first a simple favor.

PLEASE DROP BY:
http://www.countrylinemagazine.com/cd-vote.html
and VOTE FOR WAKE EASTMAN, he's an IFS Reader
It takes less than 2 seconds. If Wake receives the most votes he'll
get an interview in Country Line Magazine
Let me know if you do.
Thank you, Ande

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

a note on IFS issue titles

every IFS title is a phrase
contained in the issue.
find and read about the latest

<> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <>
Inspirations For Songwriters (I F S)
IFS aims to INSPIRE YOU into ACTION
over 2,400 songwriters, music publishers, artists, and
music fans receive IFS
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DIFS/
<> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <>

Please FORWARD IFS to your SONGWRITING friends

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

difs-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Please Allow IFS slide past your SPAM FILTERS.

DID YOU KNOW THAT 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

Here's an easy way to find the IFS home page, type in:
www.SongwriterBlog.com or www.SongwritingBlog.com

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dear IFS Readers,

thanks for your suggestions on how to promote The FAT Tuesday / Mardi
Gras Song Performed by Gayla LeJeune and Gumbo Rodeo
Written by 2004 Gayla LeJeune, Mike Simmons, Max Fontenot, & Ande
Rasmussen. You can hear it on: http://gaylaink.com/

On Fat Tuesday / Mardi Gras / Tuesday, February, 8 2005 Sam and Bob
on KVET 98.1 FM in Austin talked about it and played it.

Since I don't perform I would be thrilled and honored for
IFS readers to try out, perform, or record any of my songs.
Drop by
http://songramp.com/ande
Browse through my catalog
Let me know if you find anything you love.

Ande

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The IFS Featured Song is
One Kiss at a Time
Performed by: Kim Keyes
written by Jeff Dayton
© 1998 Glen Campbell Music/BMI, Jeff Dayton Music/BMI
Administered by Windswept Pacific

http://jeffdaytonmusic.com/music_samples.htm

if you hope to become a professional country songwriter
If you're wondering how great your songs need to be
and
how great your demos need to sound
drop by Jeff's site and have a listen.
http://jeffdaytonmusic.com
His accomplishments are quite impressive.
George Strait cut one of his songs.

If you'd like one of your songs to be considered to be the
IFS Featured Song
send me
one email featuring
one song with
one link to the song.
If you like also include the songs STORY,
what inspired it,
why you wrote it,
who wrote it with you,
anything memorable happen while you were writing it as well as
a little info about you.

Please put everything in the email,
I won't download attachments.
I want hear and share great songs with IFS readers.

Send your email to:
AndeRasmussen@...
In the subject field write
IFS FEAT

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

You won't make footprints in the sands of time
if you're sitting on your butt.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Steve Seskin Songwriter Workshop Retreat at the Old No.9.

We are gearing up for our spring songwriters workshop at the Old
No.9. Steve Seskin will be bringing his incredible talent and gift
for teaching to the No.9 Road House in Waring, Texas this April 8-
10. I expect it to be a memorable and inspiring musical
experience. As one of Steve's students says so well, I have
benefited from Steve's encyclopedic knowledge of songcraft at several
song schools. He not only writes hit songs on a regular basis, but
is an amazingly enthusiastic, entertaining, concise and effective
songwriting teacher." Steve Seskin has written seven number one
songs, including Grammy-nominated
Grown Men Don't Cry, recorded by Tim McGraw.

If you have been wanting to make your way to Waring for the
first time to be part of an Old No.9 Workshop Retreat, or if you've
been before and just want to come again, Steve's workshop would be a
truly excellent one to choose. We do have tuition assistance
available through the generous contributions of former students. It
is easy to apply. For more information visit the Old No.9 at

www.oldno9.org. or just give me a call
508-314-4762

If you have friends and associates in your own music circles who
might be interested in coming to the Old No.9, please tell them about
Steve's workshop and ask them to get in touch with me.

Keep the fire burning and the music playing.

Warm regards,

Kricket

Old No.9 Corp. for the Arts
(a not for profit 501(c)(3) organization)
Box 112
Waring, TX 78074
830-995-4413
www.oldno9.org
kricketmri@...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ever heard of the Schnappi Song?
It recently went to #1 in Germany.

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1462070,00.html"Schnappi"

Snaps Up the Number One Spot

www.schnappi.tv

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

What did y'all think of the Grammy's?
I heard the radio saying that the number of watchers was down. One of
the reasons might be that they went up against a new Desperate
Housewives episode.

This year was the first year I got to vote on Grammy selection.
I was happy to see that many of the artists and songwriters I voted
for wound up winning.

One of my friends Asked me
"How do I become a Grammy voting member?"

