Thursday, April 22, 2010, is Pitch to Publisher Night at the Nashville workshop with guest Anthony Corder from Dan Hodges Music.



About Anthony: With a family based out of Mississippi, Anthony Corder was raised on a delta crossroads blend of musical influences that launched him into over twenty years of entertainment industry experience. Steeped in Memphis, Tennessee’s own particular musical heritage of blues, soul and rock, Anthony began his professional music career as the lead vocalist with TORA TORA. Their breakthrough album Surprise Attack (A&M Records) sold over 300,000 copies and was produced by Joe Hardy and Paul Ebersold. The album featured the singles “Walkin’ Shoes”, “Guilty”, and “Phantom Rider”. The follow-up hit album Wild America (A&M Records) was produced by John Hampton and Arthur Payson, and launched both national and European tours. Wild America featured notable singles “Amnesia”, “Faith Healer”, and “Dead Man’s Hand”. TORA TORA was also featured on the soundtrack to Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure with the single “Dancing With A Gypsy”. They toured worldwide and placed five videos on MTV.

After TORA TORA, Anthony has continued to remain vital in the Memphis scene. Known among musicians for his unmistakable voice and inspired live performances, Anthony has worked with such luminaries such as The Memphis Horns, Jimi Jamison, Clarence McDonald, Taylor Rhodes, and Stan Lynch (Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers). In addition to working with numerous notable musicians, Anthony has toured on both the theater and arena levels with well-known acts such as L.A. Guns, The Cult, Bonham, and Kix. Anthony’s musicianship is widely recognized and has also been honored by the prestigious Premier Player’s Awards of Memphis.

Anthony later returned to school, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2004, with a Bachelors degree from the University of Memphis’ Business Aspects of the Entertainment Industry program. He then continued at the university, graduating Summa Cum Laude, with a Masters degree focusing on the Communication Aspects of the Entertainment Industry. After graduation, he was honored with an award for most outstanding master’s thesis project “Tales From The Rock and Roll Rodeo”.

Beginning in August of 2005, Anthony was one of ten worldwide applicants recruited into SONYBMG Global Development division. The experience allowed him to contribute his sales, marketing, and artist development skills to the branding and product exposure of their subsidiary labels, RCA and Provident in Nashville. After exiting Sony Music, and through his extensive networking, Anthony was introduced into the publishing world by Roger Murrah of Murrah Music Group. The publishing world was a natural transition, bringing Anthony back to his creative roots, and to the song. There Anthony met Dan Hodges, who at the time was Murrah Music's VP, Creative.

In 2008, Anthony was named Creative Director for upstart Grand and Gee Music Group. There he cultivated strong relationships, and deepened his commitment to the Nashville community. In pursuit of opportunity for continual growth and development, and with his background as both an artist and a music industry professional, Anthony has most recently joined Dan Hodges Music as Creative Manager. He resides in Nolensville, TN., with his wife, Anita, and three sons Jackson, Isaac, and Swift.

 "Songwriting isn't just something that happens," he said. "Creativity is a big part of it but you have to know how to use that and hone your talent if you want to be consistent in your songwriting. it takes a lot of work to write a hit."

 While Blackmon never strived to be a great performer or musician, he did find his true calling with songwriting. He wrote Strait’s No. 1 hit “She’ll Leave You With a Smile” and Allan’s “Nothing On But The Radio.”

 “Odie makes songwriting an exciting and almost therapeutic experience each time you sit down to write,” said Allan, who has collaborated with Blackmon on many albums. “Anyone from a beginner to a seasoned professional in the songwriting realm can learn from him.”

 Although several songwriting books on shelves right now give musicians pointers on how to craft a hit song, Blackmon learned by giving workshops across the nation that the best way to teach an aspiring songwriter is to give them a visual, audio and literary component to help polish their craft.

 "After I made it as a songwriter, organizations have asked me to go to workshops in chapters all over the country to talk to songwriters," Blackmon said. "What I realized is that these songwriters bar were so much lower than those in Nashville because all they could do is read a book and it's really hard to grasp concepts doing that."

