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Age:
32 Years Old
Level:
professional
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Bio:
Adam Burrows is a singer/songwriter who plays modern folk and folk-rock music. AdamâÂÂs unique finger-picking guitar style provides a complex but relaxing background for his stories about love, loss, life and redemption. Adam performs regularly at various venues in and around Nashville.
Age:
35 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
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Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
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Bio:
Adam Ryan...singer, songwriter, dreamer complicated, inspired, focused, small town boy. Guided with passion and a love affair for good music, Adam Ryan is out to prove to the world that not all the good songs have already been written. Adam was raised in a small town in the middle of nowhere Tennessee where Hog-eye runs blood deep, folks drive tractors on the highway, neighbors actually know each other, and family values are still taught by parents. Adam's songs are proof of raw existence told with beauty. Even in the darkest of his songs you hear an under toning hope that breathes life into an untold story. The songs are polished, sustaining and undoubtedly smart. 'Lonely in this Crowd' is undeniably a romance of words told with a heated passion and true complexity of the process of life. Adam Ryan is a blazing young songwriter on the Nashville scene and his delivery of 'Lonely in this Crowd' is worthy of lending your ear to.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
BMI
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
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Age:
34 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Alex Petrounov is a songwriter working out of Nashville. His catalog nears 250 songs. His work has been played nationally on TV and radio (ABC, Travel Channel, Spike, etc.) and internationally (England, Germany, Australia, Czech Republic, etc.).
Alex has written for many up and coming independent artists. He has also co-written with songwriting giants such as Steven Sater (Spring Awakening, Duncan Sheik) and Robert Ellis Orrall (Lindsey Lohan, Rachel Lampa). He has worked with producers such as Drew and Shannon (Jonny Lang, India Arie, Eric Benet), Ken Coomer (Wilco) and Greg Archilla (Collective Soul, Matchbox 20). AlexâÂÂs unique style of guitar playing has earned him compliments from music greats such as Tommy Sims (Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt). He has played on many sessions, most recently David ArchuletaâÂÂs (American Idol) upcoming release.
AlexâÂÂs writing is warm and vulnerable. Even when dealing with the difficulties of life and love, Alex's lush melodies and achingly romantic lyrics remain sunny and optimistic, meandering through musical subtleties at once hopeful and melancholic.
Alex was born in Bulgaria, where his father, Alexander Petrounov started The Silver Bracelets, Bulgaria's first rock band. "My dad took me with him on tour when I was young," the younger Petrounov recalls, "and that's probably where it all started."
When Alex was 14 his father gave him a guitar; he began writing songs and taught himself to play bass and drums as well. "I'd been writing stories in my head for years," Alex says. "Music finally gave me an outlet for integrating poetry, melody, harmony and rhythm into something that I hope will speak to people."
Alex continues to write, produce, and play prolifically.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
allen_krehbiel@yahoo.com
Bio:
Allen has enjoyed singing and songwriting since his grade-school days, but has just recently stepped up the amount of time dedicated to his music. Allen's published work to date has been in conjunction with the Acappella Company, contributing songs and vocals for the groups "The Vocal Union", "Acappella" and "AVB" (All Vocal Band). He also writes music in the CCM, Folk, Pop and Country genres, and plays guitar and piano to accompany his vocals. He's currently an active member of NSAI and contributes monthly to the local chapter workshop. Aside from his ultimate responsibilities as a husband and father of three, and with whatever time is left after the day-job takes its share, he hones his craft by working on his own songs, collaborating with co-writers, recording demo tracks, and offering his services as a demo vocalist. Allen lives in Denver, CO.
Age:
30 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Radio Inquiries: Leslie Rouffe leslie@songlinesmusic.com
Bio:
Some folksâ paths are determined for them before they are old enough to wonder what their paths should be. Such is the case with Allen Thompson. Thompson has been singing and telling stories for longer than he can remember. Judging by the responses to his albums and live performances, he wonâÂÂt be stopping anytime soon.
AllenâÂÂs songwriting and performing abilities have been recognized and applauded by Relix Magazine, American Songwriter, and even CMT. His last release, 2009âÂÂs 26 Years, even made it to number 14 on jambands.comâÂÂs radio charts, showing that fans of the genre understand the statements Thompson is trying to make. Allen is pleased with the attention, but he takes it all in stride.
âÂÂIâÂÂm excited that 26 Years got such a good response from people. When I made the record, I was afraid to put it out. ItâÂÂs nice to know these guys get what IâÂÂm doing. ItâÂÂs also surprising. I didnâÂÂt expect the record to elicit much of a reaction from anyone. I thought it was too personal, too real,â he chuckles.
âÂÂThen again, the writers who inspired me made personal music for themselves and their friends with little concern for whether it would coincide with an executiveâÂÂs idea of public demand. I canâÂÂt imagine The Band, Steve Earle, Townes Van Zandt, The Grateful Dead, or Gary Davis sitting around in suits attempting to figure out what combination of music and lyrics would most impress folks from a marketing standpoint,â he adds.
It is precisely that attitude that draws listeners to AllenâÂÂs music. Thompson is an artist who treats his audience the way he wants to be treated: Like people, not consumers. Perhaps itâÂÂs not the wisest short-term business plan, but Allen Thompson didnâÂÂt choose this profession for the money. The first time you hear his sweet, soulful voice sail through one of his songs like the wind whistling through the mountains, youâÂÂll realize he didnâÂÂt choose this profession at all. The profession chose him.
-Dr. T. N. Peters
Age:
43 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Allison Laura Smith
Bio:
Raised in Austin, TX, Allisong Smith began singing for her neighborhood friends in early childhood, performing songs like âÂÂSunshine on My Shouldersâ by John Denver ,âÂÂIâÂÂd Like to Teach the World to Singâ by the Carpenters, as well as the entire soundtrack from The Sound of Music.
Allisong introduced herself to the public in Lubbock, Texas, home of Buddy HollyâÂÂs grass roots music, while attending Texas Tech University. The people loved her performance and the local musicians took her under their wing and gave her a right proper down home music education.
When she finished her degree plan, Allisong headed back home to Austin, the âÂÂLive Music Capital of the WorldâÂÂ. There she poured herself into the large music scene. She formed several bands and performed with the South Austin Gospel Choir. Not far from Austin is the Kerrville Folk Festival. Allisong joined that music lovinâ family and spends summers there singing, playing and working with the good people she has come to love.
The year 2000, began AllisongâÂÂs musical journey outside of the state of Texas. It was her time to hit the road in search of music festivals, coffeehouses, and benefits throughout the U.S. and Canada. She spent a few months performing just off the Las Vegas Strip and another year in the Appalachian Mountains learning about the Old Mountain Traditionals. All along the way, she served communities with her joyous music and personality.
In 2010 Allisong independently released her first major recording project entitled Seasoned Traveler, produced by Kim Copeland Productions in Nashville, TN. The title cut âÂÂSeasoned Travelerâ was a finalist in the 5th Annual Texas Songwriters Cruise Songwriting Competition. Pop favorite âÂÂAll Things Will Changeâ has been played on the Go Girls Music Radio Show and âÂÂSpring Flingâ was showcased on RalphâÂÂs Back Porch Radio Show during their bluegrass special.
Because Allisong enjoys producing ideas that encourage community through the arts, she has been involved with several community musical and theatrical events, such as The El Camino Opry and Folk Night with Allisong as well as U.I.L. One-Act Play Competitions which she held the directorâÂÂs position.
Allisong has been honored to play her songs at many festivals and venues such as The Cactus Café, Artz Rib House, The Triple Crown, Houston WomanâÂÂs Festival, Grrl by Grrl Fest, Indiegrrl Women in the Arts, Kerrville Folk Festival Staff Concert, San Augustine Sassafras Festival, and SWRFAâÂÂs In Room Showcases for Handshake Management, Texas Folk Music Federation, Concert in Your Home, and Stauffers Stars (w/ Brian Kalinec)
After earning her BachelorâÂÂs Degree from Texas Tech University and gaining certification in Language, Theatre, and Fine Arts, Allisong continued her education and involvement in the Arts through her memberships in several Associations, which include the North American Folk Alliance, Americana Music Association, Texas Folk Music Foundation, Nashville Songwriters Association International, and Go Girls Music.
Now days Allisong is calling the old family farm home where she teaches, writes, and plays while still traveling to perform and be a part of the vast music scene. Life is good. If you have a chance to see her perform, make certain you do. You will be happy you did.
Age:
23 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Edgecliffe Music (ASCAP)
Bio:
80 song placements in movies and TV Shows
Age:
34 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
âÂÂSometimes I wish my life didnâÂÂt give me so much material to work with,â says songwriter Amber Benson with a laugh. âÂÂI lived a pretty sheltered life and then one day I woke up in a country song.âÂÂ
ItâÂÂs a lesson in being careful what you wish for. Amber wrote her first song as a freshmen in college driving herself back home to her native Wylie, Texas from College Station. The song lamented the fact that her town was small enough that everybody would gossip about her but she never did anything worth talking about. Since then, AmberâÂÂs life has taken her from a young married girl to a single woman, from dotcom success story to digital marketing executive, and from the East Coast back to Dallas againâÂÂwith enough frequent flier miles in between to launch a world tour.
âÂÂI think I give voice to a lot of real women, who got what they wanted and realized it might not be what they need.â said Amber. âÂÂOne side of you wants and fights for your right to be independent and define your own destiny, while another side really just wants someone to take care of you. Those perspectives can be held simultaneously in the same woman.âÂÂ
ItâÂÂs her ability to reconcile the stark reality of life today with a hopeful expectation for tomorrow that makes AmberâÂÂs songs both heartbreaking and healing. Growing up with a grandmother that listened to old country radio, a Southern-gospel singing mother and her fatherâÂÂs 1960s era record collectionâÂÂher songs give a nod to classic country, bluegrass and blues with timeless themes of love, loss, independence, family and faith.
A writer by training and trade, Amber knows the craftâÂÂbut she also knows what her audience wantsâÂÂto feel something. Regardless of the subject matter, an Amber Benson songs will always have one of two things: an aching vulnerability that will make you cry or a wicked sense of humor that will make you laugh. And sometimes they have both.
âÂÂIt doesnâÂÂt really surprise me that my songs are a little bipolar,â said Amber. âÂÂEveryday life might be lived in the mundane middle, but our memories are made at the extremes of our emotions. IâÂÂve been accused of being âÂÂtoo muchâ in just about everything I do. And itâÂÂs probably true. It makes for a rocky road sometimesâÂÂbut it makes for some really great songs.âÂÂ
Age:
24 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Noteborn Music
Bio:
Originally from San Francisco CA, Amelia Dunaway now lives in Nashville, TN. She writes for other artists, self-produces music in her home studio, co-writes with other artists and songwriters, and continues to write for herself.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Buster Dilly Publishing ameliasmechanics@gmail.com
Bio:
Amelia's Mechanics is fronted by singer-songwriters Molly McGinn and Molly Miller. Despite what the oil-and-iron name might suggest, the women of Amelia's Mechanics swap that toughness for a more urban, sophisticated take on Americana music, using luxuriating harmonies and classical swells to temper their lyrical frustrations with love and life. The instrumentation and vocal harmonies of Amelia's Mechanics result in a genre-busting sound best described as "vintage country with a moonshine concerto."
The band released their debut album "North, South," produced by Jim Avett (father, The Avett Brothers,) in February of 2010 to critical acclaim and embarked on an inaugural spring tour to the delight of audiences all across the southeastern United States. Amelia's Mechanics is currently working on their second album with 3-time Grammy winner Steven Heller (producer, Doc Watson - Legacy, David Holt - Stellaluna) and fellow singer-songwriter Laurelyn Dossett (songwriter, Anna Lee) at the helm.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Not yet!
Bio:
In its 26th year, the mission of American Songwriter Magazine is:
To publish interviews and stories of unparalleled inspiration to the masses of passionate music fans and songwriters alike.
Through insightful, everyday language, building the best media outlet in the world covering the creation process of music and the stories behind the artists whose livelihood is "The Craft of Music."
Age:
30 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
amalia musica (info@amycourts.com)
Bio:
Two years ago, a friend came back from Africa and told me a story about a little 5 year old girl he met who rarely spoke or smiled. He asked what was wrong with her, and was told she'd likely been raped and molested dozens, if not hundreds of times. Of times more than once in a day. "That's just the culture here," they told him.
He spent a week earning her trust and loving her the right way, the Jesus way, and at the end of the week she told him her name....
Mercy.
A few months ago, I found out that one of my best childhood friends, a girl who lived right down the street from me and with whom I played every day, shared a similar history with Mercy. Only, in her case, her father was her abuser. I only recently learned that when she mysteriously disappeared from school in 7th grade, it was because she was pregnant with his child.
I used to sing and write songs about my sad, depressed life. About losing love. About feeling sorry for myself. About internal, spiritual battles with lies and hate and theological discrepancies between the bible and reality. About things I though mattered most.
Surely, I'll continue writing songs like that.
But my reason for singing has changed, and I hope the content will keep changing too. Because Mercy and my neighbor growing up deserve a voice.
I just hope mine will do.
Join Mocha Club for $7/month (the cost of two mochas) and help rescue little girls like Mercy who swarm the villages of Africa. She's not alone, and you can do something. www.mochaclub.org
Or, if you can't do that, find someone who needs love. They're worth whatever investment you make.
I promise.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Amy Kuney: amykuney@gmail.com
Bio:
When I was 13 years old, my dad was âÂÂcalledâ to be a missionary in Honduras. As a family, we werenâÂÂt âÂÂcut outâ for the mission field â I had no idea my world was about to be kicked over on its side. One moment I was busy doing homework and planning slumber parties, the next moment I suddenly found myself in a third world country recovering from a hurricane. I went into culture shock as the poverty, disease, and the idea that human life isnâÂÂt so precious in other parts of the world⦠slowly seeped in.
Most children grow up in âÂÂphasesâ â I was given no time for that. I took on the mental weight of an adult the moment I stepped out of that tiny TACA airplane⦠and into the rest of my life. In fact, the only evidence that I even had a childhood exists in a black 32ÃÂ17 Rubbermaid trunk. I bought the trunk to protect my books, CDs, and photo albums from the Honduran heat and humidity. Today, I keep the trunk in my closet. It contains stacks of letters from my 8th grade Sunday school class⦠wishing me well, wishing me luck. It contains letters I wrote to myself⦠promising myself I would get out alive. It contains the jewelry I wore the day I was kidnapped⦠the photographs that were taken minutes before it happened, photographs of a dear friend who gave his life so that I could live. It contains fragments of a life that I shut away until nowâ¦
When I began writing for this album, I opened the trunk for the first time in years. The overwhelming smell of dark mahogany, coffee, and burning sugarcane (the smell of Honduras) hit me like a wall, and I knew that all the memories IâÂÂd stifled were begging to be brought to life. I also knew that I was being presented with a choice: I could let these memories, and the experiences that they represent, cuff me, paralyze me, and make me bitter⦠or I could turn them into something beautiful⦠something that other people could relate to and, hopefully, find comfort in. This is my gift.
IâÂÂm calling my album âÂÂONYXâ for a number of personal reasons⦠one being that itâÂÂs a stone, a stone that helps to deflect negative energy and helps us to balance and control our emotions. I feel certain that we do not have control over what happens to us, but we DO have control over how it affects us. We can choose to be the victim of our circumstances, or we can choose to use our circumstances as fuel to rise above.
I canâÂÂt give a date for when ONYX will be released, but every day IâÂÂm getting closer. I thank you all for your patience, love and support.
Age:
43 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Self
Bio:
âÂÂAmy Speace has one of those fetching voices, the kind that taps you on the shoulder and motions seductively for you to follow it around corner after dark corner. You donâÂÂt know where youâÂÂre going to end up or how youâÂÂll ever find your way back, but that doesnâÂÂt matter: youâÂÂre enjoying the trip,â writes No Depression. Jersey CityâÂÂs Amy Speace is already receiving widespread critical acclaim for her sophomore release âÂÂThe Killer In Meâ which mines the mystery and heartbreak of relationships gone wrong -- and right and wrong again. âÂÂKillerâ forges deeper and darker lyrical and musical terrain than her 2006 genre-hopping Americana breakthrough âÂÂSongs For Bright StreetâÂÂ, which earned her high praise in the US and Europe where she toured and shared the stage with Judy Collins, Nancy Griffith, Ian Hunter and Little Feat. Writing these songs during a self -imposed retreat to an isolated cabin in upstate New York, Speace hiked, chopped wood for the stove and delivered an album of startling intimacy and resonance. NYCâÂÂs top AAA/folk radio station WFUV named her to its âÂÂTop 16 Artists To Watchâ list this year and Judy Collins has said âÂÂAmyâÂÂs a remarkable artist, writer and singerâÂÂI am a total fan.âÂÂ
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
secretroad@amystroup.com
Bio:
In 2007, Amy Stroup released her third independent project entitled Chasing Greenlights. In 2008, Garrison Keilor's Prairie Home Companion named Amy "Top 20 Songwriters under 30". Amy currently is working on releasing four sessions digitally of THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE, one session every four months during the next year. On this project she has partnered again with platinum selling producer and friend Nathan Chapman(Taylor Swift, Stephanie Chapman, and others) and several Nashville songwriters. Stroup, resides in Nashville, TN and continues to tour and play music regionally and around the globe. Check out amystroup.com or myspace.com/amystroup for more information.
Age:
35 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Amy Campbell brings together classical training and folk sensibilities to create music that reaches into human experience and comes back with stories written from the soul. Devoted equally to lyrical craft, innovative musicianship, and engaging performances, Amy's dozen years of writing, composing, and touring have cemented her position in hearts and playlists across the world.
Her songs are at once infinitely personal and instantly relatable, painting moody emotional landscapes over spare open tunings. Releasing two live albums in the last five years, AmyâÂÂs career has steadily built momentum through commitment on a few fronts: her own, to professionalism and publicity; other artists who are eager perform with her; and her listeners who want to share her music with as many people as they can.
After a decade of these promotion streams building momentum, Amy is riding this trajectory to the release of her solo studio debut with release parties in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and at the Halifax Pop Explosion.
Oh Heart, Oh Highway is a double album with accompanying book of illustration and prose that will take listeners on a multidimensional, fragmented, and ultimately meaningful journey. Playing nearly every instrument herself, Amy has created a challenging first-person travelogue of reaching out and letting go, with rhythms that evoke the trees zooming by a car window on long highway drives. The songs are mourning serenades of to lost loves and family members.
Existing fans will relish an opportunity to hear layers of violin, upright bass, and organs behind AmyâÂÂs trademark intricate guitar work and warm vocals. New fans will be drawn in by the albumâÂÂs cinematic narratives, and ambitious artistic vision; as evidenced in March 2009, when Oh Heart, Oh Highway reached #1 on CBCâÂÂs coveted and influential Galaxie Folk/Roots chart.
Equally at home at a low-fi Ladyfest gig, an upscale songwriterâÂÂs circle, or a sunny festival stage, AmyâÂÂs live show is disarming and engaging. She wins over the audience with her dry wit, and then lets them in on every thought her heart has ever had. This
approach has charmed crowds big and small across North America. A typical Amy Campbell performance is followed by several grateful fans shyly approaching her to share stories from their own lives, confessing that her music has helped them crystallize and
articulate their own experiences.
A regular at Club Passim [Boston], Rasputin's [Ottawa], the Yellow Door [Montreal] and the Blacksheep Inn [Wakefield, QC], touring highlights for Amy include appearing as opening act for:
* Penny Lang
* Thea Gilmore (UK)
* Veda Hille
* Richard Bruckner
* Mary Lou Lord
* The Scrappy Bitch Tour
* Emm Gryner
* Old Man Luedecke
* Susan Werner
Exalted by one reviewer as "well poised to one day inherit Joni MitchellâÂÂs place as CanadaâÂÂs quintessential female singer/songwriterâÂÂ, Amy's catalogue is available through iTunes, and online or via mail-order at www.amycampbell.ca.
Career Highlights
Oh Heart, Oh Highway reaches number one on CBCâÂÂs influential Folk/Roots Chart - March 2009.
Winner: Best Folk and Nominee: Best Song, Ontario Independant Music Awards (2008).
Showcase Artist: North By Northeast Festival (2009)
Featured on Sonicbids "Listen Volume 5" compilation CD.
Voted âÂÂbest female artistâ in ReverbâÂÂs best of music poll (Halifax).
Nominated as âÂÂbest female artistâ by the Music Industry Association of Nova Scotia.
Showcase artist: Nova Scotia Music Week.
Showcase artist: East Coast Music Awards.
Emerging Showcase artist: Mariposa Folk Festival.
Mainstage artist: The Red Roof Festival (Ontario), The Kingston WomenâÂÂs Art Festival.
Featured artist: Toronto Pride Festival, The Stan Rogers Folk Festival (NS), The Cutting Edge of the Campfire Festival
(Boston MA).
Tours cross-Canada with âÂÂBabes for BreastsâÂÂ, a fundraiser for Breast Cancer charities.
Age:
27 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
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Andrea Hamilton's life has been one sweet melodic event. A born songwriter and pianist-by-ear, her musical dreams have blossomed into remarkable realities, carrying her far beyond the Kansas City base where she won her first award (Gospel Music Association's "New Top 20" Songwriters). Her heart and convictions come to light on stage and in the studio, and her tasteful blend of folk and pop is a fresh bouquet of hope for all who hear.
At the ripe old age of 18, Hamilton packed up and moved to Los Angeles to study Commercial Music at Azusa Pacific University. In February of 2006, she completed her first solo album, a bold knock on the door of the industry. Stronger Than I Seem, produced by Andrea and Don Chaffer of Waterdeep, gained quick attention, and Andrea soon joined Tyrone Wells at the renowned El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles to promote the tunes. She then traveled to Singapore and played in some of the largest venues and festivals around, including the world-famous Esplanade Art's Center, which has featured John Mayer and Harry Connick Jr. Upon her return to the states she completed her first of three self-booked tours spanning the West Coast from Southern California to Seattle, Washington and shared the stage with Justice Tour's headlining artist, Sara Goves. From international tours to co-writing with major songwriters like Kevin Fisher, writer for Rascal Flatts, the first year of her solo career was a big start, and the birth of a grassroots fan base that continues to spread.
In 2007, she gained media attention with her first TV appearance, performing live on the Santa Barbara television series, "Musical Café,â weeks before her graduation from APU. She was then a featured artist at the Youth Artists Grant of Sonora California, sharing the stage with Todd Schroeder (Musical director for Rita Coolidge) and Sam Harris (Star Search winner and actor on CBS's "The Class"). This was not her first endeavor with non-profits, and she continues to volunteer her talents in many philanthropic endeavors across the states, including Hope for Homeless Youth and The AIDS Center.
Andrea spread her wings even more in 2008. She performed live on Time Warner and Dish Network TV Orange County, embarked on her second tour in Asia, and opened for jazz classic Kurt Elling, Broken Social Scene, Trey Lockerbie, and more. Then, on her second tour of the West Coast, she was the featured Indie Artist on Park City TV, in Park City, Utah. Just recently, she completed her third self-booked tour of the West Coast with artist Valeri Lopez, opening for Future of Forestry and Casey Hurt. In addition to touring and traveling, she is composed the original score and soundtrack for "Pearl in the Making," a documentary on adolescence angst by producer Sue Hall.
Last, but certainly not least, this summer Andrea's second full-length album, Deciding What to Keep, was released internationally. Recorded at the posh Firehouse Studios in Pasadena, California, the album features songs co-written with Kevin Fisher (Rascal Flatts, Sara Evans, Uncle Cracker), Alan Waddington (producer and editor for Gwen Stafani), Troy Welstad (keyboardist for Hillary Duff), and others. Deciding What to Keep reveals even more spunk and bravery from this maturing artist as her soul-moving songs and honest stories offer truth and hope with which any beating heart can relate. Influenced by the down-home storytelling of Patty Griffin and the honest reflections of U2, this playful sophomore album is the sugar for lemonade on a day full of lemons. It's currently available at CDBaby, Amazon, and on iTunes.
Age:
31 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Andrew Foshee is an eclectic songwriter originally from Kansas City, Missouri, though his nomadic lifestyle has lead him to call several different cities his home including Orlando, Austin, and San Diego. Foshee's music is derived from several different musical influences ranging from Electric Light Orchestra and Led Zeppelin to Ben Folds and Elliott Smith. Though stylistically he may bounce around from lazy folk singalongs to blues driven roots-rock, quirky piano-pop and even the occasional power ballad, his supple voice remains the cohesive glue in an otherwise incoherent songscape, even when it is charmingly out of tune. But do not be fooled. Although Foshee writes (and clearly listens to) a great and many different genres of music it is clear from the first listen that even though he dabbles within the borders of folk, rock, blues and roots music, his own songwriting can simply be described as highly charismatic 'pop'.
He is now playing locally with his rock band 'The Apology'
Age:
30 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Living Wills Music (BMI)
Bio:
I grew up in a very close-knit Christian family, I was home-schooled, and started attending college as a high school junior. Music was always important in our house and I fell in love with it at an early age. At fifteen I bought my first guitar from a buddy and it was over right then and there. I started writing my first songs with heavy influence from 90s pop/rock music such as Hootie and the Blowfish, Sister Hazel, Jars of Clay and U2. The only country music I had any familiarity with was fringe country like The Eagles, Johnny Cash and Glen Campbell. But in the summer of 2006 I met country music singer-songwriter Johnny Jolin. His country-rock shows blew me away and I quickly started to listen to country more and more. I have been writing commercial country music since late 2007. I have cuts by Andy Griggs, Johnny Jolin, The Front Porch Country Band and numerous other indie artist as well as compilation placements/contest placements including the the Music City Songwriting Competition, Tunesmith Song Challenge and the NSAI/CMT Song Contest. I live with my family in Gallipolis, Ohio and travel to Nashville monthly for co-writes, meetings and demo sessions.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Really Complicated Music - theandydavis@gmail.com
Bio:
Andy DavisâÂÂs smart and seductive blue-eyed soul music weds indelible hooks to sly, incisive lyrics, creating songs that sound like newly minted pop-soul classics.
A Louisiana native, Davis released his first album, âÂÂThinks of Her,â in 2004. âÂÂThinks of Herâ struck a chord on college campuses, selling out its initial print run. The original pressing of the CD -- with DavisâÂÂs hand-written lyrics and stenciled cover art -- became a collectorâÂÂs item within months of its release.
In 2005, the remastered rerelease of âÂÂThinks of Herâ gained Davis national exposure and brought him to the attention of legendary music producer Mitchell Froom (Paul McCartney, Sheryl Crow, Elvis Costello). The result of their collaboration was âÂÂLet the Woman,â a sophisticated, sonically adventurous album that ignited a bidding war. Barnes and Noble won the exclusive rights to distribute âÂÂLet the Womanâ online and and in their stores all over the world. The albumâÂÂs single, âÂÂBrown Eyes,â became a staple on AAA radio stations nationwide, and âÂÂLet the Womanâ became a #4 bestseller.
Davis toured extensively in support of âÂÂLet the WomanâÂÂ, both headlining and opening for Colbie Caliat, Jakob Dylan, Mat Kearney, Will Hoge, Howie Day, and NEEDTOBREATHE.
The following year, Davis became a prominent member of Ten Out of Tenn, a critically acclaimed collective of Nashville singer/songwriters who joined forces for a collaborative tour that was documented in the award-winning documentary film, âÂÂAny Day Now.âÂÂ
In 2009, Davis returned to Nashville to record his latest EP, âÂÂNew History,â which was featured in -- and inspired -- a recent episode of ABCâÂÂs âÂÂGreyâÂÂs Anatomy.âÂÂ
A thoroughly contemporary artist raised on old-school rock and soul, Andy DavisâÂÂs infallible ear for hooks -- for a well-turned phrase -- and for the often irregular heartbeat of human relationships continues to engage longtime fans and win him new ones.
His new album is scheduled to be released in the fall of 2010.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Over the past few years Washington, D.C. based singer songwriter Andy Zipf has built himself quite a cottage industry by constantly writing, touring and building a fan-base one friend at a time. With two independent releases and almost 300 dates under his belt in the last two years, Andy has attracted the attention of the Today Show, XM Satellite Radio, The Washington Post, Paste Magazine, Performing Songwriter Magazine, VH1 and MTV by building a growing and sustainable model that relies on a stunning live performance, amazing music and a close connection to his audience.
Andy has shared the stage with a wide variety of great performers including The Cold War Kids, Badly Drawn Boy, Joshua Radin, Delta Spirit, Evan Dando, The Ataris, The Wrens, Dave Bazan, Nicole Atkins and Mary Lou Lord.
Age:
30 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
30 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
info@angelareed.com
Bio:
Explosive and elegant, Angela Reed sings and writes in her eclectic blend of music. This Seattle-based songstress is a competent lyricist, a melodic soul, a personal performer, and a beautiful example of artistry at work.
She has performed with greats like Al Anderson (NRBQ), Cheryl Wheeler, Jonathan Edwards, Kenny White, and Kelly Harland. Her influences include Joni Mitchell, Ella Fitzgerald, Jeff Buckley, and Bjork, to name a few.
"Angela Reed has the voice of an earth angel-sweet and vibrant and memorable. A rare singer who will fly far." -Judy Collins
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Je Voudrais Music
Bio:
Mattson grew up in an industrial town on Lake Michigan, before one day deciding to skip town for warmer temperatures. She taught herself to play guitar on a sailboat bound for South America. Since then her songs have been on FOX, ABC, LOGO and IFC and she has toured nationally and opened for the likes of Suzanne Vega, Uh Huh Her, Shawn Mullins, and more. Her new LP Skeleton Arm was just released and a fall tour will follow. Angie currently resides in the Highland Park area of Los Angeles.
Age:
36 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
colin@worldsend.com
Bio:
Ari Shine is quickly becoming the singer/songwriter to watch in 2011. He plays rootsy rock with an eye for lyrical detail and an ear for classic pop song-craft. The heartfelt melodies and unfiltered lyrics he delivers retain the same unabashed hooks and energy whether in solo acoustic performance or with full band backing. After a number of critically acclaimed releases which earned him praise in such sources as the Village Voice, The Los Angeles Times and even from legendary Rolling Stones producer Andrew Loog Oldham, Ari has arrived with his most personal and versatile batch of tunes.
Speaking on the creation of his new album Ghost Town Directory(Beverly Martel) Shine says âÂÂMy last album A Force Of One was purposely going after a classic late 70âÂÂs power pop sound, even going so far as to use veteran producer Earle Mankey (Sparks, Beach Boys, Concrete Blonde) to recreate the vibe of that era. I did a ton of touring after that album, much of which was solo acoustic shows and I decided that before I recorded my new album I was just going to write songs on my acoustic guitar not geared toward any specific genre; just songs that worked by themselves without outside adornment.âÂÂ
When it came time to record the music, Shine linked up with good friend and noted producer Noah Shain, fresh off work with acts like As Tall As Lions, Me Talk Pretty and The Secret Handshake. The results feature a wide screen sound which give ShineâÂÂs already anthemic tunes a radio ready sheen. Gutsy rockers like the opening âÂÂAll IâÂÂve Got is Loveâ (co-written with ShineâÂÂs wife Adrienne Pierce, also a noted performer) and the hometown kiss-off âÂÂAgainst the Nightâ mingle with more atmospheric tracks like âÂÂHere With Meâ and âÂÂSimpleâÂÂ, the latter featuring rich pads of harmonies in a decidedly 70s vein. Though he tackled all the instruments and vocals during the sessions, drums were handled by LA traps master Chris Cano, best known for his work in another Shain produced project Orson, as well as hip hop/Latin rock road warriors Ozomatli.
Shine has racked up plenty of miles himself through the U.S., U.K. and Canada, opening for artists like Rhett Miller, John Doe, Hugh Cornwell of The Stranglers, Redd Kross, Silversun Pickups, The Donnas, Liam Finn and many others. Most recently Ari was handpicked to support Chris Shiflett of the Foo Fighters on his entire summer 2010 solo tour. âÂÂIâÂÂm proud of how much IâÂÂve toured over the past few years. The wide range of artists I have played with has really helped me grow as a performer and as a writer. ItâÂÂs a testament to the strength of the songs when you can just strap on a guitar and play to an audience who have come for an entirely different style of music and have them leave as fans.âÂÂ
While Shine has built his songwriting skills and performance chops playing in live bands since the age of 15, in recent years he has become a go to songwriter for buzz acts and established artists alike. Some of his notable co-writes include tracks on albums by The Secret Handshake, Josie Cotton, Gaby Moreno, Into the Presence and Thousand Watt Stare.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Makeout Music Company aronwright@gmail.com
Bio:
Currently calling Nashville his home, Aron was born in Little Rock, AR, raised in St. Louis, MO, and moved to South Africa at the age of 16. Throughout his teen years, Aron learned how to play trumpet, bass trombone, and tuba through marching band and jazz ensemble. He began playing guitar by the age of 13, but didnâÂÂt start writing songs until he moved to South Africa where there was no symphonic band and was instead encouraged to sing and compose. Upon graduating high school, Aron moved to Nashville where he attended Lipscomb University. After graduating with degrees in Spanish, French and Marketing, Aron taught Spanish for two years before deciding to pursue music full time.
Recently Aron Wright was featured on NashvilleâÂÂs local independent radio station Lightning 100âÂÂs âÂÂLocal Artist Spotlightâ with his song âÂÂChristmas AinâÂÂt Christmas This Year.â As an artist, Aron has played with acts such as Matthew Perryman Jones, Jeremy Lister, The Features, Daniel Ellsworth, and Brooke Waggoner. AronâÂÂs musical influences include Patty Griffin, Nick Drake, Jeff Buckley, Otis Redding, Maxwell, Sigur Ros, and Radiohead, to name a few. AronâÂÂs future plans include promoting the new album through upcoming shows and touring.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
info@arricarose.com
Bio:
Arrica RoseâÂÂs brand of indie folk-rock shines on 'La La Lost', a Paste Magazine recommended album. This highly anticipated 2nd full-length record produced by Dan Garcia (David Crosby, Leonard Cohen, Christina Aguilera) has been featured on iTunes Folk page throughout Europe, peaked at #24 on ItalyâÂÂs iTunes charts and is also charting on indie/college radio across the country. Arrica Rose's follow-up solo EP Pretend I'm Fur received an iTunes New and Noteworthy feature and debuted at #32 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter charts. Arrica RoseâÂÂs music was also placed on NBCâÂÂs Lipstick Jungle as well as NikeWomen.com and her cover of The Bee Gee's Tragedy was featured by Esquire as one of the best covers of all times. "With a sound reminiscent of artists such as Patti Smith, The Ditty Bops, and CocoRosie, Rose masterfully brings indie-rock, alternative, and folk to a whole new level with this album.â âÂÂPerformer Magazine
Age:
32 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Amiable Alleycat Music summerofchange@hotmail.com
Bio:
He has been known for his introspective songwriting, but over the years I've not only come to appreciate his songwriting, but his raspy voice that comes through so boldly behind the microphone as well. He's one of those that once you hear him live, you'll never forget him. His melodies are contagious and his lyrics will impact you. I'll never forget the time I heard Tennessean singer/songwriter, Arthur Alligood, perform his popular song, "Hold On" in Greenwood, SC to a crowd full of strangers to his music. If I say I was floored, it would probably be the largest understatement since that idiot who said Michael Jackson's a good moon-walker. Blogger, Matthew Patterson, comments in detail regarding one of Alligood's shows, "Arthur Alligood was dressed in a t-shirt and jeans and wore wide-rimmed glasses. He strummed his guitar with more of a nervous tick than the graceful movements of other more well-known artists. But somehow this quick jerking motion birthed a worthy rhythmic melody to his story, which he sung with awkward facial expressions and painful grimaces. Had I passed him on the street I would have barely noticed him, just a regular Joe. But Friday night, he had my attention. His voice rang with truth and his story was real, made up of things from the dark places that donâÂÂt look good up in lights or sell well in markets of perfection."
It's no secret that Alligood's storytelling ability is a generational inheritance coming directly from his father, Leon Alligood, a well-known writer who resides in the greater Nashville area. With 6 releases under his belt, Alligood is no stranger to the indie-folk music world. A full-time husband and father of 3, Alligood is no longer booking shows at the moment, but from a conversation I had with him a couple of weeks ago, it looks like this may change in the near future. So, don't be surprised if you see Alligood making an appearance here and there over the course of the year 2010, as he gears up to record what will be his 7th official release this year. I've had the opportunity to hear some of the demos to his new stuff. And let me say, he has wowed me again.
-Luke Goddard, founder of www.TheBlueIndian.com
Age:
24 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Onja Rose Music
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
25 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Ashley Monroe is an American country singer-songwriter from Knoxville, Tennessee. To date, she has charted two singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart; in addition, she co-wrote Katrina Elam's 2007 single "Flat on the Floor" (which was also recorded by Carrie Underwood).
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
ashleyrobertsonmusic@gmail.com
Bio:
The package is deceiving; fresh-faced with a warm smile and gentle voice, singer-songwriter Ashley Robertson is a young woman with an already impressive amount of critical and international acclaim.
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, AshleyâÂÂs interest in country music was sparked early by listening to her parentâÂÂs recordings of great artists such as Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash. As soon as she was old enough Ashley enrolled in Belmont UniversityâÂÂs famed Music Business program, where she majored in business administration, audio production and studied classical piano.
There in Nashville she met her first producer Allen Frizzell of the famous Lefty Frizzell family. AshleyâÂÂs debut album was recorded at Hilltop Studios and released in 2003 to critical and international success. She became one of the youngest songwriters to have two solo written songs hit the top 100 at Canadian country radio, âÂÂLittle League Tryoutsâ & âÂÂBut HeâÂÂ, complete with a cross Canada radio tour and numerous trips to Europe and the U.K. to tour & perform.
Her first internationally released single âÂÂLiving In Miseryâ gained the top spot on the American Independent, U.K. & European country charts and led to her winning the 2005 European CMA Favorite Female Vocalist of the Year award. The accompanying music video received play on CMT Canada and the Country Music Channel of Australia.
She again topped the Independent, European & UK country charts in 2006 with her self-written bluegrass single âÂÂA Letterâ and began earnest work writing and recording her sophomore album. According to Larry Delaney of Country Music News she âÂÂsteps into full control of the project by writing all of the songs, and producing.âÂÂ
Ashley graduated from Belmont University in December 2006 and released her second album âÂÂWoman in the White Dressâ in Fall 2008. It was recorded at Hilltop Studios in Nashville with owner John Nicholson at the beginning of 2008. Ashley was subsequently invited to perform for the prestigious âÂÂSongwriterâÂÂs Cafeâ show during the Canadian Country Music Association Awards week in her hometown of Winnipeg last September.
Her last single âÂÂDeep in the Nightâ is AshleyâÂÂs third number one hit and her second solo written song to become a smash on country radio in several nations. It hit number one on the National Aboriginal Top 30 Countdown in Canada, and has continued all the way to the top spot on the European CMAâÂÂs official Pan-Europe Country Radio chart. Ashley's latest single is called "Woman in the White Dress" and both singles are accompanied by stunning music videos produced and directed by New York Film Academy alumni and 3D artist Daniel Robertson.
Always, though, the heart of her music lies with the rich storytelling genre of country music combined with the pulsating rhythms of bluegrass. Her gently powerful voice eases you along and portrays soulfulness beyond her years. Lesson learned; donâÂÂt be deceived by the youthful package, Ashley Robertson is a gifted singer-songwriter with âÂÂample touches of hurt, passion and soulâÂÂ.
Age:
31 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
BMI / Luke White Music
Bio:
I began writing when I was 12 in rural Virginia, and made the city transition to Boston in college. After being chewed up by the Berklee songwriting system, they spit me out and I landed on my ass in Brooklyn where I now wake up every afternoon chanting pop lyrics and cranking melodic riffs with my awesome / sometimes sober band mates to pay for my 2.5 nightly shots of Jameson whisky. This is the life...
Age:
46 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Self
Bio:
Devils are not the only thing to come from Tasmania. Singer-songwriter Audrey Auld's heart is in Country, Folk and Americana music with a presence as big as The Outback. Her songs are the wry and poignant observations of a Tassie girl living in and touring America for the past eight years. Audrey calls it "Music with the dirt left on."
Since her first release in 1997, Audrey now has nine albums to her credit. In 1998 she established, along with Bill Chambers, indie label, Reckless Records. Her albums The Fallen and Texas were nominated for ARIA awards (Australian Recording Industry Assn.) in the Country category. She was nominated for Best New Talent in the country music industryâÂÂs Golden Guitar awards. Her duet album Looking Back To See, with Bill Chambers, was also nominated for a Golden Guitar in the Vocal Group/Duo category.
Audrey receives worldwide radio airplay and tours internationally. Since relocating to the United States in 2003 she has become a performer for the Bread and Roses organization and hosts ongoing song writing workshops in San Quentin prison. In 2006 she won the Chris Austin Song Contest at Merlefest in North Carolina. Her songs are placed on U.S. TV shows and are performed on the Grand Ole Opry and by descendants of the Carter Family. Audrey lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband, dogs, chickens and frogs.
2011 sees the release of her fifth solo album âÂÂCome Find MeâÂÂ.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
* âÂÂIâÂÂd Leave Me Tooâ featured in FX TV show âÂÂJustifiedâ (episode 2).
* San Quentin Prison - performance and ongoing songwriting workshops
* Performing at the Carter Family Fold, Hiltons, Virginia.
* Singing harmony with Buddy Miller and band in Australia.
* 2 ARIA Nominations (Aust. Recording Industry Assn). for self-produced and self-released albums on her own Reckless Records label.
* 5 cuts by other artists (including Sunny Sweeney, Big Machine Records).
* 2 Golden Guitar nominations (Australia).
* Playing on Ernest TubbâÂÂs Midnite Jamboree with Don Helms (Hank Williamsâ Band).
* Recording with Kieran Kane, Fred Eaglesmith, Mary Gauthier, Dale Watson, Bill Chambers, Kasey Chambers, Nina Gerber, Carrie Rodriguez and Gabe & Kimmie Rhodes
* Singing with Charlie Louvin, Tom Russell, Laurie Lewis, Jim Lauderdale, Kim Ritchie, Paul Kelly, Fred Eaglesmith, Jon Dee Graham, Gurf Morlix and Jimmie LaFave
* Kasey Chambers included AudreyâÂÂs "Song For Clax" in her Top Ten favorite songs.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Audrey Rose Publishing
Bio:
The element of surprise is an extremely powerful tool when you aim to capture a group of people. Now, that may sound a little strange in the world of music, but one of the most thrilling moments for me is when I am taken off guard by an artist and totally captivated by what I hear. And miss Audrey Spillman has my attention.
Growing up in Nashville, Audrey was raised on a wide variety of music, from Aretha Franklin to Joni Mitchell. This exposure to such musical giants greatly impacted her artistic development, and led her to study at the well-respected Belmont University. Being surrounded by other passionate musicians only encouraged her to become a stronger artist and songwriter.
Her voice is bold, soulful yet lovely and graceful, with her southern roots subtly floating between her notes. Recalling elements of artists like Norah Jones, Susan Tedeschi, Joni Mitchell and folksier Sara Bareillis, Audrey pieces together her own distinct style of folk/pop that's truly wonderful to the ears.
Her powerful vocals only amplify an intense amount of emotion felt within her songs. Her EP, "Fade" (produced by Neilson Hubbard), is a collection of snapshots from different moments in her life and how relationships mold you into the person you'll become. The EP takes you on a journey that could very easily become your own. From the playful and youthful song, "The Ride" to the wiser and bruised ballad "Fade", Audrey has an incredible talent for writing music that's so compelling and so relatable.
(written by Jon Dicus, Music City Unsigned)
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Ava K:
A self published writer with cuts on Universal, SONY Music & Ministry of Sound, along with multiple songs placements on CMT.
Run & Own Vocal Studio: Has recorded both main and background vocals for studio albums, demo work and commericals. Ava is also a sought after background vocalist for both live shows and recordings.
Performed in: LA (room5), Nashville (Bluebird), NYC (various), Toronto(various) & Whistler (Fairmont), Kelown (Private).
http://www.myspace.com/avamusiconline
http://www.youtube.com/avamusic
B
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
601-415-3125
Bio:
WILKWOOD MUSIC
BARBARA WILKINSON
SONYA WOOD
SONGWRITERS, BMI
Mississippi -born and raised--Smokey Mountain Heart-----
Songwriting is a craft, an obsession, a moody and often difficult lover........
Member of NSAI, IBMA, Americana Music Association and Songu.com
SONG CUTS
OCTOBER 2011
Marie Hodson.."Bitterweeds", "No Cheatin Required" and "Neshoba County Jail"
MARCH 2011
Kristi Kalyn ..."Cowboys Love Texas"
FEB 2010 QUINTANA BIFFERT released her sophomore CD "CALL HIS NAME", title track written by Barbara. This gospel CD is right on and Quintana hits all the right notes and spots. May be the best gospel CD released this year!
http://www.myspace.com/quintanabiffert
2008 included Australian artist, Marie Hodson recording "Cowboys Love Texas" released August on her debut CD "Read Between the Lies" in Australia, Canadian and European markets and was charting at #6 the week og Dec 11, 2009!!
Her song, "True Blue Cowboy" , has been recorded by William Michael Morgan, B. Thomas(Norwegian Country Artist) and on Billy Childers debut CD "A Man's Gotta Do....What A Man's Gotta Do."
Jamie Lynn Robinson released "Some Hearts", title track credits and "Revivals Coming" on her debut CD titled "Some Hearts"--check out her at http:www.myspace.com.jamielynnplaysguitar
Barbara's songs have won or placed in such songwriting contests as the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, Great American Songwriting Contest, Billboard Songwriting Contest, Songdoor International and Nashville Songwriters Festival.
She has signed several single song publishing contracts with Nashville Publishers and continues to seek out avenues to advance her skill in the craft of songwriting and to meet like-minded writers and artists.
Age:
44 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
22 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
33 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
n/a
Bio:
Singer-songwriter, Ben Glover, is based between Nashville, TN and his hometown of Belfast, Ireland. He recently recorded his second album "Through the Noise, Through the Night", produced by indie producer Neilson Hubbard (Kim Richey, Matthew Perryman Jones & Toad the Wet SprocketâÂÂs former singer Glen Phillips). This second release was recorded at the HubbardâÂÂs Mr. Lemons StudioâÂÂs in East Nashville.
Ben Glover is from the County Antrim village of Glenarm and he has been writing songs since he was a teenager. He graduated in law at Queens University Belfast before he decided to put his legal ambitions on hold to pursue a career in music.
Back in 2008 Ben released his debut album The Week The Clocks Changed. That record was produced by J.D. Foster and featured guest appearances by the likes of Vince Gill, Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale. Ben also released two singles that enjoyed UK national airplay on BBC Radio 2 - as well as an invitation to play a live session on Janice LongâÂÂs Radio 2 show.
Comparisons were drawn to the likes of Ryan Adams and Bruce Springsteen and the record received a 4 star review in the Irish Times, a 3 star review in Q Magazine while Maverick Magazine gave the record another 4 star review and quoted: âÂÂA great debut album from a major talent in the makingâÂÂ.
In early 2009 Glover relocated to the USA where he began diving into the rich southern culture of Nashville. He frequented the old homesteads and headstones of his musical idols, including Johnny Cash and Hank Williams, journeyed to the legendary crossroads in the Mississippi Delta and wrote his name on the wall at Elvis PresleyâÂÂs Graceland.
He was chosen to be one of four Northern Irish songwriters to participate in the St. PatrickâÂÂs Day Nashville / Belfast sister city concert. He also made an appearance in Austin, Texas at the famed SXSW (South by Southwest festival). After a few months in town, Glover performed for NashvilleâÂÂs music industry heavyweights at BMIâÂÂs Basement Buzz, a showcase that features the townâÂÂs best up and coming new artists.
Drawing on the inspiration of the creative music scene in Nashville, Glover began penning new tunes with some of Music RowâÂÂs finest songwriters, including Lost Highway Recording Artist, Mary Gauthier and in late October 2009 he began to record this new album.
Age:
58 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
singer songwriter out of Calif
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Hmmm...I'm not crazy about talkin about myself... I'm a GA peach who's been writing since I was 13 years old. Got into songwriting in 1999 thanks to Chip Martin of Nashville, TN! He and I have co-writen several songs together (he's AWESOME!). To hear some of my songs go to MySpace.com, Music and type in Bernadette Coker. Hope you like what you hear!
Age:
30 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Sweetestday Music Publishing (self)
Bio:
My name is Beth. Short for Elisabeth Juliana. I was loosely named after a song called "I'm Not Lisa (my name is Julie)" by Jessi Colter. I'm a spirited singer/songwriter and a passionate dreamer. I wear too much pink.
I've been in Nashville since October 2009. Grew up in the magical land of Oregon, then spent 3.5 hot tamale years in Austin, Texas, where HGTV filmed my husband & I playing music and shopping for a condo in an episode of House Hunters.
I started performing when I was five years old and took my first piano lesson that same year, conquering a one-note song called "C The Sea Lion" like a boss. Growing up, my sweet mama would always sing silly songs to me - compositions about bunnies and trapezes and romance. I credit those times for my obsession with colorful lyrics.
I realized I have a knack for this lil ol' writing thang when one of my first original songs, a piano ballad called "Perfectly", received over 30,000 paid downloads in one month after being featured in an MP3.com newsletter. Around that same time, I was delighted to dress up all fancy and accept about a dozen indie artist awards, including "Female Future Star", "Horizon Award", "New Female Vocalist of the Year", "Website of the Year", "Female Vocalist of the Year", and "Female Entertainer of the Year", from various organizations.
I've done the National Anthem for lots of sporty spice folks, like the Portland Trailblazers, Seattle Supersonics, Portland Fire, UofO Ducks and others; opened for artists like Neal McCoy, Jo Dee Messina, The Doobie Brothers and The Beach Boys; had a song ("Run Away With You") featured in an indie film; and I've recorded 4 CDs, including my first solo album of all self-penned numbers, called "Minutes With You".
In 2008, I spent some time in Hollywood after being cast on a now defunct CBS reality show. Twenty aught nine was the year I decided it was time to take over the world, so we sold practically everything we owned and moved to Tennessee. I live downtown in a small loft with no TV, no kids, no pets, but plenty of vegan food, musical instruments and love.
My goal is to be a staff writer with a publishing company, while still releasing my own ditties of charm & wonderment. I'm giving it all I've got, sometimes more! Thanks for following me down this yellow brick road. xo.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Bill Liggett
Blah Blah Blah....
Age:
48 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
The American Bluesman :
The Urbanization of Delta Blues
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=32550
"Billy Jones brings back the Thrill that once belonged to Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush. ...A refreshing blast of the really great sound of Healing Blues, Jazz, Funk Music.
Loaded with Rich Blues Tradition B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Even Johnny Winter Flavors.
I'd recommend this to any avid blues listener and I look forward to hearing more from the reclusive Billy Jones."
It's a long way from the rich, fertile delta lands of North Little Rock, Ark., to the Netherlands, where Billy Jones records for Dutch blues label Black and Tan Records, but it was a route of which he never lost sight.
Born into the segregated south, he was exposed to the driving beat of the blues when he was still an infant. In the crib, he could hear it as it permeated the walls against which he slept. This sound which spoke to him gave him an early direction in life he has pursued to this day.
His early memories are of a juke joint where he would draw inspiration; the images, and the folks he knew then are the stuff of his songs. They gave him a mind-set that would drive him to perfect his craft as a guitar slinging blues man.
Billy Jones is betting that the blues can experience a revival of interestâÂÂwhat is needed is a fresh infusion of imagination. And to capture a bigger share of the Black music market, what is needed is for the blues to once again become relevant to the African-American experience.
All About Jazz: Before we talk of how a Delta blues artist gets signed by a Dutch-owned label, i.e., Black and Tan Records, let's talk of how you started in this business. What was your first exposure to the blues, and what are some of your earliest memories of this music?
Billy Jones: I was raised from the age of six months in my grandfather's cafe and boarding house, The Cedar Street CafeâÂÂ903 Cedar StreetâÂÂNorth Little Rock, Ark. The room that we lived in was directly behind the wall of the main ballroom where the jukebox was. My crib was on the other side of that wall, so as a baby I would be laying there listening to Elmore James, Big Joe Turner, Jackie Wilson, B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Sam Cooke and all the blues and soul greats while the cafe customers played records and partied well into the night. My bed would vibrate on the bass notes.
That was my first exposure to the music. I absorbed the music as I could literally hear it in my sleep. One of the first thoughts that I remember having was that I wanted to be like B.B. King and Elmore James.
There was this dangerous juke-joint/nightclub place down the road from my grandfather's cafe called Jim Lindsey's Place. Many of the big "chittlin' circuit" stars of the day used to perform there, like Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson and Bobby Blue Bland. Sometimes at night when everyone else was asleep, I would sneak out of the room and climb up high in an old chinaberry tree and watch what was going on over at Jim Lindsey's Place. I could hear the band from there and pretend that it was me onstage.
All the pimps, players, dealers, whores and gangsters used to hang out there and someone was always getting shot or stabbed on a regular basis. Remember that this was the segregated south, so whenever someone would call for an ambulance for a shooting, or fight, at a club, they would send a hearse from the black-owned funeral home instead of an ambulance. If the victim was still alive they would take them to a black doctor ... If not, they would take them to the funeral home.
Of course, I thought that these were the "beautiful people" and I wanted to be just like them when I grew up. Especially the musicians, with their tight-legged, sharkskin suits and Stacy Adams shoes, their jewelry and the way they wore their hair in a process. And the women! The way they used to dress back then looked so glamorous! Of course, Bobby "Blue" Bland's Cadillac ... "No medical school for me dad ... I'm gonna be a blues star."
The house band for Jim Lindsey's Place lived in an upstairs room over the club, and during the day I would go over there and try to hang out around them. They could tell that I really wanted to be a guitar player.
There was this one musician who played at the club named Red Harpo ... he told me that he was Slim Harpo's brother. I believed him. Whether he was or not, one thing is true, Red could play the hell out of a guitar! ... There was an air of excitement about him. Women would fight over him. He would let me come up to his room sometimes and talk to him, while he would sip "Golden Rod" wine on ice and play and sing for me, and show me how to play the new hit songs of the day, while I soaked-in all the information that he was giving me about being a real musician.
By the time I was 14-years old, I was hanging out at "Williams Pool Hall." One day, this older guy pulled up in a 1957 Chevy station wagon packed full of amplifiers, microphones and drums. He came in. He had that same air of excitement about him that Red had. He said that he was in a band and he had a gig booked in Lonoke, Ark., that night and that he heard me play guitar and they were looking for a guitar player. He said that his name was Hosea Levy and that he and his younger brother Calvin Levy would pay me $6 if I played with them and Willie Cobb, Little Johnny Taylor and Larry "Totsie" Davis that night. I didn't tell him that I had never played in a band before. I was 14-years old and I was going on the road! I was trying to be cool and I agreed to go with him. But I was so excited to be going to play with a real band!
That was the first day that I went on the road with the Levy Brothers Band, and the beginning of a lifetime journey into the world of the blues. I've been on the road ever since. So it was "on the job training" for me.
AAJ: How old were you when you first picked up the guitar? How did you become this accomplished musician that you are today?
BJ: It's hard for me to remember when I didn't have a guitar ... it's just something that I've always wanted to do.
Because I loved guitars so much, around age four or five years old, my uncle Vernon had given me a little plastic toy guitar with a music-box handle that played "Pop Goes the Weasel" when you turned it. It was instant love. I used to stand in front of the jukebox with that little guitar and pretend that I was every artist whose record was playing. I was always running around holding that guitar. I don't think I ever put it down.
I think I really started getting serious about it during the summer between the fifth and sixth grade. I didn't play with the other children in my neighborhood that much. I hung around adult musicians and spent most of my time learning songs from records and trying to sound like the guys on the recordings. Sometimes I would hang out with the winos and perform for them. Some of my family thought I was weird. But music is both my occupation and my recreation. And I spent almost every waking moment playing it and studying and imitating the artists that I idolized ... I guess that I was kinda weird.
AAJ: How did you start to play gigs traveling from military installation to installation, entertaining military members and their dependents? Were you in the military at the time?
BJ: No, I was not in the military. I always regretted that I didn't join the Air Force. I think that I would have liked it. This was during my 20s, after I had started my own band and was playing a lot of Rick James, Cameo, Funkadelic, Stanley Clarke, and Hendrix, Bar-Kays, Commodores, Gap, Zapp and that kinda thing.
At that time, I was being booked by this big-shot "Clive Davis"-type guy named Gene Williams, who was really hooked-up with the Grand Ol' Opry and the Nashville scene and was managing Ferlin Husky, Claude King and Donna Douglas, who played the part of Elli Mae on the television show The Beverly Hillbillies.
Since he couldn't book a black band in the "Country Music Capitol of the World," he started booking me into NCO and officer's clubs on naval stations, Air Force bases, Army posts and military installations all over the United States. I lived the military lifestyle without actually being in the military. GI women are great!
I learned a lot and made a lot of friends ... to this day I have the highest respect for military personnel. They are great people. They work hard and they play hard ... and they love hard.
AAJ: Where did this traveling take you?
BJ: To over 42 states ... countless times. And to many clubs and shows that were booked off-base when we were in whatever city. I did that for 10 years. I loved it!
AAJ: So you weren't traveling to Europe. Was it while traveling like this that you first met Jan Mittendorp of the Black and Tan Record label? How did he come to sign you for his label?
BJ: I met Jan Mittendorp in 2004 when I sent a promotional CD of my music to him. He liked what I was doing and flew me over to Amsterdam to record some of my songs for Black and Tan Records.
A few months later, after the Tha' Bluez CD was released, I went back to do a month-long tour of Europe to support the release. We liked each other instantly and have been working together ever since.
He's a great guy to work with, and I have complete artistic freedom to style my music any way that I see fit.
AAJ: According to sources, you have a unique take on the "corporate game" as it pertains to the music industry. Can you share your ideas on the recording industry in general? How did you develop this perspective on the record industry?
