have you joined the Grammy yet?
www.Grammy.org

Take YOUR Songwriting to the next LEVEL
Drop by

http://www.SongU.com/ifs

Where you can:
+ PITCH your songs
+ Receive Professional critiques
+ Get Mentoring from industry pros
+ Network with talented songwriters at SongU and
TAKE a FREE songwriting course at

http://www.SongU.com/ifs

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Every songwriter should have a songwriting Library
Drop by:
http://astore.amazon.com/ifsande-20
to find what's missing from yours

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Many artists say the INDIE BIBLE
is a wonderful tool for independent artists
drop by
http://www.indiebible.com/swb
to check it out

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

SELL downloads of your songs and other creations at:
http://www.payloadz.com/rs/go.asp?rs_id=15854

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Austin Music Foundation is doing a great event this monday Aug 27th
I hope to attend

Making Money as a Songwriter &; Music Publisher
Austin Music Foundation and Christian L. Castle, Attorneys are proud
to present the 34th Music Industry Boot Camp.

Monday, August 27
6:30 pm

The Parish
214 East 6th St

Music Industry Boot Camp is co-sponsored by Texas Music Round Up and
Front Gate Tickets.

Musicians need to know the many different avenues where they can
generate income and the types of deals common to these areas.

This one-stop primer on music and money covers how music generates
income from use in videogames, motion pictures and television
licensing, CD sales, ringtones and ring backs, advertising
commercials, downloads, conditional downloads, streaming, Broadway,
music boxes, dolls, toys, greeting cards, webcasting, mobile devices,
digital distribution, remixes and samples, foreign countries, and
much more.

Leading the discussion will be national best-selling authors Todd and
Jeff Brabec, authors of Music, Money and Success: The Insider's Guide
to Making Money in the Music Business.

The Brabecs are former recording artists as well as entertainment
lawyers. They both lecture extensively on all aspects of the
business, legal, and money side of music.

Todd Brabec is Executive Vice President and Director of Membership
for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
(ASCAP), the world's largest performing rights organization.

Jeff Brabec is Vice President of Business Affairs for The Chrysalis
Music Group where he specializes in evaluating, analyzing, and
negotiating music publishing acquisitions.

If you want to learn how to expand your music's revenue streams, this
Boot Camp is for you.

The Brabecs' book Music, Money &; Success will be on sale at the
event, so be sure to get your autographed copy! A portion of the
sales will benefit Austin Music Foundation.

AMF would like to thank the Parish for donating their venue for this
Boot Camp and also the Stephen F. Austin Intercontinental Hotel. See
you there!


wwww.AustinMusicFoundation.com


~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

check out
http://acl.mp3.com/feature/soundandjury



Dear IFS Readers,

I hope this email finds you well. I'm doing pretty good. Here's a
few things that happened since I last wrote you

1) I got a cut with Miranda Townsend
www.MirandaTownsend.com
The song is called "I Think I Think Too Much"
I cowrote it with
Jessa Frith www.Jessa.cc and
Eric Copeland. Nashville producer
http://www.ericcopelandmusic.com
http://www.creativesoulonline.com

2) I'm also thrilled to say that
Chet McIntyre recorded "Blue Holiday"
Aaron Allan produced it
I really dig what they did.

3) I listened to a great presentation on SongU by Michele Vice
Maslin. She talked about how she's placed many songs on TV shows and
in films. Her presentation is definitely worth hearing
If you're not a member drop by
www.SongU.com/ifs
When I dropped by http://www.myspace.com/sweetersongs
I was quite impressed with her cowriter, cut, and placement list.
She's cowritten songs with Jessa Frith.
I also love Michele's song Some Saving, the vocalist is Juliet Simms.

She inspired me to write down my own list of cowriters.
the woman is a dynamo.

here is my list of cowriters:

cowritten songs with:

Steve Seskin, John Arthur Martinez, Brock Goodwin, Eric Copeland,
Donna Aylor, Halie Loren, Faith Rivera, John Gilliam, Paul Lopez,
Ruckus Skye, Wake Eastman, Tommy Byrd, Alice Olsen, Mary Bahan, Steve
Mesropian (Mez), Steve Callif, Leanne Kinney, Marinus Vandertogt,
Peter Nelson, Billy White, Ronda Wynn, Denny Martin, Brett Bingham,
Jim Furhman, Robert Deitch, Abi Tapia, Steve Brooks, Bev Houston,
Adam Donmoyer, Moe Monsarratt, Jessa Frith, Christian Palladino, Jill
Louise King, Betsy Foster, Gayla LeJeune, Charlotte Ryerson, Willie
McCulloch, Rik Shafer, Mark Oates, Chelle Murrey, Bob Jenkins, Kerry
Ford,

4) I recently found
www.ArtistsHouseMusic.org
is a great thing.
Everyone should check it out
I am super impressed with what I've seen so far.

Funding for the development of Artists House Music has been provided
by the Herb Alpert Foundation.
The foundation devised the idea for an online, non-profit musicians'
Website where all musicians can receive
+ informational support,
+ guidance, and
+ expert resources
to help them navigate the challenges and maximize the opportunities
available to them within the music industry.
http://www.ArtistsHouseMusic.org
What do you think?

5) I'm also excited because I've got some really cool song ideas and
cowrites in the works.