As a songwriter you have to have 6 songs on nationally distributed
CD's. Some indie cuts will count. On your Grammy app they ask for
proof.

They also check
www.allmusic.com
To verify your cuts

like my cuts with Jen Rathbun are already listed there
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:be67mpz09ffo

I just did a little checking on allmusic.com

heres how an indie can get listed on www.allmusic.com

Why isn't my favorite indie album listed on the allmusic?

If an artist or album is missing, it's not on purpose-- we just have
not received the release or artist information necessary to add the
artist or album into the database yet. If you would like to see your
favorite up-and-coming artist added to allmusic.com, try to contact
them through their fan or label sites, and have them send us a CD,
along with promotional and biographical information to:

Artist Submissions
All Media Guide
1168 Oak Valley Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48104

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

IFS THANK FROM AN ARTIST

I love getting thank you emails like this
IFS LEADS have helped
songwriters place their songs with artists and
artists find more songs which hopefully gives them better songs on
their projects.

If you're an artist needing songs let IFS know and we'll let our
readers know.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Subj: Logan Wells - thank you!
From: SavocaProd

Hi
I just wanted to thank you for putting a blurb in your newsletter
about my needing songs for my upcoming album. I had a great
response - and have received many demo pkg's from some very talented
writers across the country. I'm very pleased with many of the songs
that were sent; and I've got about 19 songs that I'm considering
recording.....It's going to be hard to narrow it down as to which
one's to include on this album! It is a pleasure to have such
talented writers submitting songs and I'm touched that writers of
this caliber think enough of my voice and talents to honor me with
their submissions.
Thanks for your help and Keepin' it Country!

Logan Wells
www.LoganWells.com

http://members.aol.com/mslimited2/LetItShineCD.html

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Here's some interesting threads on the JPF boards.

Just a Rant
Brian Austin provides some sensible advice on how to make strides in
songwriting.
http://www.justplainfolks.org/ubb/Forum4/HTML/001845.html

What's with this recent rash of SONGS FOR SALE postings?
Lately several people have been posting threads offering songs for
sale, so I decided to speak out about it.
http://www.justplainfolks.org/ubb/Forum4/HTML/001820.html

A song for Sale that will Probably SELL
Songwriter Paul Terry King co-author of such hits as "Love in the
First Degree," sung by Alabama, and "Idabel," sung by Elvis, is
auctioning his interest in the only known available Elvis song
titled "If I'd Only Bought Her Roses."
http://www.justplainfolks.org/ubb/Forum4/HTML/001853.html
I'm confused about how good a demo has to be.
http://www.justplainfolks.org/ubb/Forum4/HTML/001832.html

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This past weekend I went to my daughters dance competition.
One school choreographed their dance to a christian song
called "Welcome Home" that I later found out was written and
performed by Shaun Groves.
As I was reading about Shaun, I discovered these articles on the
process of making an album.
enjoy

Interviews in ChristianityToday.com,
The Process

(part 1): Making an Album
http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/interviews/2003/shaungroves-
0203.html
(part 2): Song Selection
http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/interviews/2003/shaungroves-
0303.html
(part 3): Recording
http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/interviews/2003/shaungroves-
0403.html
(part 4): Radio Is a Reality
http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/interviews/2003/shaungroves-
0503.html
(part 5): "Who's My Audience?"
http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/interviews/2003/shaungroves-
0603.html
(part 6): Hitting the Road
http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/interviews/2003/shaungroves-
0703.html

Shaun Groves
http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/artists/shaungroves.html
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Congratulations to IFS Readers

Sherrie Davis from Dallas

The movie, "Who's Your Daddy" has a song, "Everything You Wanted, "
that IFS reader Sherrie Davis from Dallas and Joe Estes cowrote. The
movie is now available to rent. Apparently, it came out at the end of
the summer at the theatres and she missed it. Sherrie said "It was
really great to see her name on the credits." Listen for the song
about 2/3's into the movie at the climax where the guy finally gets
the girl he's after. She is wearing a fuzzy bra and teasing him
upstairs. The chorus is sung in it's entirety during that scene.

Sherrie how did you get the song placed in that movie?

We signed the song with BOK Music Publishing a couple of years ago.
BOK almost immediately got the song in this movie that was already
completed and looking for a distributor. They bought it, edited in
the song and the movie sat on the shelf for a long time. It's a B-
movie at best. Not getting very good ratings. My 14 year old son
laughed all the way through it, so if 14 year olds were allowed to
view a R-Rated comedy, it would be a bust. Link to a movie review..
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0287138/ But buy it, buy it!! It's a
collector's item. Only one Sherrie will probably ever get a song in!

