The deadline is approaching
for the very generous old number 9 scholarship
here's where you can get the details

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/DIFS/message/678

If you're at all interested
SEND SOMETHING IN
a short app is better than no app

Steve is an incredible instructor
This is a don't miss opportunity.

Old Number 9 is a special experience
Stories from Old No. 9 Students.


Rare are the events that can truly be life-changing, but the
songwriter workshops at Old No.9 Road House are just that. With some
twenty other singers, songwriters and wannabes, we spent endless
hours singing, playing, writing, living, breathing music, under the
guidance of gifted musicians and soulful teachers Terri Hendrix and
Lloyd Maines. Between music business discussions, guitar technique
sessions, delicious meals, Hill Country scenery and campfire jams, a
good time was had by all.

We didn't sleep much.
Dan Robertson
http://danrobertson0.tripod.com/id7.html

Hi Everyone,
I wanted to send my sincerest gratitude for the time, knowledge &
inspiration you shared with Brady last weekend! (at the Old No.9) He
has been picking away & recording himself nonstop since. Only being
14 he has so many opportunities ahead of him, and I want him to be
successful on whatever road he may choose. Fortunately for me~
because I love music and have never had the ability to pursue it ~his
passion is music! I love that for him! I really want to nurture this
passion, and had such high hopes for last weekend. Needless to
say....it exceeded both of our expectations! All of you were so great
& we enjoyed sharing the weekend with you. Thanks for letting Brady
put all of his inhibitions aside & join you in making music. All of
you were a great blessing! We will see you next time!
Attached are some photos! Hope you enjoy!
Warmest Aloha,
Alysha Sparkman

Just had to say to each and every one of you "thank you from the
bottom of my heart for making this weekend (at the Old No.9)
something I will remember forever! I will keep in touch and I hope
you all do the same. We have a new songwriters support group ha ha ha
you guys were wonderful and inspirational and I truly thank yall for
being such great people! J Take care!
Cheryl Murdock


Hi everybody......MAN!!! What a special weekend! Thanks to every
single one of you for making it such a
cherished memory for me. I wish we could make it a monthly
occasion.
Hope to see you all again and I hope we all stay in touch.
Take care.
Tracy

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Barbara Cloyd is doing an excellent songwriting / music publishing
workshop in Austin April 29 – May 1
For details drop by:
http://barbaracloyd.com/workshops.htm
Applications must be received by Mon. March 28th.

<> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <>
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

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Dear IFS Friends,

I'm in a hurry to get out of town but I wanted to remind y'all about
old # 9.

SXSW is going on in Austin. A friend of mine told me about an
incredible artist from New Mexico who now lives in Nashville.

I had a great time at the Grammy event in Austin. Got to see many
friends like Sara Hickman, Joe Clark, Joel Guzman, Austin's mayor
Will Wynn, Ray Benson

Go to industry meetings.

Ande Rasmussen

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IFS Reader Thank You's

B9MEAD@... wrote:

Ande, just a note to tell you what a great service you provide to
aspiring songwriters and people like me that have a dream of being a
songwriter but, like you say frequently - that "I have fooled myself
into thinking I could become a songwriter, too"...I'm 55 years old,
worked as a technical computer and networking person for the last 15
years (most recently I was a Pre-Sales Technical Engineer for global
companies, for MCI, then I was laid off last April 2004, after MCI
filed for bankruptcy and became the company responsible for the
biggest fraud in history - - - when I was 40 years old, I didn't know
what a 'C:\ prompt' was - the only thing I knew about computers was
I thought I remembered taking a 'computer' class in my sophomore year
at Southwest Texas State University, in 1969, but wasn't sure, as I
was majoring in Social Skills Development of the 'long-hair'
species....with a minor in Concert Listening with an emphasis on
Texas Blues and Country/Western Musical Styles of the 'Hill-Country'
region!

On a serious note, your passion for helping people attain their
songwriting goals is obvious. Thanks for the courage, time and
commitment you give to IFS and keep up the great work!

Later,
Bruce Meador
Dallas, Tx
972-679-3766

~ ~ ~

Ande, I'd love to receive your newsletter and be inspired and
encouraged to KEEP ON working at writing songs. Thank you for creating
such a source.
Cathy Elzner
catelzner@...