BJ: Let me be the first to say that I have said a lot of senseless crap in order to get attention in my time. I'm not sure which particular proclamation you are referring to, but it may be the time that I said that some labels have chosen to force feed the public old ideas rather than offer them new ones. And that the response of the youth audience has been to ignore the music in droves.
What I want to do is to re-introduce the young urban audience to the music of their heritage by presenting it in a format that they can appreciate.
I think that one of the reasons that the blues industry is becoming stagnant is because many labels discourage original ideas and many label owners are basically "wannabe" artists and bookkeepers, business guys who want to "handle" and "direct" their artist's careers in order to live out their own musical fantasies by dictating to the artist how the career ... and the music should go ... sometimes before it is even written, instead of allowing the artist to be fully creative. That makes for mediocre songs.
Some want to impose their own musical limitations into the creative process. They want the artist to be the "idiot savant" like Blind Tom, and create these musical masterpieces on demand, but let the label owner make all the business decisions and of course ... handle all the money.
I have musician friends who sign with these carpet-bagger types of record labels who have them out touring all over the world and making records. The artists never see any reasonable amount of income for it and don't have what they need to get by on, while the record company guys screw them out of most of the money with the promise of those mysterious mechanical royalties that never seem to appear. If they do appear, then it's just enough to pay back the advance that you probably didn't get from the record company in the first place. The artists are like slaves to these guys. Now that's (the) blues tradition!
âÂÂWhat I want to do is to re-introduce the young urban audience to the music of their heritage by presenting it in a format that they can appreciate.âÂÂ
Some want formulas and repetition of familiar patterns and mimicry that they can re-package into neat little categories and sell to the public, much like the rock guys keep re-packaging Jimi Hendrix; and the Rasta guys keep re-packaging Bob Marley; or the blues guys keep re-packaging Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson. That has nothing to do with art or creativity or even music. It's just standard snake-oil sales tactics.
When I first started sending my songs out to labels in order to shop for a recording deal, one of the biggest blues label owners in the game wrote me and said that I had no idea about what the public, especially the black audience, wants to hear on a blues record and that I really needed to decide if I was going to be a bluesman, a soul man, or a rock guy and to stick to that one thing, because if I released a recording with all those musical styles on one CD, the audience would be confused and wouldn't buy it. I think that he seriously underestimated both the musical tastes and the intellect of the general public.
The my Hometown CD is exactly that. It's the biggest project that I have ever been involved with. The songs on the CD are being well received by people who listen to all types of music ... not just blues. It was recently chosen by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Continental Airlines, Czech Airlines and 25 other international airlines to be included in their in-flight audio entertainment listings. If you are traveling by airplane over the holiday season please check it out on your in-flight audio player. The songs became available for passengers to listen to in the month of November.
This recording has been gathering very positive critical reviews from music writers and getting high rotation international radio airplay. (The songs on the CD) have been featured in several music publications, they have been no. 1 on XM Satellite Radio, and they are presently no. 6 on the Real Blues Magazine Top 100 CD's charts ... and I'm just getting warmed up!
As much as this applies as much to the existing blues labels, I am certain that this take applies more to the Big Four labels of the recording industry. How does Jan's approach differ?
In any business situation, there is going to be negotiation and compromise. Jan is a pretty straight-forward and honest guy. He's open to new concepts and ideas and I like working with him ... he's cool.
I'm sure that if I were signed to one of the big four that you mentioned, that my Hometown would have never seen the light of day. I would have had to release a CD that sounds just like every other blues CD out there. The only thing that ever changes about some of those products is the name of the guy singing.
AAJ: Recording for Jan's label and having toured Europe, you can certainly answer this: do you feel that the record industry is different in Europe than it is here in the States?
BJ: Yes ... in America the record industry has become an assembly-line, one-beat type of thing.
All the rap songs sound the same. All the blues songs sound the same. All the subject matter sounds the same. If one song is a hit, then there is a rush to make every song after that sound just like that one.
In Europe, the music is not shaped by trends and fads. It's shaped by talent. And it just has to be good.
Not that I'm down on corporate American music companies, but they are about numbers, not music. There is plenty of great music in America, but it is coming from the home studios and independent artists. There's some fantastic stuff that's coming off the streets that is re-shaping the dynamics of the industry.
AAJ: Do you find the audiences here and abroad different; and if so, in what ways?
BJ: Yes. The European audience seems to listen to a wider spectrum of music than the American audience. They are open to all types of music and will listen to anything based on whether they like the song or not.
I find that Americans tend to see music in the same way that they see fashion and fads. There is a "herd" mentality involved here where everybody wants to do what everyone else is doing.
It's like musical segregation. If jazz is in vogue, then everyone in a certain peer group wants to listen to only jazz. Anyone who listens to anything different is considered un-cool by that group; same with blues; same with hip-hop. I think that this makes for a poor musical diet. There is something to learn from every musical genre.
I once had a friend who gave me an album of Iranian sheep herder songs. At first listen, I dismissed it as illogical noise because I was not familiar with the scales and melodic patterns that were being played on what sounded to me like a banjo. I'm sure that it was an instrument specific to the region that the music came from and not a banjo, and I didn't understand the language that the songs were being sung.
But by the third listen, I had discovered that the music was fantastic! The passion and intensity of the singer's delivery was amazing, and I found myself listening to it all the time. I ended up writing one of my most popular songs, "Reconsider Baby," (on his 2005 Black and Tan Records release Tha' Bluez) based on what I learned from that experience. Some music critics and scholars theorized that I had crafted the song by combining blues with hip-hop and Latin music. I don't suppose that they have ever heard much Iranian sheep herding music. I still have that albumâÂÂit's one of my most treasured possessions.
AAJ: How did you come to refer to your music as "Bluez"? Is this to differentiate your music from the music created by the record industry?
BJ: Yes, it is. I have studied many types of music, including jazz, country, rock, funk, R&B;, punk, new wave or whatever, and I wanted to incorporate some of the elements from all of these styles into my original music.
I didn't want to use the standard term "blues" because I realized to the youth audience blues equals old. I didn't want to align myself with the "old blues guy" stereotype because this music is anything but that.
There is no mention of the mule or the cotton or the tractor on this project. Those are issues of today's audience's grandparents. While most blues music is focused on the past, this is music for the 21st century. And while most blues music is written by men for men, many of my songs are directed to the female listener. They address some of the social concerns and romantic intricacies of modern-day urban existence. This music is something new and different and delivers social commentaries and messages that the urban audience can relate to.
AAJ: How long have you worked to infuse an urban element into your music? How has it been received by your audience?
BJ: I never intentionally set out to "urbanize" my music. I just wanted to learn everything that I could about my craft and how to please the audience that was in front of me that day. It was just natural evolution. The reception has been overwhelmingly positive from the general public ... not so much by the blues purists.
AAJ: Can we hear more of this influence on this latest CD of yours, than on your previous?
BJ: Definitely, on the my Hometown CD, on previous releases, you can hear hints of the influence, but I had to "dumb it down" a little in order to appease the label owners and record songs that were a little more predictable in order to get them to release the recordings.
However, when I met Jan Mittendorp and signed with Black and Tan records, part of our agreement was that I would have complete artistic freedom; I would write the music the way that I thought it should be ... If it wasn't too "artistic" to release, then Black and Tan would release it. This has been my most popular recording ever! Although my Prime Suspect for the Blues (Cyborg-Blue, 2001) CD did well, there's no comparison to the response that my Hometown is receiving.
AAJ: Presently a number of Black artists are working to merge Blues music with hip-hop. This would include artists such as Billy Branch, Russ Greene, Chris Thomas-King, among others. In fact, R.L. Burnside even did his take on this cross-infusion of the blues, which was met with mixed reviews. Do you see your music going in this direction?
BJ: What these artists understand ... and the reviewers and "experts" probably don't, is this: hip-hop has evolved from blues and is very much a part of it. Hip-hop is the blues of today.
If you analyze the greatest hip-hop songs of all time, like "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, or "How Do You Want It?" by Tupac Shakur (which is based on the hook from "Body Heat" by Quincy Jones), it's easy to hear that these songs are pure blues with African/Jamaican bass lines and drum beats. Of course, the stories that these songs tell are undeniable blues themes that reach deep into the heart of the African American experience. I love a little "gangsta" in my blues.
AAJ: Do you agree with the assertion that the white artist has been more closely bound by tradition, whereas the Black artist has always been more progressive in their approach to the music, looking for the "next big thing"? This, perhaps, can be seen more in jazz than in the blues. Are these attempts at cross-infusion done more for the music, or is it being done for the rewards that the urban artist seems to be enjoying, the "bling"?
BJ: Definitely for the music. I don't think that it has very much to do with the "bling" ... little if anything. Of course, any artist wants to be well compensated for their work. I certainly do.
But the battle between the blues purist and the blues artist has gone on long before now. The artist wants to be artistic and create and innovate ... the purist doesn't want anything to change. No new instruments, no synthesizers, no drum machines, no new nothing. If Muddy didn't do itâÂÂit's wrong.
But when Bob Dylan and Muddy Waters switched from acoustic to electric guitar, the purists said that they were ruining the art-form. Look at all the great classics that were created because they ignored the "experts." I have concluded that the purists are just a handful old guys whose opinions don't really matter.
What the artist is trying to do is stretch the boundaries of the music and infuse elements that will appeal to a contemporary audience and to bring something new and relevant to the table.
However, if the "experts" want to tell the artist what the song should sound like before it is written, there probably won't be much "bling" forthcoming. They won't sell many to people who buy CDs today. If an artist can reach the public and they love the music, then the "bling" will be just a pleasant side-effect.
As far as the musicians that are bound by tradition, I don't think that they are so much bound by tradition as maybe lacking in imagination and a working knowledge of modern beats and rhythmic patterns.
In order to compete effectively in the music business you have to stay on top of current events. That means that you have to have an understanding of contemporary musical styles and trends. I remember reading in a biography of Elvis that no matter where he was, he was always listening to the radio in order to monitor musical trends and to hear what his competitors were doing. And he was Elvis!
Music is about constantly learning. Some guys don't like to put out that extra effort to stay on top of it. They want to play the same old stuff that they already know and pass it off as "keeping the music alive." Many of them are taking the safe road of mimicking artist of the past and sticking to a pre-determined formula or constantly re-recording old songs for an old audience instead of reaching out to draw in a new audience.
Kinda like a boxer "laying on the ropes" and making easy money and waiting for the bell.
There's nothing wrong with that, I know many who make a decent living doing it ... for a long time, I did it. But now I think have something that I want to say, and I want my music to appeal to a mass audience.
AAJ: Regarding these rewards, is this image a creation of the "corporate entertainment business"?
BJ: No, it is not ... it's a creation of the hip-hop industry and the age of music video. It is an expression of what the young black audiences wants to see. What they want to be.
One of the biggest obstacles to selling blues music to young blacks is that the blues industry projects the images of poverty and ignorance and servitude as part of its selling points, and young black people overwhelmingly reject that picture. There is an overseer mentality to the whole scene.
The blues industry is dominated by white males who would have us return to the days when life was good and the Negroes were happy and knew their place; the cotton was high as an elephant's eye and all was right with the world. But that's the story from their perspective.
In reality, the Negroes were not happy. They were desperately poor and suffering in the shadow of the overseer ... who had all of the "bling," by the way. If you have ever had to be poor, then you probably wouldn't want to buy products that imply poverty.
Young black people want their heroes to be successful, tech savvy, dress well, and have money and nice cars. Not so much "workin' for the man" and "moseyin' on down da road." The blues industry needs a major image make-over in order to connect with young black America.
AAJ: Do you feel that these urban images as it is depicted in hip-hop more closely reflect the Black condition as it exists today?
BJ: Yes. Black people have worked hard to escape that lifestyle and better their condition. The other images have nothing to do with this century.
AAJ: Do you feel that the urbanization of blues music is an effective way of reaching a younger market? To what market are you ultimately hoping to appeal?
BJ: Definitely, it's the only way to reach the younger market. I want my music to appeal to everyone. That's what seems to be happening. The stories that I tell on this CD are true and universal. People across all genres are embracing the music.
AAJ: For those who have not seen your live show, how would you describe what you do on stage? Can you give us an idea of the demographics of your audience?
BJ: There are so many things that go on during the show that you will just have to come and see for yourself. Or you can always see a sample of what I do by visiting www.blackplanet.com/billyjonesbluez
I try to make a personal connection with the audience and have a lot of fun and draw them into the performance. I want them to forget about their problems and escape into Billy's world for a little while.
Nobody sits down on my stage except the drummer and I'm thinking of having him stand-up and move around during the show. But I haven't figured out how to do it yet!
AAJ: In light of the prevailing social and economic conditions that exist today, do you still feel that music can be a "vehicle of change"?
BJ: I know that music can be a vehicle for change. Music is a gift from the creator who wrote the song of life. If you do it right, it gets you on a level that is primal. And the right story can change the world.
History is littered with songs that have changed the social consciousness of the world and made it a better place. I hope that the stories that I tell on this recording will do something to address the issues of the audience that it was written for.
Selected Discography
Billy Jones, my Hometown (Black and Tan, 2007)
Billy Jones, Tha' Blues (Black and Tan, 2005)
Billy Jones, Live - On the Road (Cyborg-Blue, 2002)
Billy Jones, Prime Suspect for the Blues (Cyborg-Blue,2001)
Billy Jones at All About Jazz.
Visit Billy Jones on the web.
The American Bluesman :
The Urbanization of Delta Blues
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=32550
http://billyjonesbluez.hyves.net/ ...europe
http://myspace.com/billyjonesbluez ...usa ...Official Website
http://musictrax.jp/billy_jones_bluez ...japan
http://www.blackplanet.com/billyjonesbluez ...usa
http://losangeles.going.com/billyjonesbluez ...los angeles
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=551528789 ...usa
http://myspace.cn/billyjonesbluez ...china
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oWMVvlG64U ...video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raoYbdFUdrg ...video
http://www.nextcat.com/billyjonesbluez ...hollywood
http://reverbnation.com/billyjonesbluez ...usa
http://www.livebluesworld.com/profile/billyjonesbluez ...da' hangout
http://www.southerncoalitionmovement.com/billyjonesbluez ...da' homies
Age:
31 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Blake Bollinger is a musical anomaly. Although a talented and passionate singer/songwriter, the term âÂÂmusicianâ does not fully encompass the Texas native at all.
Blake was classically trained on the piano beginning at age 5. His many hours of scales, Bach, and friends gave him a great foundation, but something was missing. His desire to create and follow the melodies rolling around in his head kept him improvising and writing for hours on end⦠much to the disapproval of his classically-minded teacher. When the piano needed a rest, Blake taught himself the guitar. Even today he switches back and forth both in song writing and in concert. The songs that emerged from these writing sessions would quickly lead to BlakeâÂÂs second addiction⦠the recording studio.
From an early age, Blake was mesmerized by the glowing lights of soundboards and recording gear. Like many musicians, his first recordings were made between two tape decks with a Radio Shack microphone in a back bedroom. While most of his friends were buying clothes and video games, Blake spent every cent on recording gear and musical instruments. This hobby would prove useful as his high school and college band, Destination Known, would go on to record and release 5 albums with total sales topping 10,000 units.
Blake went to college at Baylor University and quickly bonded with the local talent. His second semester he was asked to lead an all-university chapel band which put him in front of thousands of students each week. The buzz about his band quickly reached beyond the Texas borders and took the guys on the road in all directions. Their unique blend of harmonies, soaring guitars, and catchy lyrics not only brought scores of fans out to shows, but also attracted artists looking for that âÂÂsoundâ on their own projects. Blake Bollinger the âÂÂproducerâ was bornâ¦
To date, Blake has engineered and produced dozens of recordings for artists around the U.S. His home studio doubles as his creative hub and a full-fledged professional recording room. One such recording that emerged was BlakeâÂÂs first solo project entitled, âÂÂNo Holidayâ released in August of âÂÂ07. Half of the songs were self-produced while the other half were produced by the talented Brent Milligan (The Elms, Dave Crowder).
His most recent offering was a self-titled EP (2009)) recorded with 3 time Grammy award winning producer, Todd Robbins. The project is off to a great start with it's first radio single, "Don't Say Goodbye" getting airplay in Texas, California, Colorado, and Georgia.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
EMI or The Bicycle Music Company
Bio:
BleuâÂÂs third studio album had been a long journey and a story of persistence and triumph. Recorded in 2005, it is the album that all Bleu fans wanted to own, but almost never could. A WATCHED POT (2009) was originally recorded for Aware/Columbia Records as a follow up to BleuâÂÂs critically-acclaimed 2003 CD release âÂÂRedhead.â NPR listed âÂÂRedheadâ as one of the Top 10 records of the year, and during that time Bleu was touring with hit acts like John Mayer, Switchfoot, and Ryan Adams and wowing crowds across the country with his unique songs and passionate performances.
Only a few weeks after the final tracks of A WATCHED POT were recorded with John Fields, Bleu was dropped from the label along with dozens of other acts and employees involved in SonyâÂÂs ongoing downsizing. But instead of accepting defeat, Bleu continued to play these new songs for his devoted fan base while working tirelessly to get his record released from his former label. He also took the opportunity to pursue many other creative adventures.
Moving from Boston to Los Angeles in 2006, Bleu released a side-project CD L.E.O. âÂÂAlpacas Orglingâ (a power-pop collective with friends like Andy Sturmer of Jellyfish, Steve Gorman of The Black Crowes and Jason Scheff of Chicago), as well as starting The Major Labels (a power-pop band with Mike Viola and Ducky Carlisle), and LoudLion (a pop-metal homage featuring members of Rooney, The Donnas, and Bang Camaro, amongst others). LA proved to be the perfect place for Bleu to pursue his burgeoning career as a professional songwriter and producer, but releasing A WATCHED POT never faded from the forefront of his creative goals. And...with a little (well, a lot of) persistence, he finally acquired the rights to material that Bleu describes as being at his creative heart and soul. Bleu says âÂÂthese songs are my emotional progeny. I think they represent an honest record of the fears and heartache, as well as the hope and fantasies that encircled me during that chaotic time in my life.âÂÂ
The here and now finds Bleu at the top of his game. In the past few years he has had numerous songs cut by top-acts like the Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez, Boys Like Girls, Hanson, Kate Veogele, Jon McLaughlin and Evan Taubenfeld, whoâÂÂs first single is his adaptation of BleuâÂÂs fan-favorite (and A WATCHED POT highlight track) âÂÂBoy Meets Girl.â HeâÂÂs recently played shows with friends like Mike Viola, Rooney, Katie Herzig, The Posies and has been booked to hit all of his major markets and then some in support of A WATCHED POT.
With an album full of soaring melodies, meticulously crafted productions and sincere, yet inventive lyrics, Bleu fans have to wait no more for this pot to boil.... "It truly means the world to me to finally get this record released. It always feels good to put your art out in to the world, but after all IâÂÂve gone through for this material to see the light of day, the reward is particularly sweet.âÂÂ
In recent months, Bleu has been working with artists such as Tristan Prettyman, David Mead, Roger Joseph Manning Jr., Drake Bell, Megan Joy, Meghan Khabir, TV/TV, and Chris Mann (as well as produced Chris Mann's forthcoming debut CD).
Bleu plans to release his fourth solo studio CD this year titled "Four." The songs you hear on this profile are slated to appear on that record...
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
bobclement222@gmail.com
Bio:
Age:
38 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
47 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Moved to Nashville is 1992. Signed first publishing deal in 1997. Have worked for Stage 3, Universal and Warner Chappell. Graduated from undergraduate studies and started master's program in creative writing in Texas before moving to Nashville.
Age:
41 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
26 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
26 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
108 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Brentley Gore, also known as Brent, has recorded and played with many heavyweights, including Billy Preston, Aaron Neville, Gregg and Matt Bissonette, Jeffrey "Skunk" Baxter, Kenny Wayne Shepard, Steve Ferrone, Elliot Easton (The Cars) Mike Finnegan (Jimi Hendrix), Danny Seiwell (Wings), Leland Sklar (James Taylor) and Michael Thompson (Santana, Madonna) just to name a few. Brentley is best known for his role as Matt Garrison, series regular, on the hit television show California Dreams. He has also acted in films such as Parental Guidance Suggested(2008), Zoe and Breaking Vegas. Brentley currently lives in Los Angeles where he continues his acting and music career while writing, recording, and playing shows with King Straggler.
Age:
37 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Bret Phillips is a Tunesmith/Sound-Architect from Peters Creek, Alaska. He now resides on an Island in the Puget SOund of Washington State where he owns and operates his recording studio Wax Poetic. Bret has had various songs used on ABC's now defunct Men In Trees. And has been a songwriter for over 20 years.
Age:
38 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
info@briangordonmusic.com
Bio:
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Composer of a successful off-bway musical that has launched several national tours. Upcoming musical under option by broadway producers.
Recipient of major awards including the Richard Rodgers, Jonathan Larson and Alan Menken awards.
Several songs with over 100,000 hits on YouTube, "Say The Word" featured on the 2009 Miss America Broadcast.
Age:
21 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
24 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
brookeannibale@mac.com
Bio:
My name is Brooke Annibale. I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. IâÂÂm 23 years old and IâÂÂve been making music since I was 15. I went to college in Nashville, TN and earned a degree in Music Business. IâÂÂve released 2 full length albums and 1 EP since 2005.
I love words. I love acoustic guitar. I love traveling. I love making music and sharing it with people.
My goal as a songwriter is to write music that connects and relates to those who listen. I want to write songs that people identify with. Music has an unbelievable power make us feel a little less alone in the world. Music expresses what we often find hard to express: our feelings, our joy, our pain, our faith, our doubts, our love.
I just finished recording my third full length album with producer Paul Moak. A bunch of great people helped me raise over $10,000 on Kickstarter.com to get it started and I couldnâÂÂt be more grateful. IâÂÂm excited to get to work on the album and share new songs with you.
I hope youâÂÂll listen.
Age:
27 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
So I had about three versions of things to write here: profound sounding sentences that
summed up all my thoughts on being a good songwriter - stories of honing my craft and
delivering solid sets of good songs, tales of finding my voice in hopes of becoming a
good songwriter.
But here's the stark reality of the situation: I am not. I am not a good writer. Because once
you admit or feel you are a good writer, all the goodness goes away and a kind of cold
confidence takes its place - predictable things happen in your songs and it all feels too
well-constructed. People say things like, "he/she knows what he/she is doing," or "I'm a
professional" starts ringing throughout your brain and rattles around like a rock in your
shoe, or "this worked last time; I'll try and re-vamp that."
Having given you my preface, please keep in mind that the following thoughts on
songwriting are from a non-good songwriter.
Risky.
I think that's my favorite word when describing songwriting. For me, if I'm not taking a
risk instrumentally, structurally, or even lyrically, I'm not making a good song. You never
know what kind of impact you may have on others with your work, but if you can capture
a moment in a three-and-a-half to six-minute musical package, then job well done. It's a
gift you've been given to give back.
For the most part I work alone. I enjoy it that way. I used to think I did this out of
paranoia that some 'mean' co-writer would come along and 'tamper' with my ideas. But,
no it's just how I've always done it.
I generally write the music first. Melody. Everything starts on my piano. If it works by
itself all stripped down and naked then it's gonna work no matter what. And by work, I
mean convey what I'm feeling and trying to give to the listener whether or not I add a
bunch of crazy strings, or drum beats, or layers of vocal prettiness or hooks.
I write the story with musical themes then add the words to audibly enhance it or to add
an additional connecting block for dimension. Actually, sometimes the words are written
strictly because they phonetically feel good to say. I suppose it depends on the song. In
fact, I often enjoy making up words or using "improper" versions of words such as
casted, abode, etc. I do this because I can stretch and stretch. No need to be 'quirky and
weird' for the sake of being 'quirky and weird.' But in this way it really begins to feel like
my song and eventually, my record.
It's funny, because now I think in terms of "records." This is a new development for me.
Is it good or bad? Not sure ... But I do try and hold onto the days when writing ditties and
short songs was an absolute escape from boring day jobs, taxing school projects, and
people.
âÂÂHeal for the Honey"à- I wrote this little piece over a year ago (late winter '06). Not out
of heartbreak or anything like that, but out of patience. It's really a futuristic lament song.
At the time I didn't know very much of the things that would come, but I thought to write
about my reaction to them anyway.
I decided to title the new LP after this song. At first, I thought the record was going to be
a âÂÂbreak-up"àrecord - seeing as I wrote and recorded it in the midst of some painful times
of the heart. But, after lots of prayer and time I realized it was a record about healing and
renewal.
Fresh starts. A rebirth. Beginning again.
Overall theme of the record:
Never settle. Even if it means fighting to the death for what is right and true.
When I was a kid, we had this wide-open field behind our house. We were living in the
sticks at the time and it was a special few years in my life. I distinctly remember spending
the majority of being nine years old wandering around that old field. There was a
particular film score I had grown really attached to, and I listened to it on my walkman
and headphones day in and day out. I'm pretty sure that's where almost all my inspiration
comes from to this day - that place. When I think back on all those summers spent
barefoot on that grassy piece of land in south Louisiana with mosquitoes buzzing around
and the soggy marsh to the left making its occasional splashing sound, I think about the
little person I was - dreaming big things and "scoring" those dreams in my head.
Alive In Wild Paint
So that, my friends, is what my songs are - dreams of a 9-year-old Southern girl who
would go to her 30-minute piano lesson once a week and try to complete Bach Invention
#2 so she could hear Ms. Seagrave say, "Alright, let's try the next one this week. Think
about voicing the right hand a bit more so the melody rings clearer."
And after years of countless piano recitals in musty churches and quarterly competitions
of trying to "out-play" an Asian prodigy, and going to college to study under a mentor of
great "academic compositional accomplishment," and spending night after night in seedy
clubs and smokey bars where boys in tight pants would shout out their love-sick, anti-
conforming confessions with false British accents, and then spending all my Sundays in
congregations where lines of "needing to be filled up" are spread across a giant screen on
Powerpoint; I go back to being nine.
It was just me, God and a field.
This is my process. Or, my inspiration.
So I'm now learning how to share my 9-year-old dreams with people by making records
and playing shows and "connecting" through the "digital" world. I've been given a chance
- so there's a responsibility there not to waste people's time.
Sharing is precious. An opportunity.
Show people your world. Draw them in. Love them. Thank them.
# # # #
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
bruce@brucemandel.com
Bio:
Bruce Mandel's acoustic guitar, keen lyrical ear, and intimate and honest voice have traveled with him across the country and through musical territory both new and familiar. With the release of his second CD, Between Dreams and Regrets, Mandel adds fresh layers to the ground covered in his first, Follow Your Heart. After all, what lies between dreams and regrets but the gritty reality of our complex lives?
The diverse sounds of his new CD---contemporary folk, Americana, folk rock---reflect the breadth of Mandel's experience.
Produced and recorded in his own studio, Between Dreams and Regrets traverses the musical and emotional ground between Colorado and the Berkshires. The lyrically driven songs are both personal and probing, whether Mandel is writing from his own experience or weaving the ballad of another's, as in "Irene Kibbe", about a young Polish emigrant during World War II. While sometimes delicate, sparse, and reflective---as in "Winter Falls" with its gentle acoustic guitar and cello---Mandel's sound is at other times full and layered, as he mixes the tones of the mandolin, accordion, clarinet, trombone, dobro, and cajon. Throughout this newest album, however, the acoustic guitar maintains its constant presence, as does Mandel's warm voice and distinct style.
It began, as it did for so many, with The Beatles back when Motown still triumphed over marketing and FM stood for freedom in music. The sounds of '60s pop, and soul were the rocking soundtrack of his dreams as Mandel hungrily listened each night to the little red transistor radio his grandparents had given him.
Then came the great singer-songwriters of the '60s and '70s and Bruce absorbed the rich and varying styles of The Eagles, Dan Fogelberg, Cat Stevens, Van Morrison, Jimmy Webb and Jackson Browne to pick out just a few.
All this time Mandel was honing his performance and listening skills.
Next came the opportunity to work as an Entertainment Technician for the Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino where Bruce learned the technical side of his musical profession, soaking up the experience of working alongside the likes of America, Ronnie Milsap, Tanya Tucker, Tom Jones, and The Temptations, all the while staying true to his calling, writing and producing his own songs.
Eventually Mandel's need to perform what he was writing took precedent and Bruce reprioritized his life with a move to Durango Colorado where he quickly became a true presence in his new home, opening in concert for nationally and regionally touring songwriters, and performing a mix of covers as well as his growing repertoire of soulful originals.
His work in Durango culminated with his co-founding of the Annual Durango Songwriter's Expo in 1996. This popular event that features listening sessions, showcases, seminars, panels, and networking opportunities has attracted new talent and high-profile musicians and industry experts alike, and continues to grow and spread to new locations around the country.
Mandel picked up his guitar and returned east early in the new century, where he has settled deep into the artistic community of the Berkshires in western Massachusetts.
"What happens when you dig down deep?", Mandel asks in "At the End of the Day". Perhaps Between Dreams and Regrets, a musical expression of life's varied landscape, is itself as good an answer as any.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
www.emicmgpublishing.com
Bio:
Age:
51 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
I was born in upstate New York in 1960. I started experimenting with song writing in grade school. I wrote and recorded my first song in a recording studio in 1976. In 1978 I moved to Texas and played bass in a country/rock band. In 1981 I recorded my first songs in Nashville. I moved to Nashville in 1986 and lived there for six years. I worked in Television there as a producer and editor. I also hosted a cable show called "Writers Night" with Buc Williams. I moved back to upstate New York in 1991 for family reasons and continued to visit Nashville. I was in the process of getting a recording deal in 1991 when I was hit by tractor-trailer on the thruway. I was laid up for several years and underwent several back surgeries. Due to my injuries the recording contract fell through. Currently I own my own audio/video production company and am writing songs again. I am hoping to be able to create some interest in my music for other artists.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
N/A
Bio:
What you hear on the debut release is Butterfly throughout - aside from a bit of cello and some drum tracks on "Can You See the Lights?", "Never Let It Go", and "Soulback", which were tracked live while she answered on bass - she played every instrument on the album and arranged it from start to finish. It was the same demos that she brought to Interscope for her initial meetings that became the versions of the songs that eventually graced her album. The credits you see for co-producing simply acknowledge the trusted ears and opinions of her close musical allies, Robin Eaton (sage), and Brad Jones (co-producer/engineer). Butterfly's story began with a bit of divine intervention. She was born the middle child of seven daughters to free-spirited, creatively-endowed, and very spiritual parents. Accordingly, her mother left the naming of her children to a higher power. Her older sister Sunshine was named for the light that streamed into the nursery on the morning of her birth. In Butterfly's case, her name was originally suggested by family friends, one of them a professional clown. Her mother wasn't taken with the name Butterfly and looked again for divine confirmation that this was a good way to go. Within the week, she had seen her first indicator: a lone picture of a butterfly hung in an elementary school hall, drawn by a child. Later that week, at dance class, she discovered her teacher dressed in a butterfly leotard. Finally, by week's end, her daughter Rebecca came home with a recording of a song called "The Butterfly Song" Butterfly's father was a freewheeling musician, who once had the privilege of supporting AC/DC on stage on his home turf in Australia. He found himself one day with an opportunity to audition for an American publishing deal. When that fell through, her father gave away the family's entire possessions - again with divine inspiration - and traveled the Outback with kids in tow, all piled into a Toyota Corolla wagon. Butterfly was six. She says she first learned to read by watching the signs go by on the side of the road. That restless, wandering spirit remained with Butterfly as she grew. Her first real experiments with music were crucial to what would come later. Using a four track recorder at age 10, she would create instrumental tracks by playing every instrument since most of her friends were outside doing the things that most kids her age were supposed to be doing. Her older sister had a band of her own: The Mercy Bell. Butterfly would eventually join her as bass player and backing vocalist and share part of the writing ("Another White Dash" is a refugee song from that project). A protracted three-year demo deal with another US record label only lead to dashed hopes. Soon after, Butterfly headed out to Europe with her brothers and sisters to look after their youngsters on the road while they toured and performed in their own 'street theatre'. During this time she visited some of the most beautiful cities on the continent where she experienced a wealth of exciting cultures and people. Following her return, a friend named Mike Dixon encouraged her to explore a solo career. It was advice she took to heart. With all the money she had she bought a laptop and moved to Stockton in the North of England to stay with family and friends. While there, she concentrated on simplifying her songs. Previously, she had always tried to cram 5 or 6 ideas into a song, and decided instead to try limiting them to 2 or 3 ideas. Soon after, attention for her solo work started to come. Positive response inspired her to continue writing and recording on her own. She felt she was finally beginning to get the songs out of her notebook and into people's heads. "I wanted to inspire more people", she says now. From there, Dixon hooked her up with several contacts, including producer duo Robin Eaton and Brad Jones who eventually took Butterfly into the studio to begin the long road toward making her debut album. In the end, scores of instruments found their way onto the master tapes: guitars, drums, bass, piano, vibes, organ, mellotron, toy piano (on "Soul Back"), Field Organ, banjo, and various percussion (including planks of wood, a tympani, a steel wheel, and a hammer (on "Busy"). Butterfly is immediate, melodic and altogether memorable an her songs examine the often overlooked details of life's rich pageantry. Flutterby from Butterfly Boucher. Don't let it pass you by.
C
Age:
57 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
diane@cdianehawkins.com
Bio:
âÂÂI am the proof that you are never too old to keep trying.â This is the philosophy behind DianeâÂÂs personal countenance. Although she has been writing songs and making music for most of her âÂÂover 50â years, (she is a member of AARP!) it has only been in the last year that she has been able to have her dream come true - to record a CD and share her songs.
A self taught guitarist, Diane comes from an âÂÂincredibly talentedâ family - each with their own unique styles, but where the competition is fierce! She has 5 brothers and 2 half-sisters who have music and comedy running through their veins. The Hawkins brood of 8 first performed in their living room in what became a weekly (and mandatory) family hour gathering. They were allowed to do âÂÂanythingâ they wanted - when it was their turn. When it was not their turn, they were to sit and listen quietly to the sibling whose turn it was. Even today, when they have family reunions, they still have the âÂÂHawkins Family Hour,â and are still respectful of each otherâÂÂs turn.
Diane joined the Air Force in 1976, and soon began putting on her own little USO shows, âÂÂentertaining the troops,â one dayroom at a time!â as she puts it. She was thrilled to have the opportunity to sing on stage with Harry Chapin when she was stationed at Torrejon, Air Base, Spain. With her camera back in her seat, while she was singing, do you think any of her friends thought to capture the moment by, oh, letâÂÂs see, taking a picture? She still has not let go of that one!
Her main songwriting influences came from some of the folk and pop icons of the 70âÂÂs: The Carpenters, Dan Fogelberg, Carol King, Carly Simon, James Taylor, Anne Murray, Cris Williamson, Joni Mitchell, and Dolly Parton. Diane drew from her own life experiences and emotions when writing her earlier material which ranged from completely off the wall humorous to heartfelt, bittersweet, and introspectively emotional.
In her last year of duty, she got up enough nerve to enter the Air Force Talent Competition, a precursor to trying out for âÂÂTops In Blueâ - a traveling ensemble of entertainers who toured the Air Force bases across the world. She won both the Base level and the Command level in her category, âÂÂVocalist, Self Accompanied,â and did exceptionally well when competing at the All Air Force level. Diane expressed, âÂÂIt is not so much the winning for me, as it is to be able to say that I did my very best and it was good enough to allow me to participate. It is all about the participation. I have so many wonderful memories of the times I got to âÂÂparticipateâ - all were marvelous experiences.âÂÂ
After her four years with the Air Force, Diane found herself settling into the real world, working for corporations doing what she was trained to do in the Air Force: telecommunications, networking, and other geeky computer stuff. The security of having a âÂÂreal day jobâ took away from her desire to pursue doing anything with her music. She even stopped writing and performing for about a 15 year period of time. After some life changing events, she found that her passion to write songs had not died, and she came back with a fervor. Her style has changed just as her life has. She is on a more spiritual journey, trying to find a better communion with God, and accepting life as âÂÂan older person.â Her songs are more reflective and inspirational today.
As quoted before, Diane has always wanted to record her songs and, because she proved that she is âÂÂnever too old to keep trying,â she released her debut CD in 2007, entitled, SEASONS OF YOUR LIFE. Produced and recorded by Hawkins, and mixed by S.O.L.O. Creative Media, Inc., her discography is overwhelmingly inspirational, prophetic, and cleverly written, and is sure to make you smile. Songs include: HELLO GOD..., SEASONS OF YOUR LIFE, MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE!, HERE IN MY HEART, WITH NO REGRETS, and MAYBE GOD HAS FRECKLES TOO. Diane is currently touring the U.S. to promote her new CD - it is her new âÂÂday job!âÂÂ
In keeping with a promise to her mother, Diane is currently working on her second album, WHEN I WAS YOUNG, to be released in the fall of 2008 which will be a compilation of her most memorable earlier songs including:
PITY (IsnâÂÂt It), THE DONâÂÂT SING ALONG SONG!, ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID, MY MEMORY (MargoâÂÂs Song), TEARS OF A CHILD, GOODBYE LOVER, and others.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
The new album Letters in the Deep, produced by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, is anything but traditional and marks the metamorphosis of Cadillac Sky from a critically-acclaimed Bluegrass band to a band without boundaries. Over the past year, Cadillac Sky has explored a lot of new terrain live on stage and with the recent addition of David Mayfield on guitar the band has developed into one of the most exciting rock-shows around. That new energy also translated into the studio as Cadillac Sky began recording the new album in AuerbachâÂÂs studio, Akron Analog. The Akron sessions proved to be a pivotal moment for the band and Auerbach played an instrumental role with a hands-off production approach, totally concentrating on shaping the sound of the record. The result is an honest, breathing piece of art that is amazingly authentic and gut-wrenchingly real.
Producer Dan Auerbach: âÂÂThey rose to the occasion. ThereâÂÂs some really beautiful sounds on Letters In The Deep, it is as much of a living album as it is an art piece and IâÂÂm definitely proud to have my name attached to this project. Whatever genre it is, itâÂÂs a really great album, and IâÂÂm happy that I got to make it.âÂÂ
Cadillac Sky consists of Bryan Simpson (lead singer & mandolin player), David âÂÂMayhemâ Mayfield (guitar), Matt Menefee (banjo), âÂÂThrilla-Fiddlaâ Ross Holmes (fiddle) and Andy âÂÂPandaâ Moritz (bass); and Letters In The Deep will be the bandâÂÂs third album release. GravityâÂÂs Enemy, their previous album release on Skaggs Family Records came out in 2008. Look for the band to be on tour promoting Letters In The Deep all this year.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Torrez Music Group
Bio:
IN TODAYS WORLD OF COUNTRY MUSIC, THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ABSENCE OF BANDS THAT ARE CHARTING HIT SONGS. WHEN I SAY BANDS, IâÂÂM NOT TALKING ABOUT A SOLO, DUO, OR TRIO ACT HIRING A BAND TO PLAY BEHIND THEM. IâÂÂM NOT TALKING ABOUT A RECORD THAT OTHER MUSICIANS PLAY ON TO PRODUCE WHAT WE HEAR ON THE RADIO. IâÂÂM TALKING ABOUT A CORE OF SINGERS, SONGWRITERS AND MUSICIANS CREATING A SOUND THAT ONLY THAT PARTICULAR GROUP CAN ACHIEVE⦠A BRAND AND TRADEMARK THAT IS ALL THEIR OWN.
WITH THIS ABSENCE IN MIND, SEVEN WELL-SEASONED SINGERS, SONGWRITERS AND MUSICIANS WERE BROUGHT TOGETHER TO FORM THE GROUP CALICO TRAIL.
CALICO TRAIL IS A SEVEN-PIECE BAND WHO WOULD FEEL AT HOME ON A STAGE AT BONNAROO OR AT THE CMA MUSIC FEST. ITâÂÂS A STYLE OF MUSIC THAT BELONGS IN ANY CATAGORY OR GENRE. WITH INFLUENCES RANGING FROM THE BEATLES, CROSBY STILLS AND NASH, THE NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND, TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTREAKERS, AND THE RICH HARMONIES OF THE EAGLES, CALICO TRAIL HAS STAMPED THEIR UNIQUE SOUND ON THE MUSIC INDUSTRY
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
calvinlocklear@gmail.com
Bio:
Locklear hop-scotched his way through Kansas City and Nashville and eventually landed in Denver. After years of years of drinking water, he finally gave up the clear stuff and started drinking alcohol. Songs followed.
Spoon, Josh Ritter and The Jayhawks worked their way through a cheap pair of headphones to attentive ears and Locklear tried to imitate and pay homage to what he heard. False sense of accomplishment washed over like a deodorant shower.
After countless hours and countless dollars were put into a bag and mailed to a Canadian pharmacy, an Ep was recorded. Now these songs and others are played live and they cordially invite you to come see a show.
Age:
57 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
I'm a songwriter currently serving an apprenticeship at Ash Street Music on Music Row in Nashville. This dream assignment now affords me the opportunity to write with some of the best writers in the business, which as you might guess is a dream come true for me!
I was born in New Zealand, but have lived in the U.S. all of my adult life. I love all styles of music, and that probably comes though in my songs too. As a writer I'm partial to country songs based on traditional roots, but I'm a bit too hard-headed to be very good at following rules. Hopefully that makes my songs a little unique. I recorded my first demo "I'd Rather Be Lucky Than Good" in July of 2008. Since then I've recorded about one song per month, most of which are on this page.
Some of the songs presented here were co-written with the amazing lyricist Robert George. Those are Roadside Rest, Churches, Flower Shops and Bars, Hickory Hill and Where The Miles Fall Off The Map, And I Thought Of You. The rest are solo efforts. I can be reached by phone directly at 804-387-4669, just in case you'd like to include any of them on your next double-platinum project!!
I'd like to thank the amazing, amazing singers who bring my songs to life: Trent Jeffcoat, Mike Kelley, Troy Cook Jr., Benjamin Olson, Eric Durrance, Derryl Perry, Ron Wallace and Jeremy Easley. Someone a lot smarter than me once told me to use the best singers you can find to showcase your songs, and as you can hear, that's exactly what I've done. For the excellent recordings I have to thank amazing Jimi Heath, Tim Grogan, Rod Lewis and Ben Olson at Studio 515 in Nashville (nashvilledemostudio.com). Damn they're good!
Age:
26 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
www.CameronMarion.com
Myspace.com/CameronMarion
Cameron Marion is a singer/songwriter from the small town of Kernersville, in North Carolina. Cameron grew up in a very musical family, and she was soon singing along to an eclectic mix of artists such as Bette Midler, Stevie Nicks, Barbara Streisand, Michael Jackson and Anita Baker before she was even out of diapers. Even at such a young age she enjoyed the spotlight and kept all of her family and friends entertained.
Cameron started dancing at the age of five, and has since been well versed in all forms. She attended the prestigious North Carolina School of the Arts in their preparatory program as a child, and grew up competing and winning titles in many regional, state and national dance and talent competitions. Throughout the years, Cameron guest sang with local bands at many festivals, clubs, and events. During High School she was the lead singer in her church's youth band, where she was in the position to lead praise and worship for hundreds at the PMBA Ridgecrest Retreat. She also has frequented many sporting events throughout the Carolinas' over the years to lead the National Anthem.
Cameron has been fortunate enough to have worked in the studio with writers and producers for *NSYNC, Jennifer Lopez, Reba McEntire, Aaron Carter & R. Kelly, to name a few. She has been sought out to demo songs for different songwriters and production teams in many genres.
In October of 2005, Cameron picked up and moved from her hometown in NC to Orlando, Florida, after auditioning and making one of three spots in an all-girl pop/urban trio so named TKO (Total Knock Outs), which then transplanted her to Hollywood, CA. TKO was headed up by Angel Carter (reality star on the E! Channel's "House of Carters", and sister to Backstreet Boy, Nick and brother, Aaron Carter), but after release of a single in 2007, a hiatus from the group led to Cameron returning to the south to pursue her solo project where her roots lie in country fused music, and she currently holds the 2008 "Female Country Artist of the Year" award for the Carolinas.
Lately Cameron is in the studio writing and recording, and in the final stages of releasing her EP while also booking and playing shows out with her band. She has been featured in local magazines, radio, print ads, television guest spots, and most recently you can find her as the co-host for a series of infomercials and commercials that air throughout North Carolina.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
I live in Sweden, together with my partner, Mike, and our twin daughters My & Isabel who is 6 years.
I work in the restaurant, but knows now that it is time to focus on music full.
Give it a fair chance!
Song writing began at 14 years of age, it was when I began to have something to write about. When I was 19 years, I went Multimedia education, where I had the opportunity to record my first demo with 15 songs.
Song writing continued and I started to send my demo discs to different record companies.
But since I did not have any contacts in the industry, the disks never reach the right person.
But I found another route, I began collecting reviews and the opinions from other media. I sent my songs to all kinds of different races / journals / producers.
I started to get feedback, especially from the U.S., BUT, they all wanted a complete full-cd .. "A cherry-pick".
2005, I had contact with a studio in Gothenburg (Karl Güner)
I decided to record 3 songs in real quality.
I put the songs on my Sonicbids.com and Myspace and got in touch with Lee Gibson in Nashville!
2006 I went there for the recording of 3 songs and was honored to record with LeAnn Rimes previous band, including bassist Victor Brodén.
2007 I met Lars E Carlsson, he introduced me to a Danish songwriter, Poul Vinther, who had a record company .. Poul and his colleagues were united, they would bet on me and my music.
2008, the disc is now ready and it shows a broad side of me as a songwriter.
The old question:
What makes me interesting and unique?
The name of the disc, "The Girl Next Door", is cleanly.
I am not odd or strange, no blue hair
or break style.
I keep my feet on the ground and know what I want.
People feel at home with me and my lyrics,
it's everyday things and feelings that we all go through.
I concern and can be compared, for the "common human" side.
It may in itself be seen as quite odd today ..
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Carmen Menza and Magneeto is the acoustic pop rock band created by singer/songwriter Carmen Menza and joined by Brian Hartig, Sammy Davenport and Mark Menza. They've been playing and recording since her days in Denton, Texas while studying jazz at the University of North Texas.
Carmen fronts the band with an unwavering confidence in her ability to deliver a hook and have you singing with her, blurring the lines between pop, rock and jazz leanings.
"Magneeto's got pop, undeniably. It's in every juicy hook and lead singer-songwriter Carmen Menza's sweeter-than-sweet voice. One of the greatest statements a guy like me can make about a band is that said band has a unique sound." Anthony Mariani âÂÂAssociate Editor Ft. Worth Weekly
For info on booking,
contact Carmen Menza at:
214-536-6011
carmen@carmenmenza.com
Instrumentation
Carmen Menza - vocals and guitars
Brian Hartig - drums
Sammy Davenport - bass
Mark Menza - guitars, mandolins
Discography
Magneeto - self titled CD released in 2000
Magneeto - 5 song EP released 2003
CarmenMenza and Magneeto - "Velocity"- CD released summer 2007
coming soon to itunes
Age:
25 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Casey Desmond
Bio:
Casey Desmond is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who brilliantly balances rocking pop/alternative/folk melodies & harmonies, thought provoking lyrics, with everything from the edgiest guitars, soulful pianos, electronic programming, deeply haunting rock or acoustic instrumentation & a 4 octave multi dimensional vocal range.
An multi award winning songwriter, vocalist & performer, Casey has written and recorded with such luminaries as grammy winner Will Ackerman, Peter Gabriels' Tony Levin, Bryan Carrigan, Chris Fogel, Mike Denneen & Mike Levesque. She is currently in the studio with multi Gold and Platinum Producer Anthony J Resta (collective soul, Shawn Mullins). She also owns her own recording studio and is proficient in pro tools and may other software programs.
She has performed at colleges, venues, & festivals all over the country including CMJ Virgin College Mega Tour , Sundance Film Festival , South Park, London Calling, CMJ, MMS, MPMF, Head of the Charles Regatta, NACA, DBMC, Collegefest, & the Intl. Folk Alliance, COCA, NAMM & DFEST.
She will be releasing a new CD & is touring this year throughout the US. & Canada.
Casey is endorsed by Daisy Rock Guitars & sponsored by Rock Star Energy Drink.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
22 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kid-Carsons/182601318448602
http://thekidcarsons.com
http://twitter.com/#!/thekidcarsons
http://www.reverbnation.com/thekidcarsons
Age:
34 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Chazwazzer Music
Bio:
I'm an independent songwriter-plugger-publisher. I moved to Nashville to attend MTSU, and wound up with a degree in production and technology in the recording industry. I decided that audio engineering wasn't my true calling and have been concentrating on songwriting as my career. I'm always up for co-writing, so let me know if you're interested. For my day job, I'm involved in studio operations at The Sound Kitchen Recording Studio in Franklin, TN.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
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Age:
35 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Lucks Dumpy Toad Publishing
Bio:
Founding member of Asheville based bluegrass band
Steep Canyon Rangers
Founding member of bluegrass super group
Songs From The Road Band
Play upright bass and write songs full time
Currently touring in Steve Martin's bluegrass band
Love Music!
Age:
109 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
27 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
n/a
Bio:
Age:
34 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Chase Heard and Andy Stepanian are the primary songwriters for the Wrinkle Neck Mules.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
25 Years Old
Level:
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Bio:
"Has anyone ever told you you have perfect pitch" Naomi Judd said to the redhead eagerly awaiting the judges criticisms on season 2 of CMT's "Can You Duet" It has been a long road for Chelsee Oaks from singing in church and as the little redhead "Annie" at a local theatre house at age 11. But she has come a long way. In her 12 years as a professional singer Chelsee has captivated the ears of not only local festival goers in her hometown but also for President George W. Bush. She has opened for acts like Blake Shelton, Trick Pony, Tracy Byrd, and Dierks Bentley, and sang the National Anthem for The Red Wings, and the Tigers. But Chelsee left all that behind and made the big move to Music City, Nashville, TN. Since the move big things have been happening for her, but she says, " Im so excited for the things that are happening in my career, but in my mind I've already "made it". I get to wake up every morning and do what I love, which is to write great songs, if that isnt "making it" I dont know what is"
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
chelseymau@gmail.com
Bio:
Though she has lived in Tennessee for the better part of ten years, Kentucky-bred Chelsey Scott spent much of her life growing up just north of the Mason-Dixon line around Louisville, Ky.; a city that has produced some noteworthy music acts of late (Bonnie âÂÂPrinceâ Billy, Ben Sollee). With her hometownâÂÂs influence, ScottâÂÂs songwriting also reflects the unique sounds that are arising from her current home of Nashville; sounds that are fresh, though steeped in their own tradition and history based on alt-country, folk and Americana standards.
ScottâÂÂs last recording, a small house recording that was mixed and mastered by fellow Nashville musicians, including Kenny Hutson (Vigilantes of Love, Over the Rhine), who served as the projectâÂÂs producer, is a beautiful introduction to what Scott creates. The debut of this collection, âÂÂthe little boat epâÂÂ, resulted in local acclaim and ScottâÂÂs first major tour, opening for artists Sandra McCracken and Derek Webb. Since then, Scott has continued with great live work and displays such as she goes. An obvious singer-songwriter by nature, Scott has been compared to the likes of Jolie Holland and Gillian Welch, fitting into a genre of Americana music thatâÂÂs been shaped by modern (and specifically, Nashville) influences.
The EP, âÂÂthe little boat epâÂÂ, is perfectly simple and beautiful. A pure folk record, the collection showcases ScottâÂÂs versatility of emotive songwriting
For more information, tour dates, or to stream songs from the EP, please visit www.chelseyscott.com or download the entire EP via iTunes and www.noisetrade.com.
Age:
41 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
âÂÂI was standing on the corner in Winslow, ArizonaâÂÂsuch a fine sight to see.âÂÂ
âÂÂThe Eagles
Glenn Frey may have been making a joke when he wrote those infamous lyrics, but a little five year old blonde-headed blue-eyed girl in Statesboro, Georgia wasnâÂÂt joking when she would proudly belt those words out for anyone who would listen. That little girl, Cher Lynn, was born in Winslow Arizona, and being connected to that song helped carve the path she would ultimately takeâÂÂbecoming a singer and a songwriter. Cher LynnâÂÂs love of music began before she could walk. âÂÂMom always made sure there was great music playing in our house. I had an appreciation for the good stuff--Warren Zevon, Leo Kottke, Bonnie Raitt, Rod Stewart, Marshall Tucker, Allman Bros, Ry Cooder, Joan Baez and Little Feat. There was always such a diverse collection of music blaring from the turntable in the living room--from blues to bluegrass, folk to just plain good old rock-n-roll.âÂÂ
She picked up the guitar at age twelve and began to emulate her idols, Bonnie Raitt, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris. âÂÂI remember Mom had Linda RonstadtâÂÂs album Prisoner In Disguise. It was a double album that opened up like a book, and I would stare for hours at the pictures of all the handwritten lyrics and sing Love is A Rose over and over again. That album completely captivated me, and I guess I knew even then that somehow I had to play a part in the musical universe.âÂÂ
âÂÂWe moved to Northwest Florida when I was ten years old, and my mom started playing in an all-girl bluegrass band, so she carted us kids all over the Southeast attending bluegrass festivals. At the time I was too young to appreciate it, but I met some incredible musicians, including Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, John Cowan and Pat Flynn of New Grass Revival. I also had the pleasure of meeting the Father of Bluegrass himself, Bill Monroe.âÂÂ
Little did she know it, but these encounters would help shape and influence her songwriting later on.
As her musical influences broadened, Cher Lynn became a house musician at several venues in the Northwest Florida area. She built a loyal fan base the old fashioned way-- with hard work and dedication. In 2001, she joined a bluegrass band where she gained more exposure to local musicians' styles and influence, and it impacted her immensely. âÂÂI learned so much playing bluegrass music. It is incredibly technical and fast-paced. I had to re-learn to play the guitar. I loved working out the harmoniesâÂÂthe vocal melodies and instruments blend perfectly.âÂÂ
She began taking a serious interest in songwriting in early 2006, and it was then that the floodgates opened and she found her passion. âÂÂI write about anything that influences me, friends, family, emotion, anything that strikes me in a particular place in a particular time. I try to keep my notebook with me always, but I have been known to scrawl lyrics on a Tastee-Freeze napkin, a paper bag, or on my arm, for that matter. Then, itâÂÂs a mad dash to get home and get my hands around a guitar. I write my best songs in a mad rush. Sometimes I feel like I get a waterfall of ideas and I canâÂÂt write fast enough. My grandparents recently bought me a cool digital recorder that I keep with me always. I think they were a little concerned for my safety and didn't want me to drive and write at the same time!"
Cher Lynn continues to write songs and pursue her music career. Her debut album is entitled Nothing But My Earrings On, and Cher Lynn wrote the music and lyrics to the entire album herself. It is currently available on iTunes.
Cher Lynn had the privilege of performing at CMA Fest 2007 in Nashville, and she also was invited to perform at the Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival in November 2007. âÂÂI am extremely proud of what I have accomplished so far. Honestly, its like a dream. I can't believe the things I have seen and done, and the people that I have met already--and I am just getting started!! I am so grateful to be given a voice to be heard. I have worked with some of the most talented musicians on earth, and I am appreciative and blessed to have crossed paths with them all. I hope to be able to continue to do this for a long long time. This truly makes me happy.âÂÂ
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
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Music writes our story
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Let's Pretend Music / Chris@ChrisAdams.net
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
n/a
Bio:
Age:
36 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Dirtsandwich Music - castle@dirtsandwich.com
Bio:
A Natural Songwriter
Somewhere in the rich, fertile musical garden tilled by Darrell Scott, Ron Sexsmith and Ryan Adams, grows an obscure bloom named Chris Castle- a truly fine singer/songwriter who should be much more famous and succesful than he is.
Part of the reason he's so great is probably because Castle doesn't do it for money or fame; writing songs is utterly programmed into his DNA. He'd write songs even if he thought he didn't want to. After a frustrating experience trying to fit into the Nashville establishment, Castle actually did try to quit.
It's our good fortune that he re-emerged with an excellent batch of tunes on last year's Hollow Bones in Monotone CD.
Now, after holing up in Levon Helm's studio to record the follow-up, the soon-to-be-released Crazy Wind, Castle brings his band to New London (CT) Friday for a date at the Bank Street Cafe.
This is a killer group, and Castle is a visionary songwriter.
- Rick Koster, The Day Aug. 2008 (New London, CT)
Chris Castle has shared stages with acts like: Chris Hillman (the Byrds), Tommy Ramone (the Ramones), Jonathan Edwards, Richard Shindell, the Wood Brothers, Eilen Jewell, Junior Brown, Will Kimbrough, Jeff Black, Peter Case, Tommy Womack, Jim White, Fiona McBain (Ollabelle), and the everybodyfields.
He is currently wrapping up his forthcoming album at Levon Helm Studios, with appearances by Garth Hudson, Tommy Ramone, Bagriel Butterfield and the Womack Family Band.
Age:
52 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Chris Hickey recently wrote and recorded a song, each day, for about three weeks. The result is "Razzmatazz" (featuring "Kerouac") - 16 songs, just vocal & guitar, recorded in his bedroom (South Pasadena) on a hand-held voice recorder.
Chris Hickey has three previous solo records, was a member of the bands âÂÂUmaâ and âÂÂShow of HandsâÂÂ, and has appeared on records by Joe Henry, Michael Penn, Indigo Girls, and more.
Age:
28 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
I was born in South Texas & raised in one of the smallest towns around. I write songs by christmas lights & oil lamps in the spare room of my house, just behind the local high school. I write about heartbreak, moonlight, alcohol, paranoia, cadillacs, flowers, hope, dancehalls, unassuming women, rain storms, God above, & antique furniture... and I do it with as much gallop or yawn as I can muster...
