If YOU want to take your songwriting to a whole new level
TAKE a FREE songwriting course at
http://www.SongU.com/ifs

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IF YOU WANT TO RECEIVE IFS or
CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS WITH IFS
SEND an EMPTY email to
difs-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

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Dear IFS readers,

I hope this email finds you well. I'm back from NYC, while I was
there I met with Mary Beth Stone (the NYC NSAI co-coordinator) and
we dropped by the NYC grammy office which was near my hotel. It's
funny how the week just blows by. I saw the following broadway
productions: Hot Feet, The Wedding Singer, and Hair Spray. I also
saw American Idol Winner Taylor Hicks perform in a park near 42nd
street.

Tomorrow I have my first Grammy Retreat. I'll give you a report soon

ande

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There are several IFS readers who are great enough to be idol
finalists. I also encourage you to encourage someone who you feel
has the talent to be an Idol finalist.

Season 6 Auditions

AMERICAN IDOL begins its search for the next singing superstar and
will host auditions in 7 cities across the country starting this
August!

The quest to become the next American Idol starts now. Auditions for
the sixth edition of AMERICAN IDOL begin in Los Angeles on Tuesday,
Aug. 8, at the Pasadena Rose Bowl.

Men and women 16 to 28 years old on Aug. 6, 2006, and eligible to
work in the United States are welcome to audition. Restrictions
apply – a full list of FAQs and Release Forms will be posted
shortly. Additionally, coming soon, we will have video guides to
audition cities, and photos and videos from every audition.


AUDITION INFORMATION

Los Angeles, CA
Pasadena Rose Bowl
Tuesday, August 8, 2006

San Antonio, TX
Alamodome
Friday, August 11, 2006

East Rutherford, NJ
Continental Airlines Arena
Monday, August 14, 2006

Birmingham, AL
BJCC
Monday, August 21, 2006

Memphis, TN
FedExForum
Sunday, September 3, 2006

Minneapolis, MN
Target Center
Friday, September 8, 2006

Seattle, WA
KeyArena
Tuesday, September 19, 2006


http://www.idolonfox.com/auditions/

http://www.idolonfox.com/auditions/faqs.htm

http://www.idolonfox.com/auditions/rules.htm

http://www.idolonfox.com/auditions/info.htm

http://www.idolonfox.com/auditions/20060711season6release.pdf

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Here's a quote from a Nashville Star producer about Auditioning

I sent an email to the producer thanking him for his time in OKC. He
asked that I share the following.

"Do me a favor - if anyone on the board ever asks advice on what they
should do at auditions - please stress to them that they should be a
STAR right when they step up on stage for their 30 second audition! I
wish I could tell every peson that. If you have a great voice - let
us
know right away - come out of the gate on fire. Make us notice you,
because in 30 seconds, we don't have time to search for that star
inside of you."


Ande's advice on Auditioning for Reality shows

1) Be Great

2) Let your personality shine

3) If you're talented, costumes aren't important,
Rely on your talent. Dress for comfort.

4) if you have no talent and are just trying to get on the show,
gimmicks could be critical.

5) Be Prepared
Know the lyrics
Know the melody

6) Slay them from the start

7) Be outstanding and stand out.

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NSAI pro member JERRY VANDIVER (www.jerryvandiver.com), whose cuts
include "Athens Grease" (Phil Vassar) and "For A Little While" (Tim
McGraw), made this unsolicited comment regarding our upcoming
workshop (Sunday, 7/30) with Bob Regan and Liz Hengber:

I just want to put my 2 cents in here to say that I've done
gatherings with both these writers and they are absolutely great.
Bob is a wealth of knowledge and info and Liz's Do's and Don't's of
Music Row is second to none. I have her sheet on my refrigerator.

$40 is a bargain for these two. You'd spend 20 times that much
flying to Nashville, getting a car, hotel and spinning your wheels
and not get as much info as you will out of this little workshop.

Have a great one.


