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Inspirations For Songwriters (I F S)
IFS aims to INSPIRE YOU into ACTION
over 3,500 songwriters, music publishers, artists, and
music fans receive IFS
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DID YOU KNOW THAT All IFS messages are archived on
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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 Readers,

Today I'm at home feeling kind of sick with a sore throat and a
cough. I didn't got to work or get to swim.

Last week end I had a swim meet in San Antonio where I set two Zones
Masters swimming records in the 200 IM and the 400 IM for the mens
40 - 44 age group. The 200 IM was the event I've been training for
all year and I achieved the goal I set for myself. It was difficult
and saticefying.

Saturday I showed up at the Old # 9 in Waring Texas to see Steve
Seskin, Rex Foster, Kricket and the IFS / Old # 9 scholarship
recipients. There was first a student concert, then Rex, and then
Steve. I had a nice visit with Terri Fann, http://terrifann.com/ I
left at 11:00 pm and didn't get home till 12:30 I had a swim meet the
next day.

Yesterday I went to Abi Tapia's CD Listening Party at Flipnotics.
Flipnotics is a cool quirky Austin venue along Barton Creek Road that
serves coffee and beer. I saw the following folks, Abi, Paul Barker
of Barker House concerts, Dalis Allen of Kerrville Folk Festival, the
Ginn Sisters, Glenn Fukanaga, Courtney Havenwood and Jay Landers of
Cedar Park House Concerts, Chris Gage, Chris Albert, Gretchen
Kingsley, and bunches of other folks. Abi pulled out her guitar sat
on a wooden wall and sang her songs as the Ginn Sisters added
background vocals. She did a great job and I'm so honored to have a
cowrite with her on her latest CD. It's the only cowrite on the CD
http://abitapia.com/Music.htm

I'm currently on the ballot to serve as a governor of the Texas
Grammy Chapter. I'll let you know if I get elected.

I discovered in March an artist performed one of my songs in the
Houston Astrodome at the Houston Rodeo. How cool is that?

There's some good stuff in this IFS and I wish you the best.

Ande

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Saturday April 16 at 8pm
Tejas to Tennessee Songwriter Series

John Arthur Martinez is doing a special gig at the Uptown Theature in
Marble Falls Texas with Adam Carroll and Austin Cunningham.

Austin Cunningham cowrote Flies on the Butter with Allen Shamblin.

Guests for the Uptown Marble Theatre.

Austin Cunningham:
In the past decade, singer/songwriter Austin Cunningham has been
making himself heard - from Nashville's music row to kicking up dust
on the Texas music scene to the soundtracks of major hollywood films.
From playing regular gigs at Nashville's Tootsie's, the Bluebird
Cafe, the Songwriter Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame, and
in Texas at Texana Grill, Love and War in Texas and Poor David's
Pub.He has also found time to pen songs for top country recording
artists Wynonna, Trisha Yearwood, Dolly Parton, Hal Ketchum, Chris
Knoght, and Del McCoury, as well as release three self-produced CD's.
For more info please go to:
http://uptownmarble.frontgatetickets.com/
click MORE to the right of Tejas to Tennessee.

Adam Carroll:
After nearly a year, Adam Carroll's debut release South of Town is
again available in stores regionally, nationally and on the Internet.
Adam is regarded by Texas music artists, fans and industry as one of
the most talented young songwriters and performers on the scene. Adam
introduced us to his witty storytelling and country-folk-blues hybrid
with his 1999 South of Town release.

Several cuts received airplay on radio stations all over Texas (KGSR,
KSYM, KHYI, KTFW, KNON, KLNC, KVET, KFAN, KTXN, KTCI, KNBT) and
Europe. South of Town was chosen as one of the best releases of the
year in The Austin Chronicle, San Antonio Express News, Austin
American Statesman and Fort Worth Star Telegram. After relocating
from his hometown of Tyler to San Marcos, TX, Adam was quickly
accepted by Austin music fans and was voted into the Austin
Chronicle's 1999-2000 Austin Music Awards as #9 Best
Singer/Songwriter, #4 Best Folk Artist, #18 Male Vocalist and #10
Best Songwriter.
http://uptownmarble.frontgatetickets.com/ for tickets
Show starts at 8:00 pm, so please don't be late!