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
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Step into a Greenwich Village venue and notice the cardigan-clad kid onstage. Notice the crowd--young, sizeable, and overeager. Now notice that, despite the packed room, the air is silent. The metallic ring of a finger-picked acoustic cuts through the tension. ThereâÂÂs some quick applause, some halted âÂÂshhhâÂÂs,â and the kid onstage begins a song you havenâÂÂt heard yet: âÂÂI see her only in cold weather/in lieu of something better/while the band plays I watch her roll her eyes...âÂÂ
The kid plays like a polished troubadour but looks like a prep-schooler; he jokes between songs like the class clown but sings stunningly poetic lyrics with a valedictorianâÂÂs pride. Forty-five minutes later, this packed listening room has applauded wildly, nodded reverently, and one bookish undergrad has surprisingly thrown a bra onstage. Something is happening here. A rising singer/songwriter in the Village, packaging lyricism with a pop melody to a new generation. It could be 2010, or it could be 1963. âÂÂWho is this kid,â you think, âÂÂand where did he come from?âÂÂ
Chris Milam, the known Nashville critical darling and songwriting prodigy, just dropped his suitcase in the Big Apple. He moved to New York in the fall of 2009, leaving behind his home base, a stack of industry offers, and a potential career as a hit Nashville songwriter. He came by way of Nashville, Memphis, and (most recently) a secluded winter in an Arkansas attic. But to really understand whatâÂÂs happening now, we need to learn a little about what happened before; what turned a professorâÂÂs son from Memphis into New YorkâÂÂs hottest singing commodity.
Growing up in the Memphis suburbs, he soaked up the musical heritage of his hometown. While he picked out Stax melodies on the piano and bass, his friends were learning Dave Matthews covers on guitar. âÂÂI kept trying to fit in, and failing,â Milam laughs. When he wanted to learn guitar, Milam (a southpaw) taught himself to play his brotherâÂÂs acoustic upside-down. He created a music major Vanderbilt didnâÂÂt previously offer while his friends pursued medicine, law, and finance. âÂÂI was doomed from the beginning,â he laughs. âÂÂMy dadâÂÂs a Miltonist. My mom teaches Greek drama. Banking wasnâÂÂt an option--I canâÂÂt even add.âÂÂ
Milam began playing local coffee-shops, house parties, frat-houses, and every open stage he could find while still in college. Some nights, he played three different open mics. On average, he played six concerts a week. By the spring of 2005, his hard work paid off: he released his debut album, Leaving Tennessee, to a large local fanbase and widespread critical acclaim.
âÂÂOne of the South's most promising songwriters." --Vanderbilt Hustler
âÂÂHis skill as a songwriter surpasses artists twice his age...a huge local discovery." --Hardcore Troubadours
Next, Milam was true to his word: he left Tennessee. He spent the two years on the road, booking his own tours, playing coffeehouses, colleges, dive bars, and theaters coast-to-coast. His pop-friendly melodies, honey-sweet voice, and unpredictable performances won glowing reviews and an increasing fan-base at every stop.
âÂÂHe continues to turn a phrase on end with lethal precision." --Chattanooga Times Free Press
Soon, the Nashville music industry took notice: prompted by multiple publishing companies, Chris Milam released the Tin Angel EP in 2008. It was a pop songwriting showcase, and a departure from his typically intimate, lyrically-driven songs. After another six months of DIY touring to promote the Tin Angel EP, the offers rolled in. Milam found himself in office after office, outlining his future as a Nashville songwriter, adapting his prodigious talent to the country music landscape. Artistically, and professionally, Milam had reached his first real crossroads. He explains:
âÂÂI was told that if I wanted to strictly be a songwriter, I could do that. But it wasnâÂÂt my passion. Plus, I was exhausted. IâÂÂd spent about three years touring. IâÂÂd spent my whole life in Tennessee. I knew artists moving to Nashville to be songwriters, and here were these opportunities, but I needed a break.âÂÂ
In February of 2009, Chris Milam did what any fatigued artist might do: he went to Arkansas. For two freezing months, he put his Nashville career, his touring schedule, his industry offers, and even his personal life on hold. He did nothing but write songs in an attic in Arkansas, every day, for eight weeks. In April, he reemerged in Nashville with a mountain of new demos and a plan: make an album, and move to New York. New York, the site of his own favorite performances, past inspiration, and his singer/songwriter heroes.
Milam played the demos for a local producer Steve Martin. Blown away by the new material, he offered to make the album regardless of time or budget. Chris Milam knew this album had to be an intimate, stripped-down, deeply-personal work; it had to tell his story in his own language. The session was booked, the plan set: no session players, no independent contractors, no background singers, no support staff. âÂÂWe wanted to make something as close, intimate, self-contained, and narrative as the songs themselvesâ he explains. âÂÂWe wanted that combination of vintage songwriting with an intimate sound; Simon & Garfunkel meets 21st century DIY home recording.âÂÂ
Two guys, nine songs, seven days, a roomful of instruments, and a few microphones. They played every part, mixed and mastered every song, front to back, in just over one week. A month later, Chris Milam moved to New York, album in hand.
The result is Up, a work of breath-taking lyricism, expert songwriting, and startling maturity. It sounds like a secret youâÂÂre in on. It sounds like a little world youâÂÂre suddenly transported to. It sounds like the songs youâÂÂve been waiting to hear. ItâÂÂs both classic and contemporary, a return to the poeticism of 60âÂÂs singer-songwriters with the voice of a new generation. ItâÂÂs the work of a moment--a perfect storm of talent, work, timing, and inspiration--but its story has been months in the making.
âÂÂReminiscent of Paul Simonâ¦IâÂÂve got a feeling about this kid." --Listen! Nashville
âÂÂExpertly craftedâ¦a fresh new voice." --Music City Unsigned
Now, step into a Greenwich Village venue to find this cardigan-clad kid with a prep-school tie and literary lyrics singing to the applause, nods, and bra-throwing approval of a new generation. Go and find the professorâÂÂs son-turned-songwriting prodigy in your nearest coffeehouse, bar, or theater, telling a new story with every turn of phrase. Watch the audience mouth along: âÂÂFrom the pavement to the stratosphere tonight, a generationâÂÂs song/and though weâÂÂre all young enough tonight, we wonâÂÂt be young for long.â Something is happening here. Go, and take a listen.
After all, this only the beginning.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
n/a
Bio:
Follow on....
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-Jamra-Music/136463903057916?v=app_178091127385&ref;=ts
twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/CJamraMusic
Recently I decided I wanted a legit bio of my musical life. The only problem is, when the facts were all written in black and white, it was boring. And life isnâÂÂt boring, so why should a bio? Soâ¦where should I beginâ¦
My first memory of writing songs goes back to my familyâÂÂs annual road trips. Bored out of my mind, I sang constantly, about everythingâ¦.my catâ¦the road â¦then my cat again....I drove my family crazy to the point they wanted to throw me on the road, (but not really.)
At age eight I asked for a guitar, and by 12 I was writing and singing on a daily basis. And I guess right now it'd be the part to say all the venues I've played and people I've met but instead I'm going to say something more important.
I never thought I could sing, never really thought I was a great guitar player either, but since then, writing songs has been my way of escaping the suffocation and stresses in life. It's this ever-swirling inspiration inside of mel that longs to be sung out. And this I believe is my purpose, through my music to make people stand up for what they believe in and to make a change.
My advice to everyone? Always love. Love your life, the people in your life, and the nature that surrounds your life. As I say in my song An Earth's Blink, "In just an Earth's Blink, we'll search for our life's link."
As I like to say:
Peace. Love. Happinessâ¦and oh yeahâ¦. Music.
Xox christine.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Flat Mean Music Javelinas1@comcast.net
Bio:
Age:
45 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
info@level14studio.com
Bio:
CJ played Keyboards in various touring club bands from 1977 through 1984, and performed more than 1800+ shows during that time.
Making the transition to writing and showcasing original music in the San Francisco Bay area from 1984 to 1989, Chris became drawn toward engineering and producing in a variety of Bay area studios during that same 1984 to 1989 time period.
With recent film placements of music co-written with wife partner M.E. Wilson. And co-writes on David Fair's Life is Good and the recently released You Never Know EP, CJ is interested in collaborating with new talent all the time!
Age:
31 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
the songs on my site are pieces that i have played cello on. i hope you enjoy! if you have any questions about the artists i play with, let me know. most of them are in my top friends so check them out . . . they are all amazing! the first song: "Coffee Shop" by Landon Pigg. Obviously this song is fantastic. I love everything about it. AND it's being used in a diamond commercial . . . which is just so special :) the second song: "Crying" (originally written by Roy Orbison), was arranged by Canon Blue and sung by Sam Ashworth. this has been one of my favorite songs to play on this year. lots of cello!!! the third song: "The Sound" by Paper Route. this song is from "A Thrill Of Hope", a christmas gift the guys put together for the holidays. if you look over to the left, the video: "The Music", is a colletion of photos taken by Jeremy Cowart (amazing) and then JT Daly (also amazing) took the photographs, added some magic, and made the video. the music featured on the video is also Paper Route. the guys took the cello tracks we recorded (from "The Sound) and created a pretty little tune. basically, i love Paper Route!!! the fourth song: "Hostage" by Jeremy Lister. This song was a fun one to record because I got to work with the following: Jeremy, Justin, Ian, Kevin and Zach . . . good times, and i love this song. (p.s., Jeremy is fantastic at whistling. simply amazing.) the fifth song: "Dark Hotel" by K.S. Rhoads. kevin is a musical genius. he really is. (f.y.i. . . . i love these lyrics. . . "the blue bird's back, singing in the willow, washing his wings in the water on my pillow . . . " i mean . . .
Age:
31 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Imaginary Friends Music Partners
Bio:
Amid the turbulence in today's music industry, CLARA LOFARO is an old soul in a young body with an independent spirit. The Toronto transplant inherently believes her music must always possess the timeless qualities of the old and the new to have a sustainable future.
After all, she's building a lasting career which is just impacting America with the release of Perfekt World, her third album on ComeTrue Records, the label she started as a student at the Berklee College of Music. Now based in New York, the Toronto Indie Week winner breaks through musical barriers; fueled by the gift to create music that makes us FEEL something. Because when it comes down to it, Lofaro knows that's the primary reason people have always listened to music.
"I want to make music that's great because it gives people an experience," she says. "I'm not following a formula other than always trying to give a song something different to make it my own, unlike anything else I've ever heard."
Produced by Mark Turrigiano (Ingrid Michaelson's, Boys and Girls), Perfekt World continues the tradition of the new-age female singer-songwriter carved out by such mainstream mainstays as KT Tunstall and Amy Winehouse. Clearly inspired by Annie Lennox, John Legend and Laura Nyro, Lofaro is an eclectic songwriter and soulful performer whose music embraces pop, rock, R&B;, jazz, and any number of stops in between. It starts with a radio-free childhood restricted to oldies and traditional recordings until she reached her teens, due to a conservative Italian upbringing.
"I'm sure that's why I always use my voice as an instrument in many ways. Those harmonies are very instinctive when I write songs. They just come out of me. When I think of instrumentation, I feel every part has to be strong and stand out on its own independently."
That voice is in full evidence on Perfekt World, from the quirky, trash-talkin' torchiness of "Bitch Go Off" to the crystal clear sweetness of the hopeful lead track, "Birds of a Feather."
Lofaro's independent musicianship began formulating when she took up music at 12. Her prodigious talent as a singer and keyboardist eventually led to her acceptance at Berklee, where teacher Barry Marshall, who'd worked with LaVern Baker, Peter Wolf and Aimee Mann, brought Lofaro into the studio to produce her 2002 debut, Night Light. With loyal audiences developing in Toronto and Boston, she took over as producer, exposing all on her ballsy second album, 2005's Black + Blue Pearl, a top seller on CD Baby. The album picked up radio airplay on New York's WLIR and college stations throughout the Northeast, while 106 VIC radio in Ithaca, NY, named the track "One True Thing" 2006 Song of the Year.
The success of that album brought Lofaro to opening slots on sold-out shows with Emerson Hart; side stage acoustic performances with Stevie Nicks and OAR at Jones Beach on Long Island; and the Bamboozle Festival at Giants Stadium. Audience voted Lofaro second favorite at a Fresh 102.7 outdoor concert featuring Edwin McCain, Kimberly Locke and others. That fall, Lofaro beat over 450 entrants to take top honors in Toronto's Indie Week as the city's best unsigned talent.
She subsequently returned to the studio with producer Turrigiano to create Perfekt World, an album combining the best of both worlds; the old and the new, on every song, regardless of style. To Lofaro, a mixture of the old and the new is what life is anyway, and with a full realization and dedication to that essential balance, who needs to rely on trends?
"I've always been well-liked because of who I am, not because of how I dress or how I look," says Lofaro. "I'm definitely not affected by trends in music."
Lofaro and Turrigiano chose animal instinct and having fun over the fundamental ways to use instruments on Perfekt World to create a new energy hell-bent upon taking risks with a universal approach. Lofaro wanted "No Way Home," with its street-smart ethnicity, to sound like a bunch of old Balkan men drunk in a bar banging beer bottles playing traditional music together, because in college she loved hanging out with people from all over the world steeped in those same sensibilities. On "Bitch Go Off," Lofaro used an assembled drum kit made of trashcans and other discards Turrigiano picked up on Bowery in Chinatown to help convey the liberating experience of speaking one's actual inner thoughts.
"Waterfall," the first single, is a pop-rock ballad with indie-rock appeal, yet it introduces classic psychedelia halfway through the first verse. It's about taking a chance to love again despite being hurt enough times to no longer believe it can exist. With its lilting harmonies, "Birds of a Feather" is a ballad that opens the album by showing how we all live in our own worlds, and gain confidence from keeping the good things close and knowing we're not alone, no matter how different our perspectives or how long the road. The mid-tempo title track uses doo-wop backup vocals beneath a pop chorus for an Otis Redding groove, giving an old school vibe to modern pop.
On stage, Lofaro re-enacts the human experience, supported by a band which includes a backup vocalist and a keyboardist who doubles on flugelhorn, a delicate nod to the modal folk music she heard as a child at Sunday Mass, and still beautifully resonates from within. Whether Lofaro is performing live or in the studio, she always goes for the chills eternally induced by her greatest influences, with a deeply wondrous passion usually reserved for legends.
She has recently partnered with Action Against Hunger (ACF), a non-profit, non-discriminating, international organization, donating 20% of proceeds from Perfekt World album sales, and collaborating on a video that will use Perfekt World to complete her vision of reaching and helping people with her music. "If we could find beauty in each other's differences instead of thinking our way was better, life would be a heck of a lot easier," she says. "It's raw, emotional music with no barriers. Freedom-pop is what I'd call it. If we could embrace this life before it passes us by. I'm still trying to get there."
Age:
30 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
I own my publishing
Bio:
The short story...
I grew up in Noosa, a small beach-side town on the East coast of Australia. My childhood was a happy one. My days were filled making up little songs around the house, performing at the local theatre, hanging out at beach, chasing my big brother around and like all kids, getting up to mischief. My parents and their friends influenced my musical tastes with Mavin Gaye, James Taylor, Carole King, The Four Tops, Chicago, Bob Dylan, Led Zepplin and The Beatles.
At 17 I moved away to the city to study classical voice at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. 4 years later I graduated knowing that playing my own music was what I wanted to do. I spent my time after that writing and playing shows and 3 years ago decided it was time to record my first album. It took 18 months to make and in September 2007, I sold my car and everything I owned and hoped on a plane to America. Traveling from the West coast to the East, I experienced the ups and downs of following a dream. At the end of the 6 months I came out the other side with great friends, an insight into the music industry and a bag of tricks and life lessons. This journey helped in my self discovery as an artist, a songwriter, a musician and a human being.
2008 brought me some major highs and lows... traveling back and forth to America, playing festivals in Canada, writing with LA and Nashville songwriters via skype video, supporting top Australian artists Wendy Matthews and Vanessa Amorosi and winning numerous International Songwriting and Performing Awards. In July of this year my family was struck with hard times when my future father in law got a rare virus and was in hospital for 3 months. Days upon days were spent sitting in hospital rooms, waiting for him to wake up... Thankfully he survived and is slowly on the mend. Someone was on our side.... 2009 is looking like it will be another adventurous year. I'm heading to London in March for 6 months, to write, record and tour. I'll be working with some great people so it's looking like it will be an exciting time!!! So that's my very short story so far... What else can I tell you...
I'm passionate about wildlife conservation and the protection of all animals. Like most of us I dream about the day when we can stop fighting each other and see what's really important in life. I'm optimistic that we can live on a healthy planet and once again enjoy mother nature. I have a beautiful dog, 'Maddi' and one day I dream of having lot's of dogs and cats and cows and pigs and chickens and anything else that needs a home. I sponsor an 11 year old boy in Haiti, his name is Louis. I'm reading the Harry Potter books at the moment(I'm on to the last one), my favorite food is green beans(strange, I know). I don't think I could tell you my favorite films, the list is too long and my ipod is full of just about everything, although I'm loving Sia and Dylan at the moment. Everything else you need to know about me is in my songs. Words are everything, so if you want to know how I'm feeling or what I'm thinking, you know where to find me.... xxx
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Buck N Lunge
Bio:
Cole Mitchell/Primordial reckoning
Cole's work is an expression of a hard life, well lived. "Kind of a sideways take on the music I'd heard as a kid hangin' around my grandmother's honky tonk in southern New Mexico. See, I was born in Billy the Kidd country," says Cole. "and raised in Hank Williams country."
So where is Cole Mitchell and what is it like there? Micthellandia is always somewhere, frequently somewhere that is specifically nowhere, and in general everywhere. Sometimes you see it in Technicolor, and sometimes in sepia, and everything in between. It is always a notable fact of someoneâÂÂs biography that they have gone blind, as Cole did in 1992, but when I hear his songs I see pictures with a rare kind of cinematic clarity. Could be bleached out Spaghetti Western, could be the hard-edged shadows of noir. The memory of sight for him has become more intense than the actual power of sight. There is usually dust in these visions, and there is often a particular kind of light you see in the southwest when the dry winds are blowing and anything metallic will explode into blue sparks when you touch it.
Mitchellandia is a thirsty place. ColeâÂÂs characters, like Cole himself, are always thirsty. ColeâÂÂs dramatis personae look for hydration where itâÂÂs least to be found, and Cole has some experience with that. The people in his story-songs have not found a good well. Cole however, has, and he writes (and sings) with compassion about the people whoâÂÂre still looking for a well of pure water.
Primordial Reckoning, ColeâÂÂs latest and best of his three solo albums, finds the one-of-a-kind singer-songwriter in kind of late-blooming mastery that is a rare and wonderful thing. It doesnâÂÂt represent a departure from his prior work so much as the purest distillation yet of his unique artistry; nobody whoâÂÂs heard ColeâÂÂs music wonâÂÂt recognize the plaintive, lone coyote swoops that spring naturally from his voice or the kindness of heart with which he sketches folks whoâÂÂve fallen short of social acceptability. The kinds of characters whoâÂÂve taken squattersâ rights in his imagination are recognizable as wellï¾restless creatures at home neither in the world nor their own skin, and often fruitlessly looking to geography to put things right. There are flashes of the cow-punk sensibility of his prior work, âÂÂNobodyâÂÂs Blues,â which hovered somewhere between Steve Earl and Vic Chesnutt in sensibility, but I find the excellent âÂÂInvictusâ to be a foreshadowing of this current album, which I regard as ColeâÂÂs masterwork to date.
Yep, itâÂÂs the same Cole his listeners have come to know and love. But lyrically, vocally and musically, the songs seem to me born from a ripening convergence of heart and head and a perfected sense of emotional navigation. In other words, Cole knows exactly where heâÂÂs taking us.
Primordial Reckoning is indeed an album of standouts, pointed up by superb musicianship from ColeâÂÂs standing ad hoc backup band, the Acoustic Curs made up of August Johnson on brushes, blue grass jewels Shelby and Jacob Means on stand up base and mandolin and on lead guitar Johnny Burns, son of Jethro Burns Nephew of Chet Atkins and former band leader for John Prine. This town is like a strip of fly tape, hanging from a west Texas gas station ceiling, begins the song âÂÂThrow Me a Line,â and that line alone is enough to set a novel spinning in oneâÂÂs head. The duet, âÂÂMama,â sung with female vocalist Shelby Lee Means, depicts a wayward waif lost in the bigger largeness, and your heart breaks for the parties at both ends of this particular phone call, though you only hear it from one side. With the song âÂÂSmile,â Cole goes where angels, at least smart ones, fear to tread and comes out with a piece that ought to find its place as a standard (the general rule about songs that extol the virtue of smiling generally impel one to smash the first thing in sight, but Cole is powerfully persuasive here). Here again, Cole treads into quicksand that has swallowed lesser writers. I listen to these songs of troubled people, and I find understanding and solace. Put another way, these are not message songs. They remind me of found post-cards, or an overheard conversation written on a napkin by someone sitting two bar stools down, or walking past a phone booth. We get just enough of the words to hang the rest of the story on, and if itâÂÂs not our own itâÂÂs that of somebody we know. His imagery is concrete yet metaphorical, and his rhyme schemes are usually placed just a little off plumb in a way that glues the words together with a puff of air in your ear. The more at home he becomes, the more he conveys the pain of searching.
info@colemitchellmusic.com
505-514-0323
PoBox 35901
Albuquerque, NM 87176
Age:
23 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
34 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
info@diagramcollective.com
Bio:
"Everything from guitars, drum machines and banjos to dobros, synths and mandolins are thrown into the musical blender. The result is a series of tasty digifolk jams from a band who doesn't need a weatherman to tell it which way the zeitgeist is blowing."
-Wired
"The name of the Nashville band Computer Vs. Banjo says it all: Johnny Mann and Beau Stapleton blend folky banjos and acoustic guitars with synth-heavy electronica and experimental beats. The computer tends to win the battle on the group's self-titled debut, but countless computerized samples of more traditional instruments give the record an eclectic, genre-bending sound."
-NPR
"Mann and Stapleton have created something truly extraordinary in Computer vs. Banjo's unique sound, making them Nashville's next big thing."
-PopWreck(oning)
If you've always pigeonholed folk and electronica as polar opposites, Computer Vs. Banjo will make you rethink everything you thought about both. Hatched in the musical crucible of Nashville, the genre-bending band fuses fingerpicked folk with experimental beats to create such a full, original sound, it's hard to believe CVB is just a duo.
YouâÂÂll recognize their names because theyâÂÂre both accomplished musicians: Johnny Mann was the lead guitarist of Gran Torino, a funk/jazz fixture on the Southeast club and college scene that ultimately licensed songs to TV hits like âÂÂThe Real World.â Beau Stapleton played tenor guitar and mandolin for Blue Merle, a dynamic rock/pop four piece that rose remarkably high for such a short-lived star, releasing an album on Island Records and opening for Van Morrison.
Musically they evolved from different worldsâÂÂMann was a Jazz Studies major, Stapleton a self-taught roots musician.
But because both are adept at crossing genres and applying their multiple influences and skills to their music, charting new terrain came easy to them.
"I did play for many years in the acoustic world...but I was always hearing different timbres in my head," says Stapleton. "With a little experimentation I found myself being able to write and compose the landscapes I had been hearing ever since I had begun to access the creative side of my music brain."
Fortunately, Mann adds, they envisioned similar sounds, which made it easy to compose and program the songs themselves. What wasn't as easy, he says, was finding a producer, âÂÂbecause we really hadnâÂÂt heard a record quite like the one we were hoping to make."
So the two took on that role as well, spending a year (give or take a few breaks) in the studio to experiment, hone their skills, and translate their instincts into a hook-filled blend of folk, rock and electronica that manages to be in two places at once: grounded in rich acoustic arrangements, with its head in an ambient cloud of driving beats.
Rarely can you hear just one reference. "Give Up on Ghosts" recalls Beck's first forays into electronica and the White Stripes' Delta Blues riffs, but in a more acoustic format. "Low" is reminiscent of Björk's soundscapes, set within the complex melodies of a Phillip Glass-like composition. "San Joaquin" is a heartfelt, modern take on a Woody Guthrie-style dustbowl ballad. And with "Signs of Passing Time," the album ends on a note as spare and melancholy as vintage Pink Floyd, yet sprinkled with ambient sounds.
What shines through on all these songs are Mann and Stapleton's incredible skills as songwriters and multi-instrumentalists. The two trade off on lead vocals and play and program everything from synths to the dobro, to of course, the computer and banjo, pioneering a sound that is truly their own.
Clearly Computer Vs. BanjoâÂÂs go-it-alone recording and engineering process paid off. Says Stapleton, "I feel really lucky to have had that time to just experiment and be creative." We're fortunate too, to hear the fruits of those 12 months on this amazingly transporting debut.
Age:
52 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
With a maiden name of Hills and living most my life in the Boondocks, how could I not Love country music?
I also sang backup in a country band for a while-I love to make harmony.
I have family in Nashville so I am lucky enough to get down there about every onter month. This will help if some one would like to co-write.
Age:
28 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Jeremy Ash - jash@emicmg.com
Bio:
"Sometimes," Corey Crowder says with a laugh when referring to his contemporary rocking, funky and melodic music, "I think I would have fit in better if "I'd come up thirty years ago." There's irony in that statement. With over five million plays of the songs on his MySpace page, major television placements of his songs, and recording and publishing contracts now in hand, Corey, at age 25, is virtually a model of how to commence a musical career, 21st century style. Commentators have described his music variously as Southern rock, alternative country, funky storytelling, or even jam band. By any name, it recalls roots rock and soul sounds of the sixties and seventies-updated for today.
"That's the music I was raised on," explains the singer-songwriter who grew up in a small town between Atlanta and Athens, GA. "Creedence and Bill Withers...Waylon Jennings and Bob Dylan. When I first started playing I was sort of running from that-a kid just trying to be different. I was into metal for awhile, and when I was first in college, I really tried to get into indie rock-but I quickly went back to the music I grew up on and always loved, for all the emotion and feeling behind it. It's soul music."
That legacy of soul asserts itself mightily in the deep and engaging music from this gifted performer and writer. From the earliest days singing his own songs solo in local clubs at 18, to touring across the continental U.S. with a practiced band behind him has all led him to the November 11, 2008, release of his striking Gold and the Sand album. Listeners can hear Corey speaking from his own soul on this record. It's in the confidential whisper with which he sometimes sings, in the sound of the instrumentation, with its rock influences, strings and horns, and in the lyrics he writes, that bring it all together.
After high school, Corey followed his high school sweetheart (now his wife) to Greenville, SC, where she attended Furman University. It was there he set about producing his two homemade collections of songs that turned out to have remarkably broad appeal. Corey first reached national attention when his self-penned song, "Here's Looking at You Kid," was spotted on his MySpace page by producers of the MTV reality series The Real World. They employed it to augment the sort of emotional moment audiences remember. "They played it over the finale of the last show of the season, with the couple hugging at the airport!" Corey recalls. "And that brought a lot of recognition." More of Crowder's early tunes appeared on such TV series as Bad Girls, The Biggest Loser, and One Ocean View, and total listens on his MySpace page skyrocketed into the millions. Sales of his early independent albums were boosted, too.
During those three years in Greenville, he assembled a backing band, bringing him one step closer to achieving his goal of a fuller and fully realized sound. "I'd been wanting to find a group of people who believed in the personal songs I wanted to do." By the time he got to the studio in Seattle to meet with Aaron Sprinkle (producer of Gold and the Sand), Corey was confident about his vision and wanted a producer that would compliment this vision and further define his sound. In Aaron, he found just that. "Aaron didn't want to change a thing about the songs-just work with me on the instrumentation. And that was very exciting." Aaron took hold of Corey's songs and brought them to life. He took old-school instrumentation techniques and altered them in such a way that ultimately became the perfect catalyst to bring out the new and fully developed Corey Crowder sound they had both been searching for.
The result of Corey and Aaron's meeting is a set of twelve songs as broadly themed as something you would expect from Van Morrison, Tony Joe White or even Lynyrd Skynyrd for that matter-but with contemporary lyrics that aim to reflect today's over-hurried world and the pressures brought about in meeting the expectations of a friend or spouse and in dealing with the notion of pride or of change.
For all the emotional power of his rock attack, his lyric writing has evolved into a new level of texture and maturity. The songs on Gold and the Sand have subtle shades of meaning that are developed through complex word choice and surprising twists and turns in his storylines. Being a contract writer for EMI in Nashville has given Corey the experience and tools he has needed to truly advance his lyrical abilities. This kind musical development is not always about technicalities or improved skills; it's also about personal growth â≠an ongoing theme in Corey's lyrics. Two songs on the new album speak to that even in their titles-"I've Become Something" and "Look How Far We've Come."
"I'm finding," Corey says, " that your mid-twenties are really when you learn a lot about yourself, and ask the big questions. I really needed to write some songs about things I've never tackled before."
He's certainly done that with the timeless and continually appealing songs on Gold and the Sand, and he does it with music that is delivered in a style that is as rooted as it is contemporary.
Age:
37 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Jon Allen - jallen@bugmusic.com
Bio:
Honest, sometimes a little dark, and riddled with self-deprecating humor â traits that led themselves well to his songs. Songs that, like Cory, are original and unpredictable, prompting one music critic to note that âÂÂ...he writes serious music without taking himself too seriously, without being afraid to smash a guitar, throw in a line about Miami Vice, or smack his audience in the head every once in awhile â figuratively, of course.â âÂÂI never play a song the same way twice,â says Cory. âÂÂIt's the only way I've found for me to keep the music honest and immediate and, more importantly, to keep my self amused.âÂÂ
A young Branan played Death Metal before moving on to a Black Sabbath cover band, but it wasn't until someone handed him a John Prine album that things began to fall into place. Discovering songs with intelligence, humor and edge inspired Cory to strike out with his own unique songwriting style. Aside from âÂÂrecreational destruction and the lamentations of the women,â Cory's influences change daily, but could typically include âÂÂHenry Miller, Tom Waits, Federico Garcia Lorca, my little brother, Dark Lord Satan, the girl from last Thursday...âÂÂ
With immeasurable talent and the freedom to follow his muse, Cory Branan is poised for greatness. His gift as a song-writer and performer made him a staple of the lauded Memphis music scene and brought him national recognition with the release of his debut album, The Hell You Say. A full page feature in Rolling Stone's Hot issue*, a year's-top-ten-honor in Billboard magazine and an appearance on the late show with David Letterman represent just a sample of the attention this breakthrough record garnered. Despite the success of The Hell You Say, it took four years for Cory to release 2006's 12 Songs. Although, as Blender magazine noted, âÂÂBranan banked the praise and laid low...12 Songs justifies the sabbatical.â In a music review of the newer album for Playboy, famed music critic and author of It Came From Memphis, Robert Gordon, said it best when he said of Cory, âÂÂA new voice emerges to run with the greats.âÂÂ
Age:
33 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Tropicalicountry Music
Bio:
Courtney Jaye was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and moved to Alpharetta, Georgia, when she was a freshman in high school. It was at this time she discovered The Grateful Dead and Neil Young, and also began to play the guitar. After becoming immersed in the bohemian culture, she headed out west and lived in mountain town of Flagstaff, Arizona. She worked as an acupuncturist's assistant by day and performed in a bluegrass band at night.
Over the years, she has lived on the Hawaiian island of Kauai as well as in music cities such as Austin, Los Angeles, and finally Nashville, Tennessee. Along the way, she signed her first record deal with Island Records in 2004 and released her first single "Can't Behave" in June 2005. She performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and toured the country on a radio promotional tour. She has collaborated with many musicians over the years Gary Louris of The Jayhawks, Matthew Sweet, Peter Hayes of BRMC, Kristen Hall, Rhett Miller, Tift Merritt, Taj Mahal, Thad Cockrell, Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses, Dallas Green, and Emily Saliers of The Indigo Girls.
On January 12, 2010 she released the independent album, The Exotic Sounds of Courtney Jaye, which features the duet "Sometimes Always" with Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses. The album was released on Jaye's imprint Tropicali Records and was produced by Seth Kauffman (Floating Action), with additional production by Bill Reynolds (Band of Horses), and was mixed by Joe Pisapia.
Courtney has appeared as a featured guest vocalist on the following records:
Thad CockrellâÂÂs song âÂÂGreat RejoicingâÂÂ, off the 2008 album To Be Loved .
Peter Hayes of BRMCâÂÂs 2008 cover of "Cool Water".
Black Rebel Motorcycle ClubâÂÂs song âÂÂThe TollâÂÂ, off the 2010 album Beat The DevilâÂÂs Tattoo.
Dallas Green-guest vocals on 2010 Nashville Skyline song "Carry You Home".
Jessie BaylinâÂÂs song âÂÂHoliday", off the 2012 album Little Spark.
In February 2011, she had made an appearance in the video for Super Furry AnimalâÂÂs lead singer Gruff RhysâÂÂs song, âÂÂSensations in the DarkâÂÂ, off his album Hotel Shampoo, released May 3, via Witchita Recordings.
She was also featured as a background vocalist on the Dan Auerbach produced album from Ohio artist, Brian Olive. The record was released on Alive Records, June 2011.
Summer of 2012 Courtney will be releasing a record called âÂÂLove and ForgivenessâÂÂ, produced by CMA/Grammy Award winning producer Mike Wrucke (Miranda Lambert âÂÂRevolutionâÂÂ). The album was tracked live in L.A. over the course of four days at Ocean StudioâÂÂs Burbank, October 2010. The musicians that played on the record are Neal Casal-acoustic guitar (Ryan Adams/The Cardinals), Greg Leisz-lap steel and electric guitar (Ray LaMontagne/Lucinda Williams), Sebastian Steinberg-bass (Soul Coughing), Josh Grange-electric guitar (Dwight Yoakam, K.D. Lang), and Fred EltringhamâÂÂdrums (The Dixie Chicks, The Wallflowers).
Zach Galifianakis is a fan. He has been quoted as saying âÂÂCourtney Jaye is an artist with real style, class and real talent, unlike all the other jerkoffs in her business.âÂÂ
Discography:
Traveling Light (Island, 2005)
Til it Bleeds (Independent, 2006)
Who'll Stop The Rain (AO Recordings, 2007)
The Exotic Sounds of Courtney Jaye (Tropicali Records, 2010)
Love and Forgiveness (2012)
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Happy Monkey Music
Bio:
I'm a songwriter, music producer and publisher in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. I also have an office on 16th Ave. in Nashville. Over the years, I've won 15 various songwriting awards & I'm a pro member of The Nashville Songwriters Association International. I currently have a song featured in the movie "When I Find The Ocean", which was recorded by Marty Raybon, former lead singer of country super group Shennendoah. I've worked in the studio with many great Muscle Shoals and Nashville musicians and artists, including Marty Raybon, Jim Seales & Mike McGuire (Shennendoah), Zac & Angela Hacker (Nashville Star), Contemporary Christian artist & songwriter Lenny Leblanc, Bobby Tomberlin, Gary Nichols, Shonna Tucker (The Drive-By Truckers), legendary Muscle Shoals session players, engineers & singers Bob Wray, David Hood, Larry Byrom, Will McFarlane, Joey Holder, Harvey Thompson, Sr., Darryl Holden, Wayne Bridge, Jimmy Nutt, Steve Melton, Don Srygley, Rusty Moody, Danny Kirsch, Scooter Muse, Donnie Carpenter, Kelvin Holly, N.C. Thurman, Toni Borden, Daniel Beard, Mike Dillon, Mickey Buckins, Harvey Thompson, Jr, Tim Lorsch, Rachel Wilson, Caleb Box, film maker Tonya Holly & many more. I've also co-written songs with many great Muscle Shoals & Nashville songwriters, such as Doc Walley, Chris Tompkins, Billy Lawson, Mark Narmore, Gilles Godard, Donnie Fritts, Marty Raybon, Becki Bluefield, Zac Hacker, Gary Nichols, Marty Brown, Shonna Tucker, Thom Shepherd, Mike Pyle, West Butler, Larry Byrom, Rusty Moody, Nancy Muse, Mike Curtis, Joey Holder, Steve Hopper, Belinda Jackson, Drew Smith, Yvonne Sanson, Johnny Holland, Jeff Jackson, Joey Holiday, Denise Davis, Eddie Keith Wilson, Mike Hilliard, Quent Kelsey, Mark Oliver, Steven Prince, Rand Brown, Katie Smith, Chris Fulmer, Paul Shepherd & the late Ron Flippo, Bobby Hood & Chris Bain, who all three passed away much too soon. Anyway, that's enough about me. Remember, it all begins with a song ..
D
Age:
40 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
27 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Daniel Ellsworth Music // daniel@danielellsworthandthegreatlakes.com
Bio:
"3 1/2 out of 4 Stars. Jeff Tweedy and Josh Ritter are among the names dropped on the Nashvillian's latest bio â and fittingly so, it turns out, as Ellsworth shares their knack for twisting old-soul sensibilities into unmistakably modern tunes... There's the punchy piano work and light soul vocal inflections of classic Elton John, but it's charged with the sort of funky snap and schoolyard melodies that currently light up VH1's Top 20."
~ The Tennessean ~
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So itâÂÂs cliché. That doesnâÂÂt mean itâÂÂs not true. That we live in an era of blinding speed, of 160-character limits and fiber optics and dizzying TV ads, of instant gratification in every conceivable industry niche. That we are the generation of the immediate. That weâÂÂd much prefer to soak in the brine of pseudo-social media than in a nice, piping hot bath. And so it has become this seemingly impossible task to just slow up a sec, to take that extra minute with our paper cups of morning, pre-office coffee and just, you know, take in the scenery.
And yet there is hope, or so it would seem. Amid the din of modernity comes the sound of a new idea, an idea in the not unattractive shape of a band by the name of Daniel Ellsworth and The Great Lakes. Or, more precisely, in the shape of the honest but audacious sound that has come to define their music. Now, mind you, weâÂÂre not talking about simple reminiscence here, and EllsworthâÂÂs songs are certainly not throwbacks, but thereâÂÂs a sense of (dare I say it?) timelessness and even wonder to the melodies and the distinctive voice that drives them.
Though they now call Nashville their home, the members of The Great Lakes hail from across our great nation (Joel, drummer, Wichita, KS; Marshall, bass guitar, Columbus, OH; Ricky, regular guitar, Huntsville, AL; Daniel, everything else, Minneapolis, MN), bringing with them (besides their clothes and stuff) a unique mélange of stories and the diverse cultures of their respective hometowns. Their upcoming, self-produced album, Civilized Man, (slated for release May 2011), recorded by Mark Nevers (Bonnie âÂÂPrinceâ Billy, Andrew Bird, Yo La Tengo) at Beech House in Nashville, TN, is itself something of a departure from the singer / songwriter category of the rest of EllsworthâÂÂs catalog. As the first official release from the band, it represents a fresh start musically- a whole new set of influences, from The Talking Heads to Wilco, is welcomed into the mix.
When all is said and done, what most of us need is a distraction from distraction, a reminder of the things (and the people, for some of us) that we love. Daniel Ellsworth and The Great Lakes, through the songs and through the stories, provides just that. Theirs is the sort of music that suggests (maybe without actually coming out and saying it) that you stop and smell the roses or, if you really, truly canâÂÂt afford to spare those precious seconds, then at least to enjoy the pleasant, rosy blur that they form in your periphery as you sprint by.
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Daniel Ellsworth: Keys, Acoustic Guitar, Lead Vox
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Marshall Skinner: Bass
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Joel Wren: Drums
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Ricky Perry: Electric Guitar
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Age:
37 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Born and raised in a small town in the mountains in central Az (Payson), spent some years back and forth to Fresno and the San Francisco bay area... well, then I guess to sacramento for a few years, and finally back the Bay Area, with my wife and baby. I began my music career playing in Sacramento's Hard-Core Honky-Tonk Band, Stars & Garters. It was there that I began writing songs, and really diggin it. After S&G;for a couple years, I began playing in San Francisco's own Earl Brothers, bluegrass band. I currently write, play and sing with the Earls and am beginning to record some demos to pitch some songs and make an album... we'll see what happens!
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Mama Modestine's Music
Bio:
Age:
39 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Joshava Music
Bio:
www.darrenholden.net
Age:
37 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
i own my own
Bio:
Darren Siman is a 35 year old songwriter based in the metro-Boston area. He has written songs in the pop, singersongwriter, and indie styles. Playing drums/percussion professionally, Darren writes on the Keys and does his own sessions, working with various instrumentalists and singers to cut the track.
Darren is looking to work with other songwriters, and with his great work ethic and vision, would like to cut some of his songs!
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
I own my own publishing company
Bio:
Darryl Wise was born in Savannah Georgia on Sept 13, 1956. He's lived there off and on since first leaving in 1976. That's when he went on the road with his band in search of better paying gigs, art and integrity, an often overlooked quality in musicians. He continues to search for new ways to write about his life and others through his music. He is currently based out of St. Augustine Florida. His long awaited CD - Many Miles came out in May, 2008. It's a compilation of lots of songs he wrote and has been singing for many years. The success of his first CD has inspired him to start a new CD project entitled Reflections, which is due to be released in the Spring of 2009. He considers himself a songwriter and feels music can become a reflection of the times we live in. Darryl has opened many shows and performed with artists ranging from Los Lobos, Tears for Fears, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys to Tom Paxton. He was invited to do a Songwriters in the Round at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville in 2004 featuring other Georgia-born songwriters. The group included Tony Arata, Pat Algers and Tom Douglas. This was truly an honor for him just to be on stage with musicians he considers to be leaders in the Nashville writers circle. In these days and times, Darryl believes that honesty in music and art is important for people to hear and feel. He feels emotions are directly connected to the greater spirt of all that we are. Without these passions, we would simply cease to exist.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
info@davemccann.com
Bio:
Road ghosts, fallen shows and the blur of years built by song, sweat and stage noise. Americana-edged rock and roll tangled with the continuous trail of broken strings, headlights and a hell of a lot of laughter. YouâÂÂre looking at the guiding force behind Dave McCann and his fourth release âÂÂDixiebluebird.âÂÂ
Produced by guitarist, producer and Nashville alt-icon Will Kimbrough (Todd Snider, Mavis Staples, Rodney Crowell), âÂÂDixiebluebirdâ is DaveâÂÂs strongest work to date. A wealth of road and heart worn original material that lays a torch to the influence of Bruised Country Soul, Classic Southern Rock and Heartfelt Americana. âÂÂDixiebluebirdâ also brings transition, with an introduction to Dave McCann and the Firehearts. ItâÂÂs a new name, but the same superlative line up: long time guitarist Dave Bauer, multi-instrumentalist Pete Loughlin on Bass, Tim Williams on Drums and all the sagacious force of Charlie Hase on the Pedal Steel Guitar.
âÂÂDixiebluebirdâ was recorded at the Toybox Studio-a backyard studio hidden out in the old neighborhoods of East Nashville. Owned and operated by Eli âÂÂLijâ Shaw and aptly named after itâÂÂs incredible collection of historic and vintage gear. Beautiful compressors, incredible mics, and the analog MCI console that was rescued out of FloridaâÂÂs Criteria Studios after the Seventies. ItâÂÂs recorded the luminaries, Neil Young, Steven Stills, Elvin Bishop, Eric Clapton, Joe Walsh, the Marshall Tucker Band, the Eagles, the list goes on and you can sense that historic heartfelt rock influence.
From the title track âÂÂDixiebluebirdâ to the high-caliber rockers like âÂÂBloodpinesâ and âÂÂFireheartâ or following through to the pendulant swerve of âÂÂTuscaloosa Bluesâ and âÂÂUnfamiliar Groundâ you can hear right off what this band is all about...Heart. From the spine chilling and crunch-tangled crackle of the guitars to the uncommonly high standards of song craft, âÂÂDixiebluebirdâ is full speed. With itâÂÂs consistent and matchless musicianship this recording finds itself the benchmark.
Previous releases âÂÂShoot The Horseâ (2008), âÂÂCountry Medicineâ (2004) and âÂÂWoodland Teaâ (2000) garnered Dave international acclaim, brought him great shows across Canada and into the States, and won him the hearts of critics and fans. Songs from âÂÂCountry Medicineâ and âÂÂWoodland Teaâ were also included in the award-winning sound track to the film âÂÂHank Williams First NationâÂÂ, as well as the TV series. The film sound track included songs from Joe Ely, Billy Joe Shaver, Hank Williams and others. It ended up taking home âÂÂBest music in a motion pictureâ at the Nashville Film Festival in 2005.
In a self-congratulated world marred with clones and contestants itâÂÂs refreshing to hear a band so true to their love for the music, building something larger and more satisfying than that influence.
Age:
26 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
I was born in Chicago, IL. I grew up playing drums and Blades Of Steel in Omaha, NE. I moved to Nashville, TN a few years ago, inadvertently stayed for college, and began playing guitar. Now, I make music in a band with some of my best friends and would like to continue doing that for as long as possible.
Age:
38 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
david@dewese.com
Bio:
It was only inevitable. After eight eclectic indie rock records with his longtime bands, The Luxury Liners and The Foxymorons, Nashville-based David Dewese has temporarily stepped out on his own. 'Make the Best of It' is an acoustic guitar-based troubadour-guided tour of love, loss and redemption, through the ultimately optimistic eyes of a seasoned songwriter who has hit his stride.
Age:
37 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
From New York City's Bitter End to Nashville's Commodore Lounge, David Kraut has been entertaining audiences with his unique brand of piano-based rock, pop and country for over a decade. A clasically-trained pianist raised near the beaches of Santa Monica but relocated to New York City, Kraut combines a laid-back California mentality, a hard-edged New York style and a lyrical Nashville approach, creating a sound all his own.
Kraut's songs have appeared on a variety of independent artists' albums, including two cuts on Shiela Harrison's new album alongside songwriters like Bill Champlin (Chicago) and Chris Omartian (Pink, Hillary Duff).
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0 Years Old
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professional
Contact Publishing:
info@powerofsong.com
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Originally from Scotland, David Leask has embraced the rootsy Canadian influences of his new home and blended them with the Celtic and melodic-pop sensibilities of his homeland. A songwriting journeyman, he has produced three critically-acclaimed CD's and numerous international songwriting awards in a range of categories that include folk, jazz, blues, rock, country and gospel. Songwriters Magazine called David, "the most consistent Canadian songwriting competition winner." A talented multi-instrumentalist with a sharp Scottish wit, DavidâÂÂs live show is always musically rich, high energy and heart-felt.
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0 Years Old
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semi-pro
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David is a professional songwriter in the Los Angeles area.
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0 Years Old
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semi-pro
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David Tenneyuque(pronounced Teh-neh-yew-keh) was born in Lubbock, Texas "The hub of the South Plains", Buddy Holley's(original spelling) hometown and began his musical journey fronting several popular local bands as lead vocalist and keyboardist with musical influences ranging from traditional country and pop ballads to progressive rock. It's hard to believe that growing up in the tumbleweeds and dust storms of west Texas David's songs inspire visions of a more celestial nature. Then again maybe it isn't.Blessed with a dynamic vocal range and a talent for mimicry David has brought many a smile to his friends and fans.
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0 Years Old
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From the Georgia woods to NYC and back to the sweaty South.
Age:
33 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
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'Will I kill the beast or the beast kill me? Will I kill the beast or the beast just die?' Ramped up with a cinematic score and scope, Dawson Wells combines the dark and intimate nights of 'Automatic for the People'ÃÂ with the street wise desires of 'Born to Run'ÃÂ to create a sound that is both personal and epic. Grappling the shifty shadows with force and coy swagger, Dawson Wells weaves bombast into groove and style to bolster the wavering voice of the common man in peril.
Age:
49 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Soft Monkey Music ASCAP
Bio:
Dean Madonia was born and raised Kalamazoo Michigan. Dean is both a musician, and a visual artist, and has been playing piano professionally since age 8 when he began to perform during his musician father's breaks at the local Ramada Inn piano bar. Picking up the guitar at age 13, Dean performed his originals in various coffeehouses and bars throughout high-school and while attending Central Michigan University. At Central, Dean starred for two seasons in a local PBS children's television show Acorns and Oak-trees , where he was required to write and perform a song live each week for an audience consisting mostly of faculty children.
Moving to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in the eighties, Dean performed and recorded with over 40 original and cover bands and opened for such diverse acts as: New Grass Revival, Steve Vai, Dee Dee Ramone, Company B, Dottie West, The Romantics, and Ygnwie Malmsteen . In the 90's, Dean's original band, Third Wish/Wyscan released a three song self- titled EP as Third wish. After a name change they released a full length CD also titled Third Wish which was distributed through jazz/fusion guitarist Bon Lozaga's label, Lo Lo Records . On completion of that CD, Dean left Wyscan to record and release his first solo CD, Deep Sky which was released in 1998 to excellent reviews.
Dean began to concentrate more on writing while working in Jon Secada's production studio Heaven Studios with ProTools guru and producer Charles Dye and "Dove" award-winning songwriter Tom McWilliams. There he wrote, recorded and produced for different music projects, signing four songs with Tom under single song contracts with Emilio Estefan's company, Foreign Imported Publishing .
Dean has been making trips to Nashville to write and perform since 1999, and finally settled there in 2002 where he has made a living playing music, performing as a solo act, with his band, and with many Nashville stars including Julie Roberts, Gary Allan and Billy Currington.
Dean's song "Honor Is Ours," co-written with Keith Ridenour and Scott Avery, will be on the soundtrack for the movie "Foodfight!" this summer.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Arlyn Enterprises Publishing
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DEBRA ARLYN, Portland Music Awards "Best Female Artist of the Year", continues to gain industry success as 'Portland's finest young pop singers..." says the Willamette Week. Debra has captivated audiences at colleges, major music festivals, and popular music venues. Performance include opening for Tower of Power, Chris Isaak, Curtis Salgado & Lenka.
Debra's songwriting talent has won her top prizes in the John-Lennon Songwriting Contest, Billboards World Songwriting Contest, The Great American Song Contest, Unisong International Song Contest, The Singer/Songwriter Awards, Winery Music Awards and being listed on the annual ÃÂTop Hot Unsigned Artists" from LA's Music Connection Magazine . Her music was in the film "ClearCut" which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and aired on the Sundance Channel, and on TV shows including the CW TV show "Related" and "Keeping up with Kardashians" on the E! Network.
Debra has come a long way since winning Clear-channels ÃÂOregon Idol" contest and competing for the American Idol TV show. It is clear Debra has something significant to offer the music world as a musician, songwriter, and performer.
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0 Years Old
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Age:
22 Years Old
Level:
professional
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Deer Tick began in December of 2004 in the bedroom of Providence native, John McCauley. With a tape recorder and a nylon string guitar, he did what most anybody would do; he made tapes for his friends.
When McCauley, then 18 years old, got his hands on Hank Williams Sr.'s "Gold" collection and locked himself in his room listening to it on repeat until he finished his bottle of brandy, it all became fairly obvious to him-- he was on his first tour just a few months later.
After years of being on the road, fully developing his distinct howl of a voice, anddo honing his guitar skills, McCauley had earned himself a following of devoted fans and supporters. Throughout all of this touring and selling his songs on CD-R, it became apparent that putting out a real album was the natural next step in McCauley's musical life. McCauley recorded Deer Tick's debut War Elephant at age 19, performing every instrument on the album. War Elephant was originally released in September of 2007 to much critical acclaim from The New York Times, Brooklyn Vegan, Spin, and many others. But McCauley's vision from the start was for Deer Tick to be a real band, and a rotating cast of characters simply wouldn't suffice anymore.
In April of 2007, just weeks before a national tour, McCauley turned to Dennis Ryan, a hard-hitting young drummer who had just decided to cut his college career about 3 years short. The two had played together before and their energy while performing was something unmatched for the both of them. It took no convincing Dennis at all that this was a good idea. He said "yes" before McCauley even finished asking him.
Dennis Ryan grew up in neighboring Pawtucket, RI. His dream had always been to become a famous, and perhaps more importantly, badass drummer. His epiphany occurred at the curious age of 3, while watching Ronnie Tutt play the drums with Elvis Presley in a rerun of the "Aloha From Hawaii" special.
After the national tour it was time for Deer Tick to find a bassist. McCauley had tried to convince Chris Ryan, a bass player in town, to join Deer Tick for quite some time. That August, Chris Ryan returned from a trip driving his VW Van from Providence to Costa Rica and back (though he only made it as far as Guatemala and back). Chris came speeding down Empire Street in downtown Providence, where McCauley was sitting at a table outside enjoying a beer. A swarm of people surrounded the van welcoming Chris and his traveling companions home. Before you knew it McCauley was asking the road weary traveler to join Deer Tick again. The band was completed in August 2008, when Andrew Tobiassen, a funky, young guitarist living in Providence, RI joined up with the band.
Born On Flag Day is Deer Tick's highly anticipated second full-length album and follow-up to the band's 2007 internationally acclaimed debut, War Elephant (reissued in 2008 by Partisan Records). This release follows two years of extensive touring in sold out clubs across the country and abroad.
Unlike War Elephant, this album features the three new members of Deer Tick that principal songwriter John J. McCauley III recruited to become the band's current incarnation - Andy Tobiassen, Dennis Ryan and Chris Ryan. Born On Flag Dayreflects a natural evolution from a singular vision of one songwriter to something much greater. The album is set for a June 23rd street date on Partisan Records.
Age:
53 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
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0 Years Old
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Slow Hoke Music/BMI
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Biography
Derek Hoke has said goodbye to rock n roll. Kind of. At least thats what he sings in the opening lines of his new solo debut album, Goodbye Rock N Roll. But Derek, what oh what, did rock n roll ever do to you to make you leave her so? The story might end on the streets of Nashville for now, but his love affair with music, even his erstwhile love rock n roll, began long ago amongst the South Carolina country side and Hee-Haw reruns on Sunday evenings.
Born in Brunswick Georgia - a self taught guitarist, composer, singer, and loner - Derek's first love was the theatrics of KISS, but not until his Grandfather planted the country music seed in his brain by playing it constantly while he was young. Not your dad's country, your granddad's country. The REAL country.
After one listen to Goodbye Rock N Roll, it is apparent young Derek was listening. Like most in his line of work, Derek has moved around. While growing up in Florence South Carolina, his parents divorced when he was 6. He cut his teeth playing guitar in bars around the state, moved to Greenville North Carolina when he was 18, worked in record shops and movie theaters, immersing himself in art and music.
After a few years and visit to Nashville Tennessee to see the likes of Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, and Los Straightjackets, Hoke decided to move to Nashville. He slept on floors in crowded houses, played around town in almost every venue that would have him, went on tour working for Ricky Skaggs for 3 years and saw almost every state in the union. While these all seem to sideline Derek on his way to becoming the artist he is these days, they were clearly important on his body of work and sound. He is a man that embodies his experience, both with his constant relationship with music and his travels in life.
Now at home in Nashville, Derek started recording what would be Goodbye Rock N Roll in the winter of 2008 with producer Dexter Green. It was time to capture his sound and that's exactly what he did. The result is a "throw-back " record with a modern flair. No Nudie Suits required here. Sit back, sip a drink, and the sounds take the listener to a river honky tonk somewhere in the American south.
"The Finer Things" is a standout dance number where the singer explains he "just wants the finer things in life", such as "a 3-legged dog, a beat up truck ... a 2-dollar suit, a longneck bottle ... a mean ol' woman I can call my wife"..... naturally Derek. We feel you. "Where'd You Sleep Last Night" is another polished mover. A song that gets you singing along like you've heard it a thousand times. The best part is, you HAVEN'T. This is where Hoke excels over and over again, with great melodies and rhythms so familiar you assume they might be covers.
Well, guess what, they're not, they just feel classic. "Patsy Cline's 'Walking After Midnight' was a constant inspiration," says Hoke about the album's inspiration. "I want to write songs like THAT." Not good times all the time, "End of The River" finds Derek recalling his hometown, and trying to find himself amongst his early memories.
Any which way you cut it up, Derek Hoke might have travelled a long road, but he is just getting started. In the bluegrass world, they introduce every player in the band and their home town. Well, keeping with the simple traditions he seems to admire and capture so well, ladies and gentleman, I give you Derek Hoke. From Nashville Tennessee. Of Music City he says "It took me a long time to get here ... this IS my home."
Come to think of it, after spending an evening with this record, I don't miss little ol' rock n roll at all.
Goodbye Rock N Roll is available from Electric Western Records.
Electric Western Records
www.electricwesternrecords.com
P.O. Box 60202
Nashville, TN 37206
Age:
32 Years Old
Level:
professional
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Derek Evans may be the guy hanging out on his own in the bar, but heâ≢s the one youâ≢d most likely want to talk to. Behind his disarming eyes and a smile that suggests somethingâ≢s constantly amusing him lie thoughts and observations which will summarize every interaction taking place around you, to the point where youâ≢ll probably want to buy him a drink and laugh about the situation all night long. He could also be the guy in the coffee house pretending to read a self-help book, the guy snoozing in the shade under a tipped hat or the guy hanging back on the street corner as everyone else busies themselves with their lives. No matter the scenario, Derek Evans is that guy; the guy whose always watching. With the wise voice of a social commentator and an acoustic guitar style which summons the ghosts of our most well-known troubadourâ≢s, Derek Evans will draw you in to his captivating live performances with original songwriting and a wit as dry as the Martini heâ≢d like you to buy him.
www.myspace.com/derekevansmusic
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0 Years Old
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aspiring
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Coming soon!
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0 Years Old
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n/a
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0 Years Old
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professional
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Musican. Songwriter. Singer. Performer
Former Band: The Jeremy Days.
I record, tour and release albums under my own name and as/with 'Me And Cassity'.
Label: Tapete Records.
Born in Hamburg, grew up in New Jersey and live in Hamburg-Germany now.
Age:
109 Years Old
Level:
professional
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The Nashville based Disappointed By Candy was born out of the hearts and minds of two classically trained percussionists, Gabe Ruschival and Jeremy Lutito. Formed in May of 2003 as a raised fist to a long simmering pot of false starts and dead ends in their diverse musical journey, Disappointed By Candy emerged quickly as one of Nashville's most exciting and promising acts. Their dance inflected beats lay a perfect bed for their engaging melodies and driving guitars. Armed with an energetic and engaging live show that Nashville's All The RAGE described as more dynamic and entertaining than ever, DBC operates as a full-fledged trio, utilizing sampling and programing as they fly around the stage, and at times switching instruments mid-song. In early 2006 DBC went into hiding and immersed themselves in the creative process. Gabe and Jeremy both write songs but like to consider them all co-written in the end. They both have to agree on every musical nuance, every part and lyric before it becomes finalized. Even a fully conceived song will get put through their collaborative process. The result is their new self titled full length debut which released on November 6th, 2007
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0 Years Old
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semi-pro
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Age:
26 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
MECHANICAL ARTS
Bio:
DONALD McCREA is a San Francisco songwriter and photographer currently in production with his project, MIGRATION.....
the MIGRATION CD is now on CDBABY and downloads of these songs are available on iTUNES...