Sherrie

~ ~ ~

this is awesome congratulations

i'm so proud of you
i'll run this in IFS

Ande

From: "Marilyn Norrod
Subject: My first network t.v. sale

Hi Ande,

A cool thing happened last month. I got a call from the folks at Sony
t.v. asking if they could use a song of mine that they'd heard on
itunes.com. I said "well sure" and they sent me a contract to sign,
which I did. Then two weeks ago my song "I Love Your Smell" was
featured on the show King of Queens. It's my first big network t.v.
song!

And this all happened because I wrote a silly little tune about how
much I loved the way my husband smelled. Then I put it on my c.d.,
Teapot Lady. And then I sold my c.d. at c.d baby, where they
arranged to have it digitally distributed to itunes and other digital
distribution sites. It was really simple and really wonderful. So
yay cd baby, yay itunes, yay sony. And it just goes to show that
sometimes good things do fall into your lap, but usually after you've
done lots and lots of work shaking the tree.

Marilyn Rucker

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Austin Music Foundation's
Music Industry Boot Camp is on
Monday, Feb. 28th at
Tambaleo (302 Bowie Street) from
6:30pm - 9:00pm

The Austin Music Foundation is pleased to announce that we will be
moving to Tambaleo for our first Music Industry Boot Camp seminar of
2005 on Monday February 28th, at 6:30pm. The panel is entitled "CD
Release in Real Time: Plan it from start-to-finish in 2 hours." The
session will be an interactive strategy session where our
knowledgable panelists will take you step-by-step through the
planning process of a CD Release following the pattern of Incubator
Artist CD Releases. Before the session we will draw names and choose
one artist attendee who will join the panelists on stage to devise a
production, manufacturing, marketing, distribution, tour and launch
party plan for their CD! As always, Boot Camp is free to the public
and open to everyone. This amazing opportunity to interact with these
awesome panelists is not to be missed!
Panelists:

Ray Flowers
Fifth Column Management

Vickie Lucero
Propaganda Media Group

web: http://www.austinmusicfoundation.org

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I received some letters from the last IFS issue:
"some doors may only open once" featuring Jason Blume's note to IFS
readers about professional Pitch packages.

Dear Ande

I must say Ande, I've met Jason several times over the past 5
years.... and he's pretty hard to impress. What he says is true and
I've had to open 1,000s of submissions just like that.
However, if he found some well crafted songs, I would ask him which
ones they were, just so that the people who wrote them could get
a "little" encouragement for the "simon" of Nashville.

Just a thought. I didn't submit anything... but I know his stamp of
approval can be the difference in someone continuing and someone
giving up. You might want to ask him which songs he thought were good
for the writer's sake.

Update, a lady artist from New Zealand is making my song "higher
ground" the title track for her CD being released next month. MY co-
writer has been working on the deal for a year from England. If
nothing else, I'll get another free CD out of it! LOL

kindest regards
Kay-lynn Carew

~ ~ ~

hi kay lynn,

I think most of us are hard to impress, we all have heard thousands
of songs
It's a rare song that really WOW us, one that gives us a strong
unexpected emotional pull.

When dealing with new artists, everything is on the line with their
first single. It's great if they can have a winner right off the bat,
like Gretchen Wilson did or Billy Ray Cyrus
a lot of really talented artists don't get as far as they could
because
1) they picked the wrong songs
2) didn't produce a song as great as possible or
3) they released wrong single

Labels are pretty unforgiving, I imagine they'd rather drop an artist
from their roster than throw good money after bad.

good idea asking him for the list of songs and writers that he
thought were really good

congratulations on your success
I'm proud of you

ande

~ ~ ~

A note from Austin Song Publisher Bruce Newlin about
some doors may only open once

From: newlin@...

Hi Ande,

Re: Jason Blume's comments:

"Amen"

I don't think it would be a bad idea to end every newsletter with
those comments, from now until the end of time. Since many of your
readers are amateurs who want to become professionals, this basic
information needs to be hammered home. I've noticed in dealing with
ASG contests and seminars that the same people who show up year after
year never seem to "get it". This information is every bit as
important as being able to write a good song. Bless you for the
service you're providing and, as always, best of luck.
Bruce Newlin

~ ~ ~ ~

Ande's Response

hi bruce,

great to hear from you

professional presentations are important

though I do think it's more important to
write excellent unique songs and make radio ready demos.
It's really unfortunate that some people never really get it and keep
making the same mistakes.

I try to make new mistakes.

ande

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

IFS readers
I encourage you to
"Make New Mistakes"

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.AndeRasmussen.com/

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

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

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"
(c) 2005 Anders Rasmussen