6) Ryan Jirovec is an awesome vocalist who's moved to San Marcos, TX
to attend Texas State U
http://www.myspace.com/ryanjirovec
He mentioned to me that he's available to sing on projects and demos.

7) I'm also very impressed with Megan Conner. She's an excellent
writer and vocalist in Nashville.
I love her new song "Balloon"
http://www.myspace.com/megconner
She's got a powerful bluesy voice.

I loved her Blog:

November 21, 2005 - Monday
NASHVILLE

Well, it's almost that time. One month from tomorrow (12/20), I pack
up my things in NYC and head to Nashville to pursue my dreams....
It's happening. Finally. Who knows what the future holds, but I
continue to receive amazing support from those surrounding me. Thank
you to those reading this right now for your constant support and
encouragement. I find the strength not only within but through each
of you as well. Many Thanks, and Many Blessings, Megan

I also loved Kris Bergsnes encouraging comment:
http://www.myspace.com/bergsong

18 years and 6 months ago I moved to Nashville to pursue my dream.
Some of the people I write with weren't even born. I remember my car
so full of everything I owned. I put my guitar in the back so people
could see it. I wanted everyone to know I was on my way and that
there was no turning back. I couldn't play a song on the guitar and
I couldn't sing but I had that dream of Nashville. I got here June
17, 1987 with $500.00 cash and a car with no payments. I worked as a
waiter off an on for the first 10 years. Now I just write and I
still don't sing very well and my guitar playing has been abandoned a
thousand times cause I just don't have it. But the tin man didn't
have a heart but he still found a way to cry so I kept on doing what
I had to do to stay in town. There's always uncertainy with any
dream worth chasing. Thats why they call it a dream. I don't know
how big of a star you will be but I do know that you will meet people
in Nashville that are more like you than members of your own family.
It is so scary to be around so many dreamers. Not all will make it
to the top but there are so many beautiful steps along the way to
make the journey worth while. The greatest step is when you put your
foot on the gas with that no turning back smile on your face. I wish
I could start all over, not that I think I would do better or would
want to do bettter, I just love that feeling of being new and
hungry. Your shoes are filled with a very lucky person with a great
spirit of adventure. I know I will see you around when you get to
Nashville, it's a small town when you get around the music. Just
look how many myspace friends we all have in common and myspace has
only been around for a year. Well good luck to you. Instead of
writing this, I guess I could've written a song. Maybe what I've
written will help you write one on the way to town. Now that would
be a story........

Kris

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Writing Up: Interview With Combustion Music's Pete Sallis
Nashville

By: Doak Turner (Associate Writer)
2003-05-21

We are in the conference room at Combustion Music, on Music Row in
Nashville, with pro songwriter Pete Sallis. Pete recently signed his
first songwriting publishing agreement with Combustion Music.

[Doak Turner] Pete, where are you from?

Pete Sallis Originally from Wheaton, Illinois. It is a town about 40
miles northwest of Chicago.

[Doak Turner] How did you get into songwriting and how did growing up
in Wheaton influence your songwriting?

Pete Sallis In the 5th grade, I started playing the snare drum in a
concert band and concentrated on playing snare and becoming a great
drummer. Starting in the 5th grade and all through high school, I
played in bands and all I wanted to do was be a professional drummer.

I played in cover bands and our favorite groups were so different,
from Journey, Ozzy Osborne to Air Supply. In high school, I was in a
band with Billy Corrigan, later known for fame in Smashing Pumpkins,
and I was the drummer. We did the heavier metal covers in the talent
and variety shows. I started becoming aware of the songwriting as a
craft in my junior year of high school. I started playing in another
band and writing my own songs, we played in a talent show and played
my song in the junior year. I sang my first song I ever wrote in one
of those talent shows. We didn't win, and the song was something
like "I Love You, I Love You" or something that would be really bad
these days. That was when I first got the songwriting bug; people
said it was great to hear an original song.

From the time I was sixteen, I started concentrating on songwriting,
taught myself to play piano and guitar, because I knew I was going to
start writing songs. I started seeking out all of those
singer/songwriters that were around in the late `80s: Elton John,
Billy Joel, James Taylor, Jim Croce and others like them.

At age 18, I moved to San Diego with the intention of going to San
Diego State, and never started to school. I was working construction
instead, but I was writing a lot of songs, mostly bad songs.

[Doak Turner] Were you playing in any bands?

Pete Sallis No, pretty much by myself for the first time in a while.
I started getting serious about the craft. I was at a crossroad of
going to film school or going to Nashville. I had a passion for
movies, how they were made, the writing behind them. I chose music,
looked in a college directory of music schools in Nashville. I saw
Belmont University in Nashville. I enrolled in 1992 as a freshman,
and attended for 3 and a half years. Someday I will finish my degree.

[Doak Turner] What was your major?

Pete Sallis Music business, with an emphasis in publishing. They had
a great music business program. At that time, I was playing drums for
several Christian artists through friends that I made at Belmont. It
is a great place to network and I met a lot of people who are doing
real well now in the music profession. It got to a point where I had
to either stay in school or go out on the road full time. In 1995, I
started going on the road full time. The whole time I would be going
to the writer nights in town. The drumming kept me busy on the road.