 Both Allan and American Songwriter magazine, who gave the DVD four stars, believe Blackmon can turn even the most mediocre song into a hit single with a unique twist not found in most music lesson books.

 "Blackmon is not only a great song craftsman and hit writer, but he's also an accurate, understandable communicator of the songwriting process and its flow," according to American Songwriter magazine. "Songwriters who are aspiring to be professionals in some capacity are in need of a visual, interactive tool like this DVD and it hits the mark on many levels."

 Blackmon learned most of his songwriting techniques by sitting in with writers who have been successful and who would bring ideas and craft the song structures.

 "Songwriters have a need for some kind of interactive tool where people can actual see me sharing my craft," Blackmon said.

 Throughout his career experience in the music industry, Blackmon also found a love for teaching his art by venturing across the nation to perform these workshops.  These workshops give aspiring songwriters the chance to learn about techniques such as the Nashville Numbers System, chord progressions, and breaking out on Nashville’s legendary Music Row.

 Blackmon will be touring the country giving workshops to aspiring songwriters and promoting his DVD. For more information about Blackmon, the DVD or the workshops, visit www.thecraftofwritinghitsongs.com.



 

Thursday, April 8, 2010, is Critique Night at the Nashville workshop with guests Pete and Pat Luboff.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010, is Christian Guest Speaker Night at the Nashville workshop with songwriters Mark and Julie Adkison.



About Mark:Mark Adkison is the President and Founder of HearItFirst.com. Adkison began his career in radio as an on-air personality and music director in 1990 working for various radio stations in his hometown of Charlotte, NC.  In 1992, he worked for Frontline Music Group in Newport Beach, CA earning the “Rookie Salesman of the Year” honors.  In 1993 Adkison moved to Nashville, TN where he joined ForeFront Records as radio promotions & publicity manager working with dc talk, Audio Adrenaline and Rebecca St. James and eventually escalated to Sr. Director, National Promotion.

 

In 1995 Adkison pioneered ForeFront’s first website at ForeFrontRecords.com and eventually moved to Parent company EMI Christian Music group as Senior Director, New Media where he worked to centralize marketing & promotional efforts related to the company’s web properties.  While at EMI CMG he worked to establish the first-ever label based digital download subscription model at burnitfirst.com as well as other subscription models with other service providers.  He then returned to ForeFront Records as Vice President Artist Development overseeing all marketing, promotions at the company with a roster of over 20 artists.

 

After ForeFront was dissolved into the EMI CMG Label Group, Adkison assumed the role of Vice President Interactive Marketing aiding in the centralization of all web and consumer marketing strategy and re-established the innovative, new Christian music community website at hearitfirst.com.  In April of 2007 he was appointed to the newly created position Vice President Digital Strategy & Development working with all CMG labels and divisions to help promote synergy in all web development, strategy and sales initiatives. 

In June of 2008, Mark worked with Spinnaker Media Fund I to buy HearItFirst.com, the company he founded, and spin it out as an independent music website.  The site currently has over 234,000 registered members, 188,000 visits per month and over 1.7 million page views.



About Julie: Julie Adkison is a Nashville native and grew up in and around the music industry. She worked in the Christian music industry for ten years, spending the last five of those years as a music publisher for EMI Christian Music Group and Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing. She quit in 1999 to pursue her true calling of songwriting.

Julie was the first writer signed to Extreme Writers Group when they opened their doors in 2000. Over the course of the next three years she had songs cut by Jason Aldean, Terri Clark, Point Of Grace and Sixwire, as well as several film and television placements.

After becoming a mom in 2003, Julie redefined her music career once again and adopted the philosophy of “writing smarter” (i.e. writing with artists, writing for specific projects, etc.). She has diversified her writing to include fiction and blogging (nashvegasnative.blogspot.com) and has just finished writing a cookbook with Point Of Grace. She also has a song on Point Of Grace’s upcoming country record for Warner Bros. Records. (The cookbook, “Cooking With Grace and the record, “No Changing Us” are both due out on March 2, 2010.)