Donald has produced a photography book, also entitled MIGRATION, that was just published by MWP in Los Angeles.......the book contains images of America captured by sixteen photographers...to see samples from
the book, go to:
http://www.themigrationproject.org
the MIGRATION book is now up on AMAZON,
and available for orders....go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Migration-Found-America-Donald-McCrea/dp/1932907823/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s;=books&qid;=1277320030&sr;=1-1
to DOWNLOAD songs, go to:
http://www.broadjam.com/donaldmccrea
http://www.mechanicalarts.com
http://www.donaldmccrea.com
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Pacific International Music - musicdog@comcast.net
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Age:
32 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
BJ Hill - bj.hill@warnerchappell.com
Bio:
Douglas Waterman was born and raised in Mobile, Ala., the historic Gulf Coast city that is home to Mardi Gras and also produced quite possibly his favorite singer/songwriter, Jimmy Buffett. He grew up listening to the great Tin Pan Alley and Broadway songwriters with his dad, who whistled these melodies day in and day out, leaving a lifelong musical impression. Waterman began writing songs on guitar at age 14 but didnâÂÂt envision professional plans for his music until much later down the road. In addition to soaking up the popular music of the day, he fell in love with the Beatles, the Doors, the Dead, Garth, Keith Whitley, Uncle Tupelo, Widespread Panic, Robert Earl Keen, Harry Connick Jr., Steve Earle, Roger Miller, Sinatra, Strait, and everything else unraveled from there. During his senior year of college, he played and sang in the short-lived classic rock cover band Three-Legged Dog. After finishing school with an English degree from Sewanee (Univ. of the South), located atop TennesseeâÂÂs Cumberland Plateau, Waterman aimed to become a label A&R;guy (heâÂÂs glad it didnâÂÂt work out) and headed to Nashville, where his sister Kemp was working as a songplugger at the time. She kindly introduced him to some music industry folks. He interned for a stint at Mercury & Lost Highway Records, and in late 2002 began selling advertising and writing for American Songwriter magazineâÂÂand freelancing for other publications like Blues Revue, Relix, RollingStone.com and Mojo. In 2004 Waterman and two business partners purchased then-20-year-old American Songwriter, where he served as Editor-in-Chief until 2008 and remains a partner today. In 2004 he began writing songs more regularly, co-writing a lot with aspiring artist and fellow Mobilian Walker Hayes (Capitol Records). Waterman edited a book in 2006 compiled of 100 songwriter interviews called SONG: The WorldâÂÂs Best Songwriters on Creating the Music That Moves Us (WriterâÂÂs Digest Books), Preface by Rodney Crowell, featuring Ray Charles, Kenny Chesney, Tom Petty, Burt Bacharach, Sheryl Crow, Merle Haggard and more. When offered the opportunity to become a Music Row staff songwriter, Waterman signed on with Warner-Chappell (a division of Warner Music Group) in October 2010. He says heâÂÂs blessed, grateful and a bit bewildered to be on the same publishing roster as Tin Pan legends like George & Ira Gershwin, Harry Warren and Noel Coward. For the record, the two artists heâÂÂd most like to record his songs are Jimmy Buffett and George Strait.
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0 Years Old
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professional
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After a one-album sojourn away from their band-built recording studio PhiladelphiaâÂÂs Dr. Dog returned home to Meth Beach to self-produce their latest collection of gloriously ramshackle rock âÂÂnâ roll reveries. Out February 7, Be The Void (Dr. DogâÂÂs second release on Anti-Records) showcases the critically adored bandâÂÂs renewed commitment to cultivating a stripped-down live sound. âÂÂThis record comes from our pushing toward a rawer, more powerful, somewhat jittery competence,â explains guitarist-vocalist Scott McMicken. âÂÂWe drew a lot of inspiration from soul music and the Rolling Stones and the Velvet UndergroundâÂÂmusic thatâÂÂs got its roots in live expression rather than that studio-perfected sort of vibe.âÂÂ
While Be The Void bears the same style of scrappy yet hook-packed rock served up by Dr. Dog for more than a decade, the six-member outfit (McMicken, bassist-vocalist Toby Leaman, rhythm guitarist Frank McElroy, keyboardist Zach Miller, drummer Eric Slick and multi-instrumentalist Dimitri Manos) seems newly emboldened by its deepened devotion to a bare-bones aesthetic. A marked departure from the soaring pop of 2010âÂÂs Shame, Shame, the album also finds Dr. Dog revitalized by the recent addition of Slick (whoâÂÂs previously played with Ween, Adrian Belew, and Project Object) and Manos (also a member of Arizona-based alt-country band Golden Boots).
Recorded in the summer of 2011, Be The Void seizes that vibrant spirit and transforms it into a 12-track song selection thatâÂÂs at turns deadly catchy and dance-worthy (the shuffling swagger of âÂÂBig GirlâÂÂ), wistful and bittersweet (the lovely, languid sigh of âÂÂGet AwayâÂÂ), and earthy-earnest (the twangy troubadour folk of âÂÂTurning the CenturyâÂÂ). Though each track feels richly textured and intricately layered, the band made a conscious effort to keep the recording process fast and loose. âÂÂWe worked quicker and trusted our gut more than ever before, and at times it was scary and almost panic-inducing,â says McMicken. âÂÂAll of a sudden youâÂÂd be aware of a feeling like, âÂÂThis is really working, so donâÂÂt mess it up.â And then the song ends and your heartâÂÂs pounding and you realize you havenâÂÂt taken a breath in three minutes. It was like riding a rollercoaster and wishing you could get right back on again.â As a result of that newfound abandon and surrender to intuition, âÂÂthereâÂÂs so much on the record that I could never have imagined us being able to come up with,â McMicken adds.
Perhaps the albumâÂÂs most epic moment, âÂÂWarrior Manâ makes for one of Be The VoidâÂÂs most thrilling surprises. Both sprawling and beautifully bombastic, the track attacks with lead-heavy beats, pseudo-futuristic sound effects, and psychedelic back-up harmonies. âÂÂâÂÂWarrior Manâ was born out of a jokeâÂÂit started as some silly phrase that Toby was singing, then turned into a jam, and ultimately became this monster of a tune that was recorded live,â says McMicken. âÂÂEverything about its origin reflects that freedom and confidence to own a weird idea and just let it live.âÂÂ
Another deviation from Dr. DogâÂÂs more summery and sleepy material, âÂÂVampireâ slaps a snarling guitar riff against ragged, howling vocals that perfectly capture the songâÂÂs pained refrain about love gone evil (âÂÂYouâÂÂre a vampire, baby/No reflection at allâÂÂ). âÂÂHeavy Light,â meanwhile, mutates from a percussion-driven dream-pop pastiche to shimmering piano ballad to freewheeling experiment in blissed-out psychedeliaâÂÂall in just three minutes and 41 seconds.
All throughout Be The Void, Dr. Dog delights in a playfulness that lends a refreshingly oddball feel even to the recordâÂÂs more true-to-form tracks. âÂÂThese Days,â for instance, backs its bouncy bassline with a dizzying swirl of sunny guitars, while the handclapping and hollering on the album-opening âÂÂLonesomeâ help twist a downer of a refrain (âÂÂWhat does it take to be lonesome? Nothing at allâÂÂ) into a sweetly anthemic stomper of a song.
At the same time, Dr. DogâÂÂs rugged, rough-and-tumble disposition and razor-sharp wit preclude Be The Void from ever nearing mindless whimsy. Possibly the albumâÂÂs most deceptively breezy offering, âÂÂThat Old Black Holeâ sets its sly lyrics (âÂÂTake this thorn from my side/Fix this chip on my shoulder/Time is racing with the clock/And I ainâÂÂt getting any olderâÂÂ) to a smoldering groove that turns frenetic and urgent in the songâÂÂs final seconds. By the same token, the disarmingly desperate âÂÂDo The Trickâ pairs its woozy disco beat with a barrage of flirty wordplay thatâÂÂs relentlessly clever (âÂÂIâÂÂve burnt the candle on every side/IâÂÂve long since run out of wick/Will you be my flame tonight?/Will you do the trick?âÂÂ).
The first album recorded away from Meth Beach, Dr. DogâÂÂs 2010 Anti- debut teamed up the band with Rob Schnapf (a producer who had previously worked with Elliott Smith, Beck, and Guided By Voices). Although that partnership yielded the much-acclaimed Shame, Shame, the band opted against bringing in an outside co-producer again for Be The Void. âÂÂWe did try out a few songs with another producer, but we then we stepped back and asked ourselves, âÂÂDo we really need that?âÂÂâ recalls McMicken. âÂÂPart of our growing aesthetic is to find the simplest approach that works best, and the decision to produce this one ourselves was sort of the first gesture toward recognizing our confidence in our experience and ability and sense of playfulness.â Indeed, that dedication to keeping it playful was key to shaping the sound on Be The Void, says Leaman. âÂÂBack when Scott and I first started making music together, there was a period of time when we just recorded and recorded constantlyâÂÂjust for our own pleasure, not even to try to get shows or anything,â he says. âÂÂMaking this album felt like that again. It was like we were just putting a bunch of tunes together, just to have a good time.âÂÂ
Age:
0 Years Old
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Contact Publishing:
david@archmusicgroup.com
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E
Age:
54 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
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Age:
0 Years Old
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Contact Publishing:
N/A
Bio:
Originally from the suburbs of New York City, Eddie got his start as an opening act in New Orleans. After a brief stint in the U.K., he headed to San Diego to front an alt-rock band and later moved to NYC to work the singer-songwriter venues.
Eddie's self-produced first solo release, the 2003 Governortea EP, was acclaimed âÂÂa musical drugâ (Indie-Music.com), âÂÂvery special indeedâ (Leeds Music Scene) and garnered worldwide airplay and spots on MTV.
Eddie's later acoustic demos, recorded with producer Kerryn Tolhurst in NYC, were featured in independent film âÂÂApproaching Union Square," Sirius/XM Satellite Radio, the SongwriterâÂÂs Hall of Fame, and Billboard Magazine.
In 2009 Eddie went to Vienna, Austria, to finish working on material for a future album. He returned to the U.S. later that year to meet up with Kerryn in Tucson, Arizona, where they recorded The Point of Caring.
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0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
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You really don't need the details - It's all about the songs - that's it - just the songs.
Age:
57 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
effronwhite@effronwhite.com
Bio:
When you hear Effron White, you are immediately struck by the uniqueness of his songs and their delivery. His gravelly vocal quality is reminiscent of Tom Waits, John Prine, or Bob Dylan. ThereâÂÂs also a personal earthiness that drives the emotional truth of his songs right into your heart. He does it all with his own unique acoustic guitar style and a smattering of harmonica.
As a songwriter, Effron draws his influences from those legends of the past who are looked upon as poets as much as songwriters, such as, Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, John Prine, and Guy Clark. His skills as a singer/songwriter have resulted in nationwide recognition. In 2004, Effron won the coveted "New Folk" Award at the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival. He has also been honored as the Northwest Arkansas Music Award's "Best Folk Artist", and his song, "Yankee Dime" was voted "Best Original Song" at the 2002 Ozark Music Awards. In 2008 he was entered into the NW Arkansas Music Awards Hall of Fame, having won âÂÂBest Singer-Songwriterâ in three previous years.
CDâÂÂs:
âÂÂDay in the SunâÂÂ, 2000 Produced by Emily Kaitz
âÂÂYankee DimeâÂÂ, 2004 Produced by Fred Bogart
âÂÂParadiso LocoâÂÂ, 2007 Produced by The East Side Flash
âÂÂTHIS CD MUST BE HEARD!â --Paul Pearcy, speaking of âÂÂParadiso LocoâÂÂ.
"Effron White has what it takes as a songwriter. Every song tells a story and his voice is full of the character needed to deliver it." --Paul Pearcy, musician (Jerry Jeff Walker, Lost Gonzo Band, Terri Hendrix Band)
CONTACT:
Effron WhiteâÂÂs official website: www.effronwhite.com
Effron WhiteâÂÂs cell phone: 479-200-1631 (anytime, day or night)
Effron WhiteâÂÂs email: effronwhite@effronwhite.com
MySpace : www.myspace.com/effronwhitemusic
YouTube Videos: www.youtube.com/effronwhite
Reverbnation: www.reverbnation.com/effronwhitemusic
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
NA
Bio:
Mobile, Alabama's El Cantador has been churning out tunes since 2007. While the line-up and musical direction has changed since then, the band's core consists of songwriter/guitar player Heath Underwood, Sean Murphy (drums), and Alex Scharr (bass/vocals). The band has self released two EPs, a festival winning music video, a live disc,and a Split EP with Pensacola, FL based band Johnny Apple-Eyes.
Their first full-length record "Fools For Light" was released on May 3rd, 20011on their own independent record label Friends Fight Records.
Most recent festivals include the Hangout Beach and Music Festival (2010), Bayfest (2009), and Next Big Nashville (2009).
They have been compared to Pavement, Modest Mouse, and Wilco, but El Cantador's sound is still evolving and remains distinctly their own.
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0 Years Old
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semi-pro
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I am one of the few who was born and raised In Music City, NashVegas, Guitar Town....whatever you call it, it's my hometown. I grew up listening to country radio and waiting for my turn to be a part of it. I have been fortunate enough to write with professional songwriters and be mentored by them. I have made new friends through the music and get to live my dreams by being a part of this great profession. I love every part of it!
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
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Set Adrift Music: tasha@ellerymusic.com
Bio:
Ellery hits the road in Fall 09 after writing and recording a new full-length CD, helmed by Grammy-winning producer Malcolm Burn (Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Kaki King, Ryan Adams). Slated for an early 2010 release, the new record was mastered by Greg Calbi who, in addition to having partnered with Burn for many years, has mastered projects such as the "Once" soundtrack, John Mayer, Flight of the Conchords, Ani Defranco, Brian Eno, Ben Lee, etc.
Since ElleryâÂÂs debut release in 2006, the acoustic lush-pop duo has accumulated awards and critical acclaim (see below), touring nonstop in support of such acts as Hem, Vienna Teng, Teddy Thompson, Dar Williams, Great Lake Swimmers, and Over the Rhine. They won 2007âÂÂs NewSong International Songwriting Contest, taped a live concert for PBS (airing in over 40 markets nationwide), and were chosen in both 07 and 08 as one of Paste MagazineâÂÂs Top 20 indie artists in its Cayamo Cruise contest.
ElleryâÂÂs new record â their most ambitious project to date â is being independently funded via a tiered pricing plan theyâÂÂve dubbed âÂÂThe Ellery Stimulus.â Fans can pre-order the new record at varying price points and get additional prizes: including their names in the liner notes, access to rare Ellery tracks, free tickets, songs written about them, and private concerts. (www.ellerystimulus.com)
*Over 10,000 in career CD sales, with songs on TV dramas, in Starbucks, and on radio around the country and in the UK.
*Winners of the 2007 Mountain Stage NewSong International Songwriting Contest
*Nominated for three 2006 Cincinnati Entertainment Awards, including Artist and Album of the Year, and Folk/Americana Band of the Year
* Selected by Paste Magazine in 07 and 08 among 20 up & coming artists, to compete in their RockNReel Contest
* Featured track on 2008's PBS Road Trip Nation
* Featured new artist on American Songwriter's new web launch: www.americansongspace.com
Age:
47 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Ellis Paul Publishing 617-393-9800
Bio:
Ellis Paul is a critically acclaimed singer, songwriter, poet and troubadour originally hailing from a potato farming family in northern Maine. A track scholarship to Boston College and subsequent injury brought him into the fertile, competitive Boston songwriter scene.
Since launching from Boston, Ellis Paul has built a vast catalog of music which weds striking poetic imagery and philosophical introspection with hook-laden melodies.
The Boston Globe heralds him as a âÂÂsongwriterâÂÂs songwriterâ saying âÂÂno emerging songwriter in recent memory has been more highly touted and respected by songwriters.â USA TodayâÂÂs
national feature on Ellis was titled, âÂÂBest Bet for Stardomâ which has come true after 15 years of non-stop touring. He has shared the stage with such notable artists as John Mayer, Dar Williams, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin, and John Gorka early on and quickly progressed to headlining concerts and festivals.
Ellis averages 150 shows a year and travels across America and Europe, playing clubs, church basements to Carnegie Hall. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame invited Ellis to pay tribute to his hero Woody Guthrie, who has influenced and inspired Ellis in a profound way. WoodyâÂÂs daughter Nora requested that Ellis compose the music to the lyrics of WoodyâÂÂs song âÂÂGodâÂÂs Promiseâ which he released and has been subsequently covered by numerous artists.
âÂÂOne of contemporary folk musicâÂÂs most influential voicesâÂÂ-- Dirty Linen Magazine
Ellisâ songs have appeared in the soundtracks for several movies, including âÂÂMe Myself & Ireneâ with Jim Carey and âÂÂShallow Halâ with Jack Black and Gwyneth Paltrow. Movie director Peter Farrelly one half of the Farrelly BrotherâÂÂs, has praised Ellis as âÂÂa national treasure.âÂÂ
âÂÂEllis Paul is a master storyteller. He combines the sensibilities of Bob Dylan and Bill Morrisey and delivers it with passion that sets him apart in the company of a new breed of songwriters.âÂÂ
Performing Songwriter Magazine
âÂÂEllisâ precise unsentimental poetry mixes urban despair with fascination for detailsâ¦a fine, subtle singer who can lift from a whisper to operatic highs. These songs seep into your memory like tea in hot water.âÂÂ
-
The Austin Chronicle
"A singer songwriter is only as good as the times he reflects. In times like these, when so many nuts are running the show, it's comforting to know that Ellis Paul is actually holding our sanity on his own stage! Wise, tender, brilliant and biting, Ellis is one of our best human compasses, marking in melodies and poems where we've been and where we might go if we so choose to. Personally Ellis, I'm goin' where you're goin' "--Nora Guthrie (Woody Guthries Daughter)
Age:
32 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
none
Bio:
Emily Hurd is a Chicago-based songwriter and pianist with a voice that both Rick Kogan of WGN and Richard Milne of WXRT have likened to musical icon Janis Joplin. Hurd is known for her intelligent lyrics and quirky live performance style. Emily HurdâÂÂs music is a mix of rock piano, soul singing, folk songwriting, and bluegrass rhyme schemes. Hurd first entered the music scene in 2005 when she and many of the staff members from ChicagoâÂÂs Old Town School of Folk Music created her first original album. She has currently produced eight full-length studio albums. Her songs have been finalists in three international songwriting competitions: NPRâÂÂs NewSong Music Contest, The John Lennon Songwriting Contest, and The Unisong International Songwriting Competition. Her song âÂÂHelp Me To Understandâ was featured in the 2011 season of CBSâÂÂs NCIS crime series.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
emilyasnider@gmail.com
Bio:
2009 has been an exciting year of expansion and recognition for Emily Arin as a singer and songwriter. She has been a guest on Vin Scelsa's Idiot's Delight on The Loft on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio and WFUV (out of Fordham University in the Bronx), was selected as one of the top 5 unknown artists by Kim Ruehl on No Depression's website, and will be recording a full length album this summer with Greg Weeks of the band Espers.
Emily continues to build her following by playing locally in Ithaca, Brooklyn and New York City. Having hosted bands from both Germany and Sweden, she has a small, but growing fan base across the Atlantic as well.
A Los Angeles native, Emily Arin migrated to a small town in Schuyler County, New York in August 2007 with the goal of diving deeper into the craft of songwriting.
She is thrilled to be backed by an amazingly talented cast of Ithaca-based musicians (Peter Glanville, Gordon Rowland, Brian Dozoretz) to bring her shows to life. Additionally, she has had the pleasure of joining Jennie Lowe and the Fire Choir (formerly the Jennie Stearns band) singing harmony and performing at the esteemed Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music & Dance.
A recent article published in the Ithaca Journal reads, âÂÂA creative writer, a journalist, a gardenerâ¦and an employee at all manner of odd jobs, Arin is at her core an incredibly gifted songwriter. On tracks like âÂÂWhite Heat,â âÂÂEvergreen,â âÂÂLove, Love, Love,â and the Hank Williams sing-a-long âÂÂYou Won My Heart Outrightâ from 2007âÂÂs Time and Space, and on the more recent âÂÂI Want You to Sing Along With Me,â Arin shares the highs and lows of a contemplative life. [She] writes with profound emotional intimacy and honesty and has an exquisite voice to boot. Her talent is on par with early Gillian Welch, Jana Hunter and Nina Nastasiaâ¦"
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
.Stella's Backyard Music
Bio:
apitol Records Nashville already has one of the hottest artist rosters in the entire country music format, and it's about to start heating up even more with the addition of their newest star - Emily West.
When Emily takes the stage it's nothing short of fireworks. Her own appreciation for artists such as Patsy Cline and Bette Midler have led her to cultivate her talent as an entertainer - not just a singer. Emily was born to be on stage. The energy, the excitement, the audience response - it fans the flame that drives her to perform. With a little confidence, a lot of charisma, and more than just a flash of wit, West is captivating. "I'm a live singer...performing is very emotional," she states. "They're my songs...my personality set to music."
Age:
30 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
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Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Cal IV (615) 321-2700
Bio:
Paslay is a 27-year-old artist, who also happens to write his own music and perform it with a conviction and passion few others can match. Born in Texas and raised on on country, rock and Texas Honky Tonk, Paslay's steady diet of music began at an early age and informs who he is as a writer.
"When people ask me who my influences are, my response is always to say every great song I've ever heard. I grew up listening to Johnny Cash, Rodney Crowell, Eric Clapton, Brooks & Dunn, Tom Petty --- any artist who is also a songwriter - those are the ones i naturally gravitate toward."
Paslay moved to Tennessee in 2003 to attend Middle Tennessee State University and study music business. He was president of the NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) chapter at MTSU, which he credits with helping him become a better songwriter. He also did the smart thing by interning at hot publishing company Cal IV Entertainment.
"We've been fortunate to work with some great writers over the years, from Bob McDill to Dave Berg" said Cal IV's Daniel Hill. "I first knew Eric as a really nice guy and a hard working intern. But once i heard his voice and his songs, the light bulb went on."
The publishing company quickly signed the young writer and within a few months, took him in to the studio to record his songs. The resulting tracks confirmed what the early rough demos suggested - Paslay is one of the freshest sounds to hit Nashville in a long time.
"Music has always been a part of my world," Paslay said. "My grandfather and his brothers had a band called Arnold Schiller and the Moonlight Serenaders. They played dances all around Central Texas because he loved music. He had a passion for it. He died when I was young, so I never got to know him well, but my parents say we are very much alike - both redheaded musicians. I guess he rubbed off on me a little bit."
And no doubt Paslay's music is going to rub off on a lot of people.
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Carnival Music cgregg@carnivalmusic.net
Bio:
On first listen, the title track from Eric WilsonâÂÂs debut EP, Quarterfuse (out Oct 7,) is a civil-war story. Rather, Wilson uses the setting to portray how chaos and fear in life can push us forward. âÂÂMore smoke I see/ the less bullets I see fly back at me. Cannon fire, over me/oh the sound is loud, but itâÂÂs sweet.â The deliberate and building force of guitars underscore the songâÂÂs dramatic story. âÂÂThe character in the song is on the brink of destruction on all fronts really, yet he finds hope from the strength of the cannon fire behind him,â explains Wilson. âÂÂThe point of âÂÂQuarterfuseâ is to take the idea of cannon fire that obviously is a very dreadful sound, and seeing it as a sign of strength and hope.â The song kicks off an introduction to Wilson, a vivid storyteller of the civil war, coal, cannons and his home â and of longing and love. With his band âÂÂEmpty Hearts,â songs shift from acoustic to rock in a Petty-esque fashion, seasoned with a bit of twang from the steel guitar. Wilson and band had been drawing crowds in the southeast for a couple of years before The Carnival Music Group heard the buzz. In addition to signing him as a writer with the publishing company, Carnival is releasing the EP from previously recorded material. Wilson grew up in rural environs compared to his new Nashville home, and conveys the age-old instinct that a different future is possible with âÂÂThe Coal Runs Through my Veins.â Perhaps an instinct that began to gel when his grandfather gave him a guitar at age 13. Wilson says, âÂÂI started writing and playing at the same time. I never played unless I was writing.â The love songs are equally insightful. âÂÂThe One IâÂÂll Always Love,â is not as simple as the title conveys. Instead, itâÂÂs a sad lament on a blown chance â âÂÂYouâÂÂre the one I thought IâÂÂd always love/ The one I thought I knew/ YouâÂÂre the one IâÂÂll never quite give up/ YouâÂÂre the one IâÂÂll never get to love.â The most important love song on the album is âÂÂKentucky, YouâÂÂre My Lover.â âÂÂItâÂÂs disguised as a period piece but it is somewhat autobiographical. It is more or less juxtaposes where I grew up verses where I am now, and being caught in between that,â says Wilson. âÂÂIt personifies Kentucky and Tennessee as lovers sort of competing over the affection of the character. As we grow we move on to pursue the passions of our heart, which is not a common thing where I am from. ItâÂÂs seems like everyone just sticks around and tries to survive.â Wilson and Empty Hearts will be touring the remainder of the year. For more info, check http://www.reverbnation.com/ericwilsonandemptyhearts
Age:
31 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Equilibrium in stores now!
Age:
30 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Breakfastepiphanies Publishing (self)
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Erin James Music - erin@erinjamesmusic.com
Bio:
From Merle to Morrisette, from Lady Antebellum to Lady Gaga, from Presley to Pink, Erin James is an iconic artist influenced by many genres of music. Originally from Maryland and now a Nashville transplant, Erin James is a vibrant singer and prolific songwriter who writes and produces all of her own material. She is just finishing up her latest album produced by Grammy Award winner Brent Mason - and it's already generating a lot of buzz.
Erin James is an accomplished instrumentalist- she plays eight instruments including guitar, mandolin, fiddle and keys.
Erin recently toured the USA as part of the girl trio Chasing Dixie and has opened shows for Brooks and Dunn, Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker, Keith Anderson, Jason Aldean, Cowboy Troy to name a few. Erin James has even appeared on Storme Warren's Headline Country on GAC- TV.
Erin James has co-written with Stephanie Bentley, Kris Bergnes, Keith Anderson, Cowboy Troy and more.
Erin James has had two songs selected as finalists in the 2010 Mid-Atlantic Songwriting Contest, 100 Shades of Gray (adult contemporary) and Greatest Love That Never Was (country). Her "spirited" song "Love Drunk" is a semi-finalist in the Dallas Songwriters Contest.
When you love music - singing, playing and songwriting - it shows! Exciting things are on the horizon for this talented singer-songwriter including performances across the pond!
Age:
109 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Sony ATV- Kathleen Carey
Bio:
Erin McCarley calls the music on her debut album, Love, Save the Empty, a document of her search for authenticity in herself and in others. If that sounds heavy, there's a reason why: According to McCarley, "Loving You" is about being honest at the beginning of a new relationship and saying, I have nothing left to give to this amazing person standing right in front of me. "Sleepwalking" profiles a cynic that can't hear it come back his own way. For the title track, McCarley was inspired to write a song about the effects stemming from a lack of role models in a parentless world. And yet the 11 songs collected here (songs that ignited an industry-wide frenzy when McCarley performed them at SXSW earlier this year) pull off the trick that all great pop performs: They do heavy philosophical lifting with a lightness that boosts the spirit. This is elegantly crafted, deeply melodic music that resounds with echoes of the Beatles and Aimee Mann, Alanis Morissette and Amy Winehouse.
McCarley grew up in the Dallas suburb of Garland, where she says her parents couldn't have done a better job raising her and her older sister. It was a very happy home with very little pain to deal with, as she explains, describing days filled with dance class and choir rehearsal. In a way, though, her ideal childhood led to an unexpected wake-up call later in life. It kind of gave me an unrealistic view of everything, McCarley notes with a laugh. That's not how the world is, you know? In McCarley's music you can hear her charting the distance between fantasy and reality, as well as the heartbreak that inevitably accompanies its discovery.
McCarley's brand of honesty doesn't come without the occasional flash of regret. I've looked back at some of these songs recently and thought to myself, Are you serious? I can't believe I put that out there!
Near the top of the list of McCarley's favorite artists are names like Fiona Apple, Patty Griffin and Greg Laswell (the latter of whom co-wrote "Bobblehead"ÃÂ). "I just love how true and raw their lyrics are". Listening to records by these musicians is more than enjoyable for McCarley - it's inspiring. I get one line into one of their songs and I have to stop and write my own, she says. McCarley singles out her favorites unique phrasing, the way they've taught her to concentrate not only on her words but on her delivery. Their lyrics are that much more powerful because of the way they sing them.
McCarley currently calls Nashville home, but she cut her musical teeth in San Diego, where she'd moved after college to pursue a life that didn't feature music at its center. During her undergraduate days she'd spend weekends singing with a country cover band for extra cash, yet in San Diego, selling clothes in a boutique and hanging out on the beach, she began thinking not just like a singer, but as a songwriter, which satisfied a different artistic jones. Once I discovered songwriting it became an addiction, she says now, remembering countless days she spent holed up in her house from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., doing writing exercises (and staring at the wall) while wearing the same pair of linen pants. "Most nights I'd end up with an unfinished song. But when the day would come when all the pieces would align, and I'd know this is a song for people to hear, there is no better release in the world. Those are some of the only times that I can go out at night or sit on the couch next to my loved ones and feel at peace like, "Job well done". I can rest, at least for a second."It was during this bout of creativity that McCarley met producer/writer/keyboardist Jamie Kenney (the rare partner she felt 100 percent comfortable with), and the two began honing the songs that would make up Love, Save the Empty.
It's hard for me to write about being happy,ÃÂ McCarley admits. I don't prefer being sad, but it's a real spot for me. If you met me, I'm not this dark, sulking person, though I'm not bubbly by any means, either. I guess it comes down to the fact that I'm not afraid of being sad. Love, Save the Empty arrives this fall on Universal Republic Records. McCarley will spend the summer laying the groundwork for the album's release with a pair of tours. Her goal an artist is as simple and as profound as they come. "When I'm onstage," she says, "I'm trying to communicate with every single person out there."
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Australian born, currently living in Nashville Erinn has just had 3 songs released on the top Australian country groups album - The Mcclymonts (out through Universal). She has also had singles & album tracks released in China, Canada, Germany, UK and America.
F-M >
F
Age:
47 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
It was just six short years ago that Finch Williams, starting out new, found himself
faced with some new challenges in life. The first challenge was the plans he had
made for a new place and they backfired. He was living in a van, working a day job
and playing music nightly at local road-side pubs and honky tonks. Taking showers
at a friend's place to keep up appearance. "It was tough, but I knew the only way to go
from that point was up," Finch remembers.
Well the gigs kept coming, and the following grew. He then found himself playing music
in better places, (private resorts, and high-class clubs with outdoor stages). Like magic,
doors just opened up. Then, offers for upscale outdoor events started rolling in. Finch
jumped on them with no fear. There were times when he played music for somewhere
between 7 to 10 thousand people armed with no more than his six string flattop.
Fate again was with Finch and through a friend of a friend of a friend, Finch was
introduced to multi-talented hit producer Johnny Mulhair ( producer of
Leann Rimes, Blue and Unchained Melody albums )
Johnny and Finch clicked right off the bat. The result is now at Your fingertips...
Age:
26 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Folk of Flight is known as the foremost "indie acoustic folk-pop power-ballad duo" in existence. It all began when Seattle native Paul Ranheim and Nebraska born Karen Choi met while performing their contrasting styles in a St Louis venue. Two years later, Paul--the Norwegian adventurer and trainman--and Karen--the midwestern muser and philosopher--discovered how their co-writing and performing proved an effortless musical match. Marked by ingenuous lyrics overflowing through an emotionally wrought vocal collaboration, Folk of Flight sets the bar for "indie acoustic folk-pop power-ballad duos" everywhere.
Age:
49 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
fwclark@bellsouth.net
Bio:
Fred Clark is from Collinsville, IL (St. Louis MO area) and currently lives in Houma, LA. 3 releases, most recently, Happy Fun (2009), his first children's release. The others are Just Another Day (1997) and Living In Dakin's Neighborhood (2000). Airplay received in 18 countries!
Personal: Married, 6 children.
Age:
47 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
G
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Gene Randall Brashier, Singer/Songwriter, born and raised in the Upstate Of SC, has just finished recording his first acoustic demo. Music started at a young age for Randall, who was inspired by his Father. Influences as a child were Johnny Cash, Porter Wagner, Waylon Jennings,& Lynrd Skynrd.
At 8 years old, Randalls Father gave him his first guitar and Randall immediately started learning chords and how to play. As Randall became older and got into high school he began playing in a band for the love of music and extra money. After the band went there seperate ways, Randall continued to play through the years with other bands and also with his Family and Friends.
About 15 years ago, Randall started writing lyrics in his free time. He now has a total of about 30 songs he's written over this 15 year period. Randall has always held on to his songs but never tried to make anything of them until now. He recently performed a Legends show at the Greer Opry House as Johnny Cash. During his practices for this show he let a few people in on some of the lyrics he'd written and also performed them for some of his friends and family.
After people heard his Singing/Songwriting, they started influencing him to take it further. He recently recorded his first acoustic demo at local crysal rains studio. Randall is still enjoying writing songs and playing at local pubs around the upstate of SC.
Age:
43 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
41 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
818 388 4086
Bio:
California Native, Gina Villalobos (born May 26, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter. Villalobos became one of the most acclaimed new artists in the alternative country community with her breakthrough album, 2005âÂÂs âÂÂRock N Roll PonyâÂÂ.
Villalobos will unvail her new album, âÂÂDays On Their Sideâ in the summer of 2009, which is widely anticipated in the Americana/Alt Country circles in which she first gained attention.
Earthy and honest, the songs open up and breathe like the pages of a book with each respective listen. Their complexities emerge from between the lines, constantly changing shape, deepening in meaning, drawing you willingly into their jagged shadows and wrapping around your soul.
The strength of âÂÂDays On Their Sideâ is built on the foundation of an extensive and impressive career in both the US and on the international stage. BBC Radio 2 DJ Bob Harris hailed break-through release, 2005âÂÂs Rock & Roll Pony, as album of the year- Making the album a must have commodity.
Several tours between 2005 2007 saw Villalobos performing shows in the UK, Europe, as well as Australia and New Zealand and a number of live radio and TV appearances saw her profile increase during the years, across The U.S., Europe and further afield.
âÂÂRock N Roll PonyâÂÂ(2005) and her follow up album âÂÂMiles Awayâ (2007) received excellent reviews in national US magazines like No Depression, Acoustic Guitar Magazine and Harp as well as extensive coverage in other US-based regional and local press and websites like Popmatters.com. The critical applause continued with positive reviews in UK and European magazines and newspapers such as Uncut, Country Music People, Maverick, The Independent, The Scottish Daily Express and Rolling Stone (Germany) and from internet music magazines such as Americana-UK and NetRhythms. Both albums spent time on the Euro-Americana and AMA charts.
GinaâÂÂs nothing if not dead serious. Her music is deeply rooted in time, place, and history. SheâÂÂs the real thing: an artist, someone who can show you where you are.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Archenland Music/Gypsy Girl Music
Bio:
Granville Automatic is Vanessa Olivarez and Elizabeth Elkins. The duo write songs pulled from a shared love of history, horses and war. Granville Automatic is named after a 19th-century typewriter: Vanessa is a collector. With sonic references like Lyle Lovett, Emmylou Harris and Willie Nelson, Granville Automatic has created a quiet and lyrical sound devoted to telling stories from the past. After writing together first in the spring of 2009, the pair now has more than 90 songs â almost all of which tell stories from history.
The band has been hard at work in Los Angeles and Nashville on its debut studio record. Recorded mostly at Station House Studio in Los Angeles with producer Ted Russell Kamp, the record features 11 songs including âÂÂComancheâ (about the horse who survived the Battle of Little Big Horn), âÂÂHazel Creekâ (about a town flooded when the TVA built Fontana Dam), âÂÂBlood and Goldâ (the story of the mustang), âÂÂThe Groundskeeperâ (about a Civil War ghost seen at Carnton Plantation in Franklin, Tennessee), âÂÂFlying Mercuryâ (about the 19th-century Pepin & Breschard Circus), "Carolina Amen" (about a solider lost in the Civil War battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse), âÂÂCopenhillâ (about ShermanâÂÂs burning of Atlanta) and âÂÂShores of Marylandâ â as well as live favorites âÂÂNever On A SundayâÂÂ, âÂÂTacoma Coal Lineâ and âÂÂDonâÂÂt Come to TennesseeâÂÂ. The studio band included Kamp on bass, drummer Jim Doyle, guitarist/pedal steel player John Schreffler, Jr. and Bethany Dick-Olds on fiddle and vocals. Legendary harmonica player Mickey Raphael also joined in.
The yet-to-be-titled album will be released May 1, 2012.
Granville AutomaticâÂÂs first album, however, is Live from Sun Studio, an eight-song live set recorded at Memphisâ historic Sun Studio, and released as an iTunes exclusive January 31, 2012. The band is also featured on the PBS television program Sun Studio Sessions (airdate spring 2012).
Chosen as the 2012 Composers in Residence at Seaside, Fla.âÂÂs prestigious Escape to Create program, the pair spent the month of January in residence, where they wrote âÂÂAn Army Without Music: Civil War Stories from Hallowed Ground.â Their multimedia presentation premiered to a capacity crowd at the Seaside Repertory Theater, and the girls are in negotiation to take this history-lesson-meets-concert to theaters nationwide. Many of the new songs will become the duoâÂÂs third album, which will be recorded in fall 2012 on location at the battlefields in the field recording style of John and Alan Lomax. The pair has partnered with the Civil War Trust to secure recording onsite, and to organize a concert tour of the battlefields after the albumâÂÂs release in 2013. For more information on this project, visit www.granvilleautomatic.com/civilwar.
Over the last year, Granville Automatic has played more than 250 tour dates, including shows at Hotel Café in Los Angeles, the Tin Angel and World Café Live in Philadelphia, The Bitter End and The Living Room in New York City, MomoâÂÂs in Austin, EddieâÂÂs Attic in Atlanta and the Bluebird Café in Nashville. They have also played BMIâÂÂs Acoustic Lounge in Los Angeles and appeared on NashvilleâÂÂs 103 WKDF radio, Mississippi Public BroadcastingâÂÂs Thacker Mountain Radio and NBC AtlantaâÂÂs Morning Show.
They have performed at SXSW, the CMA Music Festival, the 30A Songwriters Festival and the Key West Songwriters Festival.
Acoustic demos from the band led to a third prize win in Spin MagazineâÂÂs Next Great American Road Song contest, a top 10 finalist placement in the Maurice Small Town Sounds competition, a finalist nod in USAAâÂÂs GarageBand Playoff and a Top 50 finish in the Wildflower Performing Songwriter Competition.
Both girls have a history in the music business: Vocalist/songwriter Olivarez wrote and recorded a Top 10 single in Canada, has three cuts on Sugarland records, including a song on their multi-platinum Enjoy the Ride album, and received a Dora nomination for her work in the Toronto production of Hairspray. She was also a finalist on the second season of American Idol. Guitarist/songwriter Elkins is a Grand Prize winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest who has showcased at the Billboard/BMI Acoustic Brunch at SXSW, at BMI showcases in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Nashville, and at CMJ. Elkinsâ songs have appeared on television programs from âÂÂSmallvilleâ to âÂÂRescue MeâÂÂ, âÂÂJersey Shoreâ to CNN and in the film âÂÂMean Girls 2âÂÂ.
Balancing lives between Atlanta and Nashville, the two co-write frequently across the States for other artists â including collaborations with NashvilleâÂÂs top country and pop writers and some of the best pop and urban writers in Atlanta, New York City and Los Angeles. A pop song they co-wrote was recently heard on ABCâÂÂs âÂÂThe Lying Game.âÂÂ
Age:
45 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
31 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
The most intriguing new talent that youve likely never heard of words frequently used to describe up and coming musical artist, Griffin House. At just 25 years old, Griffins breakout talent reveals a wealth of soulfulness and sincerity well beyond his years. As evidenced on his critically-acclaimed, Nettwerk debut album, Lost
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
GLC Music, Inc.
Bio:
In December of 2007, Dan Connor sat lonely on the doorstep of a solo album heâÂÂd been working on for several years when he was introduced to Anna Lombard. After spending countless winter evenings working together, Connor and Lombard laid the groundwork for the critically acclaimed, "The Halo Sessions," as their harmonious musical connection was born. Under the guidance of producer Jonathan Wyman, the duo embarked on a journey for what would soon become Gypsy Tailwind.
A product of the ever-growing music âÂÂhotbedâ of Portland, Maine, Gypsy Tailwind and their debut album, "The Halo Sessions," tell the tale of the tangled roads that traverse both the beautiful and the besieged. Making music that is at the same time soulful, earthy, and brutally honest, "The Halo Sessions" expresses a deep emotional truth with its melancholic lyrics and unforgettable melodies. Gypsy Tailwind paints the often dark canvas of lifeâÂÂs travels, roaming from place to place, the fear of loneliness, love lost, and love found.
Comprised of some of PortlandâÂÂs most talented session musicians, Gypsy Tailwind has quickly become the âÂÂnew darlingsâ of the thriving scene. Following the release of "The Halo Sessions," Gypsy Tailwind's appearance at the Baystock Music Festival opening for rock legend John Fogerty (CCR) cemented the bands' live reputation as they captivated an enthusiastic audience of 2,000 strong. In December of 2008, The highly credible Portland Phoenix Magazine chose âÂÂThe Halo Sessionsâ as the number two album of the year (From 130 releases) only second to Ray LamontagneâÂÂs âÂÂGossip in the Grainâ released worldwide by RCA records.
Touching on an array of genres, Gypsy Tailwind's style remains rooted firmly within Americana and Roots traditions, flickering between folk, rock, and alt-country, gracefully capturing the unclaimed sound that is now completely their own.
GT, along with Producer Jonathan Wyman, is currently putting the finishing touches on their highly anticipated sophomore record, "Grace," to be released spring/summer of 2009.
H
Age:
26 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
HH@favoritegentlemen.com
Bio:
Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, Harrison Hudson is comprised of Brandon Dees (Bass), Shaun Rawlings (Drums), and front man, Harrison Hudson (Vocals, Guitar). Described by critics as raw Americana, and by themselves as "no-frills" rock'n'roll, Harrison Hudson delivers melody-inspired rock. "We decided one day to keep things simple. Ever since then we've been a three piece band playing as loud and as hard as we can while still bringing a good melody." Front man, Harrison Hudson, got his start in Atlanta, where he recorded his first full length album, Angels on One Side...And the Other on the Other, with Jeremiah Edmond of Vintage Song Studio in 2006. Hudson had intended to be a solo project with a full backing band. However, when he moved to Nashville he began playing with Dees and Rawlings, and decided to permanently strip down to a three piece. The trio then wrote and recorded their first album together, Blood, Sweat, and Sweat, which was released in February, 2008.
Harrison Hudson shares musical roots with fellow Favorite Gentlemen band, Manchester Orchestra (front man Harrison Hudson has played alongside MO's Andy Hull, Jonathan Corley, and Chris Freeman in acts such as Sweet Lucy Brown, Tiger Society, and East On Autry, and bassist Brandon Dees briefly played bass for Manchester Orchestra). Harrison Hudson's music has been called a blend of the East coast â from southern twang to New York dirt, and everything in between. They are undoubtedly one of the acts redefining the sound of Nashville.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
kytebooking@gmail.com
Bio:
www.heatherbondmusic.com
"Heather Bond is Nashville's piano pop starlet. After your introduction to Heather on her 'Walk Alone' EP, there will be no denying that she's a naturally gifted piano virtuoso with a very bright future ahead of her." - Music City Unsigned
"There are plenty of directions a singer-songwriter can head when piano is her main instrument, as it is for Bond, who sounds most in her element when she nudges her confessional pop songwriting and feathery singing toward sultry, jazzy territory." - Nashville Scene
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Save Shooter Songs (feekyfeek@gmail.com)
Bio:
Age:
30 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
"I'm such a blatantly honest person," says Holly Williams, "and I love to listen to an album and think the artist is truly sharing their life with me. I like to feel like I'm really getting in and knowing that person."
With her debut album Here With Me for Mercury Nashville, Holly has succeeded in creating the type of album that would easily find a place among the works of her favorite artists. Penning the majority of the album's 11 tracks, Holly writes with piercing clarity on situations plucked from her life. While these songs come from extremely personal places, Holly's emotional honesty and commanding vocal performances give Here With Me a timeless quality that only gets richer on repeated listens.
Though still in her 20's, Holly has been using music to tell the story of her life and those around her for the better part of two decades. Starting at age eight, Holly filled a notebook she called "Holly's song folder" with her own compositions, though the lyrical content was far beyond the comprehension of your typical elementary school student. The first of these songs, titled "Who Am IâÂÂ, told the story of a woman in her 20's facing a broken marriage. Holly's penchant for addressing life's ups and downs through song was clearly established at this point, as was her songwriting method.
"The way I wrote then is the way I write now. A song comes to me in its entirety. The chorus and melody come at the same time, but I didn't really sing my songs for many people back then. It was just kind of the first hints of what I would do later."
As Holly grew older, her interests ranged from modeling and fashion to interior design. Her love affair with songwriting came back to the forefront at age 17 when she picked up a guitar, learned a few chords, and discovered her gift for crafting music and lyrics was still very much intact. As her high school friends continued on to college, Holly took a different path -- striking out on her own to make music. Giving herself one year to pursue her dream, Holly began booking shows for herself around Nashville at age 18.
That one year turned into three with Holly playing shows by herself and with a small band. Following a three-month stay in Los Angeles where she honed her songwriting skills and mastered the piano as a second instrument, Holly accepted an offer to tour Europe with Canadian artist Ron Sexsmith.
"I flew over there with a guitar and a backpack full of five-song EPâÂÂs I'd made and took trains to each venue," says Holly. "It was killer. I had just read Jack KerouacâÂÂs novel On The Road, and it changed me. I was traveling along, soaking up every minute of it. I loved it."
Around this time, Holly began to realize the full meaning of her family's history in the music world. Though her father is country legend Hank Williams, Jr., Holly's time spent with her dad mostly took place when he was off the road and away from the spotlight. In turn, Holly never realized the influence of her grandfather Hank Williams, Sr. until she embarked on her own musical explorations.
"The artists that I love are the ones that brought me back to him. When I started making music and writing songs, I heard people like Bruce Springsteen and Leonard Cohen talk about Hank Sr. I started listening to Bob Dylan, and he would talk a lot about Hank Sr. being an influence. It's funny how that circle happened."
Over the next few years, Holly's touring kept her on the road for months at a time with several more European tours rounding out her hectic stateside touring schedule. Sometimes driving up to 10 hours between gigs in her mom's suburban, Holly found herself sharing a bill with a wide range of artists including Billy Bob Thornton, Train, John Mellencamp and Duncan Sheik, in addition to playing a string of shows throughout Europe opening for Keith Urban. With five years of independent touring under her belt, Holly signed her first record deal in 2004 and released her critically-acclaimed debut album, The Ones We Never Knew, that same year.
With her career on the upswing, Holly's life was almost cut short when she and her sister Hilary were involved in a devastating wreck near Memphis in March 2006. Hilary's injuries were much more extensive than Holly's, and both were in critical condition by the time their parents arrived at the hospital. Looking back on the accident, Holly is truly thankful she and her sister survived. The events of that day forever changed the course of Holly's life and serve as the inspiration for one of Here With Me's most stirring tracks "Without Jesus Here With Me".
"Living through that wreck was a miracle," Holly declares. "My sister told me one mile before it happened to put on my seatbelt. I usually never would have put it on, but it saved my life. Even the fact that my arm is here is a miracle. The car was lying on top of it. We landed sideways and they thought when they pulled me out of the car that my arm wouldn't be going with me. But it was only broken. The whole experience was a real turning point for me."
HollyâÂÂs new songs began to take on a more straightforward tone. One song in particular, "Mama", struck a chord with Holly's live audiences and eventually led to a record deal with Mercury Nashville.
Taking on the touchy, yet all too commonplace topic of divorce, "Mama" tells the story of Holly's own mother and the positive attitude she displayed to her daughters while splitting up with their father. "So many parents talk about their spouses so horribly in front of their kids," Holly says. "One thing my parents never did was talk about each other in a negative light," she says. "There's two lines in âÂÂMama' that really stick out to me â âÂÂYou were smiling when you could've been crying all night' and âÂÂYou never wore your pain too thick.â It's such an important thing they did for us. I don't think I realized it until I was 25 though. I feel like it relates. Everyone knows someone who has that story going on in their lives."
As it turns out, "Mama" is just the tip of the iceberg on this collection of gems. Whether flowing from Holly's own pen or selected from the exceptional catalog of Nashville's top tunesmiths, the songs on Here With Me each contain a vulnerably honest quality brought to life by Holly's stunning vocal performances. Blessed with an extremely versatile instrument, Holly possesses the ability to wrap her voice around a lyric, wringing the emotion out of every syllable whether she's conveying a defiant determination to survive a heartbreak, expressing the subtle nuances of regret or playfully telling the story of a new love.
Nowhere is Holly's gift with a lyric more evident than on the project's first single, "Keep The Change", an anthem exploring the moment an old love starts to become history. Written by Hillary Lindsey and Luke Laird, Holly even breaks new ground for herself on "Keep The Change" with her gritty vocal delivery. She says, "I've never written anything myself that allows my voice to go where it does on 'Keep The Change.' Every single person can relate to that story. We've all been to that point when a love is over and you're bedridden and miserable, but then the sun shines, and you say, 'OK, I'm gonna get in my car and get out even though I'm dying inside.' It's that first step of moving on with your life."
Sometimes when that love is over, the pain is slow to subside -- a situation Holly eloquently explores in the straightforward lyrics of "I Hold On". Holly explains, "I was having a hard time letting go of a past relationship, I wrote this song quickly and simply â âÂÂI used to move on easy I was strong/Like a widow to her lover I hold onâ -- I was really trying to be literal about hanging on to something. We kept the production simple, and the lyric is definitely foremost on this track."
Where "I Hold On" pertains to a particular time and place, the pointedly confrontational lyrics of "He's Making A Fool Out Of You" â âÂÂI can't believe it/How'd you get here/I remember you when you were smartâ -- has a more mysterious origin. "I started this song at three in the morning while on the road in Scotland. It just came out of nowhere," Holly says. In fact, it was only later she realized the song could pertain to the couples she grew up seeing smiling their way through Nashville cocktail parties while their marriages were in shambles.
"My parents' friends had that situation going on where the wives would be on some tours, and the girlfriend would be on others. Sometimes these people were the ones giving me advice to stay true to myself, and they were living this life. I'm not putting them down, because I've never been there. I just didnâÂÂt understand how they could deal with that personally and look so happy on the outside."
On another one of Here With MeâÂÂs stand out tracks, âÂÂThree Days In BedâÂÂ, HollyâÂÂs measured choice of words and haunting vocal performance paints a startling visual in the listenerâÂÂs mind recounting the story of a love affair in Paris. âÂÂThis song speaks for itself, inspired by truth and fantasy,â explains Holly. âÂÂIt's the only track on the record that is a live performance with me and my guitar, completely raw, which was very important to me to have on this record.âÂÂ
âÂÂMy whole thing with writing is I love to tell a story,â Holly says. âÂÂWhen I listen to songs, I play the movie in my head. There are certain songs in my head I see the colors and the visuals. Tom Waits is a genius at doing this. I've always hoped some of my songs inspire vivid pictures.âÂÂ
âÂÂA song that was a departure for me from what IâÂÂm used to writing, but is an absolute blast to play live is âÂÂLove I Think Will LastâÂÂ,â Holly admits. A song which follows in the light-hearted vein of Johnny and June Carter Cash's âÂÂJacksonâÂÂ, Holly continues, âÂÂPeople laugh at it. They love the story of it.âÂÂ
While Holly has clearly forged her own musical path, shades of the Williams family musical history pop up here and there throughout Here With Me. âÂÂAlone" finds Holly tapping into the lonesome simplicity of Hank, Sr.'s lyrics with a tune about her own fear of commitment, while Hank, Sr.'s actual name appears in the lyrics for "Without Jesus Here With Me".
In addition to making music, Holly has another outlet for her boundless creative energy. Building on her lifelong love affair with fashion and design, Holly opened the high-end clothing and accessories boutique H. Audrey in 2007, and H. Audrey Home in 2008, introducing new designers and brands to Nashville's retail scene.
"I've always had this business side that I've needed to fulfill. I actually get to travel to Paris twice a year for work which is crazy to me, and dress friends of mine and stylish musicians. Sheryl Crow, Patty Griffin and Faith Hill all have a great eye for fashion. I love seeing who wears what to award shows and concerts!âÂÂ
Holly's stores have quickly become one of Nashville's hottest retail spots, but just one listen to Here With Me makes it clear that Holly's first love is and will always be making music.
She says, "When it's in the blood, you can't help it."
Age:
36 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
HeadCoach Music
Bio:
I have been in Nashville since 1995 and have written several songs cut by Tracy Lawrence on his last 4 albums. I also co-wrote the Trace Adkins' single, "Muddy Water", with Monty Criswell.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
none
Bio:
Living just south of Nashville,TN, Hunter Nash has over thirty original songs in his pocket. His song writing and singing levitates somewhere between today's David Gray/Dave Matthews to James Taylor / Van Morrison.
Playing with vivid imagery, encouraging a few memorable hooks, and trying to stir a few emotions into each song.
visit www.reverbnation.com/hunternashmusic
or www.hunternash.com has 40,0000 views and where to listen for more. please call 615-568-8601 to wheel and deal.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Charleston Kid Music
Bio:
Through passionate collaboration with a variety of great songwriters, artists, and producers, Wes has had original compositions placed in a number of quality television programs, such as MTV's The Real World: Brooklyn, CW's 'Gossip Girl', 'Life Unexpected' and 'Melrose Place', MTV's 'Laguna Beach', Animal Planet's 'Jockeys', CBS' 'The Young and The Restless' and 'Clubhouse', NBC's 'The Biggest Loser', 'Windfall', and Fox's 'Roswell', 'Boston Public' and 'Party of Five' DVD Compilation. Besides being named the BMIî Songwriters Hall of Fame Abe Olman Scholarship recipient, Wes also had the honor of being one of the first artists to ever participate in Billboard's prestigious "Billboard Underground" program. In 2007 he released 'Down In Flames', his first full-length solo effort, produced by Sheldon Steiger and James Walsh at Major Who Media. He is currently at work on a new EP with his newest project Reel By Reel. Wes is actively writing with artists of diverse backgrounds and continues to be a sought-after collaborator. He is also a Gibson sponsored artist and plays weekly in New York City.
I
Age:
38 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
this agglomeration of sounds and notes may seem random and without organization, but the aim of the music is the destruction of traditional symbolic communication. this music is like the process of automatic writing, it seeks to tap into the unconscious as a source of liberated expression, working within organizational structures
J
Age:
28 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Born and raised in a small town in West Texas, J.L. Baker was raised in a family of musicians. His father was a drummer for many years in contemporary Christian bands and raised the young artists in many influences of classic rock and jazz. Throughout his childhood, J.L. participated in summer singing camps and church music activities. As he grew older, he found a passion for formal vocal instruction, choral performance and competitive vocal competitions.
Early in high school, his mother brandished a cheap electric guitar from a local yard sale and his life was forever affected. Within a year he had his first acoustic guitar and began writing songs quickly. By the age of 18, most of the material from his first CD, âÂÂMy Quarter In The Machineâ had been written.
Attending open mics and obtaining local shows in the small restaurants and venues in town, J.L. began to venture out and perform. Despite the cultural depravity of Folk music and the ever present rock-n-roll bar scene of Texas, he obtained a small fan-base at home and continued to write and perform.
Earning scholarships to a local community college, J.L. attended as a music major with an emphasis on vocal performance.
Currently, he resides in the Denver area and continues to promote his music and look towards performance and expanding the fan base.
His primary influences include David Gray, Ellis Paul, Bob Dylan, John Gorka and Matt Nathanson.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Visit Jack Tempchin online:
www.PeacefulEasyFeeling.com
Hear his latest demos at:
www.JackSongADay.com
From humble beginnings at coffeehouse hootenannies, to having two songs on the best-selling album of the 20th century, Jack Tempchin has been a principal co-architect of the country rock music movement birthed in the 1970's known as âÂÂThe Southern California SoundâÂÂ.
The San Diego native first caught fire in the1970s writing his Top 10 hit âÂÂSlow Dancing â for Johnny Rivers. He went on to deliver two legendary hits for The Eagles: âÂÂAlready Goneâ and âÂÂPeaceful Easy Feelingâ (two songs on the best selling individual album of all time THE EAGLES: THEIR GREATEST HITS 1971-1975).
Throughout the 1980âÂÂs he had multiple hits co-writing with his partner and pal Glenn Frey, including, âÂÂTrue Loveâ âÂÂYou Belong To The CityâÂÂ, âÂÂI Found SomebodyâÂÂ, âÂÂSexy GirlâÂÂ, âÂÂThe One You Loveâ and âÂÂSmugglerâÂÂs BluesâÂÂ.
In 1994, another co-write with Frey called â The Girl From Yesterdayâ made it on to the Eagles HELL FREEZES OVER CD. In 2007, Tempchin landed two more co-writes âÂÂSomebodyâ and âÂÂItâÂÂs Your World Nowâ on The Eaglesâ latest multi-platinum CD effort, LONG ROAD OUT OF EDEN.