[Doak Turner] Who were you playing drums for on the road?

Pete Sallis Bob Carlisle of "Butterfly Kisses" fame. I went to Sweden
with him. Charlie Peacock, Michael English, Terry McMillan. Then I
met different people who were in the country music industry and
started playing for Mindy McCready, Tim Rushlow (of Little Texas
fame), and also did a three-year gig with a corporate band traveling
all over the world for corporate events. We also played in churches
on the road.

[Doak Turner] What is a corporate band?

Pete Sallis A band that plays for corporations such as Ford Motor
Company or Amway that will have a big conference for their customers
or employees, with a band for entertainment at the end of a day of
seminars. We would play cover songs with a couple originals songs.
They would hire a big name to be the feature band, such as Suzy
Boggess, Jo Dee Messina, or someone like that for the headliner. It
was a great experience, traveling all over the world playing drums
for a living. Playing the cover tunes, I could see what would work
and what did not work; I was learning the structure and craft by
playing those songs. It was a very valuable experience.

[Doak Turner] Were you writing songs at this time?

Pete Sallis I would write maybe thirty or forty songs a year while I
was on the road. About 1998, after being on the road for three years,
I really just wanted to learn to write songs. I started buying
several songwriting books. I started learning more about the
songwriters than the artists. Don Schlitz was one of my first
songwriters that I studied at the time. I would re-write their lyrics
and structure, see where the rhymes fell, the phrasing. When I would
hear songs that just killed me, I would take the song apart and find
out why I liked it so much, what made me go, "Man, I wish I wrote
that song".

[Doak Turner] Why did you like particular songs, what made them stand
out for you?

Pete Sallis It would be a unique idea, most of the time. The feel,
the phrasing really knocked me out, saying it so different. A good
example would be the second verse of Steve Seskin's song, sung by Tim
McGraw, "I Don't know Why They Say Grown Men Don't Cry". The
lyrics, "I keep having this dream about my old man, he was a slave to
his job and never could be around". Whatever it was, I would keep it
in my mind to be different.

[Doak Turner] What happened next for Pete?

Pete Sallis I was going to writers' nights in 1998; I would catch Don
Schlitz as often as I could. It was great going to all those writers'
nights, like going to college every night in Nashville. You could
always find a great writer in town.

[Doak Turner] What are you looking for when you go to these
songwriter nights, why do you say it is like going to college?

Pete Sallis They are just so much better than I am. It is like a
teacher showing a student how to write a song. If you are perceptive
enough, you can pick out what made it great. They can write the same
title that you write, and they are going to nail it. It seems that
way. Of course, what you don't know is they wrote a hundred others
that suck, but the ones they play out are great. You have to put your
time in, and that is how you learn.

[Doak Turner] Did you network at these songwriter nights?

Pete Sallis No, I never did network. That is why it took me eleven
years to get a publishing deal. I was out of town and on the road for
six of those years. I never asked anyone to write with me. I even had
friends that had staff deals for years, and I never asked them to
write with me. I always figured they would ask me when the time came.
I never felt confident in asking them to co-write. When people would
ask me what I wanted to do, I would tell them I wanted to be a
songwriter.

[Doak Turner] Was it fear that kept you from asking them to co-write?

Pete Sallis No. But I would do it the same way.

[Doak Turner] Why is that?

Pete Sallis You hear too many stories about people being too pushy,
and stepping on wrong toes. Back then; my songs would not have been
good enough. If I had a co-writer back then, I would not have been
asked back to co-write. The songs themselves tell you when you are
ready. If the pro writers want to write with you, it is because they
have heard something that you have written. It is like dating, "I
heard your girlfriend is hot, so I want to take her out".

[Doak Turner] So, you are on the road for this period in your life.
Tell me about your family. Are they supportive of what you are doing
for a living?

Pete Sallis I grew up as the youngest of seven children, with four
sisters and two brothers. Music is all that I have ever done, and
they have always been supportive. There has never been a question in
anyone's mind as to what I wanted to do with my life. I never wanted
to be a doctor, lawyer, or anything else in this world. All my family
plays music. That was a big influence. They were big into playing
music at church. I couldn't have the rock music in the house, but
gospel & country were acceptable, but I never listened to country
until 1990.

[Doak Turner] What changed to make you want to listen to country
music?

Pete Sallis Growing up, I remember my sisters having "The Gambler" by
Kenny Rogers, and the group, Alabama. I was into rock n' roll, pop
rock and Foreigner, music that was on the radio at the time. I did
not like the country sounds in the eighties. The thing that changed
it all for me, it was in 1990 or 1991, when I heard the Vince Gill
song, "Never Knew Lonely". I heard that voice and went, "Who in the
heck is that"? The song did not sound like all those other voices of
country and what I perceived was every other country singer. I wanted
to know more about the singer, started watching for the video. Vince
really opened the door for the country music scene for me.

I thought it was all about, you play a country song backwards, and
you get your house, your dog, and wife back (laughs). I heard that
voice of Vince Gill made me go wow; there is something besides the
twangy voice.

It was my ignorance of country music, because it was certainly not
all just twang at the time. From 1991 on is when I got into the
country music. I started college late, at the age of 23. I wanted to
be in the music scene, could have decided to move to LA or New York,
but wanted to go where the songwriters are, in Nashville. Over the
last ten years, I have been able to work into a developing
songwriter.