Julie has written 7 songs on the debut record of up and coming pop artist, Juliana Cole. (“A Little More Of Me” was featured last year on “The Reaper.)





 

Thursday, March 25, 2010, is Guest Speaker Night at the Nashville workshop with songwriters Charlie Black and Dana Hunt Black.







About Charlie: Arriving in Nashville in 1970, Charlie Black has produced a large catalog of recorded songs. He has been named Songwriter of The Year three times and was elected to the NSAI Songwriter

Hall Of Fame in 1991.

Beginning with his first hit “I Don’t Know You Anymore”, recorded by Tommy Overstreet, Charlie has written 14 #1 songs including “Shadows In The Moonlight” by Anne Murray, “Right On The Money” by Alan Jackson”, “You Lie” by Reba McEntire, 100% Chance Of  Rain by Gary Morris, and the Grammy nominated songs “A Little Good News” by Anne Murray and “Come Next Monday” by K.T.Oslin.

 

Charlie Black songs have been recorded by such legendary artists as Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich, Don Williams, Paul Anka, Crystal Gayle, Tanya Tucker, Faron Young, Marty Robbins, and George Strait. His song “Goodbye Says It All” was Blackhawk’s first big hit, and he helped launch Phil Vassar’s rising star with “Carlene”, and “Six-Pack Summer”.

Charlie and his wife, hit songwriter Dana Hunt Black, have recently written the title song for George Strait’s platinum album “Somewhere Down In Texas”.  They now live in Port St. Joe, Florida.



About Dana: Dana Hunt Black is an established writer with a proven line of cuts over her career as a professional songwriter.  She has twice received ASCAP’s highest honor, SONG OF THE YEAR, for writing George Strait’s “Check Yes Or No” and “Write This Down”. 

A North Carolina native, Dana moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1993 to pursue a career in music.  She truly has a deep passion for the craft of songwriting and a strong love for country music.  One year after moving to Nashville, she signed on with Double J Music and in 1996 she was blessed with her first cut, first #1 song, and first song to be on a multi-platinum album.  During her duration at Double J, her songs were cut by artists such as James Bonamy, Perfect Stranger, and George Strait.

After leaving Double J for new opportunities at Muy Bueno/Neon Sky Music in 1996, she continued to land songs on albums for Alan Jackson, George Strait, Clay Walker, Suzy Bogguss and Gary Allan, including his Top 5 hit “It Would Be You”. 

She now has her own company, Half Marathon Music, and continues to progress her songwriting skills with an irresistible devotion for the art. 

“I still haven’t written my best song… yet!”- Dana Hunt Black

Thursday, March 18, 2010, is Pitch to Publisher Night at the Nashville workshop with guest Cassandra Lawson with Root 49 Music.





About Cassandra: In 2006, Cassandra received her Music Business/Entrepreneurial Venture Degree from Belmont University. Working in various Commercials (Blue Cross Blue Shield, Chevy, Walmart), Film(Hannah Montana, Percy Jackson, Bailey), Music Videos(Keith Urban, Trisha Yearwood, James Otto, Lady Antebellum, Alan Jackson, Craig Morgan, Blake Shelton, Bon Jovi), Television(Tough Trade, Larry the Cable Guy, Superbowl XLII)and Print/Runway (Petsmart, Victoria’s Secret, the Tennessean, Sun Tan City, Spin, American Iron) for the past 5 years, she merged her two worlds together at Root49 in the winter of 2009 by taking the catalogs and pitching songs to several synch licensing companies, Music Supervisors, and Directors in LA, New York, and Europe



About Root 49 Music: Root49 Music is a unique Music Row company that houses administration, song plugging, and publishing for artists and songwriters. Within the first year of opening their doors, Root49 had Jason Aldean’s “She’s Country” skyrocket to #1 and has now won the title of “Most played Song of 2009” and “Most Downloaded Ringtone” (in all genres) for 4 weeks. The company shows no signs of slowing down and has planned expansion  

Thursday, March 11, 2010, is Pro Teacher Night at the Nashville workshop with Beverly Bradley and Internet and Alternative Marketing.