Over his prolific 40 year career, JackâÂÂs songs have been covered by many other great artists, including: George Jones, Emmylou Harris, Glenn Campbell, Tanya Tucker, Patty Loveless, Trisha Yearwood, Randy Meisner, Richie Havens, and bands like The Paladins, Chris Hillman and New Riders Of the Purple Sage.
His songs have also been featured in the movies Sgt. Bilko, Thelma & Louise, The Lonely Guy, Bad Seeds, Homer & Eddie, An American Murder, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun & The Big Lebowski.
Recently, Jack Tempchin released his own âÂÂSONGSâ CD, His sixth studio effort out now on his own Night River Records label and distributed by Burnside Distribution. Included is his own version of the hit song he co-wrote with Glenn Frey called âÂÂSmugglerâÂÂs BluesâÂÂ.
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
28 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
BMI info@electricwesternrecords.com
Bio:
Jacob Jones was born in Indiana but raised in Georgia, cut his teeth in Atlanta, ran away to New York twice, got lost, ended up in Nashville where he currently resides on the east side of things pondering the great mystery of the train sounds he hears in the night.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Song Garden/Chrysalis Music Publishing (dalebobo@chrysalismusic.com)
Bio:
www.myspace.com/jaidadreyer
SheâÂÂs not just another pretty face, sheâÂÂs an old soul with a story to tell. Behind the youthful, feminine exterior is a woman wise beyond her years. Defined with a steely grace and a voice guaranteed to captivate any audience, singer/songwriter Jaida Dreyeràappears to have ice water running through her veins. This gypsy girl has experienced a lot of life,àwhich she aptly portrays in the songs that she writes.ÃÂ
A native of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Jaida hasÃÂ livedÃÂ in 7ÃÂ different states, from one coast to the other. In the spotlight as a child, she won the hearts of audiences in both ice skating and horse arenas. When she was just a mere 5 years old, she won the first of many World Championship titles showing her horses.ÃÂ The nomadic, fast pacedÃÂ lifestyleÃÂ of growing up on the road, inspired Jaida to writeÃÂ about her own adventures atÃÂ an early age. After working on a few acting projects, including a major motion picture, a series for ABC and various music videos, she turned to her love of music.
Jaida now resides in Nashville, Tennessee.ÃÂ She quickly garnered overwhelmingÃÂ respectÃÂ and interest withinÃÂ the industry and has become one of the most sought after, young songwriters in the business. Publishing deal offers came from all directions and she chose to land at SongGarden Music Publishing; a prestigious, boutique company headed by veteran, Grammy Award winning producer, Byron Gallimore. Jaida has established a solid and rapidly increasing fan base, both on a local and national level. Having recently gained a sponsorship with Jagermeister, Jaida has been on the road with heavy hitting acts across the US, along with having her songs recently recorded by major label artists.
With an eclectic songwriting style, Jaida pens her songs with the likes of Americana royalty Guy Clark, Mary Gauthier, Kevin Welch and Bruce Robison. Refusing to limit herself to any one genre, included on that roster are Angelo Petraglia (Kings of Leon) and Jaren Johnston (American Bang).
Jaida is currently in the studio with producer Byron Gallimore working on her debut release.ÃÂ Like a breath of fresh air her edgy lyrics, yet neo traditional sound, crosses genres and makes her one of the most promising, must see, artist/writers on the music scene today.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Hometown: Nashville, TN.
Country: United States of America
Genre: Country
Jay Buchanan
Jay graduated from Nashville State Community College in 1998 in Industrial Electrical Maintenance and has worked at Shiloh Industries since April 1994 as an Industrial Electrician. He has also graduated from the School of Audio Engineering (SAE) Nashville in April 2007. He has worked with Verge Recording Studio since 2006 and Mix It Up Studios with Jim Lightman since 2007. Jay has been writing since the early nineties. He currently writes with Johnny Spears and Kyle Garton. Jay has been married for 18 years and has two daughters MacKenzie (6) and Makayla (2). Jay enjoys playing guitar, writing and recording music, and spending time with his girls.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Drums Valley Music
Bio:
James Dunn has been building his music career by writing powerful songs about lifeâÂÂs ups and downs, not only from his perspective, but also through the eyes of other people. His ability to weave story into song and make a connection with fans has been at the heart of DunnâÂÂs songwriting and performing career and song since his debut EP, âÂÂLonely American Dreamâ in 2006. His new record, âÂÂThe Bed We Madeâ is the follow up to 2008âÂÂs âÂÂThe Long Ride HomeâÂÂ, which was critically praised in the US and Europe, landing his album on the Americana Music Charts for over 2 months. In addition, his music has been featured on ESPN, TNT, A&E;, FOX and used by the NCAA & NHL.
âÂÂI moved to Nashville from Raleigh in early 2008 to make my second record, which was really my first full length album. I had done the 8 song âÂÂLonely American Dreamâ EP in Raleigh and I just felt it was time to change things up. I had connected up with some great musicians in my travels in Nashville and decided to make the move, as I thought it would help me grow my music career in different ways and I was at a crossroads point in my life, both personally an professionally, and knew it was time to make a move.â The Long Ride Home proved to be a artistic breakout for Dunn. The record landed several of his songs on television and movies and helped to broaden his fanbase in support of touring schedule.
âÂÂWhen I started thinking about the new record, I wanted to incorporate some different musical arrangements and overall production with the new songs. I have always been a fan of the dark and mysterious and ghostly sounds on records and really appreciated the songwriters who could make a topic that might not be very happy, sound really great.â ItâÂÂs very apparent of the mood Dunn was looking to set from the opening notes on the title track, âÂÂThe Bed We Madeâ as well as âÂÂKeeping Scoreâ and âÂÂRootsâ which are clearly the songs that hold the entire album together. âÂÂWhile I was putting together the songs for this record, I was doing a lot of reflecting on growing up, my family life, my own life and some of my friends lives and just trying to write some honest feelings to music in hopes that it will connect with people.âÂÂ
Dunn was born in Wayne, New Jersey but moved to Raleigh, North Carolina when he was 8 and grew up playing baseball and being obsessed with anything that was sports, specifically N.C. State basketball, where Dunn eventually earned his degree from. âÂÂItâÂÂs funny, I didnâÂÂt pick up a guitar until I was 26 years old. I was always a huge fan of music, but I was so involved with sports growing up, wither playing or watching or statistically tracking games, that I really didnâÂÂt think of music as something I could or would ever do. My grandfather, who lived in Drums, Pennsylvania was a musician and a painter. I used to go visit him during my breaks in college and he was always giving me musical instruments to play, be it guitars, violins, trumpets, piccolos, you name it, but I didnâÂÂt think about it seriously until my mid 20s. He would probably not believe that IâÂÂm about to release my 3rd album.â Though Dunn grew up in the south, his influences are clearly tied to his birth state of New Jersey, and the music of Bruce Springsteen.
âÂÂYeah, Springsteen was definitely my âÂÂmusical epiphanyâ if you will. I can remember getting a copy of âÂÂDarkness on The Edge of Townâ in early college and it really struck me in a way that I knew I wanted to do something creative and musical, I just had to figure out how to do it and teach myself how to play. Writing was always something I liked, so that wasnâÂÂt too difficult, but tackling the guitar was daunting. I taught myself how to play âÂÂAtlantic Cityâ on the acoustic and that really moved me forward in regards to my own playing and wanting to write.â Springsteen, Petty, Jackson Browne, Chris Isaak, Buddy Holly are all artists that Dunn looks to as favorites and guides for his own music.
âÂÂMy goal as a songwriter is to somehow write something, that will move another person on an emotional level. Basically, to just feel something beyond the ordinary day to day grind of life. If itâÂÂs a happy feeling or a reflective feeling, it doesnâÂÂt matter. You just want to be able to reach out and somehow make your songs part of the fabric of other peopleâÂÂs lives. You want to try and craft that song that people will always tie memories to. If I can do that, then IâÂÂll feel like IâÂÂve done a pretty good job of writing a song.âÂÂ
Age:
26 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
NA
Bio:
Currently working on my first self-released EP with producer/engineers Eric Masse and Adam Popick.
Age:
44 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Currently have songs under publishing agreements with Broken Music Publishers (UK) and Decidedly Superior Music (NY) a division of Warner Bros. I have also had songs under contract in the past with Playback Records (Jack Gale), Aspire2Music (NJ),and BSMG (TX)
Age:
33 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
James Scott Bullard was conceived in a Nashville motel.
Born and raised in South Carolina, with a family tree that twisted and forked in two directions.
On one side of said tree: Well educated people, school teachers, farmers, and homemakers...
but on the other side of that tree: Backwoods gun-toting moonshiners, prize fighters, and hardened prisoners.
(In fact JSBâÂÂs dad learned to play guitar from an old bluesman that used to jump the train to buy moonshine from JSBâÂÂs grandfather.)
Our dear JSB was bred on the sounds of Waylon, Willie, Kristofferson, Cash, and Jones.
Then as a teen he went on to discover Punk and Metal and like every other teenage high-school misfit, he started a band, a band that went on to become known as one of the top 5 acts in the entire southeast, but like these stories often go, the band parted ways leaving our poor Mr. Bullard out in a career rainstormâ¦However, an odd thing happenedâ¦One day there was a girl, a beautiful heartbreaker who turned him onto a guy named Gram Parsons: the guy who had the vision and the balls to put the rock and the country in one place...the rest is, well, see for yourselfâ¦
Here are some neat little nuggets of fact for ya to peruseâ¦
He was the founder/lead singer/guitarist/songwriter for the hard rock band CRANE, who before disbanding in 2000 were hailed as one of the top 5 unsigned acts in the entire southeast (as mentioned above) and went on to share the stage with such acts as CREED and THE MARVELOUS 3 (a.k.a. that band BUTCH WALKER was in before he went solo and started producing Avril Lavigne.)
He has 9 self-produced albums and e.p.âÂÂs under his belt; many of which have yet to see the light of day due to his self-critical nature, but needless to say he is quite the prolific songwriter, having been known to play 3 hour shows with no break and never playing the same song twiceâ¦Watch out Springsteen!
He was born a Coal MinerâÂÂs Daughterâ¦No, not really, just making sure youâÂÂre still with us here.
Is it coincidence that his initials are the same as JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH?...Yeah probably.
He once appeared on an episode of the hit TV. Show âÂÂDawsonâÂÂs Creek.âÂÂ
He has found celebrity fans in JESSE MALIN, WALTER EGAN, BILLY BOB THORNTON, and EMMYLOU HARRIS; who sent him a note of praise once for carrying the torch for her mentor, the late GRAM PARSONS.
In late 2008 JSB was asked to take part in a tribute to the late GRAM PARSONS at The World Famous Nashville Palace in Nashville, Tn. To which Mr. Bullard and backing vocalist Regina Lanier were met with rave reviews being praised by local critics as: âÂÂThe closest thing to Gram and Emmylou we here in Nashville have ever seen!â Mr. Bullard and Ms. Lanier were also asked to take the stage in tribute to late songwriter extraordinaire TOWNES VAN ZANDT on New YearâÂÂs Day 2009 and were once again met with rave reviews, hailed as: âÂÂThe New Power Coupleâ¦â and âÂÂâ¦the Gram and Emmy of the next generation!âÂÂ
In the past two years Mr. Bullard has gained a worldwide fanbase, won three Torch Awards for Artist of the Year 2008, Album of the Year 2009 for his latest work âÂÂSame Old GhostsâÂÂ, and The Gram Parsons Legacy Award for 2009 (thanx Torchie :), and is now being courted by many labels, publishers, agents, and management; including Shuteye Records, Chilmark Entertainment, and a few other ones we can't name for legal reasons, not to mention being added to several radio stations across the country and countless satellite and internet radio stations worldwide hitting well over 50,000 plays and downloads in 2008 aloneâ¦If thatâÂÂs not enough for ya, then we suggest you either (A) Google his name, or (B) Just call him or e-mail him and ask him whatever you wanna know, because weâÂÂre tired of typing.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
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Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
I've been writing for more than 15 years as a hobby. And a friend of mine told me to try and get my songs Published, so here I am. I love Country Music and I love writing. I hope you enjoy them. My goal is to write full time and hear them on the radio. I also write R&B;lyrics.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Brave Music Company - info@bravemusiccompany.com
Bio:
Jared Crump moved to Nashville on a whim two years ago. After dabbling in college and being granted an honorable discharge from the military, he decided to tour Texas and the surrounding states with just he and a guitar. After paying his dues in bars and coffeehouses, Jared decided he had to give Nashville a chance, and thank goodness he did. He just signed his first publishing deal, is enjoying his first major label cut, and he's hoping to gain a few fans himself.
Imagine if Jason Mraz, Kenny Chesney, John Mayer, and a steel guitar had a baby. Hard to imagine, right? Listen to Jared Crump and hear what fresh, undefinable, and great music sounds like when coupled with an unforgettable voice.
Age:
42 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
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Bio:
I am a singer-songwriter from Colorado. I have recorded, produced and released five cd's of original acoustic music. My music can be labeled as indie folk. My cd's have sold all over the world and I am pursuing film/tv placement for my songs. I am also very interested in getting other artists to perform my songs. I currently have publishing deals with music publishers and music libraries. You can find out more about me at www.bennettfolk.com
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0 Years Old
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aspiring
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Jason is the son of a preacher from the Great White North (Canada) and a music teacher from Tennessee, giving his muse northern and southern winds. Jason released his first album "Willows Motel" in 2009 to good reviews. It was an americana inspired album of eleven originals and one old gospel tune. Jason is now working on a series of follow-up albums: 100 Stories Volumes 1-10. He lives in Jackson, KY.
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0 Years Old
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Age:
37 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
info@jasonbyrd.net
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Jason (Jay) Byrd has been a professional guitarist, singer, and songwriter since his late teens. In his early twenties, he co-founded the blues-rock trio The Groov, and in 1996 joined the then-Grateful Dead cover band Wavy Train. Byrd's original songs and guitar work helped Wavy Train to forge a sound that combined pop-oriented melodies with extended improvisation. After moving to the Washington, DC area in 2001, Jason began crafting songs with a decidedly Americana bent. In 2005, Jason's composition "Olson Still" received an honorable mention in the Mountain Stage NewSong Festival Folk category. In 2010, he won the NewSong People's Choice Award for the Northeast Region. He also won the Gold Award (Acoustic/Folk category) and the BMI Songwriter Award in the 2010 Mid-Atlantic Songwriting Contest. Jason continues to write and perform original roots-influenced music. Often performing as solo with his acoustic guitar, he also can assemble top-notch players for a fuller sound that allows him to deliver driving," alt-country" rock, as well as intimate, soulful ballads.
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0 Years Old
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Just an ole' dog-eared songwriter writin' songs to the best of my ability.
I'm part of the Anderson McMahon Band (you can also find us on our MySpace page) I write most of my songs with Steve McMahon, an excellent vocalist, songwriter, and mandolinist.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
bookjeffblaney@gmail.com
Bio:
Jeff Blaney is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist currently living in Nashville, TN.
He independently produced the album "Moonlight Waltz" in 2010. It showcases Jeff's songwriting as well as his his guitar, mandolin, and harmonica skills. The album got great reviews and feedback. In 2011 Blaney released a collection of blues songs, both originals and covers, called Blue Heart. He has loved the blues since he was a kid, and in 2004 his band won Best Blues in the Hartford Advocate Reader's Poll.
Age:
60 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
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Bio:
I have been a professional musician since High School, playing in various bands and clubs. In 1969, the year I graduated, I joined a group called Yellow Hair. We based ourselves out of Omaha, NE, as that is where the bass player, Scott McCarl, was from. We had a couple of local 45s "Somewhere" b/w "Talent for Lovin" (this song has since become a Garage Band classic) and "I Wanna Be Free" b/w "Dreamin." The Yellow Hair group remained together for 2 years and broke up in 1971. We had quite a bit of local success and our "Somewhere" 45 ended up at about #10 on the St. Joseph, MO radio chart. Scott would later go on to join the Raspberries. I continued playing in various bands throughout the 70s and in 1979 moved to Florida to join a band, and lived in Florida and Georgia for about 5 years each, playing in various housebands and roadbands, playing in various states; Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama. For the last 10 or so years I have been primarily a stay-at-home musician, writing songs. My songwriting interest started as soon as I picked up a guitar, could play 3 or 4 chords, became an official Beatle-nut, and has continued since. I've always been dabbling at writing songs, my first love besides guitar. I write all styles; country rock, blues, folk, pop, some guitar instrumentals, etc.
Age:
42 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
www.jeffmaddoxmusic.com
Age:
49 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Curb
Bio:
Here's the short and sweet of it. Moved to Nashville in 1984 and the first month in town I had songs recorded by both Jimmy Swaggart and Molly Hatchet. (No joke) I suppose I'm their love child.
Worked ten years as a road dog bass player for Terri Clark and have the tattoos to prove it. Don't ask me where.
Theses days I clock in over at Curb and write songs. Will some be hits? Magic 8-Ball says, "Outlook Good."
Released debut album in February 2009. AZALEA is the name. Southern acoustic songs with some slap.
Age:
0 Years Old
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Jennifer Bostic Publishing (jennbostic@yahoo.com)
Bio:
Bred on folk, blues and show tunes in the small town of Waconia, Minnesota, Jenn Bostic was born with music in her veins. The youngest of two, many evenings were spent with hobby musician father and older brother around a piano singing after MomâÂÂs home cooked meals. Singing and dancing at three, tickling the ivories at six; Jenn had an innate passion for performing.
Age ten was dark for Bostic as she was involved in a tragic car accident that resulted in the loss of her father. Songwriting became a form of therapy, as the music in her heart was the only real connection that remained. After writing her first song at thirteen she said âÂÂI want to write songs that reach people who need to know theyâÂÂre not alone.âÂÂ
Minneapolis Folk/Roots/Blues band Traveled Ground featured Bostic on their first album and have kept her on as a guest performer and recording artist whenever she returns home. She holds a music education degree from Berklee College of Music where she performed in the most elite shows Berklee has to offer. While on the East coast, she was the lead singer of a country band that led to a variety of high profile openers including Alan Jackson, Josh Turner, Brad Paisley, Reba McEntire and Gretchen Wilson.
In 2008 she traveled to Iraq and Kuwait on an Armed Forces Entertainment Tour to entertain the United States troops. JennâÂÂs huge heart and glowing spirit brought smiles to the faces of our soldiers.
She currently resides in Nashville, TN, and is busy touring the country promoting her debut album Keep Lookin For Love. She is constantly writing new songs with some of Nashville finest writers, as well as earning titles in the We Are Listening, ISC, NSAI/CMT Songwriting Competitions and the John Lennon Song Contest. For more information please visit www.jennbostic.com.
Age:
28 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Tommy Jo Publishing
Bio:
WRITTEN BY MY BIGGEST FAN...MY MOM! "Jennifer was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay area and her passion for writing began when she was 10 years old. She has an impressive catalog of over 400 songs and continues to write daily and has been fortunate to work with producers, Jason Garner to produce her songs. JenniferâÂÂs writing has won her several scholarships, which has paid her tuition and enabled her to graduate from a local Community College in California with an Associate in Arts Degree. There she studied music, film, and English. She plans on continuing her education in English and possibly teaching Creative Writing to young students to help inspire them to always follow their dreams. In September of 2006, Jennifer won the Jeffrey Steele Songwriting Bootcamp and came to Nashville to work with him. Six months later in March 2007, she moved to Nashville following the advice of Jeff (as well as others) to come to here to write songs. Since moving, she has written with many wonderful and established writers and one in particular changed her career. She wrote a song with Cory Batten called "She Wouldn't Be Gone" which was not only Jennifer's first cut, but also her first number one song which stayes two week 1 on the charts. The single is off of Blake Shelton's new album âÂÂStartinâ FiresâÂÂ! Her other song, "How You Say Goodbye" has been recorded by up and comer Deanne Moore and is her new single off her album. She is a talented and prolific writer whose writings are not limited to songs. She is also writing several screenplays, novels, childrenâÂÂs stories, greeting cards, and poetry. Jennifer acknowledges God for giving her the gift of writing and she feels that she is deeply blessed. She believes her possibilities are endless, especially with the love and support of her family and friends. "
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0 Years Old
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n/a
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Jenny Gillespie was born in 1980 in Springfield, IL. She has followed many musical threads from jazz to alt-country to electronic, and now finds herself trying to merge all of the tones, sounds, and textures she loves.
After her 2009 debut album Light Year drew praise for its blend of ethereal folk and art-pop grandeur, Jenny embarked on a new sonic adventure, recording her new album Kindred produced by Darwin Smith (to be released in June 2010.) The new songs veer into sometimes delicate, sometimes intense soundscapes with electronica and experimental leanings, for a journey exploring the heart's desire for an other. Gary Newcomb (Richard Buckner, Gary Newcomb Trio) lends pedal steel, Dony Wynn (Robert Palmer, Steve Winwood) on drums, and Steve Moore (Laura Veirs, Sufjan Stevens, Bill Frisell) contributes keys and brass.
Please join the mailing list at www.jenny-gillespie.com for more updates on the new album and to hear about shows in Jenny's hometown of Chicago and elsewhere.
Age:
31 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
jenny@jenny-gillespie.com
Bio:
Chicago-based Jenny Gillespie was born in 1980 in Springfield, IL. Her mother, a landscape painter, introduced Jenny to Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell at an early age. Within a month, Jenny's first concerts at age seven were Dolly Parton and Dionne Warwick--and the show(wo)manship and loveliness of both made her want to become a singer. Growing up in a rural area, surrounded by woods and water, imprinted a sense of natural beauty and freedom on Jenny's artistic sensibility.
She adopted her mother's Martin guitar at age 12 and set out on a course to write and perform her own music. Attending college at the University of Virginia, Jenny took classes in the history of jazz, creative writing and anthropology while performing in the area, as well as traveling to New York to perform several times at the Living Room. She also studied in Paris where she performed at jazz clubs and met musicians and artists who further flooded her perspective with the passion for creating.
Jenny recorded her first EP, 2004's alt-country-tinged Love and Ammunition, while living in Austin, TX where she was studying for a master's in creative writing at the University of Texas. She offered a free album download on Creative Commons Internet Archive, and it has since been downloaded 25,000 times.In 2004 Jenny moved back to her home state of Illinois, settling in Chicago. Over the first few years there, she put together a band and began recording in 2008 at Steve Albini's Electrical Audio. The recordings would become the album Light Year, which has been critically hailed as the harbinger of a new sound in Jenny's musical output. The album is polished folk-pop, and has been compared to Bon Iver and Annie Lennox.
She recently finished recording a new album Kindred produced by Darwin Smith. The album was recorded in the living room of a rambling old house in Wilmette, IL. Gary Newcomb (Richard Buckner, Gary Newcomb Trio) lends pedal steel, Dony Wynn (Robert Palmer, Steve Winwood) plays drums, Steve Bernal (Bill Callahan, Calla) adds cello and bass, and Steve Moore (Laura Veirs, Sufjan Stevens, Bill Frisell) contributes keys and brass. Besides singing, Jenny plays electric and acoustic guitars, synths, piano, and percussion. The album's lush, intense yet delicate soundscapes lean towards experimental and electronica atmospheres. It will be released in 2010. Join the mailing list for more updates.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Judy Stakee judy.stakee@warnerchappell.com (310)441-8600
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
cabaret91publishing@gmail.com
Bio:
Age:
20 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
none
Bio:
Singer Songwriter. Ukulele-ista. Slap Stick Youtube Video Creator. College Student. Coffee House Hermit.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Kinsey Publishing; JKA Publishing
Bio:
Age:
27 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
jimhanft@gmail.com
Bio:
Jim Hanft is an American singer/songwriter signed to Veranda Records in Sweden. Armed with female harmonies and a broken harmonica, Jim Hanft makes modern folk music with balls and sensitivity. After touring internationally, performing a residency at LA's Hotel Cafe & having multiple songs on network TV, Jim Hanft released his second full length album, Weddings Or Funerals in October, 2010. The alternative style of producer, Lasse Marten (Peter, Bjorn & John, Lykke Li and the Shout Out Louds), the honesty of Jim Hanft's lyrics and the purity of Samantha Yonack's harmonies create a modern musical landscape rooted in storytelling & raw unaltered performances.
OFFICIAL SITE: http://jimhanft.com
Age:
50 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Chris Keaton/KMG 615-319-5075
Bio:
Jim Reilley was co-founder of the late-lamented folk-rock âÂÂgangstasâÂÂ, The New Dylans. Along with songwriting partner Reese Campbell, Reilley roped in friends John Lombardo and Jerry Augustyniak of 10,000 Maniacs to record The New Dylansâ six-song debut ep in 1986. Earning praise from Village Voice rock critic Robert Christgau (who placed the ep in the top five albums of 1986 in the prestigious Village Voice âÂÂPazz and Jopâ poll), and R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe (who called it his fave album of that year), things were certainly rolling for the boys. Clueless in the face of such unanticipated success, Jim and Reese capitalized swiftly and decisively-they broke up. Once confronted however with the workaday life that until then had eluded them, the boys soon realized their mistake and reunited. Soon after, the lads inked a deal with Minnesota-based Red House Records who subsequently allowed two New Dylans albums to escape their folky clutches in the mid-1990âÂÂs. The New Dylans barnstormed the country playing to anyone who would listen (and many who wouldnâÂÂt) sharing stages with The Band, Townes Van Zandt, Shawn Colvin, The Fleshtones, Superdrag, Syd Straw, The Silos, Steve Forbert along with old pals 10,000 Maniacs. The New Dylans received glowing reviews from Rolling Stone, Musician, Mojo, Dirty Linen, Audio, Stereo Review, Pulse and Spin just to name a few. MTV also featured The New Dylans on two hugely influential programs, the Mark Pellington produced-âÂÂ120 Minutesâ and âÂÂThe Cutting Edgeâ hosted by legendary Fleshtones frontman Peter Zaremba. Radio also fell hard for the boys with generous AAA airplay and feature spots on Acoustic Café, World Café, NPRâÂÂs All Things Considered, IdiotâÂÂs Delight with Vin Scelsa, and even a handful of appearances on ex-Partridge Family imp Danny BonaduceâÂÂs WLUP show in Chicago proving to be somehow simultaneously the apex and nadir of The New Dylansâ strange path into critically acclaimed obscurity.
Reilley broke up The New Dylans and moved to Nashville in 1998, signing deal as a staff songwriter with Curb Publishing. In his 8 years at Curb, over 45 of ReilleyâÂÂs songs were recorded by artists including Vince Gill, Hal Ketchum, Jack Ingram, Tim OâÂÂBrien, Sam Bush, Claudia Church, Joy Lynn White, Ronna Reeves, Cowboy Crush, Lisa Brokop, Ryan Tyler, Mustang Sally, Lauren Lucas, Susan Haynes, Amy Chappell and many others. In 2003, Reilley released his first solo album âÂÂThe Return of Buddy Cruelâ on Silent Planet Records. Produced by Grammy-winner Don Henry, the album was added to 28 AAA stations and lingered for 20 weeks in the top 25 of the Roots Rock Album Chart in the spring of 2003. Reilley paid a return visit to Acoustic Café, and the album also garnered airplay on BBC Radio 1 in UK, BBC Scotland, Radio Golden Flash in Belgium, Real Roots Café Network in central Europe, and BRTOâÂÂs Crossroads in Bergen, the Netherlands, whose host Jos Van Den Boom also placed the album in his top 10 albums of 2003. Performing Songwriter and Paste both ran feature articles on ReilleyâÂÂs return, and âÂÂThe Return of Buddy Cruelâ also earned rave reviews from Billboard, Puremusic.com, Exclaim! Magazine in Canada, Ctrl.alt.country in Belgium, and Glitterhouse in Germany. NashvilleâÂÂs local newspaper The Tennessean proclaimed âÂÂThe Return of Buddy Cruelâ one of the top 10 albums of 2003 and the track âÂÂWonâÂÂt Let You Make A Fool of Meâ as one of the top 10 songs of 2003 in their year-end criticâÂÂs poll.
Reilley recorded a second solo album (âÂÂThank God IâÂÂm A Contrary BoyâÂÂ) in 2004 with Grammy-winner Robert Reynolds (The Mavericks) co-producing and featuring a band consisting of Ken Coomer (Wilco/ Uncle Tupelo), Tom Petersson (Cheap Trick), Jen Gunderman (Jayhawks), Audley Freed (The Black Crowes), Al Perkins (Gram Parsons/Manassas), Paul Deakin (The Mavericks) and David Mead. As of this writing, the album remains unreleased. In January 2010, ReilleyâÂÂs song âÂÂThe Man Who Had Everythingâ was named to BBC Scotland tastemaker Karen MillerâÂÂs âÂÂBest Of The Decadeâ list. In October 2011, Reilley will be the featured writer in American Songwriter MagazineâÂÂs âÂÂNashville Songwriter SeriesâÂÂ.
Publishing Contact: Chris Keaton 615.319.5075 www.soundcloud.com/jimreilleysongs
www.facebook.com/jimreilleymusic www.reverbnation.com/jimreilley
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0 Years Old
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"With touches of the rambling alt-country sound of Ryan Adams and the effortlessly flowing and haunting melodies of Jeff Buckley, âÂÂThe Axe & the Treeâ manages to remain ever changing throughout. The folk tag isnâÂÂt going to slow Reeves down." {-Pluginmusic.com}
"His work is indeed haunting, simple and powerful, thoughtful above its marvelously literate dreariness, perfectly recorded, and indicative of a musican who will definitely turn out a magnum opus as soon as he can get it underwritten." {-Acousticmusic.com}
Age:
23 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Jack Lenz (Lenz Entertainment)
Bio:
Raised in the small town of Vernon, BC, Jodi Pederson is a proud Canadian singer/ song writer. Her lifeâÂÂs experiences and influences filter the emotion and heartfelt lyrics in her songs. JodiâÂÂs music is inspired by artists such as Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow, The Beatles, Sara McLachlan, Blue Rodeo, Queen and many more great musicians. These musicians are the roots of JodiâÂÂs musicianship that opened doors for Jodi to craft her own unique sound and style.
Jodi Pederson was born into a family with a deep appreciation of music, her uncle Wes Pederson who taught Jodi her first scales on guitar. It is with thanks to her parentâÂÂs persistency that she has gotten to where she is today.
Pederson was recognized by Jack Lenz (Passion of the Christ, Goosebumps, etc.) of Lenz Entertainment at the age of seventeen, who later directedher first album, âÂÂSeasonsâÂÂ. The album is a portrait of strength and weakness of the human heart, a smooth mixture of acoustic, as well as more produced songs. Jodi Pederson has had the pleasure of working and writing with music producer Asher Lenz, singer/song writer Adam Crossley, (Josh Groban, etc.) and music engineer Michael Jack (Bono, Hilary Duff, Nelly Furtado etc.). Currently her song "Comfortable" has been put in regular rotation on 107.5 Kiss FM in Vernon, BC. Another track, "Pins and Needles" off her album, will be featured on an episode of Showcase's new television series, "Crash and Burn" in the new year.
At the age of eighteen, she was chosen by Bill Henderson and Roy Forbes of Chilowak, for a song writing workshop many competed to enrol in. Compared to Joni Mitchell for her creative song writing, Jodi Pederson sings of melodic experiences, filtered by heartfelt emotion and honesty.
Age:
54 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
I live in the Atlanta area, have a degree in music and have been fooling around with songwriting since I can remember. I play a little guitar but write mainly on my Korg Triton keyboard. My voice is good enough to do work CDs. I take them to a demo studio and they can crank them right out. I write because I love writing and getting better at writing. I joined NSAI several years ago with no real songwriting amibitions but who knows where it'll take me. There's always room for good songs.
Age:
44 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
J V Songs
Bio:
Singer,songwriter, musician, engineer producer.
Perform and write full time for a living. (piano bars and studios) I bounce around between Nashville, Ny and LA. Graduated top of the class from Berklee music in
1989. Toured with Ritchie Blackmore, Lindsay Lohan
and many others. Some of my notable writing recording producing gigs include Lady Gaga, Jenny Gill, Al Martino (Johnny Fontane) Ritchie Blackmore(Deep Purple/Rainbow) and others.
My website is www.apmusicentertainment.com
Age:
28 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
60 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Gus Wolman (guswolman@aol.com)
Bio:
I started playing drums when I was five-years-old when, after searching for a xylophone teacher in Tulsa (for months -- or so I was told), my parents finally agreed to let me take drum lessons⦠if I would "stick with it."
On a hot summer night in 1956 (in an upstairs, back-alley room of a music store) a jazz trumpet player took me under his wing.
It took me over a year to "earn" a snare drum (I think my folks had something to do with this) and almost two to "earn" a cocktail set of Slingerlands -- one drum, cymbal and pedal at a time.
Well, I did "stick with it" and in the end, it was all worth it. I played in working bands from the time I was seven and played professionally for over thirty-five years.
Over the years I've had the pleasure of working in the studio, performing live, touring and co-writing with some of the best musicians, songwriters, producers and vocal talent in the world (a partial list is below).
About three years ago I began working in the studio again, writing some songs. A few months ago I started recording (what I think are) some of the better ones: http://www.johnlatta.net
Age:
43 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
eiszoe@hotmail.com
Bio:
Artist Introduction/Vision:
In the chaos of electronic stimulation that we're bombarded with from waking to sleeping, it's often hard to be still and know that there's a God out there who loves every fiber of our being. Like clearing our heads with a walk in the mountains, or listening to the silence of the sea just after a storm, we suddenly realize what we've been missing, that the Spirit of God wants to speak to us in the quiet and pierce our souls with His presence. For the most part, that's the vision behind my music and my passion for songwriting.
What Others Are Saying:
"John MichalakâÂÂs music is full of passionâÂÂthe kind of passion that will keep a dead flashlight battery burning through a cold winterâÂÂs night. Meshing obvious natural talent with deeply felt truth is a potent combinationâÂÂone that has the strong potential to move you; move you to think, to worship, to praise God, and maybeâÂÂjust maybeâÂÂmove you to action. HereâÂÂs one thing I know for sure: You wonâÂÂt be able to listen passively to MichalakâÂÂs songs. He belts the words out with intensity and authority, as if he really believes that which prompts him to sing. No doubt, he does." --Curt McLey, Phantom Tollbooth Magazine
Background/Mission:
I have been performing for over 14 years as a worship leader, band member, and solo act at many different venues from churches, to coffeehouses, to conferences and camps. I recently graduated with a Master's degree in Biblical Studies from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, which I will use to teach and write inspirational books. My musical mission is to continue sharing my gifts with a wide and diverse audience, regionally and nationally. I also hope to record a debut CD in the near future, which I believe will be a helpful ministry tool and keepsake for those in need of more continual inspiration in their daily journey with God.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
As co-founder of legendary Liverpool band Groundpig, John O'Connell over the past 27 years has had his name indelibly written in to the tapestry of Liverpool's music scene.
Born and raised in the Everton area of the city, John's early influences were routed in acoustic, folk and classical guitar. Stefan Grossman; Bert Jansch; John Renbourn; and Martin Carthy all inspired John and ignited his passion for music.
It is these early influences that delicately resonate through his Simply Acoustic set with John mixing his own original songs with timeless guitar classics. The compelling fusion of popular, acoustic and folk music that resonates through his music captivates across the generations.
With some ý million hits on his Youtube channel and supporting Stephen Bishop on his recent UK Tour, John's appeal continues to expand.
âÂÂSomeone who can entertain and captivate across the generations is a precious and rare commodity and one that ought to be relished and enjoyed by all music lovers.âÂÂ
Christina Madden WIRED Magazine
"John is a very talented singer songwriter who travelled with me on tour. He captivated audiences with his excellent voice and guitar playing..."
Stephen Bishop
Age:
61 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
I am a songwriter inspired by all the styles I played and listened to as a drummer for 45 years. My music is developing into it's own genre. I have played with many bands and opened for many mainliners. All that means nothing! Listen to the tunes.
Age:
37 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
folktaylor@yahoo.co.uk
Bio:
Age:
36 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
John Gillette
Bio:
My interest in songwriting started with my childhood in Virginia. My grandmotherâÂÂs piano sat in the corner of our brick house and I was enrolled in lessons to learn to play. Like many, I cried through them. I loved to play but not to practice as the teacher urged. Instead, I used what IâÂÂd learned to create new songs and improvise. The lesson books stayed closed and this routine persisted from ages 7 to 12 when my mother tired of persuading me to play and the lessons ended for good.
In 1986, my family moved to Arizona for a couple years and then back east to Connecticut. Around that time, my brother, in uncharacteristic kindness, taught me a few chords on my fatherâÂÂs âÂÂ61 Gibson LGO acoustic guitar. Each morning IâÂÂd wait for the school bus and strum whatever combination of sounds fit my mood. Guitar became my go-to instrument and I started to teach myself by listening to songs I liked and from books, blending those techniques and patterns to make new songs. This is when the songwriting started in earnest. The formula hasnâÂÂt changed much sinceâÂÂonly my perspective and vocabulary have evolved with experience.
From high school on I played and wrote songs in bands of various styles and sizes from acoustic folk and punk four-pieces to funk octets and a jazz trio. I played an electric guitar with most bands but preferred acousticâ developing alternative tuning and finger picking techniquesâÂÂbending my ear more toward folk, swing jazz, delta blues and, increasingly, bluegrass.
Like many people in their 20âÂÂs, I yearned to travel. Songs kept spiraling out inspired by circumstance and the nuance of place like hiking the Appalachian Trail, walking from Key West to Quebec with a charity group in 2001, and living young in crowded Boston apartments thereafter. Always, I had a guitar or banjo with me and had written dozens of songs. Two college friends moved to Boston with me and we became dedicated to musical collaboration forming a band called Night in Wyoming. We lived and played together, swapped instruments and gigged every night we could. Soon we had residences, recorded, were written up in the Globe and sold a recording to a movie soundtrack. This could be viewed as the height of my musical career if measured by subsisting from music I had written. Though we had good times, the idealist in me was uneasy with making music for money motives instead of the pleasure of sharing.
This view of music as a shared commodity has solidified and songwriting now a pastime of life when leisure is a luxury. I prefer to serve my community through teaching, farming or both than selling my musical ideas for artâÂÂs sake. I like to use music as a powerful tool for intergenerational exchange, collective celebration as well as personal expression. In a broader sense, I think peopleâÂÂs working relationship with the landscape and passing on what we learn from that relationship is the primary business that matters to me and, though I love sharing music, I believe it too must be relocalized like our farms and other means of production to sustain life. So to me, a songwriter is just one skill individuals can use to compress their experience, or observation into a shared musical ideaâÂÂa lesson. I write for different reasons. Songwriting is my journal, editorial, and way of storytelling by inventing half-truths, myths and nonsense.
In winter of 2005 I moved to the Midwest to be with my, now, wife, SarahâÂÂan excellent singer and bassist. Together we have collaborated with musicians in Wisconsin, Virginia and Vermont making a tradition of opening our home to people to trade songs, styles, stories, and whatever dialogues come to mind. WeâÂÂve also brought these living room sessions to restaurants, bars, festivals, weddings, schools, community events, churches, and even the woods where fun has been the first priority.
Age:
28 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
jon@trailerparkjackson.com
Bio:
"...And you've got Green Apples. Which may turn out to be the most self-assured, confident, musically satisfying, self-released debut record you'll ever hear."
-songsillinois
"Jackson's mischievous brand of country folk epitomizes the sound of a bedroom artist slogging through countless late nights of broken picks and longneck-induced noodlings. Green Apples may have cost half a year's wages, but every dollar is put to good use."
-The Nashville Scene
..." a person would not only have to dream big but also have a lot of luck to live the life of Jon Jackson. HeâÂÂs singer-songwriter by day, Vanderbilt nurse by night. Now heâÂÂs added the title of congressional hopeful to his résumé. But letâÂÂs start with his first job."
-Harpeth Hall Quad
"The idea was to be transparent, but a lot of people just thought I was an idiot."
-Vanderbilt House Organ
Age:
43 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Jon Roniger - jbroniger@gmail.com
Bio:
Since relocating to Nashville in Autumn of 2008, New Orleasn native Jon Roniger has secured two cuts on the Jenna von Oy EP "Coffee and Men" as well as songs appearing on VH1's "Tough Love", HGTV, "Platinum Babies" and in commercials for Bedford for Beds (a UK bedding company). Buoyed by significant BBC airplay Jon is departing for his seventh European tour in early 2011.
Jon RonigerâÂÂs heartfelt roots rock is a truly American slice of songwriting. Adding his unique voice to the lineage of great U.S. artists, Roniger brings to the table music that touches on the human spirit without prettence and with much emotional power. RonigerâÂÂs songwriting masterfully captures the keen colors of the human heart, embodying the full array of feelings of which we are capable.
Age:
45 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Self
Bio:
Back in the 1990s, before his current job as stay-at-home dad to two beautiful children, Jon headlined at dozens of folk clubs, colleges and coffeehouses throughout the Northeast and Midwest.
He shared "writers-in-the-round" nights with the likes of Kristian Bush (of Sugarland), Shawn Mullins, Peirce Pettis, Dar Williams and Carrie Newcomer. He was privileged to open for stellar songwriters like Richard Thompson, Loudon Wainwright III, John Wesley Harding, Peter Case, John Gorka, Cheryl Wheeler, David Mallett and Danny O'Keefe.
He was also one of the founders of End Construction Productions (with Ellis Paul, Jim Infantino and Brian Doser), the songwriter's collective that was the catalyst for the resurgence of the New England folk scene in the early 1990s.
Jon's first two solo albums, this is NOW and yeahyeahyeah, received tons of airplay on folk radio stations, as well as excellent reviews from critics and fans alike. His latest solo album Take A Breath, -- a live-in-one-take, career-up-to-that-moment retrospective of sorts -- was released in 2004.
Since 1994, Jon has performed with his band, The Loomers. They have released four albums of Jon's songs -- Tomorrow Today (2006), Shine (2004), Simple As That (1998), and Escalation (1997) -- and, despite leading full lives with jobs and children, still manage to gig monthly.
Jon's songs have appeared on MTV, PBS, NBC, The Dr. Demento Show and several nationally distributed compilation albums. Jon has also sung, or played guitar, on albums by Ellis Paul, Don Conoscenti, and Jim Infantino to drop just a few names. And, in addition to serving as songwriter for The Loomers, Jon has written a bunch of songs with New England folksinger Don White.
Age:
33 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
27 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Jonezetta, the tight-knit quintet from Mississippi just released Cruel To Be Young on Tooth & Nail Records. "The songs don't have any type of agenda to the point where we hope anyone can listen without expectations," lead-singer Robert Chisolm affirms. "Some people listen to music and they try to guess the next part that's coming up or plan in their minds how they think a song should turn, but we went for the completely opposite approach. There's even a lot of contradicting within the lyrics-the fact that some things are gonna change and others never will-and there's a wide spectrum of going from disappointment to hope. Between what we're playing and what we're saying, it's going to leave you wondering what will happen next, and then once you find out, we keep the surprises coming."
Age:
27 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
www.PissOnFord.org
Bio:
En gira per Barcelona i rodalies durant la primera quinzena de març, el cantautor de Nashville, Jonny Corndawg, que podrÃÂem associar al mateix corrent de folk personal i intransferible d'artistes com Colin Matthews o Devendra Banhart (cada un en la seva lÃÂnia), arriba a les intimitats dels concerts acústics de l'Heliogàbal. Folk d'arrel americana que aniràd'allò més bé com a contrast amb el repertori de Joan Colomo, ànima de La Célula Durmiente, en la seva interessant aventura en solitari com a cantautor una mica marcià.
Age:
22 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
josephlemay@gmail.com
Bio:
Joseph LeMay hails from the Missippi River bottoms of Dyer County in West Tennessee, but has recently started spending more of his nights and days in Nashville. A songwriter above all else(musically speaking at least), Joseph's tunes ring loudly without bells and whistles. "The way I see it, it's not my job to trick you into thinking I'm better than I am. Just to pass on the information I've been given in the form of melodies and fingers on strings."
Age:
26 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Josephine left the romantic streets of Paris at the age of 17 to pursue her music in the bilingual city of Montreal, Canada. The couple of years she spent there were a stepping-stone for her transition from teenager to adult and from dreamer to artist. She was then ready to move to the city that she had always viewed as the music capital of the world: New York.
Montreal gave Josephine her first stage experiences and introduced her to a whole new world of music. She joined The Peopleâ≢s Gospel Choir of Montreal and was a part of their Vibe Award winning album. She has also recorded songs for film and a television commercial in France.
As soon as Josephine arrived in New York, she knew that she was in the right place and quickly found her way in the local New York music scene. She co-wrote and recorded her first album, Unfinished Life, with singer/songwriter Craig Wilson. In the meantime, she has been playing her songs around New York in venues such as The Bitter End, Crash Mansion, and R&R;.
Josephine is an obvious romantic and sings with sweetness and hope although a certain melancholy and awareness of lifeâ≢s pains and difficulties show her sensitivity in most of her songs. They have been described as ââ¬Ã
ÂSweetly sung, counting up regrets such as in the standout, Right Here.ââ¬ÃÂ
Unfinished Life is an honest representation of who she is, with a persisting little French accent...
Age:
31 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
I'm a Country Music Artist originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee currently living in Orlando, FL. I began my music career in 2001 when I made the decision to walk away from a gospel music deal in Franklin, TN. Not wanting to be pegged as a gospel artist only, I kept writing, touring, and recording independently, releasing some singer/songwriter driven albums: âÂÂAbout A Boy" (2002), âÂÂJosh Bales (2005), âÂÂUnderneath the Armorâ (2006). In 2008, after six years of writing and touring, I began directing my songwriting and recording more explicitly toward the country music world and it was like I'd found my home. I then got together with producer Jim Cooper and session players from LeAnn Rimesâ band and other Nashville greats to record my first country project, "If I Was A Prince." Within a year of the album's release I joined Nashville's Alex Torrez and we met with Capitol, Sony, Warner Bros, and Universal South. Our label conversations continue as of 2011 in response to my new EP called "Good Day" (Feb 2011). Currently I'm writing, touring, meeting folks, and having fun.
Age:
33 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
36 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
A Kansas native, Josh Holthusen is a husband, father, and a songwriter. Having lived in Nashville for nearly seven years, he has co-written with writers of country hits and artists you hear on the radio. He is now raising his children (Joseph, Matthew, Luke and Noah) with his wife Sarah in the heartland. He still actively writes, produces demos and makes trips to Nashville to co-write and look for opportunities to score that first #1.
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
info@sensibilitymusic.com
Bio:
I grew up in Santa Cruz, CA. At 17, I signed a recording contract with PLG/SonyBMG, and moved to the friendly and muggy town of Nashville, TN. I co-wrote and recorded several albums, and realized after 7 years of being on the road full time that it was song-writing that kept tugging at my heart. I am now signed as a full-time writer with Judy Stakee at Warner/Chappell in LA. I'm also with ASCAP. I write for various projects daily with a team of very talented people from around the globe. I'm stoked to have had the chance get to work with American Idol finalists, rock bands, pop acts, indie artists, tv/film projects, CCM, country and more. I love crafting a melody and lyric, and I freakin' love what I do. I have also recently formed a new company, called sensibility music LLC, to facilitate recording and releasing new Joy Williams music in the future.
Age:
31 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
It just comes naturally for Julie Gribble, writing, singing, and performing. But what she loves most is to inspire, to reach people with her music. With her Traditional Americana/Country Music, Gribble has entranced audiences with her modern stories of life, love and relationships. When you think about the edge of an artist like Lucinda Williams and the melodies of Allison Krauss, you'll find Julie. Audiences connect immediately to the unique lyrics because theyâÂÂre not the same old love clichés. As Craig Ferguson said, on his show about her record, So Typical, "It's Fantastic!"
A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Gribble was born with an infectious personality. Music gives her the means to express it. She grew up writing poetry, which eventually led to song writing. After only a dozen guitar lessons, she combined the two. It became her purpose. Through her own means and persistence, Gribble has managed to tour most the US and Canada, open for John Mayer, become the face of Hotel Indigo's Featured Artist, and be asked to perform on many national tv shows around the country as well as radio spots.
With her recent endorsement through Martin Guitars, Julie is armed and ready for her fourth record to be released in spring of 2009, followed by another performance on The Late Late Show and a global tour to follow. GribbleâÂÂs music has been featured on Lifetime movie âÂÂDive at ClausonâÂÂs Pier,â popular Nickelodeon shows âÂÂZoey 101,â âÂÂDrake and Joshâ and their TV movie âÂÂDrake & Josh Go to Hollywood,â as well on "South of Nowhere" on Noggin. Guest appearances include, 2005-The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson(CBS), The Tyra Banks Show(CBS),Queer Edge w/Jack E.Jett(QTN), 2006-Low Country Live(ABC),Your LA(NBC), 2007- The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson(CBS), Your LA(NBC), Good Day Atlanta(FOX5).She received the 2005 LA Music Award for Best Adult Alternative Artist and nominated for Best Female Artist in 2007, has been featured in Music Connection MagazineâÂÂs Hot 100 unsigned bands for both 2005 and 2006, as well as the Top 25 demo critiques,2006. Julie's music can be heard at grocery and retail stores around the country through her deals with Muzak and TruSonic.
Julie recently has been touring the US for events for Barefoot Wine, Hotel Indigo, various clubs, and charity events with organizations such as Boys and Girls Club, Ape Action, Red Fern Farms, Watering Seeds, Atlanta Humane Society, and PAWS. More important than the thrill of an audience, she jumps at the opportunity to support a good cause. JulieâÂÂs always there, with her guitar in hand and a smile on her face. ItâÂÂs not about her name in lights, itâÂÂs about telling her stories and touching those along the way. And people want to listen.
âÂÂShe was great, and I'm sure that a lot of us would have taken the rest of the afternoon to kick-back so that we could be mesmerized by her music,â Mike Zendan, Vice President and General Counsel, Muzak, LLC said after she performed at the Corporate Headquarters.
Julie's fourth record, Something's Changed, is due for release with another appearance on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson in 2009.
Age:
21 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
He has been referred to as the next Satriani or next Hammett. We are talking about Justin Ricardo Havinga who modestly realizes that he has a way to go on the guitar, still does offer a few other great assets besides fast fingers. His abilities include a great voice, intense songwriting, engineering and producing skills making him a music production king. Being that he studied music under the likes of Steve Brand and Glen Nielsen, his uncanny ability to create parts on the fly during a live session leaves you speechless as he plays with other musicians. On numerous occasions, he would step in and just let the music flow from his fingers during an unrehearsed live session. Since the age of 10, Justin has been playing on stage to small audiences. This later would show up in a few videos on Youtube such as the Jerry C Cover as well as Satriani cover 'The Extremist'. By the time he was 15, he was playing in Pubs including venues like Merritt MountainFest shredding a solo in Knockin in Heaven's Door to hundreds. He later would receive attention by MTV as well as a nomination for best guitarist through CAMEO. Still being in his teens, Justin is now making a name for himself not just as guitarist but as a songwriter and a true asset to the music industry.
http://www.myspace.com/justinhavinga
Age:
30 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Justin Nihiser is a Berklee graduate with professional credits as both a composer/ ad music writer and bandleader with We Are Berliners.
His music is currently being used on MTV, E!, and the Dept. of Health and Human Services.
As a composer, Justin writes in a variety of genres, with a specialty in Rock, Pop-Rock, Electronic, Glitch, Pop.
He also loves writing to creative briefs...maybe you should send him one, eh?
Age:
27 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
N/A
Bio:
Hello.
My name is Justin Branam.
I'm a simple character from the modest mid-west.
I relocated to Nashville, TN on the coattails of 2007.
I've written a handful of songs,
Put out some records,
And seen my fair share of the road.
Listen to my tunes and please say hello.
Age:
30 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
"Like the late Van Zandt, Earle uses a base of acoustic blues and prewar folk to build his own brand of American roots music." Nashville Scene
With Justin Townes Earles pedigree come mixed blessings. As the son of legendary singer/songwriter Steve Earle, high expectations are the name of the game, and has shown that he is up to the task on The Good Life, crafting stark portraits and narrative tales with elements of blues, classic country and rock n roll. A modern-day troubadour, Earle blends genres seamlessly, framing his songs in warm musical settings and creating tunes that could easily be mistaken for classics. "I started out to make an old timey country record, but I listen to so many other kinds of music," Justin explained. "Some of the songs were rearranged on the spot and took on other lives and album is now more of an exploration of southern music." Earle approaches universal topics like traveling and matters of the heart ("Hard Living", "The Good Life") with the same fervor with which he evokes the bleak loneliness of a Civil War soldier on "Lone Pine Hill".
The Good Life is produced by RS Field (Billy Joe Shaver, Sonny Landreth) and Steve Poulton. The album was recorded (with the exception of "Aint Glad I'm Leaving") at House of David studios, the legendary room that has hosted sessions with George Jones, Elvis Presley, Neil Young and countless others. Joining Earle in the studio are a cast of all-star players including longtime cohort Cory Younts (Bobby Bare, Jr) on banjo and mandolin, pedal steel player master Pete Finney (Dixie Chicks, Patty Lovelace), bassist Bryn Davies (Patty Griffin, Guy Clark), drummer Bryan Owings (Buddy Miller, Shelby Lynne), keyboardist Skylar Wilson and fiddle player Josh Hedley.
Justin Townes Earle is 25 years old and his age belies his experience. Growing up in Nashville he mis-spent his youth playing in bluegrass/ragtime combo The Swindlers and the louder, more rocking The Distributors and developing some very bad habits. During tours as guitarist and keyboardist ("...and not a very good one," laughs Earle) in his father's band, his problems became untenable and he was fired. Ultimately he cleaned up his act, dropped his self-destructive habits and began to focus on songcraft. "You don't have to be fucked up or torture yourself to write songs," explains Earle, "I used to write a lot, a whole lot, and half those songs I don't even remember. Now, I sit there and I write it and I finish it and I keep it."
With inspirations as diverse as Townes Van Zandt (he was named in honor of the elder Earle's hero), Jimmy Reed, Kurt Cobain, The Replacements, Ray Charles and The Pogues, Justin forged his own brand of American roots music. Going through life with a namesake of Van Zant's stature cannot be easy for a young songwriter, but Earle takes it in stride, saying, "Anyone who tries to live up to Van Zandt is a fool. I'm honored to carry the name, but if I spent my life trying to live up to it, I'd have a pretty miserable life." Likewise, his father's incredibly acclaimed, prolific career casts a huge shadow, but Justin Townes Earles makes a name for himself by focusing his writing on the personal rather than the political, narrative tales instead of protest. The Good Life melds the qualities of a short story with the lyrical acuity of excellent songs, celebrating grand southern traditions and blowing a fresh breeze across the musical gardens and dive bars of Nashville.
K
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
"We work ourselves wretched for one old wood coffin, if life doesn't get you, love will finish you off" sings K.S. Rhoads on his stunning debut album Dead Language, which American Songwriter Magazine declares, " is an exhibition in style, grace, and limitless possibilities." Listen Nashville says: "Rhoads has the perfectionism and musicianship of Roger Waters as well as a similar political chip on his shoulder." His music has been called "... a masterful marriage of indie-pop, orchestral, and american folk." His lush string arrangements recall Danny Elfman, and his lyrics recall F. Scott Fitzgerald. His live performances are rapturous and sporadic, usually with a string section and small choir. Often, in lieu of a band, he will perform using loop pedals, layering multiple instruments and harmonies, and creating beautiful textures and rhythms by way of singing and beat-boxing, all instantaneous, and all by himself. In January 2010, he performed at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in Park City Utah. On September 8th, 2011, he performed with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, for which he scored and arranged all of the music. He produces, scores, arranges, and writes songs for many other recording artists as well. Songwriting and Production credits include Universal recording artist Erin McCarley, Mia Carruthers (of MTV's Taking The stage ), Katie Herzig, Griffin House, Andy Davis, Trent Dabbs and many more. He has arranged strings for Jeremy Lister (star of NBC's The Sing Off ), Grammy award winning rock band Third Day, and Ashley Monroe (of the new country music breakthrough band Pistol Annies), just to name a few. His songs have been heard on CBS's CSI: Miami, MTV's World of Jenks, ABC's Private Practice, various independent films, and his song "The Last Goodbye" is the theme song for "MTV Tr3s" Quiero Mi Boda. After two years of extensive touring (over 210 dates), string arranging, writing and producing, he is busy working on his second album The Wilderness, which he has said, "...is like dinner with Sergei Prokofiev, in the Appalachian hills." The album is set for release in April, 2012.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
N/A
Bio:
With her lyrical flare and fire-red hair Kaci Bolls has definitely turned up the flame on her music career. Originally from the small town of Murray,Kentucky, Kaci began singing accapella music at a very young age. As
the daughter of a Church of Christ song leader, she learned to explore the power and mystery of the human voice as its own instrument. Kaci made the move to
Nashville and soon became an in-demand Demo singer. Her vocal stamp has been on songs that have been cut by well-known artists such as Carrie Underwood, Leann Rimes, Sara Evans, Julie Roberts, and Julianne Hough.
A songwriter in her own right, Kaci has cuts by artists such as Laura Bryna, Tara Oram, and Dave and Kortney Wilson. You can find Kaci on TaraâÂÂs CCMT show, âÂÂThe Tara DiariesâÂÂ, co-writing and backing her up at the legendary Bluebird Café in Nashville. She has just finished her first EP with producer Luke Wooten. It will be available on itunes, amazon, and where digital music is sold late summer. She is currently writing for Roots Three Music/Ole in Nashville.
Age:
33 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Red Valise, redvaliserecords@gmail.com
Bio:
Part Southern Gothic, part Northern hymn, Kate TuckerâÂÂs music is a thorough exploration of the traditions that have shaped the Ohio-born, Seattle-based artist since she performed her first song, at the age of nine, a cappella for an Easter Sunday congregation. Born into a family of truckers, her work is influenced by the American road with themes of departure, distance, love lost and reborn. Tucker's songs move from molasses-heavy rock to elegant, haunting ballads borne on the wings of her fragile, but insistent voice.