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Pat Pattison is doing an Austin Workshop in May


Pat Patison is coming to
Austin,
May 14th and 15th, 2005! Another great songwriting workshop with
Berklee College's Pat Pattison who will be helping us all in
"Writing from a Title".
Starting with a powerful and effective song title, this 2-day worshop
teaches you to build it into a completed lyric, including setting it
to appropriate rhythm and tempo, using its stressed vowel sounds to
brainstorm ideas, finding title placement, developing contrasting
sections, and developing your ideas to recolor your title or chorus.
These tools will make your writing process more efficient, and your
lyrics more effective. This is how Nashville writers write a song
every day--sometimes two!

"I took a class with Pat Pattison, a really great teacher. .. I
learned a lot of stuff in that class, and I still read Writing Better
Lyrics. I've got it on the tank of my toilet, . I think it's great." -
-Grammy winning artist/songwriter John Mayer, Sept. 19th 2004 --

Pat Pattison is a Professor at Berklee College of Music, where he
teaches Lyric Writing and Poetry. In addition to his three books,
Writing Better Lyrics, The Essential Guide to Lyric Form and
Structure, and The Essential Guide to Rhyming, Pat has developed
three online lyric writing courses for Berklee's online school,
available through patpattison.com. He has written over 30 articles
for Home & Studio Recording Magazine, and The Performing Songwriter.
Pat continues to present songwriting clinics across the US, Canada,
and the UK. Several of his students have won Grammys, including John
Mayer and Gillian Welch.

Location is tentatively set for St. Edward's University. The workshop
will run from 10 am through 5 pm both Saturday and Sunday, with a
break for lunch each day. Cost is $100 per person for this two-day
workshop. Please make your check payable to: "Pat Pattison" and
reserve your seat in advance by mailing it to:

Joe Strouse,
P.O. Box 80444,
Austin, Texas 78708-0444

Questions?
Contact Joe at:
strousongs@...

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ltimura@... writes:
The meeting this month is at JPs Hops House on HWY 6 Just North of
Westheimer in the Shipley Donut Shopping Center.

CRAIG CAROTHERS ALL DAY WORKSHOP ON APRIL 2, 2005

CRAIG HAS HAD NUMEROUS CUTS BY ARTISTS, HAS OPENED FOR EVERYONE AND
THEIR BROTHER, AND IS A WELL-RESPECTED PRODUCER IN N'VILLE. HE IS
ALSO A SOUGHT AFTER SPEAKER AT MANY SONGWRITING CONFERENCES AND FOR
NSAI

WORKSHOP LOCATION: THE HOPS HOUSE
TIME: 9:30 AM - 4PM
COST: $35 MEMBERS, $45 NON-MEMBERS
*****CAN PAY THROUGH PAYPAL ON THE WEBSITE***

LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED

******SEE WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS*******
NSAI-HOUSTON.COM
WWW.CRAIGCAROTHERS.COM

**ALSO: CRAIG WILL BE DOING A SONGWRITER GIG AT THE HOPS HOUSE ON
MARCH 31 STARTING AT 9PM. IF YOU WANT TO CATCH HIM ON THE NORTH SIDE
OF TOWN, HE'LL BE DOING A HOUSE CONCERT AT MARK MCFANN'S HOUSE. YOU
CAN EMAIL MARK FOR MORE INFORMATION AT:
mark.mcfann@...


HOPE TO SEE Y'ALL THERE

*****THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO CAME TO HEAR DON ROLLINS LAST
MONTH!!!!!!! IT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS AND IT LOOKS LIKE DON MAY BE
COMING BACK IN MAY TO DISCUSS OTHER TOPICS WITH US. LET ME KNOW WHAT
YOU MIGHT WANT HIM TO TALK ABOUT********


Leanne Timura
"It All Begins With A Song"
http://NSAI-Houston.com

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SongwriterUniverse.com Monthly Newsletter

In This Issue: March 2005

• New Article with Hot Writer/Producer Matthew Gerrard
• New Interview with Superstar Vocal Coach Seth Riggs in
SingerUniverse


• New "Best Song Of The Month" Winners Announced
• New Premium Listings available for the Songwriters &; Artists
Directory


• The deadline for the next song contest is March 31
• Message from Dale Kawashima (head of SongwriterUniverse)


New Article with Hot Writer/Producer Matthew Gerrard

"MATTHEW GERRARD CO-WRITES SMASH 'BREAKAWAY' FOR KELLY CLARKSON, AND
WRITES &; PRODUCES FOR HILARY DUFF, JESSE McCARTNEY &; LINDSAY LOHAN."

There is a terrific new, feature article on hot, Los Angeles-based
writer/producer Matthew Gerrard (pictured right), He has become one
of the most in-demand pop writer/producers in the business.
Besides "Breakaway," he wrote seven song on the platinum album by
Jesse McCartney, including his new single. Gerrard has also had seven
cuts and two singles with Hilary Duff.