About Beverly: Beverly Bradley is an assistant professor at Nashville State Community College (NSCC) where she teaches courses in computer information systems, business, and music technology and serves as coordinator for the computer information systems and general technology degree programs. She is currently teaching a course, MST 1310, The Internet for Musicians, which will soon be available for online delivery through NSCC.

Beverly, daughter of session guitarist Harold Bradley, sang with Clifford Curry and the Ozone Rangers while earning a bachelor of music with emphasis in the recording industry from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). After graduation she was employed by Broadcast Music, Inc. where she discovered her love for computers. She returned to school to earn a degree in computer programming then worked at Vanderbilt University for 16 years in various positions, including systems specialist, before moving to NSCC to teach full time in 2000.  Recently she completed an MBA in technology management.

Please feel free to contact Beverly at beverly.bradley@nscc.edu



 

Tuesday, March 2, 2010, is Christian Critique Night at the Nashville workshop with Michael Puryear.



About Michael: Michael Puryear has 25 years in the Music Industry, both as Music Publisher and Songwriter.  As a Music Publisher during this time he has worked with such diverse writers as Marcus Hummon (God Bless the Broken Road/Ready to Run/Only Love), Steven Curtis Chapman (Sparrow Records), Ginny Owens (Rocketown Records), Archie Jordan (Almost Like a Song/What a Difference You’ve Made in My Life), Chapin Hartford (Meet in the Middle), John Tirro (So Much for Pretending), Greg Nelson (People Need the Lord), Dick and Mel Tunney (Let There Be Praise/How Excellent is Thy Name), Scott Krippayne (Word Records/Spring Hill Records), Kyle Matthews (We Fall Down/If You Want Me To), Brian White (The Promise/If You’re Goin’ Thru Hell) Billy Smiley (Whiteheart), Michael Anderson (Maybe It Was Memphis) and Dwight Liles (We Are an Offering/Proclaim the Glory of the Lord).  Michael has had his own songs recorded by Ginny Owens, Diamond Rio, The Martins, Larnelle Harris, Point of Grace, Glen Campbell, Gaither Vocal Band, Avalon, Brian Littrell, Ricky Skaggs, Truth, Jim Ed Brown, Billy Jo Spears, Gold City Quartet, Jim Nabors (Gomer) Michael Peterson, Jessy Dixon, The Singing Americans, Aaron Tippen, Phillips, Craig and Dean, Clay Crosse, John Conlee,  and Dallas Holm among others.  He received a Dove Award as a songwriter for “If We Only Had the Heart” by Bruce Carroll. 



Michael’s own Final Four Music list cuts by The Oak Ridge Boys, Donnie McClurkin, Michael W. Smith, Jessica Simpson, MN8, Vince Gill, Michael English, Bob Carlisle, Aaron-Geoffrey, Babbie Mason, Mark Lowry, Grover Levy, Ce Ce Winans, Alvin Slaughter, Take 6 and Rachel Lampa among many more.



He celebrated ASCAP’s Christian Publisher of the Year in 2001 as VP, BMG Gospel Division:  Worked with Universal Music Publishing in a Joint Venture to establish their 1st Christian Music Division:  As a consultant to Integrity Music as well as Opryland Music Group for veteran Jerry Bradley.



A graduate of Leadership Music 2002, GMA member, NARAS member, Michael has been a featured speaker/panelist for Nashville Songwriter’s Assn., Taxi, Austin Songwriter’s Group, Centricity Artist/Writer Seminar and Gospel Music’s Seminar in the Rockies (24 consecutive years) and GMA week.



Michael has 3 sons, Dylan, Jordan and Brennan; a beautiful wife, Jan, and dogs Stoney (German Shepherd) and Sasha (Alaskan Malamute).  Bootsie the cat runs the household.

Thursday, February 25, 2010, is Guest Speaker Night at the Nashville workshop with songwriter Odie Blackmon.





