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Inspirations For Songwriters (I F S)
IFS aims to INSPIRE YOU into ACTION
over 2,670 songwriters, music publishers, artists, and music fans
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Austin Songwriters Group Extends Deadline for the
ASG's 2004 Austin Song Contest!
The final contest deadlines are:

Monday May 3rd to
Postmark mail in entries and   

Wednesday May 5th to
DROP off entries at ASG's monthly meeting at the Saxon pub. 

For more details drop by:
http://austinsongwritersgroup.org

On a side note, participating in ASG's song contests dramatically
helped my songwriting.  When my songs started winning, getting
second, third, or even finaling .   People's perceptions began to
shift.  Suddenly I gained access to a new tier of collaborators, plus
the prizes were nice too.  If you want to know about which contests
I've entered; drop by
www.andersrasmussen.com

I highly encourage you to encourage you to enter legitimate
songwriting contests,

I hope you do well.

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Saturday April 24th, 2004
John Arthur Martinez is performing at
Cheatham Street in San Marcos Texas. 
I plan on being there;
I hope you can make it too.


Monday April 19th 2004 evening, I drove up to my mailbox with my wife
and daughter.  I grabbed the black latch.  Inside waited an
assortment of letters and one white bubble wrap envelope with a
Dualtone address label containing my writer's copy of john Arthur
martinez's "Lone Starry Night" CD.    I ripped it open and asked my
wife if we could drive down to the end of the road, listen to my new
cuts, watch the sun set and the horses walk around the field.  I
pulled the plastic off the CD and the clear plastic that holds down
the top of the CD.  Removed the CD from it's case and slid it into
the player.  We first listened to track 12 "Lone Starry Night."  It
was absolutely breathtaking!  I'd heard jAm perform it live, but that
was the first time to hear the full-recorded version. As it played I
got goose bumps all over my legs and felt a sense of pride, one for
helping write such a song and two for having a song I cowrote
included on a CD.   John Arthur, Matt Rollins, and the band did an
awesome job.   When we got to the end of the road my daughter got out
of our gray Durango to pet the ponies.  Beth and I listened to "Home
Made of Stone."  Absolutely loved it. Tess got back in and we drove
back towards our house.  My wife Beth suggested we drive down to her
parent's house to let them listen. (they live on the same road as we
do.)  So we did.  They loved them too.   I've listened to the CD
bunches more as I drove to and from work.  It's a wonderful
collection of songs that I'm proud to be part of. 

I'll keep you posted on what happens next as this journey unfolds.

"Lone Starry Night" by john Arthur martinez is coming out Tue May 4th
You can preorder it at:
http://dualtone.com/
http://www.pressnetwork.com/dynamic/dualtone.com/store/st_jam.htm

I also read it is now available on itunes.com as well.

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Today became a voting member of NARAS.

NARAS was established in 1957, the National Academy of Recording Arts
& Sciences, Inc., also known as the Recording Academy, is dedicated
to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for music and
its makers. The Recording Academy is internationally known for the
GRAMMY Awards and is responsible for numerous groundbreaking
outreach, professional development, cultural enrichment, education
and human services programs.

To become a voting member you have to have 6 credits on Nationally
distributed recordings.  To verify that you have 6 recordings, NARAS
drops by
http://www.allmusic.com/
If the recordings don't show up there, they also ask you to submit
copies of the CD liner notes.

Today I spoke with Wendy Morgan, the director of the Texas NARAS
chapter. Because I was renewing my membership. If you're not a NARAS
member I encourage you to join.
http://www.naras.org

If you can verify 6 qualifying credits then you may qualify to be a
voting NARAS member.  Once you are, you'll get to vote in qualifing 
categories.  If not keep working on it. It's possible.

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Write down your songwriting goals.
Imagine for a moment that anything is possible.
What would you do if you had unlimited time talent and money?
Think about what you'd like to make happen,
don't worry about how, that comes later.
Amazing things can happen when you clearly know what you want.

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
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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



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