After studying literature in college, Tucker spent a year busking in the streets of Paris before moving to Seattle. There she recorded her first solo EP, "Eros Turannos," with Ryan Hadlock (Blonde Redhead, Regina Spektor) and subsequently formed Kate Tucker and the Sons of Sweden. Their self-titled debut was widely acclaimed, topping the blog charts, and landing spots on Starbucks compilations and television shows. The songs drew influence from hot Midwest nights and cold Northwest dawns, and Kate was frequently compared Neko Case, Chan Marshall and Cowboy Junkies front woman Margo Timmins.
Breaking with the band in 2009, Tucker began work on a new collection of songs that would become "White Horses." Produced by Blake Wescott (Pedro The Lion, Damien Jurado) "White Horses" features an all-star cast of Seattle musicians, including Casey Foubert on drums and guitars (Sufjan Stevens, Rocky Votolato).
Kate now splits her time between Seattle, New York, Nashville, and her hometown of Akron Ohio. This past year she began work on a feature film with director Dustin Morrow. Her contributions include songs for the film as well a main acting role, which will mark her movie debut. Subscribe to KateâÂÂs personal email updates at katetucker.fanbridge.com and follow her at twitter.com/katetuckermusic for the latest updates.
Breaking with the band in 2009, Tucker began work on a new collection of songs that would become "White Horses." Produced by Blake Wescott (Pedro The Lion, Damien Jurado) "White Horses" features an all-star cast of Seattle musicians, including Casey Foubert on drums and guitars (Sufjan Stevens, Rocky Votolato).
Kate now splits her time between New York, Seattle, and her hometown of Akron Ohio. She is currently working on the soundtrack for a forthcoming feature film by Dustin Morrow.
Age:
34 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
EMI Publishing Nashville
Bio:
With introspective, angel-voiced songwriter Kate York's lush, heartbroken ballads, 'Sadlylove' is spellbinding. An early contender for record of the year." So says Steve LaBate, Associate Editor at Paste Magazine. This kind of effluent praise is both familiar and deeply humbling for the New England based songstress as she prepares the release of the second full-length outing, "For You". After years of development, including countless solo concerts, vocal sessions and songwriter pairings York came to be counted as one of the artistic bright spots in the growing "other-than-country" music community in her former home-town of Nashville. Lauded by friends and fans as one of the best songwriters and possessing the type of sweetly haunting vocal style that added new color to the Nashville sound, York released her acclaimed solo debut to roundly enthusiastic endorsement by media and fellow artists like Sixpence None The Richer's Leigh Nash and Canadian
alt-country breakout Kathleen Edwards. She soon found herself sharing stages with artists of various backgrounds and niches, finding favor, if not exact stylistic comparability, with all. Her new project, "For You", capitalizes on all of the creative and critical momentum as it turns in thirteen songs that take her sound to a completely new level. Contributions by friends and co-conspirators like Nash, Erin McCarley and Landon Pigg, bring an even wider and more evocative range of sound and hue than hinted at on Sadlylove. This compelling batch of songs, produced masterfully by Ian Fitchuk and Justin Loucks will certainly go a long way towards further defining the emerging New Nashville Sound; a seamless blend of American heart with artful electronica and nuanced shading currently being explored by artists like Paper Route, Mat Kearney and Matthew Perryman Jones. But just as York settled in at the top of her Nashville game, she pulled up stakes and
headed east to New England for a fresh perspective and new horizons. Though increasingly ensconced in the creative community of her new home, she returns to Nashville regularly to write with some of the most successful names in country, pop and Gospel music. Recently signing with EMI Music Publishing, York has been writing more than ever. "This is such an exciting time," she admits. "Between releasing the new record and spending so much time writing with other artists and songwriters, I am busier than I have ever been." "Still," she adds thoughtfully, "There is nothing I'd rather be doing. This is such a blessing and honor, to make a living doing what i love most. i can't wait to see where these new roads will lead
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Katey has been a finalist in the Tucson Folk Festival Songwriting Competition, a winner and alternate in two categories of the Walnut Valley Festival NewSong Contest in Winfield, KS and a showcase artist selected for the Midpoint Music Festival in Cincinnati, OH. Her music has been featured as part of Microsoft Windows 7 âÂÂPlaylist 7â and was one of 7 national finalists in the Nine West âÂÂVoices of Vintage Americaâ contest. She has shared the stage with Matt Morris, Katie Herzig, Bill Mallonee, Braddigan (of Dispatch), The Bittersweets, Trevor Hall, Reed Waddle, Eilen Jewell, Kory Brunson Band, Rob Drabkin, Wendy Woo and Nashville Star Finalist Tamika Tyler. She has been a featured guest artist live on 9 News Peacock Café, Fox 31, Channel 2, KRFC Ft. Collins Live at Lunch and BoulderâÂÂs KGNU Kabaret and Castle Rock radio shows. Her songs have been aired on Alice 105.9, 97.3 KBCO, 99.5 The Mountain and more.
Age:
33 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
From even the first note of a Katie Herzig tune, you know you've stumbled into something special. She just has a way with a song. Maybe it's the way she juxtaposes lyrical playfulness and whimsy with incredibly thoughtful depth and emotion. Maybe it's her stunning, delicately powerful voice. Maybe it's the sonic landscape that pulls from every direction. Doesn't really matter. The captivating effect is in full force.
Katie began her career while in college as the lead singer for Boulder-based Newcomers Home. That experience lasted for eight years and took her all across the US. The band released four solid CDs that sold some 15,000 copies and built them a loyal fan base. Not bad for a bunch of Colorado upstarts.
From that foundation, Katie set fully out on her own blazing the path with her 2005 solo debut Watch Them Fall. Produced with Chris Coleman, it's chock full of tender acoustic renderings that reveal the emotional inner-workings of a seeker of truth and love.
Not wasting any momentum or time, Katie moved to Nashville in 2006 and offered up Weightless which was self-recorded/produced and mixed by Gary Paczosa (Grammy-winning engineer/producer for Alison Krauss, Mindy Smith, and Nickel Creek). From the delightful romps that kick it off to the mesmerizing heart aches that slip in toward the end, it's a powerful journey that must be taken. If 'Diamond Ring' doesn't haunt you for days, you better check your pulse. You might actually be dead.
In support of Weightless, Katie has opened shows for The Fray and many others, while also making time for the PASTE Songwriters tour with Jeremy Lister, Sandra McCracken, and Matthew Perryman Jones. To take matters even further, Katie's song -Heaven's My Home- was nominated for a 2007 Grammy for Best Country Performance by the Duhks. She has also had TV placements on various shows including "Grey's Anatomy," "Smallville" and "ER."
Wondering who her influences are? You just have to listen, for Katie's style begs a definition of its own.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Katrise Dillon Music Publishing
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
64 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
lehnigs@cox.net
Bio:
I started playing professionally in 1964 with a band called Somethinu. we were a guitar band in a world full of big horn dance bands. And we worked all the time. I gigged up and down the coast and had a pretty good following in the late 60's and early seventies. A lot of that time is a fog to me now. My son discovered through archived material that I was at Bill Grahms funeral. It must have been quite a party because I didn't remember being there. Rest in peace Bill. For those who remember the White Whale in La Jolla- The Chocolate Pie- Paul and Maggies- I'm glad you're still with us and your memory is intact. LA was a cooking place in the early and mid seventies, We were actually paid to play in those days. I even signed with a major in those ole hippie days. Kept playing and writing into the eighties. Started up a few construction outfits and worked way too hard. -Got deathly ill for a few years and turned myself int a computer geek- got well and started playing music again. Life and God is good no matter how tough it seems.I posted a few cuts from my current band's work 'The Burning Sage Band' we are still at it after all these years.- and some solo pieces.
To have a look at my other work go to
http://www.isound.com/burning_sage_band
http:/songswagger.com/ken-lehnig
http://songswagger.com/burning_sage_band
http://www.reverbnation.com/#!/kenlehnigandtheburningsageband
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Kevin Griffin
Bio:
Kev picked up the guitar when was 21. He needed 2 credits to graduate college so he took a guitar lesson. And heâÂÂs done a heck of a lot more with that class than he did with Chaucer.
Kev tells stories. As simply as possible. HeâÂÂs been told he sounds like Dylan, but he doesnâÂÂt. Or Springsteen but not really. He thinks he sounds like Paul Simon and Johnny Cash sitting around a campfire playing each othersâ songs. But he could be wrong about that too. At his best, Kev pretty much sounds like Kev, warm, friendly, fired up and self-deprecating.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
23 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Tom-Leis Music
Bio:
Born in Southern Maine, raised in the Dominican Republic, Kimberly June is an old soul with a new sound. Her unique and cultured outlook on life gives her plenty to write and sing about. In the woods of Maine, country and pop music filled her childhood home and she would sing along with her father to the songs of Garth Brooks, George Strait, James Taylor, Reba and her favorite, Randy Travis. She began playing guitar and writing songs at the age of 16, teaching herself a few chords at a time. With a history of stage fright, she would force herself to sing at open-mic nights around her hometown. After attending Berklee College of Music her sophomore year of college, she snuck into a bar and attempted to use her new-found talents during a Blues jam. The band plugged in her Stratocaster and was pleasantly surprised. Every Sunday of that summer, she would show up, plug in and the band would coach her along, making her take small solos and sing traditional blues songs by Dinah Washington, Freddie King, B.B. King and more. The drummer of the band, Pepper, was very influential in helping her find her true sound. After the summer, she decided to move to Nashville, Tennessee on a whim. She transferred to Belmont University and was a guinea pig to their new Songwriting program. Some of her biggest influences are The Beatles, Dinah Washington, Peggy lee, Patty Griffin, Bonnie Raitt and Fleetwood Mac. She juggles her songwriting and her work as the office/catalog manager at indie publishing company, Tom-Leis Music, on Music Row in Nashville. She was featured in an ASCAP writerâÂÂs night in 2009 and her song âÂÂBlue Skiesâ was chosen for the BMI Song Search in 2010. You can find her playing in monthly writer rounds around Nashville.
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
kyleandrewsmusic@gmail.com
Bio:
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
BIG TRACTOR MUSIC
Bio:
aussie starlet, kylie sackley grew up in the music biz. after years touring australia and being crowned the aussie CMA 'horizon award winner' (aka, best new talent) kylie decided to focus on her songwriting. so, at the age of 20, she said goodbye to friends and family, and jumped a plane to nashville, TN to pursue her dreams. with TWO TOP 5 singles on the US charts to date (LEANN RIMES - 'nothin bout love makes sense' & FAITH HILL'S 'sunshine and summertime') its easy to see her hard work ethic and dedication to her craft is paying off. while the offers continue to flow, kylie is currently not looking for a record deal. stay tuned....
L
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Argill's Music Publishing
Bio:
Biography:
OLD SOUL
Ladd Smith was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma September 21/22 at Midnight in 1982. But To hear Ladd Smith sing & play, your ears will tell you that you're hearing a veteran singer/songwriter, a master guitar virtuoso and an experienced performer who can reach out and effortlessly touch your soul. From a young age, Ladd was always exhuberated at the opportunity to perform spot on renditions of classic tunes and artful originals in his own unique style. Its hard to believe that someone so young could possess the musical acumen and professional poise of Ladd Smith, hard to believe until you know just how much time and effort Ladd has put into honing his natural talents.
IN HIS BLOOD
Born into a musical family, both of Ladd's parents were professional singers and musicians, touring extensively throughout the Midwest. They eventually settled in Hendersonville, TN and opened Argill's Music Store where Ladd grew up. Hendersonville being the place where many session player & country music royalty alike call home, Ladd had racked up hundreds of impromptu music lessons by the tender age of five.
PAYING DUES
Ladd began playing guitar at age 4. He began to write songs at the age of 9 and had written over 350 by the time he reached 19. Along the way he managed to record 3 original albums, play on nearly 400 sessions and perform at over 1,000 live shows. Ladd spent his teenage years working on Music Row learning all aspects of the business inside and out, known for saying âÂÂIf there are any mistakes that are going to be made in my career, I want to be the one to make them. Artist Sheila Aldridge took Ladd to meet John Briggs at Ascap when Ladd was only 15 and John Signed him to ASCAP on the spot. Considered a prodigy by his studio mentors, Ladd was personally sponsored into the Local 257 Musicians Union by President Harold Bradley at age 15. Ladd has spent the last ten years writing songs, playing guitar and singing back-up live and in the studio for tons of Nashville artists and producers. Ladd is often noted as being reminiscent of a young Vince Gill. The kind of artist that his ardently dedicated to being a consumate musician. In turn, with a repertoire of lyrics and music of over 2000 songs Ladd is known by fellow musicians as a Human Jukebox and is consistently ranked in the Top 3 Musicians and 1 Guitarist in Nashville by his peers on TheReferralList.com. Ladd has performed in over 17 countries including Kuwait where he was honored to play for our troops. As a Performing Artist and/or Member of the Band, Ladd has shared the stage and/or studio with Blake Shelton, Heartland, Phil Vassar, Merle Haggard, Confederate Railroad, Mustang Sally, Clay Walker, Jeanie Sealy, Deborah Allen, Helen Cornellius, Josh Turner, Vern Gosdin, Tanya Tucker, Trick Pony, Scout Cloud Lee, Dr. Hook, Leona Williams, Charlie Louvin, Josh Gracin, Aaron Pritchett, Duane Hitchings, Joe Melson, Ron Williams, Ferlin Husky, Jack Green and many, many others.
HIS SOUND
At this time, we would like for you to take a moment to listen to the media clips provided. It's been said that if Billy Joel & Dolly Parton were to have had a lovechild his name would be Ladd Smith. You'll hear a distinct voice and style that is both grounded in his country roots and yet breaks down the barriers of genre segregation. You will hear Ladd forge new path through familiar territory, as it were.
Age:
30 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
His friends and family will tell you that heâÂÂs never met a stranger and that when he picks up a guitar to play a song, his face lights up. Lance Carpenter grew up on a farm in Ozark, Arkansas where country music was a part of everyday life. He says, âÂÂI still remember when my family and I would gather around the TV to watch the Country Music Awards and try to predict the winners. ItâÂÂs a tradition that continues today.â When Lance was a young boy his mom signed him up for fiddle lessons hoping she would one day hear him play her favorite song âÂÂAmarillo By MorningâÂÂ. Unfortunately, the fiddle did not turn out to be the instrument in his future. He started writing songs in high school and in an attempt to redeem himself Lance bought a guitar and was determined to learn to play. While attending Arkansas Tech University, where he was a member of the 1999 Conference Championship Football team, he would watch Country Music Television (CMT) between classes and practice playing chords artists were playing not knowing what they were. He learned his first four chords that way and his songwriting took off. Six years later, in 2006, Lance joined the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI). He says, âÂÂItâÂÂs the best decision someone can make if they hope to become a successful songwriter.â Lance is forever grateful for the many ways God has blessed him through the years, but most of all on the day he was adopted by a truly amazing family. He says âÂÂI donâÂÂt know what I would do without their love and support. I thank God every day for bringing us together.â As for LanceâÂÂs songwriting, it wonâÂÂt be long before big things start happening for this small town country boy so keep an ear out for his songs.
The latest:
Lance's song "I Would Be Too" co-written with Scott Tonkinson was a runner-up in the 2010 NSAI/CMT song contest and also won the Christian division of the Dallas TX Songwriting Competition.
Age:
28 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
EMI Music Publishing
Bio:
Listeners who have been charmed by Landon Pigg's gorgeous, wistful "Falling In Love At a Coffee Shop"âÂÂa track that's exploded since being featured in a late-2007 "A Diamond Is Forever" campaign (it's been downloaded more than 225,000 times on iTunes and streamed more than almost 600,000 times on MySpace)âÂÂmight be surprised to learn that the singer-songwriter's first-ever song featured lyrics about the far less sensitive topics of Nintendo 64s and deodorant. The 24-year-old Nashville native has refined his songwriting technique over the years, but his offbeat aesthetic hasn't been lost in translation.
Nashville native Pigg started penning his own songs in high school, inspired by "crushes that were devastating," and before long he was turning out two EPs (the Magritte-inspired This Is a Pigg and Connect Sets) and working on his first full-length for RCA, 2006's LP.
Pigg cryptically explains that the dozen tracks on LP are "songs that I wrote for my friends that they didn't know I wrote for them." Opener "Can't Let Go," an aching look at a fizzled relationship, recalls Coldplay with its soaring vocals and powerfully strummed guitars. Pigg shows off why his limber tenor has been compared to Thom Yorke's on the somber "Sailed On," a track that soundtracked an intense moment on Grey's Anatomy: "I got to usher somebody on into the afterlife," Pigg explains.
"Coffee Shop" will finally be released on disc on Pigg's forthcoming EP, Coffee Shop, a batch of reworked songs and a new track with what Pigg describes as "cinematic vibes." After touring behind LP for two years and finding new meaning in its songs, Pigg decided to jump back into the studio to strip some of his favorite tunes to their core, focusing on lyrics and melody.
The intimate EP will help fans get a better look into the mind of Pigg and his whimsical ways. Take, for instance, his record collection, which is entirely dependent on the requirements of his Honda (it only plays cassettes). "I kind of depend on chance a little bit. A lot of my music has been thrift store finds, whether it's the Sleepless in Seattle soundtrack or the Smiths," he says, thumbing through a pile of tapes. "I'm a big fan of chance, going where the wind blows me and finding myself. The situations that I can't predict are more fun than the ones I could predict."
Landon is currently spending the summer working on his 2nd full length album, to be released in early 2009.
Age:
32 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
26 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
John Mullins, SESAC
Bio:
A little girl from London with keen ears, a hopeful heart, and an ambitious appetite for songs that make the world go 'round.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
MSBLOU MUSIC
Bio:
Lauren Adams
Los Angeles has more than its share of stars, but every once in a while, one outside of the famed inner circle shines above the hoopla. On L.A.âÂÂs indie music scene, Lauren Adams has developed a reputation for giving her heart and soul to her music. Adamsâ music is a fusion of rock, folk, country, and blues, which is better known as Roots or Americana. Her sound is undeniably unique. She has combined her dedication to keeping things real and her spirit of giving back to others in all of her efforts. By doing so, Adams became one of the most widely respected singer-songwriters in California.
This genuine artist has been a vital part of the L.A. music scene, and continues to do her part in giving back to her community. As host of the long running Americana Music Circle (KulakâÂÂs Woodshed, Hollywood), she has shared the stage with some of the greatest talent from every corner of the globe. SheâÂÂs showcased at high profile events like SxSW (Austin, TX) and the Los Angeles WomenâÂÂs Music Festival. More importantly, Lauren has been actively involved with local charitable events, including Hep C Aware (Hepatitis C awareness group), the House of Hope (shelter for women & families), Children of the Night (rescues runaway teens in Hollywood), along with benefit shows for musicians in need of health care.
LaurenâÂÂs own life experiences have shaped this generosity. This Florida native caught the music bug when she was little, which prompted her to attend the Berklee College of Music in MA, before moving out to California. Adams, like most folks, learned far more from the school of hard knocks, but the experiences have left her with a sense of gratitude. She truly appreciates any of the successes or accolades she receives, in being able to live out her dreams by doing what she loves: writing and performing music.
Adams has previously released two albums, âÂÂHere Tonightâ and âÂÂThirstyâÂÂ. Lauren nabbed national exposure with âÂÂThirstyâ when it was selected for the LionâÂÂs Gate film, âÂÂPeaceful Warriorâ starring Nick Nolte. The track also received Honorable Mention at the International Songwriting Competition. LaurenâÂÂs latest album, âÂÂSecret HeartâÂÂ, is already garnering similar attention. The title track âÂÂSecret Heartâ has received Honorable Mention at the 2007 International Songwriting Competition, and was written exclusively for an improvised film in the works, âÂÂThe CanvasâÂÂ. She has also been honored to share the stage with such legends as Leon Russell and Rita Coolidge on the road and in Los Angeles.
With the stellar musicianship on the CD, and production by guitar veteran Nicholas Newell Kirgo (David Lynch, Julee Cruise, Nels Cline, A.J. Croce, Vonda Shepard), the album is a virtual whoâÂÂs who of the L.A. music scene. Kirgo and Adams provide extraordinary guitar work along with the likes of David Sutton (Lucinda Williams, Tracy Chapman) laying down bass, Gary Mallaber (Steve Miller Band, Eddie Money, Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen) and Lynn âÂÂSkinsâ Coulter manning the drums, John âÂÂJTâ Thomas (Bruce Hornsby) rounding thing out on keyboards, and Jessie Valenzua (Gin Blossoms) smokinâ on harmonica.
Lauren will tour the U.S. and Europe to promote her new CD, âÂÂSecret HeartâÂÂ, and will continue to give audiences what theyâÂÂve come to expect from her: real, honest, vivacious, soulful, and thought provoking music performed from the heart.
In L.A.âÂÂs indie music scene, there are many stars fighting for attention, but after seeing her, thereâÂÂs really no secret as to why Lauren Adams shines above the rest.
Age:
30 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
N/A
Bio:
Age:
23 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Lauren Strange Publishing
Bio:
Lauren Strange grew up in Memphis, TN, where she began playing piano and taking classical lessons at the age of 6, and won her first award for songwriting at age 9, when she received first place in a school contest. She grew up singing along to recordings of artists from James Taylor to Aretha Franklin, and began performing at church with her mother, who taught her how to sing harmony. When she was 15, Lauren taught herself how to play guitar using her motherâÂÂs music books, and soon began performing locally with friends. She later attended The University of Memphis, where she met friends who recorded, engineered, and played on her debut EP, The Strange EP. She moved to Nashville after graduating college, and has proven to be an ambitious and versatile musician. She has taught private lessons in guitar and piano in Nashville, and also has also worked as a demo and background singer as well as a solo performer. Lauren met singer-songwriter Juliana Cole after moving to Nashville, and most recently performed alongside her and other musicians including Chuck Wicks, Phil Vassar, and Sarah Darling at the âÂÂLet Us In Nashville â A Tribute to Linda McCartneyâ benefit concert at the historic The Ryman Auditorium. LaurenâÂÂs song Stronger from her EP won first place in the American Songwriter Magazine Lyric Contest, and her lyrics were featured in the March/April 2010 issue of the magazine. She was named a Regional Round Finalist in the Mountain Stage NewSong Songwriting Competition in 2010, finished fourth in the Intel Superstars Competition Country Category, and was named the Grand Prize Winner in the John Lennon International Songwriting Contest in the Country Category for her song âÂÂJump.â She was also received the Lennon award in the Country category for 2010.
LaurenâÂÂs ethereal, crystal clear voice has received numerous comparisons to that of her idol, Alison Krauss, and she has received praise from many including producer Jack Douglas (whose credits include John Lennon, The Who, Aerosmith). Douglas says, âÂÂWow, [she has] a beautiful voice. I was knocked out by [her] songwriting. I look forward to hearing [her] name mentioned around the studios as a âÂÂgo toâ songwriter and artist in the near future.âÂÂ
Age:
44 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
info@laurielarson.com
Bio:
www.laurielarson.com
American singer and songwriter Laurie Larson has just released her third album, "A Striking Resemblance".
It is on the Grammy Ballot for "Best Pop Vocal Album" and "Album of the Year".
Global Rhythm Magazine placed "A Call to Action" from it on their January / February 2008 Collector's CD, their review: "There's a bit of the desert in Arizona-based Laurie Larson's stately folk-pop songs. Her zephyr-like tenor brings a solitary, mournful air to the opening of "A Call to Action", pushing the song into a double-time beat that flies by like the mile markers on an open highway." Global Rhythm Magazine came back again in March to add "Utopia" on their CD, then picked "1 Realm" for their June CD. Relix Magazine has also chosen the title track to "A Striking Resemblance" for their November 2008 CD Sampler along with Joan Osborne, Burning Spear and Lucinda Williams.
From her prior release "Aquila", "Architect of Dreams" was on the Crossroads CD Sampler with EmmyLou Harris, Mary Youngblood and Buckethead. The tracks on her CD were ordered by Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, Richie Furay of Buffalo Springfield and Poco.
Laurie was born in Kalispell, Montana. She began playing music at age 7, and can play guitar, violin, piano, banjo, but she considers herself mostly a bass player. She ran twice for the Arizona House of Representatives and has been a web designer for several candidates from Congressional Races to Governor. Her art and photography is also available at several galleries in the Phoenix area. http://laurielarson.imagekind.com/Astrophotography A lifelong radio DJ, consultant and rock & roll music director, she has also been a Program Director and Operations Manager for multiple cluster stations, in the southwest and California. Laurie has also worked in state and city government, education and for Kitt Peak National Observatory. She recently founded the Progressive Rock Hall of Fame in 2008.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
It's difficult to "define" the band's genre - "Lead Pipe Cinch". In fact LPC members have even described themselves at times as originators of a new musical genre: spaghetti/spunk/salsa, due to the ska/punk, Latin and spaghetti-western influences evidenced in their tunes. Their new self titled CD was recorded and produced by Lenny Post at Hickory St. Studio in Blauvelt, N.Y.
One editor's description follows:
"The NYC-based band has a sound that can only be described as original and guitar driven, since the sheer variety of styles utilized is mind-boggling. Think Blondie meets Clapton, Joan Jett meets Allman Brothers or even Spiderman meets Santana. "SARAH WILLARD, EVENT MAGAZINE (SEPT. 24, 2008)
The founding members of Lead Pipe Cinch actually met through Lenny Post @ Hickory St. Studio in Blauvelt, NY. during a recording session. Deborah Trabolsi, the lead singer/songwriter and bassist met Frank Severino, the talented lead guitarist singer/songwriter during a recording session for the band "Sidetrax". Deborah has a Master's degree in Music Therapy from NYU and is a true veteran to this business, opening for bands in NY and touring for acts in US & Canada such as U2, Iggy Pop, Billy Idol, Gang of 4, English Beat & the list goes on... Her influences are mainly alternative, punk, pop (with a little Joni Mitchell thrown in) ... that is until she switched from keyboads and guitar 4 years ago, began playing bass and teamed up with Frank, a veteran blues player whose whose interesting lines and signature sound definitely keep things moving!
Frank began writing and playing in both original and cover bands at an early age. Frank played professionally from an early age, performing and recording his own material while working as a session musician with Lenny and several well known artists in the NY, Tri-City area. He began with a love for classical guitar and flamenco and carried over those fundamental techniques into a mix of blues, classic and southern rock. His "fat" guitar sound highlights a "blues" Southern/Classic Rock appeal with a sound comparison to Clapton, Marshall Tucker and Santana!
With 2 singer/songwriters, both of unique and varying sounds it was diifcult to find a drummer who could "fit the bill"! It was surprizing to find a young drummer, Peter Severino who could play so many different styles with real precision and conviction. Peter is a serious musician (he also plays guitar, is studying music theory and taking lessons from a Berkeley Professor) and has performed and had already been signed to several indie labels in the Northeast area.
The 3 musicians began collaborating and writing songs for TV/Film destinations that included a mix of many genres. Together they formed "LEAD PIPE CINCH!"
Their song "Johnny Delgado" was recently chosen from a contest of thousands to be published and placed on a nationally released CD compilation through Spacedog & Top Cow Productions. The comic novel and CD soundtrack "Johnny Delgado is Dead" written by John Leekley, Michael Olmos and Roger Minchoff, (The Covenant, Spawn, Splinter) are being showcased at NY and San Diego Comic Conventions.
The novel and CD will be available in Barnes & Nobles and other major Dept. stores throughout the US and is available at www.johnnydelgadoisdead.com, and www.spacedogentertainment.com.
"Engraved" has just been nominated to Fan Favorite category in the "Independent Singer-Songwriter Association (ISSA) Song Contest" Session II 2008. http://www.issa-music.org.
"Engraved" and "Johnny Delgado" received "Honorable Mention" in the (ISSA) Song Contest" Session I 2008.
"Trouble" is a semi-finalist in the Jazz/Blues category in the UK Songwriting Contest 2008 http://www.songwritingcontest.co.uk
"Chuckie's Bride" has just been selected as a finalist in the 100% Music Songwriting Contest in the metal/punk category.
"Trouble" is also a semi-finalist in the blues/jazz category. http://www.100-music-songwriting-contest.com
"Trouble" was a semi-finalist for DSA Contest, 2007.
"Engraved" is also on Robbie Tucker's Compilation CD "Musicians Against Parkinsons" http://www.MapMusic.org
"Trouble" and "Engraved" received special mention on The Music Aid Awards, 2007.
Their website is www.myspace.com/leadpipecinch and they are also on www.indiecharts.com. where they held the #1 slot for pop/punk genre from April - June '08. Their songs have received awards along with charting in the top 10 in multiple genres on www.Broadjam.com/Deborahtrabolsi and www.Musicgorilla.com/leadpipecinch.
Other songs were in the runner up category in Nov. and Dec. VH1 songwriter contest for "songoftheyear".
The July '08 edition of Mike Cameo's Indie Top 10 Pop featured "Trouble" http://www. indiestop10.com and http://www.myspace.com/mikecameo.
Their songs have showcased and been on rotation on several stations including www.wjfn997.com., www.bananapeelradio.com., Rocklandworldradio.com and http://www.underworldmixradio.com along with several other internet stations.
They enjoy experimenting with all styles of music, yet are able to maintain their very own original signature sound while creating original songs. They do not want their music to be "placed in a box and neatly tied" and are writing new songs that explore "funk" and "progressive rock" along with other musical styles.
They are currently competing in their 3rd round in OS National Band Search, sponsored by Sam Ash and Shure Microphones and are playing in NYC, NJ, Boston and surrounding areas.
They performed at the M.E.A.N.Y. Festival this fall in NYC (Oct 8th -18th) after performing in the finals @ Second Annual Rockanagan Festival in B.C. on Sept. 26th - 29th.
Their CD "Lead Pipe Cinch" consists of 10 songs that were professionally produced, recorded by Lenny Post @ Hickory St. Studio and written mainly for TV/Film destinations. It is available on tunecore for: iTunes U.S., C2iTunes Australia/N.Z., iTunes Canada, iTunes UK/European Union, iTunes Japan, Rhapsody, Napster, eMus, GroupieTunes, Amazon MP3 & Lala.
Instrumentation
Deborah Trabolsi - vocals, bass, rhythm guitar & keys
Frank Severino - lead guitar, dobro, mandolin, vocals
Peter Severino - drums and percussion
Discography
"Johnny Delgado" on the "Johnny Delgado is Dead" Compilation CD that will be distributed nationally in store such as Barnes & Nobles and other major retailors & Dept. stores in the US. The comic strip is created by John Leekly of "Spawn", Michael D. Olmos of "Splinter" & Roger Moncheff of Spacedog Enterainment & "The Covenant".
"Engraved" on Robbie Tucker's Compilation CD "Musician's Against Parkinsons 2008".
"Lead Pipe Cinch" - 1st CD titled "Lead Pipe Cinch"
"Disassembling Deborah" by "Lead Pipe Cinch"
"Trouble" on "The Simple Life" by "Sidetrax"
ALL on airplay - Banana Peel Radio in Canada www.bananapeelradio.com .
www.wjfn997.com. stationed out of Long Island with internet access throughout the world. (99.7)
underworldmixradio.com.
3 songs: Celebrate Radio, Christianinet.com & Anointesoundz.com
Interview and airplay on Rocklandworldradio.com
Mike Cameo's Indie's Top 10 Pop! The July '08 edition featured "Trouble".
http://www. indiestop10. com & http://www.myspace.com/mikecameo.
Indiecharts.com
Links
http://www.myspace.com/leadpipecinch
nttp://www.sonicbids.com/leadpipecinch
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
37 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
On Doniphan Nights, Lee Simmons moves beyond his singer-songwriter roots to bring a more expansive sound than previously explored in his work. Crafted over the course of seven months, the record was primarily tracked at Simmonsâ home studio with a cadre of AustinâÂÂs best musicians, including Ramy Antoun (Seal, Goldspot), JJ Plasencio (Sixpence None the Richer), Kullen Fuchs (Ian Moore), John Leon (Roky Erickson, Summer Wardrobe), and Derek Morris (Bob Schneider). Simmons aimed to combine the best elements of classic, melodic songwriting with more collaborative, full-band sonics. The resulting album presents a broadened range of musical styles, from the plaintive ukulele strums of âÂÂCity Lightsâ to the sparkling pop of âÂÂDoniphan Nights.âÂÂ
Beginning with his 1999 debut e.p. Depot Park, Simmons has been crafting melodic songs that Performing Songwriter describes as âÂÂcalling to mind the breezy, smart pop of both the Finn brothers (he has the worldly-wise eye of Tim and the melodic breadth of Neil), Michael Penn and Glen Phillips.â His music has equally been welcomed by audiences, with Simmons sharing the stage with the likes of Hanson, Nellie McKay, Alexi Murdoch and Jon McLaughlin.
Age:
34 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Nash was born Leigh Bingham in New Braunfels, Texas. She met guitarist and songwriter Matt Slocum at a church retreat in the early 1990s. The two formed Sixpence None the Richer soon after and went on to record four full-length albums with the band. Their first album, released when she was just 16, was The Fatherless & the Widow. The album garnered critical acclaim and Slocum and Nash searched for new band members.[2]
They found Tess Wiley, Dale Baker, and J.J. Plascencio. The new band recorded This Beautiful Mess, which won a Dove Award for Best Album. Wiley quit the band after their US tour and the band signed to the Squint Records label.[3]
The band's new eponymous album was released in 1997 and the single "Kiss Me" in 1999. In 1999 they received numerous Dove Awards, including Best Artist of the Year. The band was also nominated for a Grammy Award.
After problems with their record labels, Sixpence came back in 2001 with the album Divine Discontent after losing both Dale Baker and J.J. Plascencio. Two singles from that album, "Breathe Your Name" and "Don't Dream It's Over", went onto the charts. However, Sixpence announced their break-up on 26 February 2004 when Slocum sent a letter to CCM Magazine.
In spite of the colossal success the band enjoyed with ubiquitous pop singles like âÂÂKiss Meâ and âÂÂThere She Goes,â the group was continually plagued by the business woes of the trade and finally decided to split ways amicably. Disoriented by this major change, Nash and her husband left their Nashville home of ten years and moved to Los Angeles.
While in L.A., Nash penned a batch of songs that would eventually comprise her first solo record, Blue on Blue, a sweetly understated collection of musings on love and motherhood released in August 2006 on One Son Records, NashâÂÂs own imprint label through Nettwerk Productions.
In the meantime, Nash moved back to Music City and into a new community of musicians â a recently formed rock collective called Movement Nashville. The group hopes to dispel the myth that musically Nashville is limited to Country or Christian.
Nash, Megan Thomspon and Kate York started a Christian band called "Thompson, York & Nash", they worked a few songs that has put on * Myspace.
In November 2007, Leigh and Matt met over coffee and positively discussed the reuniting of Sixpence. The band is currently in the process of tracking a new EP.[4]
In January 2008 Nash travelled down under to New Zealand to perform at the annual Parachute Music Festival. Performing on the main stage twice, she attracted crowds of over 30,000 who enjoyed her acoustic covers of Sixpence None the Richer hits "Kiss Me" and "There She Goes".
Age:
0 Years Old
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professional
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Bio:
This prolific songwriter has released seven albums, which have won him a host of awards and nominations Over 30 artists have recorded his songs, including Jimmy Buffett, who recently invited Gallant to perform it onstage with him. His songs have also appeared in feature films, television seriesâÂÂ, and in numerous theatrical productions.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
catosongs@hotmail.com
Bio:
Age:
41 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
BRITISH LYRICIST LOOKING FOR COLLAB WITH US/WORLD SINGERS, SONGWRITERS.
British writer, into well-constructed lyrics that strike chords and touch hearts. Themes include the usual suspects - love, hate, anger, joy, loneliness, alienation, escapism or just the sad realities of life. Mostly it is universal truths well told. All with commercial chart pop or adult pop/rock potential. But no cliches.
Willing to explore all different styles. No limits. Appreciate all kinds of music. Method can be words first (my words are written with rhythm and an understanding or phrasing, meter and mood) or melody first. Both work!
Looking to work with a songwriter, composer or co-writer who is maybe finding inspiration hard to come by - someone with talent, depth and imagination who is part genius, part workaholic and 100% original.
You can reach me at david.burn@netcom.co.uk
www.song-tank.com/liquidlife
www.myspace.com/immensemusic
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Padre Music
Bio:
Call her an urban cowgirl with soul. A singer songwriter who sings from the heart and plays from the hip. Time Out Magazine, NY says Lisa "inspires quite effortlessly with a stunning voice that soars and takes you along for the ride." Lisa's released three independent CD's, "Becoming", The EP "Three" and "A Very Country Compilation" which won a 2007 Syracuse Area Music Award (SAMMY) for Best Country Recording.
Growing up in a very musical family, Lisa is no stranger to the music industry. Daughter of Mickey Gentile, Motown Record producer to a long list of legendary artists including Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, Diana Ross, Mary Wells, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, The Temptations, Tammi Terrell, The Four Tops, Billy Eckstein, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Connie Francis and Frank Sinatra to name a few. Her mother, Jennifer Lambert, enjoyed a successful writing and recording career at the top of the charts on Decca Records.
A native of Syracuse, NY, at age 10 Lisa's family transplanted to New York City so she could fully pursue a career in show business. It wasn't long before Lisa was starring in national commercials, plays and even won a couple episodes of Star Search with a perfect score. She studied at the famous High School of Performing Arts in New York City, otherwise known as âÂÂFameâÂÂ, and received her BA in Arranging and Composition from Bard College.
Lisa was discovered by producer and writer Keith Diamond (Billy Ocean, Michael Bolton, Donna Summer, Mick Jagger) who jump started and nurtured her writing and recording career until his untimely passing in 1997. Lisa continues to work with the industries top musicians and producers in today's market. Her latest set of songs recorded in 2010 were produced by Lisa & David Greenberg (EMI Records, Virgin Records, RCA Records, Atlantic Records, and Curb RecordsâÂÂrecording at The Hit Factory, Electric Lady Studios, Battery Studios, Right Track, and Capitol Records).
Lisa is the creator and host of the popular "Music Mavericks" Open Mic Series every Wednesday night at Opus Lounge in Armory Square. She is produces concerts and events, including the original Naked Songwriter Series and most recently, Lisa's launched Music Heals CNY, a not-for-profit endeavor which brings live acoustic music to the bedsides of patients and families healthcare facilities throughout Central New York.
Lifetime Television's newest network, Lifetime Real Women , chose Lisa to be one of 12 standout women to join the Lifetime Real Women family in representing the network in its ongoing connections with consumers and business partners. The LRW campaign will highlight the individual stories of real, "everyday" women, bringing their inspiring and entertaining perspectives to viewers across America.
Lisa continues to write and perform both solo- acoustic and with her band.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Elita Publishing; lisa@lisatorres.com
Bio:
Age:
38 Years Old
Level:
novice
Contact Publishing:
Big Fish Music
Bio:
I began writing music to heal after I had a stroke in 2007. Weird smells, sights, memories, and music came in unexpected times. After stabilizing a bit, my husband put a guitar in my hands.
I have Systemic Lupus Nephritis, and living year to year is a blessing. Of all the horrible things medically I have to endure, family and music are my healing stones.
I may not have the best voice, or the best guitar ability, but I am learning everyday who I am as a writer, and thank all the powers that be for giving me such a beautiful thing to help me move forward.
Age:
55 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
self
Bio:
Lou Derr- Singer/Songwriter
LA Music Awards Male Singer Songwriter of the Year 2006-07-Southern Rock
Lou Derr was born on Travis AF Base in Fairfield, Ca. By the time he could reach the old upright piano he was banging away and eventually started making some pretty sounds from the old family room furniture. Between sand buckets a metal bird cage and the old upright Derr had the beginnings of his drum set and musical instruments. It wasnâÂÂt until the age of 12 that Lou got his first real guitar though and self taught himself by playing along with Beatles albums and old Merle Haggard tunes his folks had. Most of the learning process took place after school when no one was home for a couple of hours. I remember trying to play that Harmony guitar to every song I could find. By the time I hit 14 I had the starts of a neighborhood band going on with several of the kids on the block. Every Christmas it was all about who could get a new piece of equipment to make the band sound better, I remember my first electric guitar was given to me by my Uncle it was an old Framus and it was RED! I did all I could do to keep it in tune and I also kept all the rest of the bands guitars in tune. It was amazing how many cheap guitars were sold through Monkey Wards or Sears. I donâÂÂt know how they expected anyone to play those guitars. The strings were so high off the fret board; kids were bleeding after jamming for a couple of hours. It wasnâÂÂt until CCR hit the airwaves though before I took it all seriously. I met the guys in the band. My grandma lived down the road from âÂÂThe Factoryâ in Berkeley. I spent all my extra time there and learning John FogertyâÂÂs guitar licks. I remember I went on a radio show and sung my first Haggard tune when I was 14 or 15. It was âÂÂCorrina CorrinaâÂÂ. The crowd loved it and thatâÂÂs all it took for me to be totally hooked on playing out with a live audience. The writing came a couple of years later. When I turned 15 John sold me his âÂÂRed Ricâ guitar and I got a few paying gigs at the Pac-bell Christmas party or the High School dances. I started writing about girls and bands on the road and stuff like that. I remember writing my first love song on the piano that was now in the family garage. We hung up moving blankets at my friendâÂÂs house or whoeverâÂÂs garage we could practice at. The first song I wrote was called âÂÂHitch Hikingâ Me and my best friend wrote it about getting from Pinole to Berkeley everyday to hang out at âÂÂThe Factoryâ . We actually recorded it in the 9th grade at a studio in Vallejo, Ca. We were the only High School kids to have a real 45 record out. It was pretty bad. Later I started writing in the style of Fogerty. The phrasing and the formula for the 3 minute hit was his specialty. I did learn that and I think everything I ever wrote has that same formula. I still write that way today. I put a 10 song album out and re-released it just this year. I am writing songs write now for the next album. There have been opportunities that have come along the way and I have performed worldwide doing DOD tours but now with the internet it is getting a lot easier to get your songs out there so I have been self promoting for the last 3 years. I love to sit down with a guitar and write a tune. It is really rewarding though to get it down on tape or?. Even if itâÂÂs a home recording. I am hoping to become a hit maker. I know it is in me. I am looking to listen to other writers in my genre and learn from others. You never know when someone is going to like your song and want to cut it on their album.
I am finding myself writing almost everyday as a passtime at work and I am coming up with some really good songs this last month. I noticed a genre that I probably fit into that's the West Coast Country genre . I feel my writing style tells a story and at the same time can be country with some Rock guitar licks also and I love the Bakersfield sound so maybe I have found my nich. I am writing a song called "Hobo Jungle" It's a swampy rock/ yet Tony Joe White feel of a song mixed with some cool guitar licks It's going on my next album for sure! iF i Can sneek a Fogerty style lick into a song it makes me chuckle. Just to know him is cool but to be able to play all his licks since I was 15 yrs. old is a....well his own kids are doing it too.....even on stage with John. He is my true mentor on guitar even though there is a time for Fogerty licks and then there is a time for that truck driven Bakersfield sound. I love it all !! I wish I could play for The Hag. I would have been a good Stranger! Hey a new song!
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Jimmy T.
Bio:
Micah, an accomplished musician, has been studying the piano, guitar, and voice for many years. He currently writes and records his own music with several different bands and plays numerous venues in and around the southeast United States.
Being classically trained in piano since the age of 3, singing since the age of 5, and classically trained on guitar since the age of 10 has prepared Micah for a lifelong career in music. He has experienced teaching different styles and techniques for the piano, guitar, and voice.
Micah attended Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, in Jacksonville, Florida, where he performed nationally and won many awards for his musical accomplishments; most notably in the field of classical, blues, jazz and rock guitar. After graduating from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in 2001, Micah attended Valencia College in Orlando, FL. where he received an Associate of Arts degree in Audio Production and Music Performance in 2003 and from the University of Central Florida, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Composition & Arranging and Musical Performance in 2006.
Music has always played an important part of MicahâÂÂs life, and now he shares his expertise in music by teaching others.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
none
Bio:
It is somewhat known that Lucas Jackman describes his own music as jalepeno soup for the soul. This is strangely true. It will light you up, clear out the cob webs, and bring into focus things that ring distantly true in all of our souls. It is masculine but not overbearing, strong but not proud, sensitive but not weak. Growing up in rural Texas laid the foundation for this sensitive strength. Jackman was heavily influenced by gospel, folk, country and local church music. Disturbed by the lack of depth in modern commercialized church music and rapidly changing pop culture, he sought to work out this conflict in his own mind. There seemed to be a contradiction between the old and the new. Jackman thought this somehow resulted in a consumer society obsessed with wealth and fame that miraculously transforms depressed narcissists into cult idols to the benefit of no one. There was, however, music that touched his soul and seemed to be special. It dealt with reality and also provided escape. Somehow you could listen to a song and feel better. Even if it is only a temporary detachment from the pending depression caused by reality of a fallen world. Here is what happens though. Its more than that. If you hear a great song whether it be sad or whether it be angry or whether it be any number of other things, you feel better and then you tell somebody. It connects us to each other and gives us things to talk about. These conversations arenâÂÂt always deep and spiritual but its not always surface crap either. Bottom line: Music and song-writing give us a tools to push on the things in this life that donâÂÂt make sense. Lucas Jackman does not have it all figured out but he has figured out that he doesnâÂÂt have it all figured out and also he writes some really cool songs. Enjoy, discuss with friends, and eat some spicy soup.
Age:
33 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
www.lyndybutler.com
I'm on the brink of a dream....
I love to make and listen to music. all kinds. it never ceases to amaze me how a song can turn strangers into friends.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
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Bio:
Fall For Beauty, the new album from Lynn Miles, is set to be release on January 25, 2011 in the United States.
Lynn Miles is one of North AmericaâÂÂs most acclaimed singer-songwriters. Here are some highlights of what the press is saying about her new album:
â Milesâ take on melancholy comes in every shade of conceivable blue the main focus being âÂÂlost loveâÂÂ. Milesâ studiously crafted lyrics always possess a âÂÂbeen there, done thatâ authenticityâ¦Having reviewed albums for some three decades, in any one year only a handful of albums truly deserve the maximum accolade of five stars. If everything were fair in this flawed human existence, Fall For Beauty would (at least) be a six.â Maverick
âÂÂLynn Miles' eighth studio album, brimming with 10 of her own creations, is seductive for the very reason that this genre of music exists in the first place: sheer emotional honesty, unbridled by pretension or irony.âÂÂ- The Toronto Star
âÂÂThere can be no doubt that Miles is at her best delivering straightforward, unadorned country-folk in the tradition of Nanci Griffith or Mary Chapin Carpenter.â - Americana-UK.com
"Canadian songbird Lynn Miles sings lusciously on her fifth country-tinged, folk-pop album (Love Sweet Love). Smart lyrics abound as she expounds on love lost and gained, sketched with dark hues and rising tempos.â - Billboard Magazine
â âÂÂFall For Beautyâ is a classy album from a classy performer. ItâÂÂs as simple as that.â - BluesBunny.com
Lynn is also gearing up to hit some shows in the States, so donâÂÂt miss your chance to see her perform.
January 2011
14 Music Up Close - Innisful, ON
15 Cobalt Classic Theatre - Cobalt, ON
21 Open Ears Concerts - Austin, TX
22 Anderson Fair - Houston, TX
27 Las Alturas House Concert - Las Cruces, NM
29 Blue Door - Oklahoma City, OK
February
16-20 Folk Alliance International - Memphis, TN
...more to come...
Links:
www.truenorthrecords.com
http://musicfog.com/home/2010/11/24/lynn-miles-save-me.html
http://www.truenorthrecords.com/Albums.php?album_id=666
M
Age:
34 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
âÂÂTHESE SONGS COME FROM STICKY SOUTHERN TOWNS AND BROKEN
HEARTS. HARD LIVING AND THE LONG ROAD HOME.âÂÂ
Mac Leaphart is a singer/ songwriter, playing a blend of country and
rock and roll the Charleston City Paper describes as, âÂÂ...A rowdy set,
which seems to meld Gram Parsons with the âÂÂSticky Fingersâ era
Rolling Stones.âÂÂ
Leaphart embraces the opportunity to work any room that he ï¬Ânds
himself in. âÂÂI spent the better part of a year and most of my money in Los
Angeles. LA is great for making industry contacts, but it is not the best
environment to play shows and develop an audience. When I made it back to the South, I started playing as much as I could, anywhere that would have me-from dive bars to coffee houses to theaters.I am getting my songs heard the old fashioned way, by playing in front of people.âÂÂ
Since his arrival in Charleston in late 2007, Leaphart has been performing over 200 shows a year, performing solo, as a duo with friend/collaborator Danielle Howle, and with a full band. His 2008 independent
release, âÂÂLine, Rope, Etc.â was chosen as one of the best albums of the year by the Charleston City Paper.
Leaphart is currently headlining shows in South Carolina(The Pour House, The Handlebar, The Sylvia Theater) and on the road as a supporting artists and bands including Corey Smith, Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion, Scott Miller, and Cravin Melon. So keep your eyes and ears open, heâÂÂll be coming around soon.
Age:
25 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Brooke Primont Bio:
With a staggering voice and a gift for poignant melodies and innovative arrangements, Madi Diaz is folding her roots, pop and indie influences into her own paper airplane. The sound of her new EP, Ten Gun Salute, might surprise those who have heard her debut album, Skin and Bone, as Madi and her cohort, Kyle Ryan, veer off into new sonic territories. Toy pianos plink. Fat basslines oomph. Americana overtones give way to imaginative pop structures. All the while there's that amazing voice weaving through. From the simple and sublime "Heavy Heart," to the instantly memorable "Nothing At All," the evocative storytelling of "Love You Now" to the damn-near-epic title track, Ten Gun Salute finds Diaz soaring.
Raised in Lancaster, PA, Diaz moved to Philadelphia with her family to attend Paul Green's School of Rock and wound up a featured pupil in the 2005 documentary film about the program, Rock School. That experience led to three years at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she met Ryan, and the two have been collaborators ever since. Since the release of Skin and Bone, Diaz been performing live, including gigs at the Rocky Mountain Folk Festival, WXPN PhiladelphiaâÂÂs XPoNential Music Festival, the Living Room in New York City and The Basement in her newly adopted home of Nashville. In Music City, Madi and Kyle have been co-writing with the likes of Sarah Siskind, Katie Herzig, Garrison Starr and David Mead, and recording demos with Gary Paczosa (Alison Krauss), Marshall Altman (Matt Nathanson) and Jay Joyce (Patty Griffin). Producers Ian Fitchuck and Justin Loucks (Landon Pigg, De Novo Dahl, Griffin House) became fast friends and just as quickly collaborators, the first byproduct of which is Diaz and Ryan's new EP, Ten Gun Salute.
Age:
26 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
margareteckford@yahoo.com
Bio:
I am a southern girl from Mississippi. I've been writing songs since I was about 14 years old. I picked up my life and moved to Sydney, Australia about 2 years ago to study music and write. It turns out that a change of scenery is just what I needed. I began writing and playing small shows wherever I could, and it wasn't long before I was introduced to a Canadian producer who offered to help produce my first album. I flew to the snowy Canadian countryside in January 2010, and in May released my debut album "for what it's worth" on iTunes. The album has since then been very successful, and I have been amazed at the response. Now that I'm back on American soil, I am happy to say that I am able to do what I love for a living. I have landed several placement deals since I returned, including a deal with Apple as well as multiple Canadian tv series. I am currently writing for my next album, which should be released in the spring or summer of this year.
Age:
28 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
kaya@u-neon.com
Bio:
Mali (pronounced Molly)Woods' songs are brimming with everything that makes music a powerful life-force in the world. Her lyrics are poetic, deeply thought, deeply felt and wield that potency all art seeks to accomplish: the ability to tell a personal story that makes us all nod and say, " You just said the thing I've felt all my life but didn't know how to express." Her story-telling follows the courageously forged footpaths of her folk-women predecessors, from Joni to Ani; this is the voice of a new generation of women who do not shy away. And what a voice it is. Mali's vocals soar flip rip dive and twirl through the air and then -- in a moment -- hush to a lull softer than the setting sky. Listening to her will return you to the pure raw beauty of the human voice, which she sets off with guitar accompaniment that takes as many risks as her lyrics and emerges triumphant. Add to this synergy of truth and beauty endless layers of melody, harmony and rhythm, the likes of which you've not yet heard, and what you have is a neo-folk-revolution. What you have is a canopy of light rising over the horizon. What you have is Mali Woods.
Age:
44 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Grew up and still am dirt poor! Live so far back in the woods, a GPS can't even get me home! (True Statement). Been writing songs since I was about 9. I can't read a single note of music, or play one instrument, but I'm a hell of a songwriter nonetheless. I believe that music in all forms is entertainment, and I have just as much right to entertain as anybody else. My favorite country song is, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". I love to hunt, fish, shoot & write songs. I don't have much to my name, but I thank the Lord for all the love I have in my life.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Three Pound Catfish Music, ASCAP
Bio:
Biography
**2009 ALATHEA wins BEST GROUP in the INTERNATIONAL ACOUSTIC MUSIC AWARDS
**Dec 2009 Alathea's song "Hurricane" awarded honorable mention in the USA SONGWRITING CONTEST
**April 2009 CMT (yes, as in Country Music Television) and Nashville Songwriters Association announces ALATHEAâÂÂS song Hurricane as an honorable mention the 9th Annual NSAI/CMT Song Contest.
**Dec 2008 Alathea selected to SHOWCASE at the National NACA Conference in Nashville, TN Feb. '09.
**Dec 2008 Alathea releases 5th full-length recording: ALATHEA CHRISTMAS with a corresponding 19 date Christmas tour
**Nov 2008 Alathea's song "Hurricane" finalist in Americana category for 8th Annual Independent Music Awards. www.musicansatlas.com/imafinalist
**April 2008 Alathea appears live on Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour at the Kentucky Theatre (internationally syndicated show broadcast on over 400 radio stations.)
**April 2008 Alathea music from latest recording MY ROOTS GROW DEEPER licensed to MTV, Lifetime, and Oxygen networks.
**March 2008 The John Lennon Songwriting Contest announced Alathea's song "Hurricane" as one of the Folk Category winners for 2007.**
**Feb 2008 Alathea's music added and played at over 170 college and community radio stations throughout the US, after wrapping up a successful 8-week radio campaign.**
**Nov 2007 Alathea's song "Hurricane" selected as WINNER of the We Are Listening international singer-songwriter awards.**
***Colleges played: Georgetown, Converse College, Wheaton College, Judson University, King College, Milligan College, Valparaiso University, Elon University, Erskine College, East Tennessee State, University of Florida, Florida State, Delta State University, Wittenberg University, Tusculum Universtiy
***Festivals: Musikfest, Athfest, Rhythm and Roots Reunion, Creation East/West, Delta Fest, Highlands Festival
Alathea â MY ROOTS GROW DEEPER
The real substance of Alathea comes from the unexpected, the underground and the out of sight. The duoâÂÂs fourth full-length recording, My Roots Grow Deeper, conveys a depth of thought, insight and care that is rare in a surface age, and which puts on display the reason for their continually expanding community of supporters. And thatâÂÂs what Alathea has developed: community, not fans.
My Roots Grow Deeper is a full and textured record, thoroughly modern yet absent of any cliché studio trickery or gimmicky hybrids. Led by RadfordâÂÂs clear-as-a-bell vocals, and complemented by JohnsonâÂÂs smoky harmonies, the song cycle delivers an emotional and atmospheric ride as dynamic as the mountain view they glimpse from their East Tennessee cabin.
That spirit allows Alathea to connect to anyone, anywhere, simply by being invitational in the way they approach their craft and their lives. And while their lyrics display a sharp intellect and grounding in the work of influential artists, it is the unresolved honesty of how the songs are conveyed that marks AlatheaâÂÂs work.
(BIO written by Dave Palmer)
Age:
38 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Matthew Miller, mmiller@carnivalmusic.net
Bio:
Age:
22 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
In 2006, at the age of sixteen, Maria and twin sister, Sarah Fitzmaurice, launched their own group, The Fitzmaurice Band. In a matter of months, they were invited to play GreyFox Bluegrass Festival, one of the biggest progressive bluegrass festivals in the country alongside acts like Nickel Creek, The Duhks, Marty Stewart, and Ricky Skaggs. Maria has taken on the role of primary songwriter for the group and continually pumps out 1-2 songs per week. Now, at the age of twenty, she is a full time student and musician. She hopes to be able to take on music full time and get her name in the industry as a songwriter as well as a singer and musician.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
VTR Publishing
Bio:
Los Angeles based, North Carolina native Mark W. Lennon releases his full-length debut album, Home of the Wheel.
Compared to 2009âÂÂs much talked about EP, Down the Mountain, Home of the Wheel has a raw - stripped down sound, due in part to producer Marvin Etzioni. A former member of Lone Justice, Etizoni (who has worked with Steve Earle, Counting Crows and Lucinda Williams) helped Lennon create an album centering on well-crafted songs of lost love, reflection and longing for the South.
LennonâÂÂs twang-tinged voice is authentic. He has the ability to deliver a positive spin on even the most melancholy sentiments. His honest and personal lyrics evoke imagery deeply rooted in his southern upbringing and family history, that seamlessly transition from depression era themes to modern day introspective on his conflict with life in Los Angeles.
âÂÂWe just took the reigns off without much of a plan on Down the Mountain, which led to more of a jam style record. With Home of the Wheel, we shaved it to the bone,â Lennon says joking about the record. âÂÂMarvin had me so far out of my comfort zone, I didnâÂÂt know which way we were coming or going.âÂÂ
Home of the Wheel is an eclectic hodgepodge of Americana styles that will appeal to any musical taste. It ranges from Woody Guthri-esque folk âÂÂHome of the Wheelâ to Gram Parsons-ish Country âÂÂCalifornia Calling,â to Desire era Dylan (âÂÂThe River Stays the Same,â âÂÂCold Mountain Steelâ which feature Scarlett Rivera on fiddle), as well as rock âÂÂStop and Go,â bluegrassy âÂÂThese Times Betterâ and harmonic pop âÂÂLook for the Walls.âÂÂ
Reaction to Down the Mountain:
âÂÂThis is fresh. This is simplicity at itâÂÂs finest.âÂÂ
-Twister Valley Records
"...lovely sounding roots rock album with hints of Ryan Adams (especially vocally), the Grateful Dead and the Black Crowes. These songs are still on rotation after three weeks - a good sign - they're memorable, catchy and shouting out for recognition."