[Doak Turner] How have you been able to develop into the songwriter
that you have become over the years?

Pete Sallis Writing a lot, learning from friends that have publishing
agreements. They have always given me little things like, you have to
practice anything in life to be good, "You have to put the time
behind the pen" as Kris Bergsnes says. You have to write a lot of bad
songs.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

got this note from my cowriter and friend Wake Eastman

Hank Sinatra Presents the Songwriters Series invites you to an
evening with
>songwriters Paula Nelson, Bill Oliver and Wake Eastman this Saturday
>evening, August 25th beginning at 8:00 PM (CT). Come on over to
Hank's and
>watch a great evening of great songwriters. If you're too lazy,
drunk or
>too
>far then log onto http://www.songwritersseries.com and watch the
concert
>live anywhere in the world with a high-speed Internet.
>
>8:00 PM (CT) - Paula Nelson with George Devore
>9:15 PM (CT) - Wake Eastman
>10:30 PM (CT) - Bill Oliver
>
>Come on out as Pyramid Breweries is our sponsor and feeds you beer
for the
>event. TexasRadio1.com and TVKnob.com are the technological
>gizmo-thingamajiggy companies that make Internet broadcast actually
>broadcast and Hank Sinatra is, well, Hank Sinatra so we apologize
for that.
>
>Directions: From IH 35. Head to downtown Austin. Take the Riverside
Exit
>and
>head East. Travel East down Riverside Dr. for two miles whistling
your
>favorite rap ballad. After Pleasant Valley Rd., the third or fourth
next
>right will be Riverside Farms road where you will take a right and
travel
>down about a 1/2 mile to 2407 Riverside Farms Road on your left. Go
into
>the
>backyard, beyond the chicken coop and join us for a great Songwriters
>Series
>Showcase Concert.
>
>Also, WATCH A BRAND NEW SHOW in the meantime featuring countrabilly
>troubadoor Dave Madewell at
http://www.songwritersseries.com

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Got this note from Julie Carter-Moriva

Hey Guys!!

You can help me out by doing what it says here it's a great cut and
Boomtown did a fabulous job on it! Now, let's get it played AS MUCH
AS POSSIBLE across the nation.

Thanks for your support!!


From: Boomtown Official Website

News Release

Boomtown Single Lands in 33 US Markets starting Sept. 9th



With the new CD almost out, we'd like to say thanks to the nationally
syndiacted radio show, “Sundays Kind of Country” BOOMTOWN
single "Bottle to the Bible" will hit regular rotation in 33 markets
nationwide starting Sept 9th. Thanks to Robbie Lynn and the staff at
SKOC. PLease go and visit their website... www.skoc.us and send them
a big thank you and keep e-mailing them your request for Bottle to
the Bible by BOOMTOWN. Also make sure and call your local radio
station and request BOOMTOWN's latest single.

Thanks and God Bless !!!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

got this note from Terri Hendrix

"The Spiritual Kind"
Digital &; Retail: August 28th!

FREE Bootleg cd w/ "TheSpiritual Kind!" ORDER HERE!
Join the CMT "Spiritual Kind" Listening Party!
Visit Amazon.com
Spacing out in Myspace

Greetings from San Marcos!

Hi there! Things are going really well with my new record. I have a
team helping me out behind the scenes that's creating new
opportunities for my music. But as an indie artist out there on the
same playing field with the majors labels, I can tell you it's your
support that makes the world of difference. Due to folks like you
requesting my tunes, we are at #6 on the Americana chart and moving
up the AAA chart too. I'm also involved in a distribution program
called "Paste Recommends" so my new cd will be in indie stores all
over the US. I'm telling you this as many of you are curious how to
help "get my music out there." Well, little things like going to
amazon.com and writing about my new record help gain me placement in
their system. Also, participating in the CMT listening party. Even
forwarding this email to a buddy helps. And of course picking up my
new record in my online music store because it funds Wilory World. If
you've already pre-ordered ... thanks! But If you have not had the
chance yet, the first 100 folks that order my new cd this month will
get a free copy of our recent bootleg CD too. This bootleg's been
popular with you Goatheads this summer and many of you have been
requesting we sell it ... so it's available again for ... FREE. And,
I'll autograph your cd's too if you want me to. Just say so on the
order form. Thanks so much for supporting my music and this journey
I've been on. It's you that indeed makes the difference.

P.S. This free bootleg cd's only available with my new record and
will be on your order form when you place your order. It's a deal for
you folks on my mailing list so we will not be advertising it on my
website.