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here's what IFS reader and Old # 9 scholarship workshop recipient,
James Michael Taylor wrote about his experience at old # 9.

Ande,

As I said this morning, I'm still searching for the words that will
communicate my response to the weekend at the OLD # 9 songwriter
workshop with Steve Seskin.

Almost as soon as Steve began his discourse on Saturday morning,
talking about form and melody and imagery, my mind began to pop with
ideas. What he communicated was way more than what he was saying.
It was clear that conviction and passion and attitude played a major
role in writing a good song. He told us the book stuff but he showed
us, in every example, that songwriting is a lot more than a by-the-
numbers endeavor.

Steve can't sit still, even when he is in a class situation and he's
just singing a chorus. He knows what he believes and he cares enough
to dig for the images and the words that speak for him. That was the
overriding message. All the other stuff we have read many times in
the books we bought over the years. He brought it all to life.

By the time it came to subject one of our songs to his critical eye,
one in our group said she had already accepted that everything she
had ever written was just a work in progress. But one by one, as we
sang our songs to Steve, he would identify the kernel of truth and
the core of the song and then take the guitar or lyric sheet and make
suggestions that had everyone reeling. It didn't hurt. Something I
have dreamed of for years happened. With Steve's example the
songsmith in all of us emerged and everyone benefitted.

We have accepted that Steve won't be there tomorrow, but we have
agreed to share our new songs with each other via the net and
continue the process he helped set in motion.

As I was trying to tell a friend this morning what went on at Old # 9
his week end I said...

"48 hours at OLD #9 could be called
a water shed,
a breakthrough,
a milestone,
a turning point, ... a significant event....

Steve creates an environment wherein songwriters can freely discuss
the problems they are having with material and everyone stays open to
suggestions and actually hears suggestions that are helpful. I think
everyone was elated just to finally see that it could actually
happen. It wasn't just Steve that was coming up with helpful
suggestions."
......................

Kricket is such a natural part of the whole thing that she just
blended into it all and I realize I have said all the above and not
even mentioned her. Thanks to her, this place still exists. Thanks
to her, the enviornment is provided for something like this to
happen. She is so much like one of us there that if one didn't know
her story they would never guess. It would seem like God just set it
all up to make us able to concentrate on our dreams of putting our
longings into a song.

I, especially, am grateful because it was, additionally, a gift for
me. Without the little contest and the scholarship I would not have
been there. I realize that, if it hadn't been me it could have been
someone else and that is a real spur to make sure I share what I got
from the experience with others.

If you have specific questions or want more of the plot just let me
know and I'll respond.

Thanks so much for caring about all this.

Yours truly

James Michael Taylor
www.txh2o.com for TEXAS WATER INFO
and links to other cool music sites: RaByn's, Charis', mine etc...!

I post what I'm working on right now at...
http://home.earthlink.net/~pyropool/AUDIO

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Pat Pattison is doing a
Lyric Writing Workshop in
Austin Texas on
Saturday May 14 and Sunday May 15
Pat is a lyric writing professor from the famous Berklee School of
Music in Boston.  http://www.berklee.edu/

Questions? Contact Joe Strouse at:
strousongs@...

Yes, another e-minder for  the upcoming songwriting workshop with
Berklee's Pat Pattison who will be helping us all in "Writing from a
Title".  Some seats are still available - reserve your soon!

Starting with a powerful and effective song title, this 2-day seminar
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 at St. Edward's University. Cost is $100 per
person for this two-day workshop. Please make checks payable to: "Pat
Pattison" and reserve your seat in advance by mailing them to:

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

Questions? Contact Joe at: strousongs@...