GREAT NEW ARTICLE COMING SOON: AN INTERVIEW WITH HIT ARTIST GAVIN
DeGRAW. This article should be online in about two weeks.
Click here to read this article




New "Best Song Of The Month" Winners Announced

FLYNN of Boston, MA (pictured right), has won this month's song
contest, for his song "Let There Be More Love."

In addition, here are the other Top Five songs of the month:

"A More Beautiful Girl". Written by Cory Churko, Beverley Staunton,
Kevin Churko, Mike Norman &; Mathew Engst of Los Angeles, CA.

"If You Gotta Ask". Written by Liquid Blue (Hobbs/New/Stephens) of
San Diego, CA.

"I Know". Written by Bradley Egel (aka Oleo) of Hoffman Estates, IL.

"To Be A Somebody." Written by Cory Churko, Beverley Staunton, Kevin
Churko &; Mathew Engst of Los Angeles, CA.

You can listen to their mp3s, and contact them directly. Their
contact info and links are listed on the "Best Song Of The Month"
Winners page.
Click here to read the Winners article




The deadline for the next song contest is March 31

ENTRIES ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE NEXT, 'BEST SONG OF THE MONTH"
CONTEST:

The deadline for the next, monthly contest is March 31. The winning
songwriter will be written about for a very positive article at
SongwriterUniverse. The four, free prizes for the contest winner are:
(1) a copy of the "A&R; Registry" directory book (pictured right);
(2) a copy of the "Indie Bible" resource book for independent
artists; (3) the instructional video, "Guitar Playing For
Songwriters," by top Nashville session guitarist Gary Talley; and (4)
a free service with musicSUBMIT.com, which is a website &; press
release submission service. The entry fee is only $12 per song (or
$20 to enter two songs).
Click here to read the song contest instructions




New Interview with Superstar Vocal Coach Seth Riggs in
SingerUniverse

"SUPERSTAR VOCAL COACH SETH RIGGS TALKS ABOUT HIS SPECIAL VOCAL
TECHNIQUE, WORKSHOPS AND CAMP."

Renowned vocal coach Seth Riggs has coached many of the world's top
artists, including Stevie Wonder, Barbra Streisand, Josh Groban,
Michael Jackson, Bette Midler, Natalie Cole, Michael Bolton and
others. In an exclusive new interview, Riggs talks about how he
became a top vocal coach, his special technique, plus his workshop
and his annual camp. This is a terrific article about the world's
most famous singing teacher.

GREAT NEW ARTICLE COMING SOON: AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CHAKA
KHAN. This article will be online in three weeks.

Click here to read this article




New Premium Listings available for the Songwriters &; Artists
Directory

We have now launched our Premium Listings service, where you can post
much more information &; your photo, and get priority positioning in
our Directory, for a small fee. With our Premium Listings, you can
now post your PHOTO, CREDITS, PROJECTS, AWARDS, PUBLICITY, GOALS and
SERVICES. Your Premium Listing will be placed, in alphabetical order
(with the other premium listings), at the top of the regional section
you are listed in. SongwriterUniverse now attracts about 40,000
visitors per month, so your listing will be seen by many people. The
annual fee for the Premium Listing is only $30.
Click here for Premium Listing information




Message from Dale Kawashima (head of SongwriterUniverse)

Hope you're all doing well. I'm very happy with the improved articles
and content in SongwriterUniverse. Recent interviews with Alanis
Morissette and Jaci Velasquez, plus the upcoming interviews with
Gavin DeGraw and Chaka Khan, are indications of the top content we
are bringing to the site.

I wanted to take this opportunity to promote our new, Premium
Listings for the Songwriters &; Artists Directory. You can now post
your photo and added information, so that you can truly get
networking &; collaboration results from being in this Directory. The
annual fee of only $30, and the income from the Directory will help
keep SongwriterUniverse as a free website indefinitely.

As for my monthly, music business report, it's been a tough 2005 so
far. CD sales, which stabilized in 2004, are down 10% so far this
year. But hopefully 50 Cent's huge debut this week will boost CD
sales, and of course, legal online sales from iTunes and others sites
continue to grow.

Thanks again for reading our latest newsletter, and for your
continued interest in our sites.

Best regards,
Dale Kawashima
SongwriterUniverse &; SingerUniverse
Los Angeles
Please click here to visit the SongwriterUniverse site

To visit our SingerUniverse site, please click this link:
SingerUniverse.com

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Write On,

Ande Rasmussen