Next month I'll have a "GoatNotes" for you ... promise. Your friend
in music, Terri Hendrix (and Georgia ... my new guitar)

~ ~ ~

there was also a nice
Troubadour Terri Hendrix's new album is spiritual, silly and true to
herself
http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/music/stories/MYSA081907.03
P.Hendrix.1d6ad46.html

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Songwriter Lori McKenna finally gets her due
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/entertainment/5062650.htm
l

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Musicians and Artists for World Peace is a network of musicians,
artists & performers working to promote events & concerts focused on
peace, ecology & raising global consciousness. The Nashville branch
of Musicians and Artists for Peace has just recently formed and will
be participating in the 2008 Global Peace Concert to be held next
year to commemorate the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's
famous I Have a Dream speech that he gave on Aug. 28th, 1963. If
you're interested in joining NMAP and helping in our efforts to help
create peace through music, please email PeaceOnEarth247@...
If you're interested in performing in the upcoming Peace Concert,
please send a 2 song demo with songs you've written about peace,
along with a paragraph about why you write about peace and how music
contributes to peace. Please include the year in which the songs were
completed and mail along with your contact info to:
Nashville Musicians and Artists for Peace
P.O. Box 210960
Nashville, TN 37221
Please join us in creating a world of peace!
http://www.butterflyspirit.org/projects/musicians_and_artists.html
http://www..myspace.com/musiciansforpeace

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Get this note from Adam DOnmoyer
very cool
i'd still like to get with you and write a song
but we get busy between babies and work

ande
512 357 6553
217 2728 cell

In a message dated 8/18/2007 12:26:21 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
adam@... writes:
Well,

For all of you who are kind enough to read my sporadic e-mails I say,
thanks! It's hard to believe I am in the business of marketing
business sometimes. I do such a half-ass job of self promotion
sometimes. Maybe that's why I see so few of you at my gigs? But don't
take this the wrong way. How can i expect you to come when I neglect
to tell you about them?

So, how's this for convenient? I am playing tomorrow morning LIVE in
your living room... or car... or streaming internet. I am playing
tomorrow August 19th, on Chillville 101X Austin, from 9ish-am until
whenever. For details on the show itself goto: http://chillville.com/

So, yes. The information is short notice... but it couldn't be more
convenient.

In other news a Musical I co-wrote with the great Charlie Moster aired
on NPR affiliates in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. I forgot to share that
one... But there's another on the way that will air on September 9.
I'll try to remember to forward the details...

If radio isn't permanent enough for you... goto CDBaby.com/donmoyer
and buy "Naughty Bits!" You can play it again and again. Also
available on itunes!

I am also working on a children's book of Rugby the Cat including a
new CD. My illustrator is Scott Wade. DirtyCarArt.com He's famous for
his dust art on cars. Check it out!! He's also my drummer and friend.

Speaking of children, Milo is 2!

I may be opening for a BIG ARTIST in October at a private party. But
that's just a rumor... Plus that party is private and chances are you
aren't invited. Which sucks because you are my favorite people...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

ASCAP/Lotte Lehmann Foundation Art Song Competition
Deadline: September 15

ASCAP and the Lotte Lehmann Foundation announce the second ASCAP/Lotte
Lehmann Foundation Art Song Competition. The competition, named for
the
legendary soprano Lotte Lehmann, was established in 2005 to recognize
talented young composers who write for the voice.

First Prize will be a $3,500 commission to compose a Song Cycle for
voice and piano, to be published by E.C. Schirmer, and performed in
three major American cities. Second Prize ($1,000) and Third Prize
($500) will be awarded a commission to compose an art song for voice
and piano. Applicants must be citizens, permanent residents of the
United States, or enrolled students with student visas, who will not
reach their 30th birthday by January 1, 2008. One original work per
composer may be submitted.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~


2007 ASCAP Foundation Nashville Pop
Songwriters Workshop Open
Deadline: September 5

The ASCAP Pop Songwriters Workshop in Nashville occurs every fall for
six consecutive weekly evening sessions. This workshop focuses on the
development and education of promising new pop songwriters. Each
session will feature prominent music industry guest speakers giving
advice on topics including A&R, music publishing and legal issues.

The 2007 ASCAP Foundation Nashville Pop Songwriter Workshop will be
moderated by songwriter/producer/publisher Chris Farren, president of
Combustion Music. Chris Farren has directly been involved in over 40
top 10 hits, in all genres, and well over 100 million albums sold as a
songwriter, producer, or publisher. Constantly evolving and wearing
many hats, Chris has most recently focused his energy as the President
and driving force behind Combustion Music - a Nashville based
multi-genre publishing and production company, which last year won the
Grammy for Best Country Song with "Jesus Take The Wheel" by Carrie
Underwood as well as ASCAP Country Song of the Year. Currently, Chris
is busy writing and producing projects for Jo Dee Messina and
newcomers
Brent Keith and Sam & Ruby.

More information and to apply

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Very cool - iTunes on Facebook.com
Posted by: "Steven Cravis" stevencravis@... stevencravis
Wed Aug 8, 2007 9:55 am (PST)
If your music is on iTunes and you have a facebook.com (free) account
there's something really cool I found that you can do to promote your
iTunes albums.
You don't even need to have iTunes on your computer to see the images.

1.After logging in to facebook, click the Profile tab on the top left.

2.Then click the Profile drop down menu on the top right (the one with
the little silhouette of a head/shoulders icon)
The drop down menu will include 'post items'

3. When post items opens up, there will be a little field in that same
upper right area of the screen where you just paste in your album URL
from http://www.apple.com/itunes/linkmaker

Note: In this example from the apple linkmaker middle album column you
would only copy the first URL beginning with http:// such as
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?
i=48760588&id=48760661&s=143441
and paste into the 'post items' field at facebook.

Don't copy the whole code that has <a href, etc...