About Odie: (By Brian Washburn)  Millions of people have picked up a guitar with aspirations of writing a hit song. However, few actually achieve this but help is on the way.  Odie Blackmon – a Grammy-nominated songwriter who has written country hits for such stars as George Strait, Lee Ann Womack and Gary Allan – recently released “The Craft of Writing Hit Songs,” a DVD and booklet breaking down the creative process surrounding songwriting into a step-by-step method for turning a mediocre song into a hit.

 "Songwriting isn't just something that happens," he said. "Creativity is a big part of it but you have to know how to use that and hone your talent if you want to be consistent in your songwriting. it takes a lot of work to write a hit."

 While Blackmon never strived to be a great performer or musician, he did find his true calling with songwriting. He wrote Strait’s No. 1 hit “She’ll Leave You With a Smile” and Allan’s “Nothing On But The Radio.”

 “Odie makes songwriting an exciting and almost therapeutic experience each time you sit down to write,” said Allan, who has collaborated with Blackmon on many albums. “Anyone from a beginner to a seasoned professional in the songwriting realm can learn from him.”

 Although several songwriting books on shelves right now give musicians pointers on how to craft a hit song, Blackmon learned by giving workshops across the nation that the best way to teach an aspiring songwriter is to give them a visual, audio and literary component to help polish their craft.

 "After I made it as a songwriter, organizations have asked me to go to workshops in chapters all over the country to talk to songwriters," Blackmon said. "What I realized is that these songwriters bar were so much lower than those in Nashville because all they could do is read a book and it's really hard to grasp concepts doing that."

 Both Allan and American Songwriter magazine, who gave the DVD four stars, believe Blackmon can turn even the most mediocre song into a hit single with a unique twist not found in most music lesson books.

 "Blackmon is not only a great song craftsman and hit writer, but he's also an accurate, understandable communicator of the songwriting process and its flow," according to American Songwriter magazine. "Songwriters who are aspiring to be professionals in some capacity are in need of a visual, interactive tool like this DVD and it hits the mark on many levels."

 Blackmon learned most of his songwriting techniques by sitting in with writers who have been successful and who would bring ideas and craft the song structures.

 "Songwriters have a need for some kind of interactive tool where people can actual see me sharing my craft," Blackmon said.

 Throughout his career experience in the music industry, Blackmon also found a love for teaching his art by venturing across the nation to perform these workshops.  These workshops give aspiring songwriters the chance to learn about techniques such as the Nashville Numbers System, chord progressions, and breaking out on Nashville’s legendary Music Row.

 Blackmon will be touring the country giving workshops to aspiring songwriters and promoting his DVD. For more information about Blackmon, the DVD or the workshops, visit www.thecraftofwritinghitsongs.com.





 

Thursday, February 4, 2010, is Critique Night at the Nashville workshop with songwriter R. C. Bannon.







About R.C.: With a career spanning four decades, RC Bannon has written some of country's most recognizable hits. Three months after moving to Nashville in 1976 he got his first writers deal with Warner Bros Music. Four months after that he signed a recording contract with CBS. (Columbia). On the second anniversary of his arrival in Nashville, RC received his first No. 1 record, Ronnie Milsap's "Only One Love In My Life.”

RC's  other No. 1 records are Barbara Mandrell's "One of a Kind, Pair of Fools," and Steve Azar's "(I Don’t Have To Be) Me Til Monday." Other artists he has written hits for include Bobby Bare, Roy Head, Hank Thompson, Charlie McClain, and Louise Mandrell. His song "Loveless Motel," which he wrote and sang, can be heard in the popular movie "The Outsiders."

In 1995 RC met Larry Stewart, lead singer for Restless Heart. Besides playing a lot of golf and writing a lot of songs, they wrote a Top 40 hit for Larry "Why Can't You." Later, RC found a new act in a bar outside of Houston in Katy, Texas, while searching for talent for RCA. His name was Doug Supernaw. who went on to have two #1 records.

From 1974 until 1985, when he decided to focus on writing and producing, RC was a recording artist for Capitol, Columbia, and RCA. In the early '80s, he was the music coordinator/producer for "Mandrell Sisters TV Show" on NBC. His other television work includes writing material for Bob Hope's Television Special and Red Skelton's Television Special.