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here's some excellent Lyricwriting tips from the Beams newsletter.
http://www.justplainfolks.org/ubb/Forum4/HTML/001955.html

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I don't know anything about this lead or publisher but
thought I'd share it with y'all anyway

PUBLISHER SEARCHING FOR SONGS



We are trying to find songs for 2 movies.At this time, we need
country/pop that would be suitable for a female singer similar to
Faith Hill or Reba, cross over country suitable for a male singer
similar to Alan Jackson or Hank Williams, Jr. and country gospel such
as Loretta Lynn or similar female singer might do.

We will send you a postcard to confirm receipt of your package. If I
get a firm offer to use your song, I shall send you a publishing
contract. We do not tie your song up on speculation.


Please include this code on outside of package (WSJC)
Please send to

Mary Watson
Jessica Culpepper Music Publishing, BMI
11853 Lebanon Road, Suite F
Mount Juliet, TN 37122

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IFS reader Taya Lear Interviewed Phil Vassar.

4 Questions for Phil Vassar

From country singer Taya Lear

We asked Taya Lear of Clyde Township what she would like to know from
country star Phil Vassar. Here's what she had to ask and what he had
to say:

TAYA (asked by Reed Dunn): What advice can you offer to upcoming
singer/songwriters?

PHIL: "I mean, I think the first thing I had to do was move to
Nashville. You really have to get your stuff together at home and
say, 'Look, I need to make the jump to Nashville or L.A. or New
York.' ... You just gotta kind of go where it is."

TAYA: Do you have a personal favorite on Nashville Star? If so, who
and why?

PHIL: "I don't know if I have a personal favorite. I was really kind
of surprised Tamika (Tyler) got voted off. ... I like Jayron Weaver
and Erika Jo (Heriges). I like the guy Jody Evans, the rockabilly
guy. There's something really special about what he does."

TAYA: How important is it for a singer/songwriter to live in
Nashville vs. elsewhere in the United States?

PHIL: "I think it's totally important. You kind of have to go where
the action is. You have to go where the best are, and Nashville has
the best songwriters. ... Everybody else comes here. Believe me,
they're not going to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, or wherever looking for
talent."

TAYA: If you heard someone singing at a club and thought they
had "it," would you try and help them break into the business with
your expertise, star power and contacts?

PHIL: "I think so. I've definitely given some people some advice and
help. I've signed a couple of songwriters to my own company. ... I'd
have to see them live, that's the only way to kind of do it."

How to get them

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The Secrets of Songwriting Success - Seminar in May    
 
Starting in May the new website www.IndieArtists.com will start
offering helpful Teleseminars on songwriting and the music
business.    In a nutshell there are four 90 minute Teleseminars (one
each Tuesday in May) plus a bonus FAQ Teleseminar all for just $
29.    In addition they are also offering free MP3 audio for those
who can't be on the call each week plus a free copy of Ande's new
Ebook "How to Write a Love Song & WOW the One You Love!".      For
less than a $ 1 per day in May presenter and successful songwriter
Vincent James will teach you a ton about the craft of songwriting,
makin' professional demos and getting your songs heard.   For more
information and to sign up for the class please visit
www.indieartists.com  today.    Space is limited to the first 50
people who register.

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Dallas Songwriters Group is doing a great job with their email
announcements
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/DallasSongwritersAssociation

here's their latest announcement
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/DallasSongwritersAssociation/mess
age/48

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NSAI announced the winner in the songwriting contest and sever IFS
readers did quite well

http://www.nashvillesongwriters.com/news.ez?
viewStory=90&Form.sess_id=1164004&Form.sess_key=1113495387

you should regularly check out NSAI
http://www.nashvillesongwriters.com/

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ASCAP WRITERS
check out the ASCAP plus awards
http://www.ascap.com/about/specialawardsinfo.html

I got a $50 check in the mail from this last week.
I plan to apply again and hope to receive more.

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Write On,

Ande Rasmussen