-Americana UK
"HeâÂÂs not flashy, but then again he doesnâÂÂt have to be. Just listen to his music and youâÂÂll realize heâÂÂs a savvy musician speaking simple, honest truths."
-Country Music Pride
"Mark is no slouch himself when it comes to vocals - there's a palpable yearning in his voice as he sings "My Hometown" another highlight from the album."
-Beat Surrender
"His music brings to mind the folk and country-rock sounds of early âÂÂ70s Golden State transplants like Brewer & Shipley and Grateful Dead."
-Hyperbolium
âÂÂa perfect mixture of heartfelt lyrics, easing yet engaging melodies and, similar to each Mark Lennon song, it tells a story and takes the listener on their own musical journey of keeping roots while chasing dreams.âÂÂ
-Performer Magazine
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Americana singer-songwriter. Story songs that explore dark corners of American legend. Solo Americana album, Dust, in 2010. Follow-up, Uncle Bones, releasing in 2012.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Traceway Music
Bio:
Mark Wayne Glasmire
Singer/Songwriter
âÂÂHe makes pop music steeped in the traditions of folk and country. He sings about his life and the lives of those around him. His rich expressive voice cuts right to the heart. All he needs is an acoustic guitar.âÂÂ
- Mario Tarradell â GuideLive - Dallas Morning News
âÂÂSuperb songwriting skills!! This man will be able to reap the
benefits of his talents when the right ears catch a listen!âÂÂ
- Tony Graham â CD Baby Artist
âÂÂMark delivers song after song of pure ear-candy for fans of modern folk music. His lyrics are compelling, insightful, heartfelt and optimistic.âÂÂ
-Xavier P. â RadioIndy.com
Born and raised in Bethlehem, PA, Mark is a self-taught guitar player influenced by the likes of The Beatles, James Taylor, Harry Chapin, Jimmy Buffett and John Denver. Mark started writing and performing his own material while attending college in eastern Pennsylvania. Mark has spent many years performing throughout the US and Canada as a solo performer and at times with his six piece band. Mark moved to Nashville in 1995 where he immediately immersed himself in the heart of the nationâÂÂs songwriting capital. While living, writing and performing there, Mark recorded and released his CDs, âÂÂAll of My HeartâÂÂ, and âÂÂScrapbookâÂÂ, on his own label, Traceway Music. Mark wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on both CDs. Both CDs have received extensive airplay throughout the US, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Mark recently relocated to Arlington, Texas, where he is currently working on his next CD, âÂÂLife Goes OnâÂÂ, scheduled to be released in early 2009.
Whether performing with a well-known star or playing an intimate set at a coffeehouse, Mark is always a crowd favorite. His good humor, honest rapport with the audience and most importantly, his outstanding talent as a performing artist and original songwriter, keep fans coming back for more.
Mark has performed with: Mark has performed at:
Dierks Bentley Folk City â NYC B.B. Kings - Memphis, TN
Gordon Lightfoot Lehigh University Acoustic Sounds Café - Little Rock, AR
Arlo Guthrie University of Scranton Cactus Café â U of T, Austin, TX
Tom Paxton Musikfest - Bethlehem, PA Wildflower Festival â Richardson, TX
Tracy Chapman The Bluebird Cafe - Nashville, TN MountainStock â Canmore, Alberta, CA
John Gorka 3rd & Lindsley - Nashville, TN Zihuatanjeo Int. Guitar Festival â Mexico
Susanne Vega Wildhorse Saloon â Nashville, TN Poor DavidâÂÂs Pub â Dallas, TX
Winner/Finalist:
B.W. Stevenson Songwriting Competition â Dallas, TX - âÂÂ08
Susanne Millsaps Performing Songwriter Competition â Snowbird, UT - âÂÂ08
GINA/LAWIM Performing Songwriter Competition â Los Angeles, CA â âÂÂ07 & âÂÂ08
Wildflower Festival Performing Songwriter Contest â Richardson, TX â âÂÂ07
MountainStages Performing Songwriter Contest â Austin, TX â âÂÂ07 & âÂÂ08
For booking info contact:
Brenda T. Cubbage, SpencerCrain, Dallas, TX, 214-290-0003 or bcubbage@spencercrain.com
www.markwayneglasmire.com
Age:
58 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
MARSHALL CRENSHAW
Jaggedland
More than 25 years after breaking through to critical and commercial acclaim with his 1982 self-titled debut and its infectious, era-defining pop hit âÂÂSomeday, Someway,â Marshall Crenshaw creates an incredible new chapter in his career with his 429 Records debut Jaggedland. CrenshawâÂÂs first studio recording in more than six years is his most musically dynamic and lyrically intimate collection yet.
CrenshawâÂÂs indelible sense of melody creates a rich warmth and intimacy on every song of Jaggedland. The recording has a powerful immediacy thanks to his warm vocals and riveting guitar work. Working with a roster of well-known musical heroes and veteran producers, Crenshaw takes the production to its highest levels. He first recorded two tracks in Upstate New York with Stewart Lerman (The Roches, Dar Williams), the melancholy âÂÂSunday Bluesâ and the fiery rocker âÂÂSomeone Told Me.â Eight of the tracks were produced at Sage and Sound Studios in Los Angeles with producer/engineer Jerry Boys (REM, Richard Thompson, Buena Vista Social Club), who had been on CrenshawâÂÂs âÂÂwish listâ since he heard the Mambo Sinuendo album Boys engineered for Ry Cooder and Cuban guitarist Manuel Galban in 2003. Highlights of these West Coast sessions are âÂÂPassing Through,â the hopeful âÂÂEventually,â the powerful âÂÂLong Hard Road,â and the albumâÂÂs first single, the introspective âÂÂLive and Learn.âÂÂ
The album title is, Crenshaw says, âÂÂjust a word that came to me one day; first it was the title of the instrumental tune on the album, then I decided to also use it for an album title. It's a good word to describe the world these days; it's getting pretty jagged out there . . .â Simply put, the 12 songs are musical observations about the human experience, mortality, the state of the world and of course, love. The sessions involved key contributions from legendary drummer Jim Keltner (whose credits include the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Brian Wilson and Joni Mitchell); guitarists Greg Leisz (Lucinda Williams, Robert Plant) and the MC5âÂÂs Wayne Kramer as well as legendary vibraphonist Emil Richards (Beach Boysâ Pet Sounds, Frank Sinatra).
âÂÂIt was exciting and inspiring to work with such amazing musicians and producers. I fell in love with Mambo Sinuendo five years ago,â Crenshaw continues, âÂÂand when I started thinking about recording my next record, Jerry immediately came to mind. When I found out that he was once an assistant engineer for the Beatles â that sealed the deal!âÂÂ
âÂÂI also owe Stewart Lerman much of the credit for getting the ball rolling and inspiring me to start thinking about writing and recording this album,â Crenshaw adds. âÂÂWhen we ran into each other at a political event in 2004, he gave me a pep talk and said he wanted to work with me. We hooked up about a year later and I started dabbling in new songs. As things went along, I started to feel like the material was taking on some unexpected dimensions and it dawned on me that I still have such a huge appreciation and respect for records as an art form â and a deep love for the power of songs and music. Even at this late stage of the game, with so many years and recordings behind me, I felt compelled to step up and reach as deep into myself as I could. That renewed sense of passion and commitment is the driving force behind the songs on Jaggedland, which I truly believe are some of my best ever.âÂÂ
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Crenshaw began playing guitar at age ten. He received his first break playing John Lennon in the off-Broadway company of Beatlemania. In 1987, he played Buddy Holly in the Richie Valens biopic La Bamba.
While living in NYC, he recorded the single âÂÂSomethingâÂÂs Gonna Happenâ for Alan BetrockâÂÂs Shake Records, which led to a deal with Warner Bros. His debut album, Marshall Crenshaw, was acclaimed as a pop masterpiece upon its release in 1982 and established him as a first-rate songwriter, singer and guitarist. Highlights included âÂÂCynical Girlâ and âÂÂThere She Goes Againâ as well as the Top 40 single âÂÂSomeday, Someway,â which rockabilly singer Robert Gordon scored a hit with a year earlier. CrenshawâÂÂs second album, 1983âÂÂs Field Day, was another critical smash and led to a successful slate of 20-plus years of studio recordings that offered a fascinating evolutionary journey through an array of musical landscapes.
A quote from Trouser Press sums up Marshall CrenshawâÂÂs early career: âÂÂAlthough he was seen as a latter-day Buddy Holly at the outset, he soon proved too talented and original to be anyone but himself.â All Music Guide captured CrenshawâÂÂs vibe perfectly: âÂÂHe writes songs that are melodic, hooky and emotionally true, and he sings and plays them with an honesty and force that still finds room for humor without venom.âÂÂ
As Crenshaw was developing JaggedlandâÂÂs mix of poignant and incisive love songs and musings on mortality, he ventured once again into the film world, co-penning the title track to the hilarious John C. Reilly film Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story; the track was nominated for a 2008 Golden Globe and a 2008 Grammy Award.
Over the last few years, Crenshaw has played 40-50 shows a year on what he dubs âÂÂthe NPR singer-songwriter circuit,â and has continued to make critically-acclaimed recordings such as 1999âÂÂs #447 and 2003âÂÂs WhatâÂÂs in the Bag? âÂÂ[Jaggedland] took a lot of wear and tear on my emotions,â he says, âÂÂbut in the end I think itâÂÂs one of my best ever and I am so excited to have worked with so many of my favorite players on it. When people ask me why I keep making music after all these years, I have a simple answer: because I have to. For lack of a more colorful term, there is truly something magical to it and I never take it for granted.âÂÂ
###
Age:
47 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Mary Dawson is the President of CQK Music Group of Dallas, an umbrella organization for several music publishing companies, the radio talk show, "I Write the Songs," and many other products and services especially created for songwriters and music fans. CQK Records' unique recording, "The Serenity Songs Project" Twelve Steps to Freedom," has become a leading musical support product for the millions of people who are members of one of 200 different Twelve Step fellowships.
Mary is the author of the critically acclaimed book, "How to Get Somewhere in the Music Business from Nowhere with Nothing," which is also the title of one of the courses on commercial music that she teaches at Southern Methodist University.
Mary presents songwriting seminars and workshops across the country. Her articles on the craft and business of songwriting have appeared in both Internet and print periodicals for more than a decade.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
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Bio:
In a music world longing for a new voice, Mat Kearney represents the singer-songwriter for the 21st century music lover. While keeping an acoustic base, Kearney incorporates a wide range of influences that color his songs with unique textures. At the same time, Kearney captures the lyrics that stir the deepest universal emotions.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
na
Bio:
Matt Hoggatt is an independent singer-songwriter who writes and performs music between his home on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and Nashville Tennessee. As a formy Army Band Member and veteran of the Army National Guard, he has been surrounded by music his whole life. He is a two- time lyric contest winner in American Songwriter Magazine where he was featured in an article, and a song contest winner with both the Nashville Songwriter Association, and the Song of the Year Song Contest. Matt is married with 3 children, works full time as a police detective, and is the coordinator for the Nashville Songwriters Association / MS Gulf Coast Chapter.
Age:
35 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Amylase Music Publishing
Bio:
I was born in Nashville, TN. I have a bachelors degree in education from Middle Tennessee State University. I am currently employed as a staff songwriter for Amylase Entertainment/Warner Chappell Publishing in Nashville, TN. You can hear more of my music and find out the skinny on when and where I'll be playing next via my official website at myspace.com/themattwarren
In 1996 my band "40 East" signed our first deal with Crecent Moon Talent in Nashville, TN. I put together a roots rock-n-roll project in 2000 called "Papa Joe". We made a record called "Storybook Ending" that can be found at iTunes, www.myspace.com/papajoe (just click on "Papa Joe" from the link in my "top friends" section below) or at stonewallrecords.com. The record is really cool, check it out for yourself! (opened for the Derek Trucks band and the Allman Bros. band on July 4, 2002 in Nashville at the now, non-existant, Starwood Amphitheater)
In the fall of 2002, I signed a publishing deal with House of Fame out of Muscle Shoals, AL.
In the fall of 2005, Gary Allan recorded a song on his record "Tough All Over" that I co-wrote with him called "Puttin' Memories Away." The song was performed on the Oprah Winfrey show in the Spring of '07 during a heartbreaking interview about depression featuring Gary. Rolling Stone magazine called it the modern day "Grand Tour" by George Jones and gave our song the star track award on the album review, in which the record received 4 out of 5 stars.
On November 6, 2007, Hard Rock Cafe released a record called "Serve 2" to benefit the anti-hunger organization, WHY, in partnership with VH1. The record features Marc Broussard and I singing a cool version of Sam Cooke's, "Bring It On Home To Me." Other artists that are featured on the record are Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Jackson Browne, to name a few. Go buy the record at any Hard Rock or at hardrockcafe.com and be apart of a wonderful cause!
I have two songs on Gary Allan's record "Living Hard." The songs are "Learning How To Bend" and "Yesterday's Rain," which were both co-written with Gary Allan and James LeBlanc. "Learning How To Bend" was released as a single on the radio on March 17, 2008.
On March 9, 2010, a song I wrote with Gary Allan and Kendell Marvel called, "She Gets Me", is slated to appear on Gary Allan's new record "Get Off On The Pain." Be on the lookout for the record and go pick it up at your local record store and support your friendly songwriters, the music and the arts!
I'm currently very busy writing and recording the songs for my new album. The record will probably sound like the stuff I dig......and hope you dig too!
I have had the priviledge to record with folks like Spooner Oldham (Aretha Franklin, Neil Young, Bob Dylan), Tom Bukovac (John Fogerty, Rob Thomas, Sarah Buxton), Audley Freed (Cry Of Love, The Black Crowes, Peter Frampton, Jacob Dylan), Steve Gorman (The Black Crowes), Michael Rhodes (Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, Leon Russell & many more), Dan Dugmore (James Taylor), Marc Broussard, Billy Burnette (Bob Dylan, John Fogerty) Jake Kelly, Mike Webb (Fugitive Glue, Gary Allan, The Wreckers), Allison Prestwood (Pat Buchanan), Adam Shoenfeld (Big and Rich), Shawn Fichter (Peter Frampton, Faith Hill), Brian Sutton (Jerry Douglas, etc.) Robert Kearns (Cry Of Love, Lynyrd Skynyrd), Dave Pomeroy, the Memphis Horns (Stax Records, the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys), Reese Winans (Stevie Ray Vaughn, Gary Allan), Chuck Cannon, Lari White, Kenny Vaughn (Marty Stuart, Jim Lauderdale), Jason Isbell, Brent Mason, Glen Wharf, John Hobbs, Greg Morrow, James LeBlanc, Walt Aldridge and Chad Cromwell (Mark Knopfler, Neil Young)....just to name more than a few (If I drop enough names, I will feel better about myself, right?)
Remember to drop by anytime to say hello and hear some more tunes at: www.myspace.com/themattwarren or
www.facebook.com/../1216337347 or
www.linkedin.com/pub/matt-warren/20/619/163
Age:
28 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
mayfield.matthew@gmail.com
Bio:
Birmingham-based Matthew Mayfield traces his musical history like a line, from smoky concert halls and Columbia Records, college dorm rooms and garage band battles, all the way back to a bunk bed. He was a kid living in the suburbs, seven years old, sharing a room with his older brother Tommy. It was late at night, and down the hallway MatthewâÂÂs father pulled out his 1976 Martin D-28 guitar. He played and sang, the classics, âÂÂBlackbird,â Fire and Rain,â and early Neil Young, faintly but with enough voice for the silent and still Mayfield boys to hear. âÂÂVery few things are quite like a melody,â Matthew says. âÂÂEven as a little kid, I felt something profound listening to dad sing and play.âÂÂ
Even though his dad was a businessman, those solitary evening sessions lit something inside Matthew, pushing him to follow the path of musicianhood, a twisted and narrow journey that more often that not had him holding onto melodies like a lantern.
âÂÂI bought Pearl JamâÂÂs album Ten when I was 9-years-old,â Matthew says. A year later, âÂÂMom took me to see SlashâÂÂs Snakepit,â a side project by the Gunsâ player. When a pretty-horrific leg fracture around that time laid Matthew up for half a year, his dadâÂÂs old Martin sealed the gently-perceptive Alabama songwriterâÂÂs fate.
Matthew dropped out of college in 2002 and spent nearly two years preparing for a major label release with his band, Moses Mayfield. After multiple cross-country recording sessions and nearly half-million dollars spent, the band felt the corporate crunch and was dropped only 6 weeks into their release. âÂÂCanned is the word,â Matthew says. âÂÂHonestly though, I am more free now than IâÂÂve ever been.âÂÂ
In 2008, Matthew self-released The Fire EP, an eight-song songwriter-distinctive collection recorded in 30 hours for $1,000. The record quickly caught the attention of BirminghamâÂÂs Live 100.5 radio station, and, in a sense, brought Matthew back to those lonesome bunk bed nights. A guitar and a room. Honest, underdone, a doubting-Thomas authenticity and, yes, palpably melodic. âÂÂPain and secrets,â he calls the record.
ItâÂÂs impossible to listen to songs like âÂÂDead to You,â âÂÂBy Your Side,â and crowd-favorite âÂÂElement,â and not hear both the influences and the kindreds: Eddie VedderâÂÂs great no-namer tracks on Vitalogy; Peter GabrielâÂÂs atmospheric odes like âÂÂSolsbury HillâÂÂ; Kings of LeonâÂÂs sometimes-Delta-bluesiness. âÂÂThatâÂÂs the way Muddy Waters would sing about pain,â Matthew says about Kingsâ âÂÂCold Desertâ on Only by the Night.
At this point in the journey, Matthew is back in Birmingham. HeâÂÂs had stints on tour with Pete Yorn, Blue October, Switchfoot, and Needtobreathe. HeâÂÂs written enough songs to fill a whiskey barrel. And, heâÂÂs enjoying newfound open space in the emerald greenery of his hometown. âÂÂWhether itâÂÂs a golf course at midnight or a rooftop downtown,â he says. âÂÂI hate being crammed. IâÂÂm obsessed with freedom.â For proof of this admission, ask him about his tattoos. Or listen to the EP.
Age:
35 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
He has been compared to everyone from Leonard Cohen to Counting Crows, from Jeff Buckley to John Lennon. But Matthew Perryman Jonesâ≢s spirit-carressing, tender tenor is instantly likeable on its own terms. Furthermore, his poetic musings on his Throwing Punches in the Dark collection are interwoven with a production of dazzling layers and textures. That makes this debut CD a totally breathtaking listening experience. As many times as Iâ≢ve heard Stephen Collins Fosterâ≢s 150-year-old ââ¬Ã
ÂHard Timesââ¬? reinterpreted, this guy made me listen to it like a brand-new song.
-Robert K. Oermann (Music Row Magazine)
Age:
38 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
A member of the LA-based bluegrass/al-country group The Dust Bowl Cavaliers. Composer of the ABC pilots "This Might Hurt" and "This Little Piggy."
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Massimiliano Tosi Publishing
Bio:
Max Tosi (Massimiliano Tosi) is a totally self-made guitarist, singer and songwriter. After having passed his first 30 years in Milan, he decided to move to a much more relaxing place, Sardinia.
His experiences in Milan started at a very young age with small bands to reach than various musical experiences.
He played with the singer Alex Baroni when he was at the beginning and not a famous singer yet, Antonella Clementi in duo, and with a band of 5 elements in which Luca Mattioni (an important producer now, also played), and the band Music Cabaret "Etiopi" for which he also made the musical arrangements and produced their first official album.
While he was in Milan, he also collaborated with others musicians such as: Mr. Massimiliano Viel, Giorgio Maletti, Stefano Cavotta, Tiziana Gallo, Silvana Lorenzetti, Marcello âÂÂBreadâ Schena, Pierluigi Ferrari, Beppe Dettori, Eleonora D'Ettole, Emilio Cuccato,......
And several othersâ¦â¦
Since he moved to Sardinia he had some collaboration also with Trio entertainment 70/80 with Paolo Poddighe, Marco Chessa Barbara Sanna( for private events) Giacomo Doro, who played with Enrico Ruggeri in the 80, and with whom he is still collaborating in studio works for various local artists.
He created a James TaylorâÂÂs tribute band which perform tracks by this awesome
American songwriter from the 68 ' to his last productions.
In 2008 he realized his totally self-produced first album named âÂÂLET ME RIDEâ composed by 10 tracks written in English one of those performed by Barbara Sanna.
The CD is on sale through physical and digital cdbaby and other digital download sites like iTunes, Amazon, Napster, etc..
In 2010 Max Tosi, Giacomo Doro and Angelo Delogu they created ORLEANS:
a Tribute which perform in unplugged the major hit songs about CSN&Y;also the Great Seventies West Coast music.
At this moment Max is involved in drafting twelve new songs with the artistic cooperation of Giovanni Agostino Frassetto
(the director of the Sardinian Jazz Orchestra). This new CD will be basically âÂÂAmericanâ oriented, but it will contain some more âÂÂradiophonicsâ tracks (easy to listen to) also possibilities to translate in Italian lyrics for Italian Market.
MY MYTHS
Beatles, Paul McCartney, James Taylor, Paul Simon, C, S, N & Y
Jackson Brown, Jim Croce, Stephen Bishop, Leonard Cohen,
Elton John, Sting, Police, Bill Whiters ....
all the good old rock and hard rock Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin
The funk "dance" to EW & F, James Brown, Stevie Wonder,
ÃÂ soul to Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding ....
... in short everything that takes my heart and soul!
CONTACTS :
maneccia3@gmail.com
www.myspace.com/maxtosi
Mobile: +39/346/8019040 (Europe)
skipe: maxtosi63
Age:
33 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Crosstown Music Publishing
Bio:
Since Melissa has been songwriting professionally, sheâÂÂs had cuts by several major recording artists including Reba McEntire, LeAnn Rimes, Carrie Underwood, Phil Stacey, David Nail, John Paul White, Maia Sharp, and Jonathan Singleton among others. She is a recipient of the 2004 ASCAP Country Music Awards for writing the country single âÂÂIâÂÂm Gonna Take That Mountainâ for Reba McEntire, one of the yearâÂÂs most played songs as well as a number one video hit on CMT.
Melissa has penned two recent international hits. Doc WalkerâÂÂs âÂÂI Am Readyâ went top 10 in Canada in 2005. BellaâÂÂs âÂÂTumbling Downâ went top 10 in Australia in 2004. Melissa is a native of Bucks County Pennsylvania and currently writes for Dann Huff's publishing company, Crosstown Music Publishing. Melissa released her first independent solo album "Lonesome Lullaby" earlier this year which incorporates her acoustic/country/bluegrass/pop influences.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
50 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Classic Panasuk Music
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
NETTWERK/MORAINE
Bio:
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
N/A
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Brit out of Water Music ASCAP
Bio:
michelle featherstone
Born in Chester, raised in Cambridge, England, Michelle now resides in Silverlake, California. She began studying piano and composing original music at the age of nine, and hasn't stopped since. She has received awards from the Royal Academy of Music for piano and violin and the Bishops Award for Voice. Michelle is an active participant in the singer/songwriter community of Southern California, and has performed at clubs as diverse as the Whiskey A Go Go, the Hotel Cafe, Genghis Cohen, the Joint and the Temple Bar, to name a few.
Her songs have garnered attention in both film and television over the past few years. Michelleâ≢s music has been heard on every major TV network in such shows as Alias, Greyâ≢s Anatomy, Las Vegas, Smallville, Ghost Whisperer and MTVâ≢s The Hills to name a few. In addition, ââ¬Ã
ÂOne Tree Hillââˆhas featured eight of Michelleâ≢s songs, including ââ¬Ã
ÂWe Are Man and Wifeââˆperformed live by Michelle herself during the season finaleâ≢s wedding scene.
Recently, Michelle has been featured on the soundtrack for two major motion pictures, BULLY on Sherrybaby, starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and I'M THERE TOO on the Peaceful Warriorsoundtrack, starring Nick Nolte. This winter a song Michelle wrote called KEEP YOUR MIND WIDE OPEN was featured in the Disney movie Bridge to Terabithia.
Fallen Down, Featherstones last album, debuted on iTunes at #1 on the folk charts, and #53 overall. The song WE ARE MAN AND WIFE maintained a position on the top 10 folk chart for over 3 weeks, and on May 16th, 2006, the song SWEET BABY was featured on the iTunes homepage as a discovery download of the week. This led to 95,000 additional downloads.
Persistently writing, and recording, Featherstone, continues to touch listeners with her poetic lyrics and soothing voice. The evolution of her music is a reflection on her perspectives of life; the type of honesty that a true singer/songwriter possesses.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
info@mikeburnsmusic.org
Bio:
Mike Burns has such an inescapable passion and talent for music. He has perfected his craft of songwriting so that he pulls in all who stumble upon his music. He shows them his story: a story of struggle, of endurance, of dedication, of a constant rollercoaster of changes for better or worse...but most of all, a story of love. With a voice that could quiet the rowdiest of crowds and lyrics that will stay with you long after the final chord has been played, Mike Burns enables a broad interpretation that will leave you hanging on every beautifully crafted word.
In the spring of 2010 Mike played an industry showcase in Malibu, CA for various music supervisors at Rami Jaffee's (of the Foo Fighters) house. Showcasing material from his upcoming coming record "Courage & Longing" due to release late summer of 2010... it's safe to say he made an impression on some of the top industry people in L.A.
Discography:
Where The Heart Is LP - September 2006
The Dreamworld EP - April 2008
Love Overruled Single - February 2009
San Francisco Single - January 2010
Age:
40 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Captain Obvious Publishing, BMI
Bio:
Started in 1992 as the lead singer/songwriter for the Red Dirt band The Great Divide. After forming a large local following, TGD went on to sign a record deal with Atlantic Records for two albums. McClure left the band 2002 and went on to not only produce his own solo records, but for other bands such as Cross Canadian Ragweed, Jason Boland and the Stragglers, Stoney LaRue, etc.
McClure currently co-produces with Joe Hardy who used to run Ardent Studios in Memphis. Joe's list of previous works include: ZZ Top, Steve Earle, The Replacements and is currently working with Ronnie Dunn.
Biggest cut to date was with Garth Brooks on his Lost Sessions album entitled "I'd Rather Have Nothing".
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Last Great Song Publishing
Bio:
Age:
28 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Sam Winwood - Sam.Winwood@kobaltmusic.com
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
No oneââ‰ÂÂleast of all Mindy Smithââ‰ÂÂexpected her career to start like this.
As a contemporary singer-songwriter determined to record her music in a style that suits her self-written songs, Smith figured she â≢d start her recording career quietly and work to build it slowly. She didnâ≢t expect to make a big, attention- grabbing splash right away. She certainly didnâ≢t expect to gain exposure on late-night talk shows and cable music specials before her debut album came out.
But every once in a while the arrival of a remarkable talent gets the reception it deserves. Before releasing her debut album, One Moment More, Smith had already performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. She appeared with a list of superstars on the Lifetime Networkâ≢s Women Rock special. She had a video in top rotation on CMT. And she had the lead-off single on the acclaimed Dolly Parton tribute album, Just Because Iâ≢m a Woman, which also had contributions from Norah Jones, SinÃÂéad O â≢Connor, Melissa Etheridge, Alison Krauss and others. ââ¬Ã
ÂMy headâ≢s spinning,ââ¬? Smith says. ââ¬Ã
ÂItâ≢s all been so far beyond my expectations. Itâ≢s been unbelievable,really. I feel blessed.ââ¬?
But maybe Smith and her supporters shouldnâ≢t have been so surprised. After all,she â≢d encountered similar over-the-top excitement when record labels and producers first heard her songs. At one point, Smith held meetings and fielded offers from several major labels. She responded by spelling out her priorities. ââ¬Ã
ÂI told everyone the same thing, that even though I live in Nashville I donâ≢t consider myself a country artist, but a singer-songwriter and I wanted to present myself as I am, ââ¬Ã
Âshe says. ââ¬Ã
ÂI wanted the record to sound as much like my live performances as possible. I didn â≢t want somebody elseâ≢s stamp on it. I didnâ≢t want a producer to give me his sound. I didnâ≢t want to spend two years waiting until someone thought I had a No.1 single before they put my record out. Thatâ≢s not why I make music. What I care about are my songs.ââ¬?
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Steve Markland - Crossfire3 / Rea - Wrensong
Bio:
He was born in Mississippi and she was born in Tennessee. He lost his accent and she didn't. Dabbs had a fond love for classic folk/pop artists far from his generation, Neil Young, Paul Mccartney, Lennon, Van Morrison. Monroe had a fond love for classic country artists like Pasty Cline, Hank Williams, Dolly Parton ,Emmy Lou Harris. He moved to Nashville and continued his solo career and aimed to assemble songs only written by conviction. She had the same convictions with her career, yet hers was backed by a Sony Nashville record deal. After they listened to each others music, the two decided to write a few songs together. This decision was questioned with curiosity, "Can songs this simple connect like they used to?" With high hopes in hand and songs in the purest form, Dabbs & Monroe are moving forward. Once Monroe & Sony split ways, the duo decided to take these songs into the studio to see what may become of this. With great responses so far, their hard work will continue...
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
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âÂÂ...nothing short of a classic country-soul tour de force.â - Vancouver Sun
Myk has just releasedÃÂ SET FREE,ÃÂ a new album produced by Grammy & Juno winner Steve Berlin (Los Lobos, Tragically Hip, Jackie Greene), and featuring members of Grammy-award winner Jakob Dylan and nominee Neko Case.
âÂÂSet Free sounds loose and effortless, jumping from the road-weary country-rock of Trouble to the tempestuous ballad Come Down (From The Mountain)...âÂÂ
- Francois Marchand, Vancouver Sun
Singer and songwriter Myk Gordon was recently selected by SOCAN as Artist of the Month and performed a showcase on the Billy Block Show at 12th And Porter in Nashville, in late February. Billy's show is broadcast on Nashville's #1 country music station 103 WKDF, in syndicated markets across the U.S. on radio, and worldwide on the
Internet. Over the last 13 years, the show has produced more than 600 live concert broadcasts, showcasing more than 3,000 local, regional, national and international artists and represents tremendous exposure for Myk.
Mykhas been personally invited back to headline on June 1st, which will mark the kickoff of MykâÂÂs ï¬Ârst US tour.
In addition, SET FREE has been recently added to the CBCâÂÂs national radio catalogue.
Upcoming shows across the USA this summer to be announced.
--
"See this man live as soon as you get a chance. There is a depth and passion here that raises the
material into the same stratosphere as artists as disparate as Dylan, Paul Simon, and early
Springsteen, yet sounds like none of them."
- Bob Segarini, fyimusic.ca
--
VancouverâÂÂs Province newspaper recently gave SET FREE 4.5 out of 5 stars, saying that the 'country soul' sound is "perfect... A career peak."
www.mykgordon.com
Age:
31 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Sweeter Green Music, mylasmith@gmail.com
Bio:
Art, beauty, and truthâÂÂsuch words characterize the music and person of Myla Smith. Born and raised on a non-working farm just north of Memphis in Shake Rag, Tennessee, MylaâÂÂs passion for music and lyrical honesty comes from a bright, insightful mind and rich musical roots. Myla began singing in church choirs at an early age, but got her first taste of the music business when her family moved to Dallas, Texas.
During an audition at a Dallas studio, Myla caught the attention of music producer, Bob Singleton, who gave her the opportunity to join a group of singers for a top childrenâÂÂs television program on PBSâÂÂBarney & Friends. Myla got plenty of studio time over the next two and a half years recording songs for the TV show as well as other projects for Singleton Productions, including a Grammy-nominated Barney & Friends album and the Dove Award-winning Great Songs For GodâÂÂs Kids.
Throughout her high school years, Myla stayed close to her classical roots and continued to perform in church as a featured soloist in major orchestral programs such as HandelâÂÂs Messiah and MendelssohnâÂÂs Elijah. However, it was the influence of artists the likes of Simon & Garfunkel, Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, Allison Krauss and Joni Mitchell that made Myla pick up a guitar at the age of 15. Starting out a classical guitar student, it was folk music that Myla found to be the best medium for self-expression.
In 2006, Myla started recording her debut album, All the Things That Go Missing, teaming with long-time Memphis music notables Van Duren, Brady Howle, and Rick Steff. All the Things That Go Missing captures the essence of MylaâÂÂs passionsâÂÂthe love of music, the art of songwriting, and the truth in lyric. Myla established her own independent record label, Shake Rag Records, to fund and produce projects dear to her, from a Christian worship album benefiting Hurricane Katrina victims to EP compilations of local songwriters. She also works as a featured vocalist for Ardent Records. Always stretching herself, Myla's latest full-length album WHITE/GOLD released Sept 2010 is a double-EP featuring two discs produced in different styles - country and indie pop. She released the album on her wedding day. She appreciates all opportunities to share her music.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Mysha Caruso is currently the performing singer/ songwriter for the indie folk trio KITES & CROWS. Originating on the stage as an actor and singer, he attended the Walnut Hill School of the Performing Arts as a theatre major. While creating original music for one of his theatre productions he began to shift his focus to songwriting. He performed extensively in the theatre and touring vocal companies with repertoires in madrigals and choral music, but it was the influences of Colin Meloy, Sam Beam, Ryan Adams and singer-songwriters of these traditions when he eventually found his sturdy stance in his craft. Upon moving to Ashland, Oregon, were he lives now, Mysha composed original music for Theatre productions in Ashland. He now writes and performs for Kites & Crows and also writes Film/TV music. .
N-Z >
N
Age:
50 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
nancybeaudette@gmail.com
Bio:
Nancy Beaudette fills the stage with fun, upbeat performances in true troubadour fashion. Her writing is reminiscent of singer songwriters of the sixties and seventies, and has the emotional edge of a woman with some heartfelt life experience. "I want to write music without having to edit personal feelings. I love to write about things happening in the world and in my own life - I think people relate to that." Signature melodies and expressive vocals have made music icons take notice. The ballad "One Step Closer Than Yesterday" caught the attention of Grammy Award winner & Country Music Super Star Kathy Mattea who subsequently offered to demo the vocals on this recording. Nancy has also been co-writing with Nashville songwriters, most notably Grammy winner Jon Vezner. Their collaboration on "It Took Losing You to Find Me", recorded in Nashville, features Jon on piano along with a very poignant string arrangement, and an intimate vocal performance by Nancy. Another song worth noting is "When the Last Whistle Blows", a vibrant, celtic influenced song capturing both the heartache and possibilities surrounding the closure of the paper-mill in Nancy's hometown. Hailing from Cornwall, Ontario, Canada, this well established artist continues to engage and delight audiences throughout North America.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
GENRE:
My live performances resonate with layers of Indie Folk with a smattering of Jazz whispers and haunting classical surprises. Now incorporating appalacian music via my mountain dulcimer.
PERFORMANCE
I've enjoyed playing my original tunes in local venues since 1998 - coffee houses, stores, art galleries, parks events and festivals. Now that the kids have grown I'm looking forward to gigging far and wide. As Walt Whitman says "Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road, healthy, free, the world before me..."
SONGWRITING
I've been honing my singer-songwriter craft since age 17. My very first song was about tea-drinking candlelight hours on the sultry Cape Cod shores of Massachusetts. Since then I've documented my life in songs, the subject matter reflecting the current phase I am in. I love painting 3-minute pictures of what I see, feel, love and yes, even an occasional ode to what I hate; after all life is the entire package, not merely the fine wrapping.
RECORDINGS - CDS:
A CHRISTMAS DREAM ~ 2006 Folk, Soft Rock
VESSEL OF GOLD ~ 2004 - Folk-Pop, Soft Rock
SIMPLE THINGS ~ 1998 - Folk-Pop, Soft Rock
ANCIENT PATH ~ 1998 - Spiritual Pop, Soft Rock
BAND
Currently playing solo but I'd gladly welcome a bass guitar player and a percussionist to my live performance. Please contact me if you are interested. Aiming for folk festivals, house concerts, coffeehouse and old theater gigs
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Nat Jay took her first steps in her parentsâ music school and continues to land on her feet in the world of music today. With songs placed on MTVâÂÂs The City, ABCâÂÂs Men In Trees, CBCâÂÂs Heartland and more to come, Nat JayâÂÂs fan base is growing exponentially with every day. In the last year, she has found herself a showcasing artist at NXNE, a featured songwriter at the Vancouver Folk Festival, and a guest on CBC Radio 2âÂÂs âÂÂCanada Live.â An advocate of her local music industry, she is a member of the Music BC Industry Association Board of Directors and a part of the West Coast's newest buzz group, The Prettiest Face In Town, a collaboration of four of Vancouver's top emerging songwriters.
After studying music at the University of British Columbia as a flautist and vocalist, Nat Jay put her education to use as a promising singer/songwriter in North AmericaâÂÂs musical landscape. Since releasing her debut EP, Lights Across the Sky, to a sold out room at VancouverâÂÂs Media Club, she has been compared with powerful performers like Joni Mitchell, Alanis Morisette, and the Dixie Chicks. She has also shared the stage with such esteemed songwriters as Justin Rutledge, Dan Mangan and NYCâÂÂs Jay Brannan. Nat Jay's compelling and highly accomplished vocal delivery will certainly turn heads in a noisy club, but it is her emotive songwriting ability that will steal the hearts of each and every audience member.
Earlier this year, when "Love When I Can" appeared in the final moments of MTVâÂÂs hit show,The City, Nat Jay received an overwhelming response from new fans around the world, gaining over 20,000 plays on Myspace in the weeks following.
âÂÂI grew up surrounded by music of all kindsâÂÂit made such an impression on me as a child and has been such a big part of my life ever since, so thereâÂÂs nothing better than when someone tells me that my music has made an impression on THEM,â says Jay, who plans on spending 2009 sharing her music with fans in Los Angeles, Toronto (Canadian Music Week), Austin (SXSW), and at summer festivals across Canada. âÂÂI write what I see and feel in my own life and in the world around me, and I guess thatâÂÂs what people relate to.âÂÂ
Age:
34 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
OzStar Music (ASCAP)
Bio:
Australian born singer-songwriter, NATALIE HOWARD is based in Nashville, Tennessee. Her home town is the 'Gold Coast', Queensland, Australia.
She received a grant through the Redcliffe RADF (Regional Arts Development Fund) that financed a trip to America to write and record her first demo session. What came from that was her debut Australian album 'Yesterday's Makeup' and USA 'self-titled' release.
2004 saw the emergence of artist/songwriter Natalie Howard to Australian Radio, and
In Australia, Natalie has had three consecutive Top 15 hits and one Top 10 on The Country Tracks Top 30 Chart, one Top 5 and two Top 15 on the Country Hot 30 National Airplay Chart as well as gaining four Top 5 on the Top 100 Country Hits Chart. Two of her video clips reached the coveted #1 position on CMC (Country Music Channel) Top 30 Countdown, Australia's primary media outlet for country music.
In USA, 'I Don't Want To Live Like That' charted on The Music Row Chart as well as becoming a Top 5 hit on The Independent Music Network 'Country Top 30 Countdown' (Los Angeles to New York).
Natalie's #1 hits have been included with top USA and Canadian artists on The Best of Country Music Channel double CD and DVD released by EMI Music Australia. Also another two of her successful video hits were selected and released to the world on Austrade's OzGigz DVD by the Australian Music Office as export ready new music from Australia.
Natalies debut AUSTRALIAN CD YESTERDAYS MAKE-UP is available through her website and all good music stores in Australia, and the American release "NATALIE HOWARD" available through www.nataliehoward.net
In 2009 Natalie became the US correspondent based in Nashville for the new 'Heatwave Country' Radio Show, which is an all-new hour of fun and entertainment combined with the hottest country music on the planet. Currently heard on the KIX Country Network as well as numerous other stations, Heatwave Country is a syndicated program that is also available to every country radio station across Australia. Natalie brings you the latest US news, showcases the latest releases, catches up with the stars of US country music as she brings you the most up to date reports each week live from Nashville.
Natalie is also currently collaborating with other artists as well as working on her new CD.
For more on Natalie Howard please go to website: www.nataliehoward.net
Age:
30 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Nate Campany is a pop songwriter and indie musician who lives in Brooklyn, NY. Signed to Warner Chappell and Topline Music since 2006, Nate has written for top artists including Backstreet Boys, The Click Five, Teddy Geiger, Tyler Hilton, Morningwood, and The Afters. He has also written for Norwegian Idol winner Kjarten and Swedish Idol finalist Mans Zelmerlow, continuing a love affair with Scandinavian pop music.
Nate grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, the eccentric neighborhood made famous by underground comic artist Harvey Pekar in American Splendor. Born to a teacher and a firefighter, Nate and his sister Emily studied classical piano and gave recitals in nursing homes. "I was a dorky as they come, and I was completely mediocre at my piano lessons" he recalls. "But I've always had an infatuation with pop music." After going to college in Boston, Nate balanced his time between working for indie mecca Newbury Comics and practicing his songwriting craft around the clock. When The Click Five accepted a song he wrote for their debut pop record Greetings from Imrie House, he saw his moment. "It was a combination of knowing my song was good and feeling extremely lucky," he says. He cashed his first royalty check for "Say Goodnight" and moved to Brooklyn, New York, with a notebook of new songs.
Soon after Nate came to New York, pop impresario Billy Mann met with him in a coffee shop to express his interest in working together. "Nate is a force to be reckoned with," says Mann. "He manages to successfully balance his artistic credibility in the indie world while unapologetically being a lover and creator of pop records." After inking a songwriting deal, Nate married actor, muse, and best friend Jennifer Dees in late 2006. He took a five-week songwriting pilgrimage to Norway, Sweden, Germany, and England in early 2007. Among other influences on his work, Nate cites Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, Max Martin, Elliott Smith, and David Bazan.
"I'm trying to make pop music smart again," Nate says. His solo career as an indie singer-songwriter is "nothing fancy" yet he often plays sold-out shows in shadowy corners of New York City. "I like playing songs written for my voice and emotion," he says. "It's a lot more personal." He expects to release an untitled full-length album in the coming months, followed by a double-length concept album titled Civil War. When he isn't writing pop songs, he's working on his solo records. "There's an artist's vein that needs to be tapped in order to keep my songwriting fresh," Nate says. "I'm doing it because I love it. It's fun and it's good for me."
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
nate.ihara@gmail.com
Bio:
I've been writing and tunesmithing for the past 10 years on both the east and west coast. Played in some bands, had some record deals, bands break up, etc. I spend my days recording and demoing tunes. I write pop, r&b;, alternative, alt. country, alt folk, and rock. I've gotten really good with the ballads and bittersweet love songs. I've done a few national tours with some great artists. I'm looking to tour again in the future but writing is where my heart is right now. I love tongue in cheek lyrics, great hooks, and I have a ton of guilty pleasures...
Age:
31 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
I am a singer/songwriter from Flagstaff, AZ that has been making music for ten years. The last six years have been spent with my rock band Mercy Fall. We released an album in 2006 on Atlantic records and spent a majority of the year touring the country. I must admit, it was pretty amazing. A dream come true. This last year has been one of tremendous significance for me. My perspective on life, music, and success has changed drastically. When we returned from the road we found ourselves back where we started; unsuccessful, broke, and without a record deal. I became extremely depressed and confused. With all the work that we put into this, how could this happen? What did we do wrong? I realized that my contentment in life was completely hinged on the success of the band and that even if we became wildly successful I would still never be happy. I have lost the desire to become famous and revered. I feel that my desires in the past have been selfish and unimportant and IâÂÂve learned that I am unwilling to let success or failure define me as a person and as an artist. I feel that the only way to become successful in life and in music is to become truly happy with myself. With that said, I am embarking on a new journey, in life and in music.
Age:
25 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Nathan Moore Songs, karen@nathanmoore.org
Bio:
Nathan Moore has spent his life chasing down paradox, and his award-winning live show, impressive recording career and ever-expanding song catalog reflect his love for the unexpected twist in the road. Moore wraps his boundary-stretching songs in an infectious indie-folk sound that takes listeners on a thrilling flight into the vastness of musical and emotional possibility. Nathan has been called âÂÂâ¦one of the finest singer/songwriters of our generationâ (Joe Adler, Glide Magazine), and is frequently compared to literary greats Dylan, Waits, Prine, and Cohen, but never without an impressed nod to his uniqueness. âÂÂOne minute he is an insightful John Prine another minute he is a gruff Tom Waits, but most of all he is nothing more, nothing less than Nathan Mooreâ (JayâÂÂs News and Reviews). A review of a 2008 show states that NathanâÂÂs lyrics âÂÂdefine him more as a poet and prophet than a singer and a songwriterâ¦He wasnâÂÂt trying to give me an answerâ¦He was simply making sense of all the questions I haveâ (Stites McDaniel, Grateful Web). Anyone who has heard Nathan agrees. Like every gifted artist, he performs his craft like a therapist for the human soul.
The versatility of MooreâÂÂs prolific songwriting and performing skills is sometimes unfathomable. In a career that has spanned nearly two decades, he has recorded nineteen albums and played hundreds of gigs alongside an impressive list of talented artists at hot venues and festivals all over the country. HeâÂÂs been in a jam band, a string band, a rock band and now is on the rise as a solo singer/songwriter. After touring relentlessly in the 1990âÂÂs and co-founding a small independent record label in Santa Fe, NM in 2001, Nathan returned to his roots in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia in 2006 to launch a solo endeavor. MooreâÂÂs 2007 solo album, In His Own Worlds, spent 21 weeks on the Roots Music Radio Charts, and his evocative one-man show that is an innovative combination of music, banter and magic has wowed audiences and garnered critical praise from coast-to-coast ever since.
In 2009 Nathan will be touring nationally and promoting Nathan Moore â Folk Singer, an EP to be released on The Royal Potato Family label in August. He will also be appearing on short tours with his band Surprise Me Mr. Davis. When not on the road, Nathan conducts a community-based educational and performing arts program called âÂÂBringing the Road Homeâ that endeavors to provide intimate and meaningful interaction between successful touring professionals, fans and aspiring musicians in the Shenandoah Valley. âÂÂThe Road Homeâ hosts informal music nights and weekends in NathanâÂÂs home, produces several high-quality local concerts each year, provides career assemblies and workshops for school kids, and supports local fundraising events.
Age:
32 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
TwoTone Technicolor
Bio:
Singer/Songwriter Nathan Picard has spent much of the last decade fronting a band from Colorado, touring nationally, and making a name for himself in the LA music scene.
NathanâÂÂs songs have been featured on T.V. shows such as Criminal Minds (CBS), MTVâÂÂs Road Rules, Kyle XY (ABC), VH1âÂÂs Tough Love, and Army Wives (Lifetime) reaching over 400 million viewers.
Nathan is a member of ASCAP and has his own publishing company, Two Tone Technicolor Publishing. He has shared the stage with such acts as Jewel, Three Doors Down, The Calling, and Lenny Kravitz. Nathan has recorded, written, and worked in the studio with artists Ed Bernaro (Executive Producer Criminal Minds), Aaron Kamin (The Calling), Jesse Valenzuela (The Gin Blossoms), Trace Ritter (Candlebox, Chalk Farm), Joe Bishara (Producer GunâÂÂs n Roses), JR Richards (Dishwalla), Doug Grean(Producer Stone Temple Pilots) and Michael Blum (Producer Madonna, The New Radicals).
NathanâÂÂs songs have been raved about by Music Connection Magazine with the âÂÂNumber One Demo of the YearâÂÂ, and the âÂÂHot 100 Unsigned Artist of the YearâÂÂ.
Nathan comments, âÂÂThe best lyricists can write about an emotional experience for themselves, but relate it to everyone.â As a prolific writer, Nathan continues to deliver a wide range of songs that are both anathematic and relevant with current music trends.
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Stroudavarious
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
American Rodeo, BMI
Bio:
Nena Anderson's debut album "Beyond The Lights" is already earning comparisons to early Lucinda Williams, Rickie Lee Jones and Bob Dylan with its accessible and deceptively uncomplicated lyrics and bluesy, Americana/ Alt. Country sound. Produced by Mike Butler (Lynda Kay, Low Volts), the record showcases 10 original songs that are so familiar and warm, you will think that you have heard them before, and you will want to listen to them over and over again. From the moody, minor-keyed, driving swamp blues of "Daggers," the rollicking 60's piano soul groove of "Roses & Kisses," to the catchy heartache of "I Fall In Love Too Fast," Nena proves she can write timeless songs for a modern audience.
Her distinctive, bourbon smooth voice stops you in your tracks and compels you to hang on every word. "On the stage, Anderson exudes the enviable self-assurance of someone who's exactly where she's supposed to be."- Kelly Davis, San Diego Citybeat
âÂÂJust home from a hard days work? Trying to make it through that mid-afternoon drain? Speeding down the highway watching the exits fly by? These are all made better with each passing song from Beyond the Lights. Nena takes a small town sound and turns it into a stadium-ready romp with⦠a very appealing vocal quality and impeccable, yet soulful, backing musicâ - J. Beach, Amazon.com review
Nena's current backing band, The Mules, are: Mike Butler, guitar (the Boxmasters), Patrick McClory, bass (Alex Woodard band), and Brian "Nucci" Cantrell, drums (Jack Tempchin). The album also features pedal steel player David Berzansky (Hacienda Brothers) and Mike Feldman (Freddy & Francine) on organ and piano.
âÂÂThe first thing that comes to mind when I hear you sing is your lovely vocal stylings, I went right to Google and pulled up names and voices I had heard in my childhood â Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith, Sarah Vaughan, Ethel Waters, Rosemary Clooney all such amazing voices and talents. Your voice is in that good company and your blusey original songs give a big nod to those that came before you.â - Ken Lehnig, San Diego Acoustic
A captivating live performer, Nena has shared stages as support for such artists as Raul Malo, Dave Alvin, Switchfoot, Charlie Musselwhite, Tommy Castro, Jimmy Vaughan, Candye Kane, The Subdudes, Tim Easton, and Dr. John. She recently spent the first 6 months of 2011 touring as June Carter with Johnny Cash tribute band, Cash'd Out.
In addition to releasing several tracks in Europe and Asia over the last few years, Nena has earned 7 San Diego Music Award Nominations for her various musical projects.
Age:
33 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
108 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
nicksaya68@gmail.com
Bio:
NICK SAYA
is a Producer, Drummer, Programmer, Multi Instrumentalist and Songwriter. Nick's work covers a wide variety of styles including Rock, R+B, Hip Hop, Dance, Pop, Film Score and Sound Design. He is much sought after for both his musical and technical expertise in recording and production . As a drummer he has played with and or recorded with Blood Sweat and Tears, Tom Bones Malone,Lew Soloff, Alan Rubin, Blue Lou Marini, Lenny Pickett, Gloria Gaynor, Gordon Gaines, David Fiuczynski and The Screaming Headless Torsos,John Medeski (Medeski Martin And Wood) and Chris Baron (The Spin Doctors). He has been a member of the Annie Minogue Band from the start of the project and has shared the stage opening for David Lee Roth, Dave Navaro, The Black Eyed Peas, Chris Whitley and others. Nick plays drums, co-writes the material as well as produces Annie's project. Nick has just finishing the latest Annie Minogue Album, "Tripping The Velvet". Nick has worked as a programmer for DJ Jonathan Peters lending his talents to JP's productions (Jon secada, Ayumi Hamazaki and others). He has had many songs he has written placed in movies, TV and commercial jingle spots. He is a member of the scoring team Motion Music Works that specializes in multi media and film scoring. The sample company PowerFx has signed Nick on as a featured producer in their company. PowerFx distributes original drum loops created by Nick.
Age:
26 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
39 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
My Autobiography:
I have always enjoyed writing music as a young child. My mom owned an organ, and I would make up my own songs and play them for anyone who would lend an ear.
I am an aspiring lyricist. I have worked with various professional and aspiring songwriters which has been a wonderful and rewarding experince.
Currently I am co-writing with singer-songwriter Emma Rowley who at only 16 is one of the most professional and talented young artists of her generation. I have had the pleasure of co-writing with Emma on her recent song called I AM. I AM is a song that was written for a cancer charity called Fighting Faces. The song was also co-written by Bill Steins and Lori Wycoff and produced by Dan Hagen who enlisted some of Nashville's finest musicians to help create a very touching and inspirational song that everyone can relate to!
Age:
23 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
N/A
Bio:
Nikolas' greatest talent is his rare ability to capture listeners at his acoustic performances with his raw emotion and poignant songwriting. Even though he is not signed with a major label, Nikolas has a following of more than 21,000 fans. When he was 18, Nikolas released an EP called 'Lonely' which sold 1,500 copies in its first 6 months after release. A little known fact about Nikolas is that âÂÂLonelyâ was written while serving 25 months as a cadet in the Cyprus Army. When he was 20, he took part in the televised singing competition called 'X FACTOR' (equivalent to American Idol) and placed second. Shortly after he represented his country Cyprus, as a composer in the biggest singing competition in the world, the âÂÂEurovision Song Contestâ with the song 'Firefly'. Currently, Nikolas is touring the USA, with occasional shows in Europe. His last show in the UK was sold out,with fans flying in from as far as Greece and Cyprus! Nikolas is currently working on his first official EP set to be released in the 4rth quarter of this year. Fans of his can expect more of the musician theyâÂÂve grown to love plus material that expresses his new and growing talents
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
38 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Nicki Park's debut release, BETTER THAN YESTERDAY, is an ecclectic mix of Christian, Pop, and Country with a retro twist. She has worked along-side her producer, Patrick Andrew (PFR/Canvas Burning) and engineer, Gerald Fercho (Vertigo Studios-phoenix) for the past year to surface the project. She has written all of these songs based on life experiences. Her message is overcoming adversity through Faith. "My prayer for this album is that the lyrics relate with understanding - we all have our "rough patches and each deal with them differently. In knowing that 'with God, all things are possible', each day can bring about new positives. With a little bit of faith and a whole lot of prayer, hopefully our tomorrow's can all be a little better.
O
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Albert Music
Bio:
With their seamless harmonies, eclectic country-soul sensibility, and clever Aussie charm carrying them into the top five of the hit CMT TV Series, Can You Duet, husband and wife duo OâÂÂShea were welcomed wholeheartedly onto one of country musicâÂÂs most prominent stages.
âÂÂThe show really opened a massive door for us, no bones about that,â says Jay OâÂÂShea. Husband Mark agrees, âÂÂIt was an incredible opportunity to meet America.â And while Can You Duet offered America its first introduction to OâÂÂShea, the show in fact represents merely a single step in this talented duoâÂÂs nearly 20-year musical journey.
Individually, Mark and Jay OâÂÂShea have an impressive string of writing and artist credits that span the globe; while Mark has won multiple CMAA awards (the Australian equivalent of our CMA Awards), Jay has penned a #1 pop song in Europe and toured as a backing vocalist for rock legends, INXS. Between them, the couple has opened for Keith Urban, Trisha Yearwood, Switchfoot, Hall & Oates, and America. Together, Mark and Jay make a highly dynamic duoâÂÂand theyâÂÂre just getting started.
The youngest of nine musically gifted children, Mark was raised in the remote bush country of Queensland, where he was educated in a Catholic boarding school and trained on the piano from a young age. By 13, he had started a band with two older boys, who made their public debut at a local bar. âÂÂWe learned 8 songs for that gig,â Mark recalls with a laugh, âÂÂand ended up playing the same set three times that night.â Still, they were a hit, and soon became a regular attraction. Eventually, Mark won a talent competition at one of AustraliaâÂÂs biggest country music festivals (The Gympie Music Muster), which opened the door to a solo record deal that he signed at age 17. His debut album earned Mark two Golden Guitar awards for Best New Talent and Best Video from the CMAA.
Jay grew up in the working class suburbs of Adelaide and made her first television appearance at age 12 after calling up her local station and asking to sing an Olivia Newton John song on their variety show. Also a talented dancer, Jay toured the UK and Europe with the Australian Dance-Drill Team at age 15. By high school graduation, she was performing with local bands, and soon afterwards moved to Sydney to pursue her singing career.
âÂÂOne of the things I love about Australia is that thereâÂÂs no such thing as just being a recording artist thereâÂÂyou really must do an apprenticeship, doing a million gigs in smoky bars and clubs. Performing live is so important to your growth and discovering who you are musically.â It was, in fact, in one such smoky bar where she first met Mark, who asked her to sing back-up for an upcoming TV appearance. TheyâÂÂve been together ever since.
Shortly after getting engaged, Jay and MarkâÂÂs careers took them to different parts of the world. Jay won the Australian Open Singing Championships, the $75,000 first prize allowing her to relocate to London, where she soon signed a publishing deal with Warner Chappell. Mark had taken time out from his solo career and formed a rock/pop band that signed with LA based label, Trauma, (No Doubt, Bush). They released a single in Australia that went top 20, although âÂÂIf youâÂÂve seen Spinal Tap, you know what happened to the band,â Mark jokes. Despite these ups and downs, Jay and MarkâÂÂs time apart only strengthened their relationship. âÂÂIt was really hard being apart,â Jay explains, âÂÂbut it was really good for us at the time because we were both so devoted to our music. We just had to give it everything we had.âÂÂ
But it wasnâÂÂt until marrying and moving to Nashville in 2007 that the couple ever considered making music together. âÂÂFive years ago, we never could never have become a duo, because musically we were so far apart,â Jay says. The pairâÂÂs weekly gig at NashvilleâÂÂs Blue Bar, however, helped to bridge that gap. âÂÂWe had forgotten how much fun making music could be,â Mark says, âÂÂuntil we started performing together. Becoming a duo suddenly felt really natural.â OâÂÂSheaâÂÂs spontaneous, fun-filled shows, eclectic style, and unpredictable set lists spanning Aretha Franklin, Sting, Dolly Parton and everything in between, have helped them cultivate a loyal fan following. Since appearing on Can You Duet, OâÂÂShea has continued to pack out the venue, where they recorded their current EP Live At The Blue Bar Version 2.0, while also traveling the States to open for Phil Vassar, Jimmy Wayne, Sara Evans and the Oak Ridge Boys to name a few.