THERE'S STILL SPACE!
Sunday, July 30th, Noon to 6 PM
520 Eighth Ave. (between 36th & 37th Sts.), 16th Floor

NSAI, ASCAP, SGA and NAPM members: $40
All others: $50
Please bring cash or a check payable to "NSAI."

Come join us for a fabulous afternoon of information and inspiration
with:

LIZ HENGBER


The Dos and Donts of Music Row


Liz perspective is so critical for the New York songwriter.
Originally from Brooklyn, she has forged a successful career for
herself in Nashville as a songwriter with four number ones for Reba
and other chartbusters like
Shes More for Andy Griggs and
Unconditional for Clay Davidsonand now can guide us on how to avoid
some of the mistakes she made in transforming from an outsider to an
insider.

BOB REGAN

Great Ideas


Bob also came to Nashville from far away (California) and has had a
significant impact on Music Row. With hits as wide-ranging as
Your Everything (Keith Urban),
Busy Man (Billy Ray Cyrus) and
Soon (Tanya Tucker),
he contends that strong, fresh song ideas may possibly be the most
important ingredient in becoming a success as a Nashville songwriter
this will be his focus at the workshop.




CRITIQUES

In our previous announcements, we mentioned that critiques would be
guaranteed to the first ten NSAI members to sign up--that quota has
been met. Additional songs, if time permits, will be chosen at
random, as follows: first from NSAI members and then from all
others. Naturally, we will try to accommodate as many people as
possible. In anticipation of this, please bring your song, either
on CD (with the track number clearly marked) or cassette (cued to
your song), along with two typed lyric sheets. Both your recording
and your lyric sheets must be clearly marked with your name and the
name of the song. The lyric sheets should be folded and attached to
the back of the recording with a rubber band. Following these
simple rules will help us speed along the process, so we can
maximize the number of songs critiqued. Sorry, at this workshop, we
cannot accommodate live or live-to-track presentations.

Regional Co-ordinators:

Randi nashrand@...
Mary Beth stonepulse@...

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Memphis lyricist Michael Porter is offering a two-session workshop
for the
Memphis Songwriter's Association.

He promises to make your drive worthwhile! But it is a two
Saturday workshop with homework during the week.

I call it the

"Who? Whose? To Whom? What? Where? When? Why? And How?"
of Songwriting.

It's a jam-packed eight hour workshop.

I have put it together from various sources I've compiled over the
years as well as added some creative spins of my own. The
concentration is on lyrics and NOT music.

Plus, I've added some exercises on how to expand your creative
thinking, which can apply to any endeavor.

I'll be conducting it on
Saturday August 19th &
Saturday August 26th from
10 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
We're having it at a local coffee house / restaurant that is very
friendly to local writers and performers.

MO's (stands for Memphis Originals) @
3521 Walker Avenue in the
Highland Street District near the University of Memphis.

Rates are as follows:
$20.00 MSA Members & Students
$30.00 Non-Members
Optional $18.00 Lunch For Both Sessions

MO's has great food but if you don't wish to pay for the optional
lunch special, we'll have a 30 minute lunch break. There are plenty
of fast food and pizza places in the area.

Anyone interested should call MSA President
Philip Beasley at
626-4127 for reservations.

Any IFS subscriber can email me directly for questions but I cannot
make their reservations. I want to keep it small and have lots of
interaction so we will probably max it out at around 20 - 22 people.

Plus, there will be a homework assignment during the week that all
participants must complete and have ready! I will break everyone into
songwriting teams for that.

This workshop is NOT for the faint of heart. You must be serious
about
your songwriting. I may even give out grades and there will be
NO BELL CURVE AND NO EXTRA CREDIT!

As a U of M college professor, I am used to talking tough...

Places are limited so if interested, please act ASAP.

Thanks

MP
wmporter@...

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SINGER SEARCHING FOR SONGS

Joani Tabor is looking for uptempo contemporary Christian and praise
songs.
www.JoaniTabor.org
GJTabor@...

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Write On,
Ande Rasmussen

Does anyone ever read IFS to the VERY END?