4. Then when you submit it, EVEN IF THE COMPUTER doesn't have iTunes,
facebook grabs and displays the whole artist name/album title, cover
image and it's automatically ALL linkable right to iTunes.
If people don't have the iTunes store it goes to the download iTunes
page with your album cover at top.

What impressed me about this is that facebook was the first site I've
seen that grabs and displays the album cover images from iTunes.

After you've posted it to your profile, you'll notice some share+
links. But from what I tested, it seems that just duplicates what
you've already done, which is display your iTunes album right on your
facebook profile.

--
http://www.StevenCravis.com

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the beauty of collaboration
from taxi newsletter

Imagine this: you're writing a song and suddenly you're stuck.
Writer's block. Too many distractions in your life. Not enough
distractions in your life. Call it what you will, but there's
something that's not quite working in your song. There's a lyric
that's not quite saying what needs to be said or there's a chord
progression or sound that just isn't working, and the worst part
about it is that despite your obvious talents and years of experience
you just can't think your way out of it.

You could try to let some time go by and come back at it with a fresh
perspective, but an even better idea is to get some help with the
song. We industry professionals call working with
someone "collaboration", and there are a million ways to get help.

You're probably thinking that working with someone will mean
that "master use and synch fees," royalties, and publishing will have
to be split. I have two answers for you: Pony up buddy boy, 'cause
100% of nuthin is a big goose egg... and for a slightly more
sophisticated approach, there are a lot of ways to get help that
won't mean having to split all those phat royalty checks.

As an engineer and studio owner, I've noticed that some of the best
sessions are the ones where the "songwriter" brings in a room full of
musicians, gives them a rough idea of what the song is like, and then
let's them do what they do best. Musicians are as different as salt
and pepper, and these people will think of things to put in your song
that you never would have dreamed of or could ever hope to have the
chops to play. Yes, it costs money to have these guys come in to
play, but in the long run you'll never miss the short-term expense.
Best of all, you don't have to pay them writer royalties or split
master use fees for their work.

Obviously, you don't have to hire a whole band. Try bringing in just
a single outside element like a bass player or someone to sing
background vocals on your project, and ask them for advice. Even if
they're not a seasoned player, chances are they'll be more than happy
to give some suggestions- a bass player might have an idea for a
different kick pattern in the chorus, or a singer might have some
ideas about what to do on the bridge section that's been so elusive.
Almost every big name singer has a core group of people they work
closely with. Where would Madonna be without her long list of top-
notch producers? Lennon and McCartney�"there's collaboration. U2,
Elton John, and Hole (just to name a few) work with producer Joe
Chiccarelli to help them get their sound.

Another benefit to collaboration is learning how other people
approach the craft of songwriting, or the art of recording, or
whatever subtle nuance of any musical discipline someone else brings
to the table. 17 years of working on protools, and it took a guy who
had an MBox for one week to tell me that you could stop recording AND
not write a file by pressing command period. After all, it's written
right there on the screen during the bounce. That might be techno-
babble for some, but it just means that there's a lot to be learned
by working with and watching other people no mater what their level
of experience might be. While you may never learn how to tap into the
source of their inspiration for a particular contribution for a song,
at least you'll learn a new approach to a specific situation. Even
someone who doesn't have an extensive musical background can
contribute greatly to a song�"it's all about getting a fresh
perspective and seeing things from a different angle. I love it when
I do a session with a pro�"I learn a ton. The better they are the
more I get out of it.

One of the biggest problems for songwriters is not knowing when to
call in the professionals. Most of us have some sort of home
recording setup, and we record almost all of our music at home in one-
way or another. These days we have the luxury of recording on
affordable halfway decent gear and if we record things up close, we
can get things to sound OK. Few of us have the financial ability to
mix on really good gear, and even fewer of us have the ability to mix
in a good sounding room on really good gear. After spending so much
time on the craft of songwriting, who has time to learn the craft of
recording? It really takes all three elements- a good room, good
gear, and good ears to make a great mix. Why not leave the mix part
for someone else to do? Said another way, collaborate on the mix.
Even if you don't live near a big studio, there are a lot of places
on-line that can mix your song(s) for you. The price you'll pay for a
professional mix is tiny compared to the expense and frustration of
constructing and equipping a professional mixing studio. The company
I work for, The MixPack, uses a form of collaboration
called "Moderated Collaboration," which means there is a set amount
of back and forth or exchange of ideas. Both the artist and the
engineer have time to bring a bunch of ideas to the table, and these
ideas are discussed and then set into motion. The opposite of this
might be when each member of an entire band is requesting that their
part be turned up- all at the same time.

Don't be afraid to look for outside help on a few tracks. No one is
an island, in fact, I've never even met a peninsula. You don't have
to get help with every track you create, but in the long run you'll
benefit greatly by working with other people every once in a while.

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check out who's playing the BMI stage at ACL fest

2007 ACL MUSIC FEST HITS AUSTIN SEPT. 14-16
BMI Sponsors Stage for Fifth Consecutive Year

Nashville, Tenn., August 8, 2007 - BMI, the leading performing right
organization, is proud to present and sponsor a stage at the Austin
City Limits Music Festival September 14-16, in Austin, Texas. The
namesake of the long-running PBS series, ACL fittingly invades the
Live Music Capital of the World each year with eight stages and a
myriad of the world's finest live performers. Over the festival's
three-day stint in Zilker Park, BMI's stage will showcase an enticing
line-up of auspicious up-and-comers and renowned singer/songwriters.



FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14



SAHARA SMITH 11:15-11:45am
A 15-year-old Sahara Smith placed second in A Prairie Home
Companion's "12 to 20" talent contest; now 18, the Austinite's
forlorn voice cries, seduces and whispers, wrapping itself around her
ageless lyrics.
www.myspace.com/saharasmithmusic

ADAM HOOD 12:40-1:20pm
Alabama's Adam Hood released Pete Anderson-produced Different Groove
in May 2007 -- a collection of truckstop poetry parlayed into soul-
swaggering roots rock by Hood's rich vocals.
www.myspace.com/adamhood

AMY LAVERE 2:40-3:20pm
Amy LaVere's tiny frame juxtaposed with her train-chugging upright
bass and smoky vocals creates a definitively sui generis combo, aptly
displayed on the Memphis girl's blithe sophomore album, Anchors and
Anvils.
www.myspace.com/amylavere

JOHN RALSTON 4:40-5:30pm

Lake Worth, Florida native John Ralston's "Needle Bed" (Vagrant
Record) features lush pop arrangements and melancholy vocals that
sound more Transatlantic than Southern. The troubadour will spend
most of the Fall opening for Dashboard Confessionals.

http://www.myspace.com/johnralston


GUY FORSYTH 6:40-7:20pm
Antone's Records artist Guy Forsyth crafts lyrics that exhale and
meander through cantankerous melodies; poetically organic and
decisively Austin, Forsyth's blues are worth catching.
www.myspace.com/guyforsythband




SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15



THE STEPS 11:15-11:45am
Youthfully exuberant Austin quartet The Steps swim in self-
imposed '60s British rock exile, venturing out every now and again to
nod towards post-punk exuberance.
www.myspace.com/thesteps


AMY LOFTUS 12:40-1:20pm
Named Best New Singer/Songwriter by the Nashville Scene in 2005, Amy
Loftus collaborates with East Nashville virtuosos like Will
Kimbrough, detailing poignant subtleties of everyday life with her
lyrically rich songs.
www.myspace.com/amyloftus




CARY ANN HEARST & The Gun Street Girls 2:40-3:20pm
South Carolina's Cary Ann Hearst takes ghosts and angels from her
native South and channels them into cogent lyrics; her musky voice
plays nicely with her country, blues and punk-tinged combo, resulting
in raucous treats.
www.myspace.com/caryannhearst




TRENT SUMMAR & The New Rob Mob 4:40-5:30pm
Trent Summar's farm rock smirks at expectations and the status quo;
whether penning Jack Ingram's brassy single "Love You" or belting out
his own "Pink John Deere," the native Tennessean packs an inimitable
punch with every syllable.
www.myspace.com/trentsummar




JEFFREY STEELE 6:40-7:20pm
While 2003 BMI Country Songwriter of the Year Jeffrey Steele churns
out hits dipped in twang for mainstream country stars like Rascal
Flatts and Tim McGraw, his own live sets reveal an energetic
performer who rocks against the grain instead of growin' it.
www.jeffreysteele.com




SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16


JENNIFER NICELEY 11:15-11:45am
Tennessee native Jennifer Niceley's voice huskily combs through her
dreamy reflections and intimate poetry set to a soothing balance of
country and jazz, while sultry attitude simmers just below the
surface of her beguiling tunes.
www.myspace.com/jenniferniceley

BRANDON RHYDER 12:40-1:20pm
Austinite Brandon Rhyder's swelling circle of believers must be
attributed to the singer/songwriter's relentless touring and earnest
compositions; Nashville noticed: Radney Foster is producing his
upcoming album, and Rhyder recently signed with Harlan Howard Songs.
www.myspace.com/brandonrhyder



KARA GRAINGER 2:40-3:20pm
Australian chanteuse Kara Grainger's moody debut Grand and Green
River features ace players who've worked with Stevie Wonder and
Jackson Browne, among others, plus a duet with Amos Lee, but newcomer
Grainger's smoky vocals serenely claim the spotlight. Several tracks
from the album are featured on Starbucks stores' in-house
programming. www.myspace.com/karagrainger1



MARIO MATTEOLI 4:40-5:30pm
Former Weary Boy Mario Matteoli's solo work reveals an introspective
yarn spinner, and prompted the Austin-American Statesman to proclaim
Matteoli's debut, Hard Luck Hittin', "would make his songwriting
idols Bob Dylan and Townes Van Zandt proud."
www.myspace.com/mariomatteoli



PATTERSON HOOD 6:40-7:20pm
Rock guru Robert Christgau has called Patterson Hood a "new master of
the vanishing art of literal, narrative songwriting," thanks to songs
exploring themes like heartbreak and organ transplants; in short, the
Drive-By Truckers front man embraces the life's quirks and
imaginative pitfalls.
www.myspace.com/pattersonhood


The Austin City Limits Music Festival is produced by C3 and Capital
Sports & Entertainment. For more information on ACL, please visit
www.aclfestival.com.

