on various local radio and cable TV shows and are getting
much positive feedback within Nashville music industry circles. An active
member of NSAI, Cindy has attended numerous songwriting symposiums, seminars and
song camps. She is currently available for possible co-writing projects and
gigs. For more information, contact Cindy at
cgsbeatles@...

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Recently a writer wrote me and asked me to introduce her to one of my
cowriters.
here was my response

Hi D.,

thank you for your compliments on my song.
isn't my cowriter wonderful

since I don't know you and haven't heard or seen your work
i can't blindly refer you to him

at this point my plan is to only send him exceptional well written lyrics
(that I wrote or cowrote)
so he knows when he gets something from me it's gonna be really good

earlier on i sent him lyrics my friends wrote, to do both a favor, but i've
decided to not do that anymore because I don't want to to be a go-between.
They tend to make their problems mine on a song i didn't write, so i'm only
sending my cowriter lyrics that I wrote or cowrote that I feel could be in the
top
5% of my catalogs. Though if I stumbled upon an absolute undeniable smash hit
that another writer wrote I would probably forward it.

I would be willing to look at a few of your lyrics and let you know if I
think
they are good enough for her to consider

ande
http://www.andersrasmussen.com/

~ ~ ~

hi D,

that was fast, what you're about to read is written with the intent to help
you become a better writer, i'll offer general comments about lyric writing and
speciafic comments on geared toward this particular lyric

Personally my guess is if you sent this lyric to the composer.
he would read it once and pass on it
so I would not send the lyric, I would wait till you have something really
really good.

as lyricists we need to weave words that
make composers, melody writers, producers, and artists
salivate and want to sing them

we want them to be so great, the melody writer is instantly inspired to the
point, that
they set aside their current projects to complete OUR lyric, or at least move
it to the front of the pile because it had such a powerful effect on them.
You want to have a ringer, a lyric that's so great that the composer won't say
no,

Right now much of "your lyric" is pop and poetic, the composer is a country
artist / writer, country lyrics are like mini movies, they often show the
story.
as an example study the lyrics to "flies on the butter"


in general: always run the following tests on your lyrics

the read test?
read your lyrics out loud to see if it makes sense

the conversationality test
ask is every line in this lyric something I would naturally normally say in
an everyday conversation?

the poignancy test
read the lyric outloud
does it emotionally move you in any way?
How?
Ask other people to read it don't tell them you wrote it,
at first don't ask them for comments look for involuntary physical responses
and emotions
as they read they lyrics, look for goosebumps, tears, laughter, smiles ...

the universiality test
Is this a lyric a lot of people will relate to?
Is this a lyric people will love and want to sing over and over?

the title test
what phrase stands out MOST in the chorus?
it should be the title

the line by line test
is every line in this lyric the best possible line i could use?

originality test
millions of songs have already been written
is this song idea and approach original, fresh or unique
does it deserve to be written?

lastly set super high standards

good luck

ande

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MUSIC COMMUNITY LEADERS DISCOVER OPTIONS FOR MUSICIANS IN CRISIS

The Recording Academy® Texas Chapter and MusiCares Foundation® Host Community
Breakfast

AUSTIN, Texas (April 8, 2004) - Local music community leaders joined forces
yesterday to discuss a vital safety net available to people in the music
industry. Leaders of ten local organizations that serve the music industry,
including the Texas Music Office, Texas Commission on the Arts, SIMS Foundation
and
Austin Music Marketing Office, attended the breakfast hosted by the Recording
Academy® Texas Chapter and the MusiCares Foundation®, where they learned about
emergency financial assistance and addiction programs offered by MusiCares. A
non-profit arm of the Recording Academy, MusiCares focuses on human service
issues and assists music industry professionals in times of crisis.

*Sometimes the musicians in our community need a safety net-MusiCares can
help with a variety of needs, from help with medical costs to assistance with
replacing stolen instruments or addiction recovery assistance,* said Wendy L.
Morgan, Executive Director of the Recording Academy Texas Chapter. *There are a
number of excellent service organizations in our community and MusiCares can
work in concert with them to make sure the musicians' are getting what they
need.*

Music community leaders in attendance include:
Jim Butler, City of Austin, Creative Industries Manager;
Lee Duffy, Austin Songwriters Group, Co-President;
Teresa Ferguson, Austin Music Commission, Chair;
Ricardo Hernandez, Texas Commission on the Arts, Executive Director;
Brenda Johnson, Austin Music Office, Music Marketing Manager;
Mary Louise Lopez, SIMS Foundation, Executive Director;
Randy McCall, American Federation of Musicians Local 433, President;
Jill McGuckin, BMI, Texas Representative;
Jan Mirkin, ASCAP, Texas Representative;
Casey Monahan, Texas Music Office, Office of the Governor, Director and
Ande Rasmussen, Austin Songwriter's Group, past president.

The Recording Academy has also reached out to the Classical Music Consortium,
the Austin Music Foundation and the Austin Arts Commission leaders who were
unable to attend the meeting.

Established in 1989 by the Recording Academy, MusiCares' services and
resources cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies, and
each
case is treated with integrity and confidentiality. The heart and soul of
MusiCares is the Emergency Financial Assistance Program. With a commitment to
providing help to those in need as quickly as possible, MusiCares operates
toll-free phone lines in the South region (1.877.626.2748), West region
(1.800.687.4227) and North region (1.877.303.6962). MusiCares has also become a
leading
force in the effort to identify, raise awareness of and address the problems of
addiction in the music industry.

The Texas Chapter of the Recording Academy serves as a direct connection
between the national organization and its regional members. The Chapter reaches
out to the regional music community of Texas through professional development
and networking events, health and human services, advocacy initiatives, and
music education programs for students including GRAMMY In The Schools.
###

Wendy Morgan, Executive Director
Recording Academy, Texas Chapter
512.328.7997
Wendy@...

Barb Dehgan, Communications
The Recording Academy
310.392.3777
BarbD@...

Debbie Carroll, Senior Director
MusiCares Foundation
615.327.0500
Debbie@...



Write on!
Ande Rasmussen
Editor and Publisher of I F S, Inspirations For Songwriters

Contact info is:

Ande Rasmussen
835 Martindale Falls
Martindale, TX 78655
AndeRasmussen@...


You can read my Bio at:
http://www.andersrasmussen.com/

You can hear a few of my tunes at:
http://songramp.com/ande
http://www.soundclick.com/anders

If you want receive IFS or change your email address with IFS
send an email to difs-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

FORWARD IFS to your songwriting friends!

IFS home page is
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DIFS

All IFS messages are archived on
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DIFS/messages

Once you're in the IFS archive, if you're looking for something in
particular, you can do a key word search

I F S stands for Inspirations for Songwriters, I F S is an ezine for
songwriters filled with inspirational and practical information about
the art, craft, and business of songwriting. We want to help YOU
become a more successful songwriter.

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
The entire text of
"Inspirations for Songwriters"
© 2004 Anders Rasmussen