RC recently received the prestigious "2-Million Air Play" award from BMI for "(I Don’t Have To Be Me) Til Monday." Throughout his career he has received various awards, including an Academy of Country Music Award.

His love for cars and golf led him to hosting duties for two television shows ("Performance Plus" and "Tee It Up") on The Nashville Network and ESPN. RC lives in Nashville with his wife Natalie and dog Tex. He is still writing country music.

Thursday, January 28, 2010, is Guest Speaker Night at the Nashville workshop with Sandy Ramos & Larry Beaird and "I’M A SONGWRITER – NOT A MUSICIAN – HELP!"

“How to arrange your songs for today’s tough Country market”

    I used to think my mediocre piano playing was a handicap to my songwriting career.  I could hear these incredible melodies in my head and the chords underneath them, but I just couldn’t get my hands to play any sort of rhythm or groove that sounded like what I was hearing in my head, or more importantly, what I was hearing ON THE RADIO!! 

    Before I ever moved to Nashville, I knew I couldn’t pitch my songs to a publisher or producer with a demo featuring my piano playing.  After spending 25 years in Nashville and having had cuts by the Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill, Neal McCoy, Lee Greenwood, and others, I have come to rely on the talents of a great arranger to help me produce my song demos.  

   This workshop aims to teach you how to arrange your songs in a commercial way so that your music can compete with other songs being pitched in Nashville. You can also rely on the help of studio musicians like Larry to help tweak your arrangements so that your songs will be as commercial sounding as possible.  The musical arrangement of your song is important whether you are doing a basic guitar/vocal demo or a full band “ready for the radio” demo.  

    Larry and I will take you on a journey from the raw work tape to the full blown band demo.  We hope to show you how the arranging skills of a great musician can compliment your own and give your song the best shot in today’s competitive songwriting market!



About Sandy: Sandy Ramos went to high school out in Commack, NY (out on Long Island) and moved to Phoenix Arizona the summer after graduation.  Having to work for a year to establish residency she auditioned for a country band at a downtown nightclub “Johnny Ringo’s” and remembers being thrilled to get the gig and to sing 4 nights a week for $50! After she started attending college she met other musicians and formed her own band.  The weekend gigs helped pay for tuition while she worked on getting a Masters of Science degree in Speech Language Pathology at Arizona State University and her then husband/drummer worked on his law school diploma….

      When asked how she began the transition from performing covers to writing her own original tunes, Ramos states, “I started writing songs after going to an ABBA concert and seeing one of the female singers sit down at the piano in the middle of this huge techno pop concert to play a song that she had written. That inspired me to go home and write my first song. As I recall, it was about four or five minutes long and was probably pretty bad.”  Once bitten by the songwriting bug, she started attending seminars and learning the craft of songwriting, eventually moving herself and her family to Nashville, Tennessee in 1984 to pursue it even further.

     Ramos landed her first staff writing deal in 1987 at Wrensong Music and had her first success as a songwriter, a Top 5 record, “Don’t Waste it On the Blues” by country artist Gene Watson that same year. She remained with Wrensong for 10 years and landed 4 cuts with Lee Greenwood (Including the top 10 single “We’ve Got it Made”),  “I Brake for Brunettes” by Rhett Akins.  Has had solo cuts on albums by Faith Hill and Neal McCoy, cuts also by Anne Murray, Kenny Rogers, and her biggest album cut to date, “Let ‘Er Rip” by the Dixie Chicks.

     Currently, Ramos has her own publishing company called Lawyer’s Wife Music and continues to write with top Nashville songwriters, and loves to write with  young, up and coming new country artists.  Under Lawyer’s Wife Music Sandy has 2 cuts on Universal Music Group/GMG recording artists “Mustang Sally Band”….(co-written with 2 of the band members), the current Lee Greenwood single “Why Lie”, and cuts on several independent label artists….She also recently had a song of hers “Who I Am” ‘arranged’ for high school SATB choir, that is available across the country for graduation performances.  