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here's some of the guidelines I follow when I'm wriitng lyrics

Ande's Lyric Writing Tips

1) there are no rules, there's only tools, you'll find exceptions to
everything below, but it's generally good to stick with them, unless
you have a really good reason not to

2) Genuine Idea
Is the idea worthy of becoming a song?
Does it strike a chord?
Does it make the singer look good?
Is it universal, will millions want to hear it over and over?

3) Conversational
write a lyric the way you would say it
lyrics are conversational, don't reverse word order for the sake of
rhyme, only use words you'd use in a natural normal conversation
keep it simple,
make it so people who are half listening can half understand

4) Song Structure
Lyrics have structure, there's usually a
verse then a chorus then the 2nd verse then the chorus
so the simplest song form is
V C V C
some songs have a Bridge
V C V C B C
There's several more song forms

5) Titles
songs have titles, they are the brand.
the title is the most repeated phrase in the chorus,
it's the phrase that sticks in people's heads,
find a word or phrase that DEMANDS ATTENTION
it usually summarizes the song
if a chorus has 8 lines
here's 5 examples of where title are often placed in 8 line choruses

1) x
2)
3)
4)
5) x
6)
7)
8)

1) x
2)
3) x
4)
5)
6)
7)
8) x

1) x
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8) x


1)
2)
3)
4) x
5)
6)
7)
8) x

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8) x

some songs don't have a chorus
they just have a repeated hook line


6) Prove the title.
The purpose of the verse is to lead the listener to the chorus
every line in the verse should be connected to and point to the title

the verses should build up to the chorus

7) IMAGERY
use imagery, don't tell me, show me with images
write with all your senses,
things you see, feel, hear, taste, and touch
Specifics are special,

8) Opening Lines
the opening line of the lyric should GRAB the listeners attention
Start with a bang
Drop the cat in the punch bowl! Splash
http://www.peoplestories.org/tips.asp
Establish who what when and where

9) Avoid cliches, they are the kiss of death
Attempt to create expressions that people have never heard before but
when they hear it they understand it.
Sometimes a cliche is what you need to use to best convey the emotion.

10) The last line in each verse should transition the listener into
the chorus

11) a song contains
a. *lyrics*: which are the words
b. *vocal melody* which is the way the words are sung and
c. *music* the notes and chords that fit around the music.

12) you don't need to be able to sing, read music, or even write
music to write songs

13) each line in a song needs to be concise
each syllable has to be sung, what's the simplest clearest way to
write it?

14) some words don't sing well, don't use them,
avoid adverbs, find the verb,
one and two syllable words are the backbone of lyrics

15) verse 1 and 2 should have the same rhyme scheme
when you compare each line in verse 1 and 2, they should have close
to the same number of syllables and you should be able to sing the
same melody on each line
ie when you compare V1 L1 with V2 L2

16) avoid puns and being overly clever, a song should generate a
real emotion in the listener rather than make the reader say,
"my my my you are so clever"

17) when an idea arrives, allow it to flow out, write,
write down what ever else arrives with it
just get it out
then go back later and edit it
if you have a strong idea you will think of many lines to go with it
edit them down to the strongest most effect lines

18) well written songs move listeners emotionally
well written lyrics move the readers emotionally
songs need to be universal which means people can relate to the tory
or situation in the song
We write songs for our listeners.

19) Music is about theme, variation on the theme, departure from the
theme, then return to the theme
Song sections need to contrast, lyricists do this by
only using title words in the chorus,
using different line lengths, rhyme sounds and rhyme patterns in
different sections

20) there's nothing new under the sun, strive to have something new
and special about your lyric

21) have your song idea radar on at all times
when you find a song idea write it down

22) songs rarely arrive fully baked at once
they usually arrive in bits and pieces
it's up to you to put the lyric together
writing lyrics can be like solving a puzzle

23) you can tweak the song forever ad nauseum
a some point have the courage to say
this song is done
but remember just because you say it's done doesn't mean that it is

24) Lyrics need to make the singer look good, but not too good

25) Think about which angle would best expresses the song
I / We / Me / Us
You
He She They

26) Write What you know
Write with authority, don't contrive

27) start a songwriting journal and write down your ideas
keep pen and paper handy where you can't bring your journal
when you have enough of a song going
transfer it to your computer

28) Consider cowriting, you're likely to write a better song faster

29) study the songs you love and write similar songs

30) keep a list of all the songs you've written, the date you
started, who you worked on it with, what the current status of the
song is

31) you dont have to use perfect rhymes,
like rock and block,
you can rhyme the vowel sound with out worrying about the end
consonants
imperfect rhymes sound similar to each other like swim and win,
imperfect rhymes give writers a larger word pallette

32) songwriting can be pandoras box
if you start you might not be able to stop

33) that's all for now but i'll probably write more later

I hope this helps you write better songs
Let me know if it does
so now I challenge you to write a lyric

ande rasmussen

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What Every Songwriter Needs to know

http://www.audionashville.com
Interviews with industry pros, like publishers, hit writers, rising
and established artist and those "way off music" row making a living
in this great business. Go to http://www.audionashville.com to listen"

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The new rhyme site, WikiRhymer is at
www.wikirhymer.com a myspace site: www.myspace.com/wikirhymer

WikiRhymer is a user-editable wiki-style free on-line rhyming
dictionary that just went on-line check it out!


Write On!

Ande