      Sandy resides in Brentwood, Tennessee with her husband, Gregg, a prominent Nashville attorney (& yes he still bangs on the drums)… Her two children, Melody and David, both attend universities here in TN…. 



About Larry: Larry Beaird has several different roles in the Nashville recording scene. 



As a musician, he has played acoustic guitar, banjo and mandolin on thousands of recording sessions including records for Rascal Flatts, Faith Hill, Trace Adkins and Montgomery Gentry.  He played on the records for back to back ACM Songs of the Year, “I’m Movin’ On” (recorded by Rascal Flatts) and “Three Wooden Crosses” (recorded by Randy Travis).  He was a 2004 nominee for the Academy of Country Music Guitarist of the Year.  



As a producer, he has produced songs featuring such artists as Dolly Parton, Billy Dean and Mark O’Connor. 



He is also the owner of Beaird Music Group, Inc. a Nashville recording service featuring 3 recording studios.  His company has recorded the demos for several #1 songs including Carrie Underwood’s “All-American Girl”, Blake Shelton’s “She Wouldn’t Be Gone”, and Chris Young’s “Getting You Home”.  Beaird Music Group also recorded the demo for Lady Antebellum’s “I Run to You” which was voted the 2009 CMA Single of the Year and is up for Grammy Best Country Song.  





 

 

Thursday, January 21, 2010, is Pitch to Publisher Night at the Nashville workshop with Michelle Berlin from Cherry Lane.





About Michelle Berlin: Veteran music publisher Michelle Berlin joined Cherry Lane in March of 2007, marking the company's expansion into Nashville. Prior to joining Cherry Lane, Michelle compiled ten years of music publishing experience as Creative Director at BMG Music Publishing in Nashville. At BMG, Berlin secured hundreds of recordings and dozens of hit singles by top country artists including George Strait, Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Garth Brooks, Martina McBride, Trace Adkins, Lee Ann Womack, Montgomery Gentry, The Dixie Chicks, Sara Evans, and Rascal Flatts (Grammy winning “Bless The Broken Road”). In her new role heading the Nashville office, Berlin is responsible for signing writers, handling catalogue acquisition and exploitation, and creative development in the country market.

About Cherry Lane: Founded in 1960 by legendary producer, arranger, and orchestrator Milton Okun, Cherry Lane is now one of the world's leading independent music publishers. Headquartered in New York City, Cherry Lane Music is home to a diverse roster of songwriters including The Black Eyed Peas, John Legend, Quincy Jones, John Denver, Mick Mars, David Cook, and Elvis Presley.  It’s music publishing interests include joint ventures with NASCAR (Motor Music), Professional Bull Riders Association (Cherry Bull Music), and Sanrio- Hello Kitty (Sanrio Lane). Traditional music publishing relationships include such film, television and sports entertainment catalogs as DreamWorks SKG, The Weinstein Company, NFL Films, Marvel Entertainment, Icon Productions, E! Entertainment, 4Kids TV, World Wrestling Entertainment, Telemundo, John Carpenter Productions, Edward R. Pressman Film Corporation, John Malkovich’s Mr. Mudd Productions, Regent Entertainment, Fifth Avenue Entertainment, Leonard Hill Films, The Konigsberg Company and Hearst Entertainment, just to name a few.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010, is Christian Pitch to Publisher Night at the Nashville workshop with Rick Shelton from Daywind.





About Rick: Rick Shelton currently serves the Southern Gospel music industry and the church print market as Director of Publishing for Daywind Music Group. He developed a keen sense of anticipating audience response as an artist, music minister, Christian television producer, and music director at Salem Communication’s Solid Gospel Radio Network. This distinctive background prepared him to serve as Director of Publishing at Centergy Music until he accepted his present position.  He has secured more than 1200 recordings for Daywind’s staff of exceptional writers, which includes Marty Funderburk, Dianne Wilkinson, Gerald Crabb, John Darin Rowsey, Justin Rivers and Ronny Hinson. Rick resides in Nashville.