Though Australia will always be home, OâÂÂShea have planted roots in Music City, and good things are beginning to grow. Jay and Mark continue to write songs individually and as a duo, co-writing with hitmakers including Dave Berg, Tim Nichols, The Warren Brothers, and Shawn Colvin, and they have recently scored cuts by such up-and-coming artists as Emma Mae Jacobs and Dan Evans.
âÂÂI love how creative this community is here, and I feel like I canâÂÂt really get that anywhere else in the world,â Jay says. âÂÂThe road had been winding,â Mark adds, âÂÂbut always leading to Nashville.âÂÂ
Age:
28 Years Old
Level:
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Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
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Owen Critchley grew up in Bermuda where soul, reggae and rock existed side by side by side.
His distinctive melding of styles has created a community and culture at OwenCritchley.com that is being called The Army of O.N. that has grown to represent every continent on Earth.
Legendary engineer and mastering artist, âÂÂBig Bass Brianâ (Gardner) (No Doubt, Blink 182, Beck, Black Eyed Peas, Foo Fighters etc) has mastered three of Owen's current songs
Owen CritchleyâÂÂs âÂÂCome to Londonâ featured at MIDEM in Cannes, France
P
Age:
109 Years Old
Level:
professional
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PAPER ROUTE:://:: (as told by Chad Howat) I was tired. There was just this lingering sense of exhaustion in the summer of 2004. I was tired of false starts. Tired of dreaming. Tired of being jaded. Tired of being tired. So it seems fitting that this story begins underneath my bed. You may picture me crawling below my mattress, but in reality my bed is about 6 feet above the ground-enough space for a small iBook and some cheap monitors. When I couldn't sleep, I'd descend my steps and make music all night. Some bands have LSD, others have cocaine, and our drug of choice seemed to be insomnia. I programmed, played bass, accordion, synths and even snuck into an undisclosed location masquerading as a music student to record piano. JT Daly, a close friend and old band mate, started coming over to sing, drum, and play bells. We had always dreamed about doing a project together and finally it was becoming a reality. After a month or so went by, Andy Smith, another close friend and ex-band mate who lives above me, started coming downstairs and contributing vocals, guitar, harmonica, and some synths. A band had naturally formed between the three of us and we were making music together, once again.
One day our friend Kate York stopped by Bottom Bunk Studios, as it came to be known, to check out what we were up to. Well she liked what she heard and wound up lending her gorgeous voice and melody to a song. This inspired us to tap into the deep resources of Nashville, fully knowing we were surrounded by such great musicians. One of those great musicians is Mike Daly, our favorite lap steel veteran who came over and set up shop in my bedroom. He also played dobro, much to our delight. Another friend, Claire Indie, brought her cello over one evening and played beautifully. Before we knew it, we had recorded a handful of songs in my apartment. Oh, and we all played Rhodes, but we can't remember who did what, specifically. Once we had completed the songs, JT designed different covers for each track. Usually this meant he sat the floor and worked on art while I was mixing at my desk.
So its 2007 and this EP is what we have to show for the sleepless nights. We hope that you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed creating it.
Age:
23 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
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âÂÂThere are some people who are just born that wayâ¦â her big blue eyes sparkle as she laughs and tucks a stray piece back into her messy curls and continues on about how songwriting (and inevitably being a little scattered) is something she was born into. Meet Parker Welling. She is one of the proud few, a Nashville-native and the lifeblood of the dream that her father never got to realize. Anyone who knows her would tell you how undeniable it is that she has a passion for storiesâÂÂwhen she isnâÂÂt getting lost in an Emmylou Harris or Willie Nelson song and her nose isnâÂÂt in a book, she is asking a genuine and probing questions while lending an ear to anyone who will share, and telling her story to anyone who will listen. Her passion for talking about good old-fashioned life experience is showcased through the happy memories of feel-good summer love in âÂÂFirecrackers and Matchesâ and the emotive and honest heartache of that secret hidden in the darkest corner of the heart in âÂÂDevil.â Her songs are like a good conversation with the girl next door over your grandmotherâÂÂs home cookingâÂÂfresh and accessible to anyoneâÂÂs taste, with hint of that organic, rootsy flavor and a dash of that home-grown twang, all laced with the empathy, understanding, and wisdom in ParkerâÂÂs uniquely sweet voice.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bazonkers Music, LLC
Bio:
A native of the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts, there has never been a time that music has not played an important role in my life. Somewhere along the way, my parents bought me my first guitar and I thought for sure that I was Elvis himself. I couldnâÂÂt play a lick, but thoroughly enjoyed entertaining family and my big sisterâÂÂs friends at any opportunity that presented itself.
The other great love of my youth was baseball. I was a pitcher and even got invited to join the Montreal ExpoâÂÂs in spring training~when I had an arm! The love of my life and best friend for all of these years has been my wife, Linda. I love her today more than ever and she is the inspiration that keeps me writing and reaching for my and our dreams. We had a pretty tough time financially in the early years of our marriage, but through a lot of hard work and perseverance, we finally saw daylight. We have been blessed with a wonderful son, Patrick who is the real musician of the family and a very talented writer.
My wife and I have been running and growing our own new car dealership in Vermont for many years. I wrote a few songs along the way, but never had enough time to devote to it and develop my craft. However, the itch to one day write music full time was always waiting impatiently in my heart.
On June 21, 2000, my life changed forever when my brother, Jack died suddenly. Older than myself, we had grown very close in the years proceeding his death. Linda and I had visited with him the previous weekend. We always hear people telling us, âÂÂlife is short.â For whatever the reason, that statement never had the impact on me that it has since.
As they say, the Lord works in mysterious ways. That event forced me to take a real close look at my life. I had read about what Tony Robbins refers to as the âÂÂrocking chairâ test and so I tried it. I envisioned myself lucky enough to live to a ripe old age and sitting back in my rocking chair. I asked myself, âÂÂwhat is the one thing that I wish I had accomplished in my life? What God given gifts did I not use to their fullest?â The answer for me was easy. Music. Specifically, songwriting. Over the past 15 years or so, I have gained a true love and respect for Country Music. And so the journey began.
I have witnessed time and again in my life how God has a way of bringing us together with certain people at just the right moment. What a wonderful gift that is. In my case, regarding songwriting, it was Bucky Jones. Bucky, along with his wife, Becky and their two children, had moved to Vermont and were customers at our car dealership. Bucky had written eight number one hits and 25 top ten songs during his illustrious career in Nashville. We began a friendship, yet I was either too embarrassed or otherwise reluctant to share with him that I had such a compelling interest in writing music.
A few years ago I finally found the nerve to ask Bucky to listen to some of my stuff. I guess he noticed something in either my desire or ability and we began writing a few songs together the following spring. We have since written many songs together. I liken my opportunity to a kid who has a chance to play catch with a pro ballplayer. It is not something that you will ever forget or take for granted.
I can never thank Bucky enough for his friendship and mentoring. I cherish the days that we have spent writing, laughing, reminiscing and sharing our life stories. Hopefully, there is a lot more to come. We recently got our first cuts in Nashville and I cannot tell you how exciting that has been.
In October of 2007, our son, Patrick took over the reins at our new car dealership in Vermont and is doing an incredible job. For the most part I am now living my dream and writing full time. This gives me more time to continue to drive my friends and family nuts while I bombard them with emails asking them to listen to my new tunes! ItâÂÂs been an incredible ride and looking back I wouldnâÂÂt trade the hard times for anything. That is when IâÂÂve learned the most about myself and life. I canâÂÂt wait to see whatâÂÂs around the next bend. Yours in music, Pat âÂÂFinneganâ Kelley
Age:
40 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
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I am a staff writer at Studio 33 Music Group in Nashville, TN. I am also one of the primary writers and the bassist for the country-pop-rock band, Scarlet Kings. I am primarily a lyricist but I am involved in all aspects of the writing process. I have shared the writing room with the likes of Danny Kortchmar, Sam Hollander, Dave Schoomer, Jill Cunniff and Stephen Barker Liles. I am relatively new to Nashville and I am looking for co-writing opportunities. I'm also available as a bassist for gigs, sessions, demos, showcases and even tours.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
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Age:
35 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
perrinlamb@yahoo.com
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Age:
50 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Pete Kronowitt is an independent music artist who has three albums:
Phases of the Heart/1995
Threads/2003
elements/2005
PeteâÂÂs acoustic pop, indie folk distills relationships & the issues we all experience. âÂÂelementsâ expresses the first tug of your heart string, to the harsh salvos of war, to a goodbye song custom made for todayâÂÂs reality TV.
John Alagia produced PeteâÂÂs first album, Phases of the Heart, is best known for his work with the Dave Matthews & Jon Mayer.
PeteâÂÂs sound is the perfect cocktail of Jack Johnson & Death Cab for Cutie, with just a shot of Elvis Costello, mixing todayâÂÂs tastiest adult pop, singer/songwriting influences.
Check out PeteâÂÂs website www.petekronowitt.com.
Age:
39 Years Old
Level:
professional
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Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
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Age:
57 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Slapfight Songs: slap@hiwaay.net
Bio:
After a lifetime of crafting finely-wrought, heart-touching songs, singer-songwriter Pierce Pettis feels that heâÂÂs finally found his comfort zone. âÂÂThe biggest change,â he says of this point in his career âÂÂhas been getting over myself and realizing this is a job and a craft. And the purpose is not fame and fortune (whatever that is) but simply doing good work.âÂÂ
âÂÂFrom the time I was very little, I always had the music going in my head,â Pettis explains. âÂÂLike my own personal soundtrack or something. I also come from a fairly musical family: my mother went to music school and was an excellent organist and pianist. And my sisters all played piano and other instruments. In school, I met other kids who wanted to be rock stars, just like me. From the time we were around 10 or so up through high school, we put together various bands -- all of them horrible.âÂÂ
His âÂÂhorribleâ bands didnâÂÂt deter him though and even though he had a nagging feeling (âÂÂI thought I was supposed to be a doctor or something.âÂÂ) he persevered, not only playing music but writing songs in a mix of rock, folk, country and R&B; genres that landed him an unpaid position as a staff writer for Muscle Shoals Sounds Studios. While there, his track âÂÂSong at the End of the Movieâ found its way to Joan BaezâÂÂs 1979 album Honest Lullaby.
Pettis hit the road and became a member of the âÂÂFast Folkâ movement in New York in the mid-1980âÂÂs. He released one independent solo album, Moments (1984) before signing with High Street Records, a division of Windham Hill. There, he released three albums: While the Serpent Lies Sleeping (1989), Tinseltown (1991), and Chase the Buffalo (1993). His relationship with Tinseltown producer Mark Heard transcended the album. After
HeardâÂÂs untimely death in 1992, Pettis committed to including a song of HeardâÂÂs on every one of his own albums, a practice that continues to this day.
Pettis was a staff songwriter for PolyGram from 1993-2000 and when his High Street contract ended, Pettis signed to Compass Records where he has released Making Light of It (1996),
Everything Matters (1998), State of Grace (2001), Great Big World (2004), and the just-released That Kind of Love (2009).
Pierce Pettisâ songs have been recorded by artists including Susan Ashton, Dar Williams, David Wilcox, Dion, Garth Brooks and Art Garfunkel.
Pettis currently lives in Alabama with his wife and their young son. His new album, "That Kind of Love" on Compass Records was released January 27 2009 and is currently the #2 Folk album in the country! (http://www.rootsmusicreport.com/2.0/charts.php?name=folk).
R
Age:
28 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
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Full blooded Tennessean.
Memphis by birth, Nashville by choice.
Age:
31 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
rachel.pearl@gmail.com
Bio:
Rachel Pearl's voice is mesmerizing, transporting; her fashions are elegant, eccentric; and her mix of musical styles never fails to take her audience to places they don't expect to go; A tousle of red atop shapely dress, she takes the old, mixes it with the new and constantly tests the boundaries of where music should go. Pearl has a way of turning every vocal performance into a lesson in chemistry between an audience and a true artist.
Whether she's channeling the 20th Century classics of Ella, Billie Holiday and Tina Turner, or crooning one of the self-penned compositions from her 2007 debut CD, Love Extravagantly, Rachel Pearl is consistently putting down roots in her own chosen field.
You can usually find her in Nashville's backyard experimenting in night clubs like Mercy Lounge, The Basement, Cafe Coco and The Rutledge. Careful - her chemistry will entice you inside. Before you even know it your hand will be stamped and you'll find your eyes focusing on a spot-lit stage. There you'll see a tousle of red atop shapely dress. And if you're lucky enough to find a table, sit back, and just listen to Rachel Pearl.
Age:
46 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Randy Joe Heavin
Bio:
Age:
46 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Roger Stauss 802-767-9703
Bio:
Raph Worrick writes rock, pop, and americana influenced songs. He has released four albums with his bands the Dirtminers and the Plastic Billionaires. He lives in rural Vermont with his wife and daughter.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
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Age:
30 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
reedkdmusic@yahoo.com
Bio:
Reed KD Makes "Perfectly Orchestrated" (NPR) Music In His Bedroom
For much of 2007 and 2008, Reed KD lived out of the back of his VW Vanagon. Awakened by garbage trucks in L.A., waiting out tornados in the Midwest, and eating deep-fried turtle in Kentucky, there has been no shortage of adventure and ingenuity in ReedâÂÂs unique lifestyle and music career.
Returning to his home by the sea, Reed KD put his life to music using one good mic, a couple borrowed and his laptop in his northern California bedroom. âÂÂIn Case The Comet Comes,â out June 9, is 11 original songs recorded by and featuring Reed plucking, strumming, sliding, drumming and singing (with friends and family contributing bass, drums, trashcans, fiddle and bass trombone).
Blending intimate neo-folk (âÂÂWinding RoadsâÂÂ), slow-burning twang (âÂÂLake MissouriâÂÂ) and rowdy bluegrass (âÂÂCactus GardenâÂÂ) âÂÂIn Case the Comet Comesâ bridges Americana and rock, guided by his crisp, effortless voice.
Age:
34 Years Old
Level:
professional
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Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
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Age:
46 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Indiana born singer/songwriter Rex P. Clem began his musical career performing in the local honkytonks of his central Indiana home at the age of 13. By the time he graduated high school, he already had an impressive resume of performance credits. He has shared the stage with some incredible players, writers, and singers. Some well known, and some that should be. Rex has opened shows for Country artists such as David Allan Coe, Keith Whitley, Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, Reba McEntire, Holly Dunn, Lee Greenwood, Tommy Cash, and many more. He has also worked with artists like The Marshal Tucker Band, Blackfoot and, Molly Hatchet. Over the years he has been on several television programs including Star Search, The Charlie Daniels Show, The Bobby Helms Show, and Midwest Country. Now living in Nashville, Tennessee...Rex has turned to his true love, writing and playing the Blues. His style of Country Blues has caught the attention of a number of Blues Hour radio programs across the nation as well as overseas. Not leaving his roots in Country Music behind, he continues to play on numerous sessions as well as writing and pitching songs of his own. Catch him at a live show, listen to the tunes, or stop by Superior Music in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee where he teaches Bass, Guitar and, Mandolin.
Age:
62 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Freedom Tracks Music ASCAP
Bio:
Nashville author, songwriter, homeless advocate; owner of Freedom Tracks Records ~ www.FreedomTracks.com
Age:
53 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
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Age:
28 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
For Rick Seibold, New York isnâÂÂt just the name of his new EP, itâÂÂs also the city that represents a pivotal time in the singer-songwriterâÂÂs life. His sound has been shaped by struggle, and his passion for his craft permeates through every note.
Raised on the East Coast in Wilmington, NC, SeiboldâÂÂs creativity began budding by the age of 10 when, at the suggestion of his parents, he began acting in films produced out of WilmingtonâÂÂs burgeoning film scene, including a part as one of Sir Anthony Hopkinsâ children in the 1994 film âÂÂThe Road To WellvilleâÂÂ. Spending many of his childhood summers on the North Carolina beaches, Seibold took up surfing and the guitar around age 15 where the sights and sounds of beach life quickly settled into his songs.
In winter of 2005, Seibold moved to New York City to take an internship at MTV. Over the course of following three years, he experienced more than his share of the requisite ebbs and flows that quite often characterize the life of a focused and passionate musician living out their dream on the mean streets of New York City. The bright lights and big city that first lured him soon gave way to a nomadic lifestyle that often found him without a place to live. When he was short on cash, you could find him performing in a nearby subway or park, playing and singing until he was hoarse. While his days would be spent working at MTV and BET, his nights were often filled with spot gigs at various bars and clubs, playing until the sun came up.
âÂÂLooking back, IâÂÂm not even sure how I made it,â says Seibold, reflecting on this time in his life. âÂÂA friend of mine once said that the best songs are written from just living life, so thatâÂÂs what I was trying to do.â And live he did.
Seibold channeled his struggles into a passionate pursuit of his music and, at the insistence of a friend, ultimately released his first collection of songs in EP form in 2007. His debut, ThatâÂÂs The Day, would spend an impressive four months in the iTunes Top Pop Albums chart in 2008. Led by the first single, âÂÂMaryâÂÂ, his music found an audience with both Canadian and UK listeners, garnering him an unexpected fan base north of the border and across the pond.
A 2008 move to Nashville has yielded a second collection of songs that marks not only the next chapter of SeiboldâÂÂs life, but also a stark stylistic departure from the acoustic simplicity of his previous release. The new project, New York, was written and largely produced by Seibold himself, and finds him settling firmly into a wildly hooky pop music sound. He has been compared sonically to that of One Republic, Chris Brown, and even the Jonas Brothers. When asked about the marked difference between the two discs, Seibold replied "I wanted to make a record that captured my experience of living in the bustling city of New York".
Age:
32 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
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Age:
30 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
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"[rnb] - a singer/songwriter who provides a perfect blend of old school R&B;with New Soul"
[rnb] is a soulful vocalist, songwriter, poet and visual artist out of Maryland/DC. It has been said that his music pays homage to past R&B;while providing a refreshing flavor of new soul. His melodies are what will lure you in and his attention to lyrical detail and wordplay are a few of the elements that will make you wanna stay! [rnb]'s music speaks of dedication and love and reiterates the idea of feeling good about life in general.
This performer at heart has hosted and organized various showcases around NYC. Every show is a new journey, whether it be smooth acoustic renditions of his music or full out rocking performances with a live band. Over the past 7 years [rnb] has both performed song and spoken word at various venues in NYC including Crash Mansion, the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Nell's, Bowery Poetry Club, Nightingales, The Knitting Factory, Soloman's Porch Cafe and various local colleges/universities. More recently, he hosted monthly showcases at The Five Spot in Brooklyn- creating a new outlet for emcees, poets and singers alike to perform with a live band.
[rnb]'s debut album "The Green Room" was released in Summer of 2007 off his indie label- Musical Green. The music is comprised of rich lyrics supported by innovative musical compositions that channel old school R&B;. The album is an interpretation of his life's journey over the past few years. Aside from strictly promoting his music through shows he has built up an online presence with the help of cdbaby and apple itunes, just to name a few. Sales have reached over 300 including roughly 60 cds ordered wholesale and placed in various UK stores. [rnb] plans to continue performing around the NYC area and is working on performing abroad. Many stations in the UK have already expressed interest and certain songs from The Green Room are on rotation.
Be on the lookout for the new face of [rnb]!
For rnb's music log onto
www.goodrnb.com
www.myspace.com/rnbsounds
cdbaby.com/cd/rnb
onlinepresskit:
www.sonicbids.com/rnbmusic
Age:
25 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
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Age:
33 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Old Man Henry Publishing, publishing@robbyhecht.com
Bio:
The music of Robby Hecht represents a return to the early 70s golden era of acoustic pop where thoughtful, well-crafted lyrics were blended with timeless melodies to impact mainstream music and culture. Robby has played folk/roots festivals and venues across the country, sharing the stage with such legendary artists as Richie Havens, Greg Brown, and Patty Griffin, and garnering comparisons to early James Taylor, Paul Simon, and Amos Lee. Like these celebrated artists, Robby Hecht is a unique voice -- one that is stirring, instantly recognizable, and truly original.
Age:
60 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bittersweet Gardens Music
Bio:
At the age of 13 I started playing drums in a "house" band (at a friend's house). By 16 I was playing for my brother's band in clubs in Marietta, Ga. After graduating high school, I learned guitar and played for youth groups at churches. Later in the mid-1970's I played drums for a gospel group. During that time I wrote a few Contemporary Christian songs.
In 2005, inspired by my brother Eddie Rhoades, I started writing songs in ernest. By 2007 I had my own self-published CD, "Paths Across My Heart". Currently, I write mostly as the inspiration hits me. But the more I write, the more inspiration hits me.
During the week, you'll find me at my own printing shop, Rhoades Printing Company. Sundays you will find me leading music at Covington's Calvary Baptist Church.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
RHRTWO Music (BMI)
Bio:
Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, Reed! started his first band at 15 and soon after began writing and performing his own music. After drifting in and out of music Reed! resurfaced with his 2007 EP "Eyes of a Child". 2011 brings a follow up, "Soular Return". The 10 song set showcases Reed's influences in Funk, Rock, Soul and consciousness. Energized by his latest release, Reed! is already preparing songs for his next release while promoting "Soular Return".
Age:
33 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
www.wakingsouthern.com
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Carnival Music - cgregg@carnivalmusic.net
Bio:
Indie pop/rock outfit Roman Candle began playing in Chapel Hill, N.C. in 1997, where the the Mathenys (brothers Skip and Logan Matheny, and Skip's wife Timshel) attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Not long after they began writing and recording songs on weekends in their parents' Wilkesboro, N.C. basement (130 miles west of Chapel Hill).
Having heard their demo recordings on garageband.com, then-Denver Broncos defensive end Trevor Pryce signed Roman Candle to a record deal in 2001. Their debut, Says Pop, was released in 2002.
The band toured across the U.S. in support of Says Pop, gathering a fervent fan base, and found themselves gracing the pages of Rolling Stone, as Chapel Hill's "darling" band on the rise. During this time they met producer Chris Stamey (The db's, Yo la Tengo, Ryan Adams, R.E.M.), and signed to Hollywood Records' fledging college music division (The Polyphonic Spree, Patrick Park). Hollywood recruited Stamey to rework Says Pop for a major label release, re-titled as The Wee Hours Revue in 2003. However, Hollywood, uncertain about the college division, decided to shelve Roman Candle's album for two years.
During this time the band continued to tour, write and record and became a part of Chris Stamey's "mod squad," a famed group of studio/touring musicians associated with Stamey, Modern Recording. Roman Candle members toured in support of Stamey's records A Question of Temperature (with Yo la Tengo) and Travels in the South.
Also during this time the band was discovered by famed BBC disk jockey Bob Harris and invited to play multiple times on BBC Radio 2.
In 2006 V2 Records bought The Wee Hours Revue masters from Hollywood and released the record to widespread acclaim. The band toured throughout 2006 in support of the record, including tours with The Whigs, The Avett Brothers, Rufus Wainwright, Patty Smith, Bird Monster and Aimee Mann and a date at Radio City Music Hall.
The band is currently recording their follow up LP, Oh Tall Tree in the Ear. The title comes from Rainer Maria Rilke's Sonnet's to Orpheus.
Age:
34 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
I was born and raised in MS...so when I moved to Manhattan in '04 I didn't know exactly what to expect. I definitely didn't expect to start writing songs...I guess it really is an inspiring city.
So I've been writing for about 5 years...but I've been a musician/band leader/worship leader for much longer.
I recently recorded my first EP of original songs. It was produced by Neilson Hubbard (Matthew Perryman Jones, Tyler James) and I had some great Nashville guys play on it. Andy Hubbard on drums and Kris Donegan on electric guitars.
A few of the songs were written during my time in New York and the others after I moved back to MS in '06.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
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Rory Faithfield is a Dublin-based yet Australian born and bred singer-songwriter, with Celtic songlines in his head and grains of sand between his toes.
Undeterred by school reports - kicked out of singing class at age 6 and the School Band at 14 â RoryâÂÂs journey began with the post-punk Sydney band scene. Inspired by The Saints, Hunters & Collectors, Birthday Party and X â he eschewed his middle-class beginnings in his search for something that felt more real.
Like thousands of Australians, that search inevitably led to a one way ticket to London. âÂÂWalkaboutâ lasted 20 years and saw a reinvention in the fertile Dublin music scene. Rory was inspired by the sheer talent of solo artists such as Christy Moore, Luka Bloom and Glen Hansard who held their audiences transfixed.
Rory spent the 90âÂÂs paying his songwriting and performance dues in the demanding pub circuits of Ireland and Germany. Between cries for âÂÂThe Irish Roverâ and âÂÂWhisky in the JarâÂÂ, Rory discovered his voice as a solo artist.
1998 saw the UK release of his debut album NOWHERE, SOMEWHERE, ANYWHERE. This was followed in 2002 by BLOOD, BONES & SOUL â described by the Irish Times: âÂÂhis relentlessly upbeat folk-rock courses with positive thinking and vigorous musicality⦠Faithfield is invigorating and inspiring..âÂÂ. With standout songs SHED MY SKIN and the anthemic RISE ABOVE.
CIRCLE DANCE , a completely solo acoustic album, was released in 2007 â yet another step in confidence, energy and strength. "This is beautiful, straightforward storytelling, saturated in Irish folk traditions but with a keen edge born of Faithfield's days as a punk rocker in Sydney. I was reminded of Paul Kelly's more lyrical excursions, which is a high compliment" (WEST AUSTRALIAN)
RoryâÂÂs fourth album SONGS FOR SOONER, is co-produced with renowned Irish music veteran Gavin Murphy and will be released in 2010. The multilayered album title harks to Sooner, a beautiful broken kelpie from a regional NSW farm that he rescued and nurtured. This album is the culmination of FaithfieldâÂÂs experience as an authentic songwriter and performer.
Rory currently divides his time between Dublin and his home in Vasse on the West Australian coast, not far from famed wine country Margaret River. Until recently, Rory has flown largely under the radar of the music scene. Mesmerising Festival performances are changing things.
For more info and contact details, visit: www.faithfield.com
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0 Years Old
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semi-pro
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... beautiful, a voice reminiscent of nick drake.
Joe Henry, March 2010
"A voice and phrasing to die for ... The Real Deal."
Pat Pattison, Professor at Berklee & Author of "Writing Better Lyrics"
Some songs are novels. Others are mantras. Some are soda pop and candy while others are bitter pills. Ryan TannerâÂÂs songs are, for the most part, none of those. TheyâÂÂre photographs. Snapshots. A truthful, beautiful, sometimes sad, sometimes contented photographic approach to one scene, one moment. Tanner has been lauded for his âÂÂknack for turning words into imagesâ (IN Utah) and âÂÂspare songs of love and roamingâ (Salt Lake City Weekly) for good reason.
You could call it folk, but those aren't the touchstones. These songs are steeped in Springsteen, Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, Joe Henryâ enduring, timeless storytellers who keep genre-namers busy. Is it folk? Is it rock? Is it country? Is it blues? The real questions are: does it move you? Does it take you somewhere? And, when listening to Ryan Tanner sing his songs, the answer is yes.
TannerâÂÂs former band, Atherton, were no slouches either. They had some success when their song âÂÂCaliforniaâ was on MTVâÂÂs Laguna Beach soundtrack and played high profile tours with bands like American Music Club, The Mother Hips, Sea Wolf, Deer Tick, and The New Frontiers. The Salt Lake Tribune called their last album "a winning set of country-rock sure to please fans of Ryan Adams and Son Volt with some fine songcraft.âÂÂ
The band was amicably dissolved when Tanner felt his new songs needed a different home. If weâÂÂve learned anything about the muse, itâÂÂs that you meet her demands. So Ryan Tanner has set out on his own, just a guitar and a gallery of beautiful, heartbreaking songs to his name.
Age:
31 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
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Since 2004 Ryan Humbert has been wowing audiences, playing over 400 shows opening for Chrissie Hynde, Elvis Costello, The Gin Blossoms, Foreigner, Josh Ritter, Dave Mason, Allen Toussaint, Alana Davis, Raul Malo, The Subdudes, Maia Sharp and John Eddie and more.
Showing his versatility and range as an artist, Humbert has had the honor of playing for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's 2006American Music Masters Series in honor of Roy Orbison, being the featured band at the ribbon cutting ceremony of VegiTerrenean (the Akron restaurant of Pretenders lead singer Chrisse Hynde) and portraying Hank Williams in a sold-out five-night run of the Canton Cabaret's Hank Williams: The Concert That Never Was.
Humbert is currently embarking on his most ambitious move yet. Humbert moved to Nashville, TN in March of 2008 to record a pop/rock record with producer Lij (The Living Things, Glenn Tilbrook, Bonnaroo). The resulting 14-song album,"Old Souls, New Shoes", features Humbert's bandmates Emily Bates and Ben Evans as well as former members of Third Eye Blind, The Jayhawks, The Counting Crows, The Black Crowes and more. The record was mixed by Grammy-winning engineer Jamie Tate and Mastered by Nashville legend Hank Williams at Mastermix.
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0 Years Old
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aspiring
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Age:
33 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
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For the 8th and final season of Magnum P.I. Universal Studios gave him a bonus of $350K which he spent on lavish gifts, such as Rolex watches, Porsches, $1000 bonuses, for the entire cast and crew of Magnum P.I.
Vocally supported President Ronald Reagan throughout the 1980s.
Was considered as the next President of the National Rifle Association (NRA) following the retirement of his close friend Charlton Heston in 2003.
His only biological child is Hannah, his daughter with Jillie Mack. Kevin Selleck is the son of his first wife, Jacqueline Ray, from her first marriage. Tom Selleck adopted Kevin during the marriage and has continued to treat him as a beloved son after he and Jacqueline Ray divorced.
Member of the conservative Wednesday Morning Club in Hollywood.
S
Age:
31 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
N/A
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Age:
56 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
none
Bio:
always behind the 8- ball...always writing..
Just listen to the song...it'll tell you all you need to know
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
samgnash@aol.com
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Samantha Gibb & The Cartel Find Their Freedom on the Wrong Side
Samantha Gibb may have been given a unique musical birthright most artists would kill for, but it wasnâÂÂt until the formation of The Cartel that she truly found her direction. WebsterâÂÂs tells us a cartel is a union between independent forces in the interest of a common goal, and thatâÂÂs a perfect description of the dynamic that drives Samantha Gibb & The Cartel.
If GibbâÂÂs last name rings a bell itâÂÂs because sheâÂÂs the daughter of late Bee Gees singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Maurice Gibb, who mentored her entry into the music business, producing SamanthaâÂÂs early recordings with her brother Adam under the name Luna Park in the late âÂÂ90s. And when Lazaro Rodriguez entered their Miami Beach studio to lay down some guitar tracks, Samantha knew sheâÂÂd found a simpatico spirit. Eventually, Adam left the group, but after Laz brought in his old friend Nick Sallons on bass, the core of what was about to become The Cartel was in place.
All three band members suffered a huge loss when Maurice passed away in 2003, and they released their first recordings together under the name M.E.G. (for Maurice Ernest Gibb) âÂÂTo keep his name going and keep him with us, we had his initialsâ explains Laz. By 2007, the trio was ready for a change; feeling limited by the Miami Beach music scene, they decided to move to Nashville together, starting their own studio there. Though thereâÂÂs not much twang in their sound, they found much more than country in Music City. âÂÂThereâÂÂs obviously country every place you turn here, but thereâÂÂs just so much alternative musicâ says Samantha. Laz concurs, âÂÂIt was exactly what we wanted to be around. We felt more at home. Three years down the line, what happened was what I wanted to happen. WeâÂÂre learning from amazing talent around here. We didnâÂÂt have that in Miami.âÂÂ
Further evidence that Gibb, Rodriguez, and Sallons had finally found their feet with their arrival in Nashville can be seen in their identity-declaring name change from M.E.G. to Samantha Gibb & The Cartel. That doesnâÂÂt mean they abandoned their roots, though. âÂÂEven though weâÂÂve changed the name, we still have our production company and our studio under M.E.G.â Samantha explains. Though the group had been laboring intensely for years at this point, they refined their unique blend of influences more distinctively than ever before in Nashville, and the results are all over their new EP, Wrong Side.
âÂÂBeing raised in a Hispanic family, I learned a lot of traditional Spanish music,â says Laz. âÂÂMy dad played me corridos and showed me music from way back. And then I got into a lot of rock, and I studied classical in school.â Sallons, who started playing with Rodriguez in high school, paints a similarly eclectic picture of his background, âÂÂGrowing up in Miami, I had friends that listened to 2 Live Crew and listened to a lot of Bass, but then a lot of other friends who listened to rock and metal.â Then thereâÂÂs frontwoman Gibb, who loves everything from Billie Holiday to Beck, but also notes that Maurice âÂÂwas my father and my best friend, but musically he was probably my biggest influence.â Add this head-spinning swirl of sounds and sensibilities together, and you get the intoxicating musical cocktail that is Samantha Gibb & The CartelâÂÂs debut release, Wrong Side.
From the sultry, tango-inflected âÂÂMy Spell,â to the driving riffs and worldly-wise message of âÂÂTake It Easy,â the dramatic, Roy Orbison-esque acoustic balladry of âÂÂIâÂÂll Stay,â and the chugging rock riffs and pop-perfection harmonies of the title track, Wrong Side is the product of three powerful, distinct musical personalities. Once again, itâÂÂs the concept of The Cartel â individual forces uniting to pursue a shared purpose. In the short term, that purpose is promoting their new EP and spreading the word about Samantha Gibb & The Cartel worldwide. Toward that end, the band is crossing the pond in 2010 for their first U.K. tour, hitting everyplace from London to Edinburgh. âÂÂWe definitely have fans out there that have been following us for a while now, since the Luna Park album, so weâÂÂre excited to get out there and finally get to meet some of themâ says Nick. In the long run, though, the trioâÂÂs goals have no ceiling. Responding to the notion that followers of her familyâÂÂs momentous musical legacy will hold her to an unfairly high standard, Samantha says âÂÂI think in music, standards should be high. ItâÂÂll show in the work. IâÂÂm really proud of what we do. I want the standard to be high, because I want to keep getting better.âÂÂ
Age:
54 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
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Sandra D. McCarthy is a Song-Mapper.
I began singing at the age six in church choir, then progressed to High School chorus and onto The Bel Canto Singers.
Professionally, I have my degree in Fine Arts. So, I thought listening to music and singing to the radio would be just an enjoyable hobby.
One day, a friend and I were playing "You gotta hear this!" I played him "Guitar Psychedelics" by The Ventures.
He said, "I really like this" and then I quipped, "Needs lyrics."
"Write some."
"Yeah right."
As you see, I reconsidered, and grew to love the process of writing lyrics and music.
As English poet, Christopher Logue summed up--
Come to the edge.
We might fall.
Come to the edge.
It's too high!
COME TO THE EDGE!
So they came
and he pushed
and they flew.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
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Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Cherry Heart Music
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Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Sarah Blacker will make you dance a jig in the street, while she stomps, claps, and cheers you on! She'll get a kick out of the way the music moves you, and will be equally as moved. She'll even make your toughest bassist cry with the amount of passion she pours into each musical note she produces. She'll treat you like an old friend before a show and stop you dead in your tracks once she starts to sing. Sarah Blacker has written over 400 songs, and toured nationally, playing to sold-out audiences in Cambridge, MA, Lawrence, KS, and New York City to name a few. She's been named a 'River Rising Star' by WXRV, Boston's Independent Radio, 92.5 the River. Southcoast247.com has coined her, "A shining light in the local music scene," and she's regularly called, "the perfect blend of Joni Mitchell and Ella Fitzgerald."
At age 17, Sarah Blacker spent sleepless nights yearning to learn how to play the guitar. After two months of attempted lessons, her teacher told her to forget about lessons as she wasn't practicing technique, she was writing song after song after song. She eventually taught herself a boat-load of strange chords and rhythms which she now crafts to fit her every whim.
A classically-trained vocalist, pianist by ear only, and ballet dancer since age 8, Sarah has always kept her sights set on the stars. Berklee College of Music in Boston accepted Sarah early, and there she engaged in intensive Music Therapy studies, spending upwards of 7 hours/day cradling her black Martin guitar in the corner of a tiny practice room. As a vocal major, Berklee also taught her vibrato, swoops and jazzy vocal inflections to add to her box of vocal tools.
Sarah's approach to music is that of an artist inspired by each passing nuance and minute detail. She admits, "Life is too complex to even begin to understand, so I make sense of life through song." She now writes and records 3-4 songs a week. "I always believe the songs that are meant to stick around will stay, and some will fall by the wayside," Sarah explains, "Some songs might find their lifespan to be but a sketch, and others may disappear for a while, and then resurface. But some just write themselves in a few minutes, and stick hard. Some just stick around."
Sarah is currently busy in the studio with producer Rob Loyot of Noise in the Attic Studios- Scituate, MA, to record her debut full-length album scheduled for release in the late spring of 2009.
*Sarah has performed live and received airplay on Boston's Independent Radio 92.5 the River, various internet radio stations, CBS Channel 4 TV, Channel 9 in Wellesley, Framingham, and Somerville, MA, has shared the stage with Vince Welnick, Grateful Dead keyboardist; Sara Bareilles; Paddy Casey; Marc Broussard; Laura Veirs; Liam Finn; Apollo Sunshine; Michelle Malone of Lillith Fair; Ulu, Big Leg Emma, and many more...
Age:
28 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Society's Eye Music (ASCAP)
Bio:
www.myspace.com/sarahsadlersongwriting
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Allergic Reaction Music
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Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
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Biographies are supposed to be written in third person. But if we're honest with ourselves, they are (for the most part) just paragraphs of semi-untrue facts written by an artist in an attempt to sound cool. And since I'm not cool, I don't have to put up that façade. That being said⦠my name is Savannah Ellis and I write songs.
My music would typically be thrown into the âÂÂChristian/indie-pop musicâ pile although IâÂÂd argue that a lot of them are just an honest, real look into my heart. And IâÂÂd also argue that âÂÂan honest, real look into my heartâ should be a new genre of music.
The songs I create offer a raw look into who I am on the good days, the great days, and the IâÂÂm-crying-on-the-floor-like-a-child days. Because one thing IâÂÂve noticed in my short lifespan is that people like real people.
So my music is transparent- a reflection of real emotion and energy and stories that engage listeners. I donâÂÂt have a secret formula or a magic chord progression or a copy of How to Write A Hit Song For Dummies, but IâÂÂm not afraid of being myself. Oh yeahâÂÂand I also won a Grammy once. And I wrote a dozen #1 singles last year. No big deal.
Age:
44 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
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Age:
56 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
hitmeister@mindspring.com
Bio:
Songwriter Seth Jackson wrote his first song in 1983, while studying for his MBA degree at the Wharton School. The second song he ever wrote, called "The Atomic Bop", received airplay on WAAF-FM in the Boston area. The song caught the ear of the local music press, prompting The Beat Magazine to write, "Be on the Seth Jackson alert..." Several years later, Seth left the corporate world to study at the Grove School of Music in Los Angeles, where he earned a diploma in Songwriting.
An ASCAP member, Seth is NSAI Regional Workshop Coordinator for the Los Angeles/Pasadena area. Seth writes in a variety of styles including country, rock, pop, blues, and novelty songs. Seth promotes his catalog through certain publishers in Nashville and LA and also through his own publishing company, Row Town Music.
In June of 2008, Seth received a Presidential invitation to the White House because of his song, "Pfc. Ross A. McGinnis", a tribute to an Iraq war hero. The soldier was eventually awarded a Medal of Honor, and the song was performed at a reception following the award ceremony.
Age:
38 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Riverbridge Publishing
Bio:
Shane Bridges is a SInger/Songwriter from Macon Georgia. His music blends the good side of country with the rootsy side of rock to create solid songs crafted with strong lyrics. He has landed his songs on both tv & film shows. He tours the southeast with his band of veteran musicians.
Age:
30 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
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Born and raised in Seattle, WA. Fronted experimental pop collective, Dolour (2001-2005) before American roots music captured his soul. After a string of well-received self-produced records with his family band, The Traveling Mercies (a group he formed with his brother and cousin), Tutmarc released his debut solo album, Shouting At A Silent Sky in the summer of 2009. At the top of 2010, Tutmarc relocated to East Nashville to be a little closer to his musical home.
"The Seattle singer-songwriterâÂÂs latest album (and the first recorded under just his own name) is not only his most musically well-rounded record, itâÂÂs also his best. Tutmarc combines elements of garage-rock, folk, blues, country, gospel and pop into emotionally searing songs of spiritual disquiet and personal heartache."
- Don Yates, KEXP Music Director
Age:
44 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
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Age:
40 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
shelleyb@shelleybarratt.com
Bio:
Shelley Barratt is an artist, writer, singer, and songwriter out of Albuquerque, New Mexico writing unique songs that have piqued the interest of dancers, authors and visionaries. Shelley has performed at festivals, for minor league sports and state fairs, and at venues from Nashville to San Jose. She has hosted acoustic and womenâÂÂs showcases, and created music for modern dance, special occasions and visual media. ShelleyâÂÂs music has been nominated for and received awards or honorable mention in songwriting contests, and she has collaborated with recording artists signed to indie and major record labels.
Shelley is a "Jill of All Trades" with a penchant for high-tech and creative business ventures, and she is always working with projects such as the new incarnation of Strawberry Zots; her band, 5 Revolving Doors (âÂÂ5RDâÂÂ); and her writing site, ofproductions.com, a nice side addition to Shelley's music as it delves deeper into her lyrical content.
WRITING with part instinct and part intuition, ShelleyâÂÂs songs draw comparisons from Joni Mitchell to Madonna, Loreena McKennitt to Dan Fogelberg, The Eagles to Sarah McLachlan, Sheryl Crow to Peter Gabriel. "Good groove. Cool imagery, theme," âÂÂBillboard; âÂÂThe powerful combination musically and lyrically creates a sound that is truly unique and refreshing. BarrattâÂÂs music provides a breath of fresh air,â âÂÂGoGirls Music; "Shelley's music has merit overall but what makes her distinct is her songwriting⦠catchy rock-pop-folk tunes⦠blissful⦠rhythmic⦠curious,â âÂÂIMG Music; âÂÂI am enjoying the CD and hope to see more of your work on the market soon. All the best,â âÂÂTerry Brooks, Author; âÂÂYou sing with your heart. Nothing under the heavens can stop that,â âÂÂHenderson Jones, Filmmaker.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Carnival Publishing
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Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Hinterland House Publishing Co. - info@shellyfraley.com
Bio:
With the release of her freshman solo e.p., Up Up & Away, Nashville based singer-songwriter Shelly Fraley has already earned numerous placements on major network television shows and films such as One Tree Hill, Knight Rider, Ghost Whisper and the unreleased Free Willy 4 (summer of 2010).
Pulling inspiration from artists such as The Cardigans, Josh Ritter, John Mayer, Gemma Hayes, Sheryl Crow, and Coldplay (just to name a few), Fraley maintains pop sensibilities without diminishing the lyrical and musical content in her 5 song e.p.
âÂÂUp Up & Away is a collection of songs that sum up my first year in Tennessee and my last year in Kansas. From the title track, âÂÂUp Up & Away,â a song about an emotional and physical transition from one place to another - to âÂÂI Don't Know,â a song about having to make the heartbreaking decision of ending a relationship, all of the songs are really about what I know best⦠my life.âÂÂ
Hailing from the outskirts of a small Kansas town, Burden, Fraley recalls the age when she first began to take an interest in writing and playing music.
âÂÂI was pretty small, probably around five, maybe six... I was sitting in the âÂÂpink roomâ in my childhood house, leaning over a notebook, and I came up with the lyrics âÂÂyou keep cracking me up.â I couldn't understand why my mom laughed when I used the phrase in a breakup song... it seemed like such a serious phrase to me. Either way, from those first lyrics until now, I've been a songwriter at heart. I never thought of myself as a great singer, but I always loved the process of writing and creating something that was my own. I started learning piano on a Casio keyboard with little sticker letters on the keys to learn the notes when I was about eight, and growing up on a relatively isolated farm in Kansas lent to plenty of alone-time to learn the piano and create music, silly as it may have been.âÂÂ
Everything in between back then and now has really just been a series of trial and error in learning to become a songwriter, and learning to hold my own musically. And regardless of what happens with my music on a professional level, I look forward to seeing where this road leads and what new ideas find their way out of my head. Those moments of conquering and finishing a song are the most satisfying moments in my life.âÂÂ
Fraley is currently in the process of writing/recording a full-length album to be independently released summer of 2010.
Age:
55 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
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Born in the east, raised in Georgia, Alaska and mostly California. I'm part of a musical collective called Dear Jane with another singer/songwriter Virginia Randall. I work outdoors, play outdoor and thats how I like it.
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Sons of Bill Publishing (BMI) / band@sonsofbill.com
Bio:
Bill Wilson is from central Virginia. He is a professor of philisophical theology, a songwriter, an expert on the southern agrarian movement, and a father of 6.
His 3 eldest sons returned to Virginia to start a rock band in 2006 with long-time musical compadres Seth Green and Todd Wellons. As a tribute to the man who taught them how to play guitar, write songs, drive a stick-shift, and back up a trailer, the band decided to name themselves Sons of Bill.
With two independently released albums, and a live show known to evolve from acoustic ballads into sweaty stage dives, the Sons of Bill are quickly establishing themselves as one of the hardest working and most promising rock bands in the south.
Age:
108 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Please go to www.stacimarlo.com for more information. thank you!
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
JMA Music/Self Published
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FREE- ALL SONGS FROM LOVE GONE MAD BY STARS GO DIM! DOWNLOAD FREE NOW, BUT NOT FOREVER: www.starsgodim.com/free
Surging though 2008 on three songs and an ever-growing fan base, Stars Go Dim a foursome of uncompromised talent includes lead vocalist Chris Cleveland, guitarist Joey Avalos, bassist Michael Wittig, and drummer Lester Estelle has completed the first EP for release in October 2008.
The self-titled five song collection features three fan favorites Come Around, Crazy, and Walk On that have been digitally re-mastered with new mixes. They join two new songs penned by Avalos, Incredible and Get Over It.
The decidedly pop-rock radio-friendly tunes are lined with love-laden lyrics intense guitar licks, and a seasoned rhythm section. Avalos says of the new tracks, we just love to write songs that make you want to sing-along. The EP is the precursor to a tangled tale of love that Avalos alludes to in the original sampling of songs. It wasn't until I had written a twelve or so songs that we realized what we had. It's really this intricate mess of a love story that will unfold itself with our full-length album, says Avalos. The whole package really presents our musical identity. We've spent the past several months working and waiting to get this EP out to our fans, comments Wittig.
Stars Go Dim's musical style blends pop, rock and smooth soul and feature engaging lyrics held together with captivating melodies.
After forming in late 2007, Stars Go Dim witnessed a string of success the group opened for Switchfoot, Daughtry, and Graham Colton, and shared the stage with Paramore, The All-American Rejects, and The Roots.
Stars Go Dim took the musical crown in a series of contests for rock and pop compositions as well as vocalist and songwriting categories nationwide, with the most prominent being Country Music Television's Listener's Choice Award. It wasn't long before Buckle Retailers nationwide were streaming Stars Go Dim tunes through its store speakers in the summer of 2008.
Much of their initial success is credited back to their fans. We really do have the best fans. Really. They were onboard with us when we just had a few videos of us writing the songs and no other music or bells and whistles to offer, says Cleveland.
The online communities have helped us get to know our fans better and vice versa. We're always coming up with new ways to connect, notes Wittig.
The Tulsa-based quartet landed a spot on ClearChannel radio's online destination for new music which provides Stars Go Dim streaming music and content on demand.
Stars Go Dim has been featured in Tulsa media markets on Fox 23, Good Morning Tulsa, News 9 This Morning, and the CW's UpLate with Ben Sumner, as well as becoming a music journalist favorite in the Tulsa World and also the Urban Tulsa, which dubbed the band the best unsigned pop band in Oklahoma.
Age:
31 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Anastasia "Stasia" Osho is a Christian Singer/Songwriter who's passionate about uplifting the spirit of every person she meets. Her sound is considered Contemporary Gospel/ Inspirational and is a blend of pop, rock, and soul. Her music is inspired by the Holy Spirit of God and is enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds. Her major influences and inspirations are CeCe Winans, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Kirk Franklin, Israel Houghton, Yolanda Adams, Nicole C Mullins, Crystal Lewis and many, many more.
Stasia has been singing in church since she was a small child, but she wrote her first song when she was 12 years old. Her song "Just Keep on Tryin'" was an inspirational song that inspired her to never give up or herself, in spite of the challenges she endured as a pre-teen and young teenager. The first time she shared a song was at a Wednesday night bible study at Greater Saint Paul Missionary Baptist Church in her hometown of Beaumont, TX. This is the same church where she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, at the age of 15.
It wasn't until college that Stasia considered Christian singing/songwriting as a career. She was studying Fashion but felt the Lord pulling her in a different direction. After confirmation from a string of events and from people God brought into her life, Anastasia took a leap of faith and devoted herself to spreading the love of Christ through the music that God gives her.
Since making that life changing decision, Stasia has ministered at several churches and college events in her college town of Nacogdoches, TX, her hometown, and venues in the Nashville, TN area, where she currently resides. She has also ministered in Lagos and Port Harcourt in Nigeria with Positive Influence Family Outreach Ministry (PIFOM).
Stasia hopes to continue to inspire people to follow Christ and spread the love of God through her music. She also wants to make an impact for Christ in the film industry through screen playwriting and comedic acting.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
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Stephanie Mabey is an up and coming singer/songwriter from Castle Rock, CO. A strong, imaginative indie-pop writing style is making waves for the 26 year old, who is starting work on an album with producer Meghan Toohey (The Weepies, Lenka) in the fall of 2010. Previously she was voted one the top 15 unsigned artists in the West by Billboard Magazine in the Independent Music World Series. She's played many national venues including the House of Blues (Hollywood) & the Bitter End (New York.) Stephanie's music has been featured by Nokia, AOL and on several indie film soundtracks.
Age:
22 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
58 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
I have been in the music business since I started playing coffee houses in Kansas City with my brother Dave at the age of 16 that was in 1969. My first band was started when I was a freshman in college at Southwest Baptist College.
The band's name was Pride of Man. We entered the Intercollegiate Music Festival at Edwardsville, IL in 1971 and took first prize in the pop/rock category out of 2000 entries. That led to a gig at the Playboy Club in Kansas City, Universal Studios in Hollywood and Doug Weston's Troubador in L.A. as well as recording and producing.
I started writing music when I was 13 with a song called I'm Just a Boy. Since I have written about 100 songs and recorded about 25 of them over the years. I continue writing and recording at my present home in Belleville,IL which is just east of St Louis.
Age:
31 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
N/A
Bio:
Many four-letter words describe our world today. Stephen Garrett has chosen love. The weight of this world has not extinguished the light within him. This record, "Four Letter Words," is a raw witness to that.
Stephen was born to a musical family in Livingston, Tennessee. His grandfather, Edwin, was a pretty mean bluegrass flat picker in his day, one of those guys born with an acoustic guitar in his hands. His father, Marty, played in and out of country and Southern rock bands all of his adult life. They all shared their gifts and inclinations with Stephen and his brother, Russell, who produced this record.
Stephen and Russell have played in bands since they could hold down a I, IV, V chord progression and stand in front of microphones. Stephen has been a front man since he was in eighth grade. He went on to head country bands in high school and then on to an indie rock bands later on.
Opportunities did not abound in Livingston as Stephen grew up, not professional ones anyway. Livingston is a farming and manufacturing town in upper, Middle Tennessee. But like all little towns, Livingston has always offered anyone there the opportunity to fall in love. People find each other and, away from the pressures of city life, have time to forge real ideas about what they've found.
Stephen charts those optimistic waters and oft-confusing midnight skies on "Four Letter Word." This album is unapologetic, surly and risky when it needs to be, like on "Someone To Love." It's delicate and introspective against the seemingly insurmountable insecurities of not finding anyone on "Everybody Knows." It also pays the euphoria of a new found love on "Why DonâÂÂt We."
"Four Letter Word" stands on the shoulders of Stephen's musical ancestry and looks beyond. Honest, unafraid and mature, this record shows a man's unwillingness to compromise in hard times. It shows a reverence for and devotion to love, that thing that really matters to us all in a world gone seemingly awry.
Age:
53 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
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Bio:
Age:
38 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
mail@stephensimmonsmusic.com
Bio:
Stephen Simmons was raised in the small town of Woodbury, Tennessee. His mother was a schoolteacher and his father held a factory job. In his family, they were the first generation that didnâÂÂt work the farm. As a songwriter, StephenâÂÂs vision has grown to entail more than just reflections of rural America. The songs on his recordings, deal with existential realities that are familiar to country and city dwellers alike: redemption, heartbreak, hangovers and the loneliness of the road. StephenâÂÂs records, The Superstore, Last Call, Drink Ring Jesus, Something In Between, The BlameâÂÂs On U.S., Girls and Live at Blue Highways (which were compared to everyone from Johnny Cash to Ryan Adams) combine virtuosic songcraft and musicianship with unparalleled artistic honesty.
Simmons released his debut studio album, Last Call, in 2004. âÂÂLay On The TracksâÂÂ, a standout from Last Call, was a winner at the prestigious MerleFest Chris Austin Songwriting Competition. Last Call was praised by critics on both sides of the Atlantic, picked up and released by Rounder Europe Records, which were followed by three more Rounder Europe releases and extensive touring in Europe (including high profile shows at the Blue Highways, Rhythm and Blues, and Take Root Festivals in The Netherlands).
Press:
"a singer-songwriter of marked depth and commitment, (he) recalls a more subdued Steve Earle, a more grounded Ryan Adams and any aggregation of three-named Texas troubadours you'd care to recall."
- -- Bill Friskics-Warren, THE NASHVILLE SCENE
"...not many singers achieve such a confident, full-bodied sound while delivering conversational confessions."
- â Geoffrey Himes , THE WASHINGTON POST
"Vivid, intelligent and soulful."
- Rob Hughes, UNCUT (UK)
"...he's a Bible Belt barstool philosopher singing of sin and redemption. Intelligent, intense, and easy to like."
- â Sylvie Simmons, MOJO (UK)
Links:
www.StephenSimmonsMusic.com
www.myspace.com/StephenSimmons
www.Facebook.com/StephenSimmonsMusic
www.Twitter.com/StephenSimmons
www.youtube.com/user/StephenSimmonsMusic
www.sonicbids.com/StephenSimmons
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0 Years Old
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I'm a retired cotton farmer - Mississippi Delta - lived here all my life. Until recently I played my guitar at an alternative worship service every Sunday evening; before that, for many years I played in a band. I have dabbled in song writing the whole time, and now I'm learning to use a computer to record those songs.
Age:
49 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
54 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
With formal training on piano, guitar, trumpet, flute, and saxophone as well as voice, dance, and a degree in graphic design, Steve has been training in music and the arts since the early age of five. He began writing songs as a teenager and recording his own demos performing all the vocals and instruments himself. As lead singer and front man for several bands in Houston, Texas, Steve was able to develop his on-stage persona and his vocal abilities, which include a 4-octave range. In 1992, he moved to Nashville to further develop his songwriting abilities. He has received many songwriting awards including First Place in the NSAI Song Competition in 2000 and five Honorable Mentions in the Billboard Song Contest, just to name a few. Steve has written for Lou Munson (former manager of Michael Jackson) and wrote at Buddy Killen's company, KMG for three years.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bug
Bio:
Steve Dawson was born in San Diego, raised in Idaho, and currently lives in Chicago. His songs show evidence of all 3 places - California folk-rock (The Byrds, Neil Young, Elliott Smith), the country music he heard growing up in Idaho, and ChicagoâÂÂs R&B;, soul and jazz. Dawson first picked up guitar at age 12 and began writing songs almost immediately. His first professional gig was playing honky tonk guitar with Cadillac Carl and the Road Rangers at the Silver Dollar Saloon in Bellevue, Idaho at age 16. After high school, Dawson attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, studying jazz composition and songwriting, while also performing in the local folk music scene. In the early 90âÂÂs Dawson moved to Chicago. Upon his arrival he met Diane Christiansen and they formed Stump the Host, an X-meets-Gram Parsons experiment that became a popular local band and a training ground for DawsonâÂÂs eclectic writing. In 1995 Stump The Host changed personal and evolved into a more nuanced band, Dolly Varden, releasing the first of five albums that would reflect the growing craft and depth of DawsonâÂÂs songs. Critics from Rolling Stone, Mojo, No Depression and the Village Voice, among many others, have praised the bandâÂÂs albums and live shows. Dolly Varden has toured all over the US and Europe over the last 14 years. In 2006 Undertow records released Dawson's first solo album, Sweet Is The Anchor, a collection of quiet, moody love songs recorded in Steve's home studio. Critics noted Dawson's heightened strength as both a songwriter and singer, combining elements of country and soul. I Will Miss The Trumpets And The Drums was once again recorded in DawsonâÂÂs home studio, Kernel Sound Emporium, over the last 2 years. In addition to performing and recording Dawson teaches songwriting at the world famous Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago.
Age:
37 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Singer-Songwriter
Age:
87 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
35 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
I always feel weird writing these things. It is my sincerest apology that this wont be put in the third person.
I am a singer/songwriter based in Columbus, Ohio. Every day I am working on a song of some sort. I am polishing, writing or recording something.
In the past I have played with bands and found that a solo singer/songwriter gig isn't all that bad. So, I play around town and on occasion, I play out of state.
Music is my way of dealing. The songs are captured moments of my life. Typically they are stories of intense emotion or about moments that have just stuck in my mind.
It is my sincerest hope that all of my songs are beautiful, raw and honest.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
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Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
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Bio:
Age:
47 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Ray Stevens Music
Bio:
Nashville native, Suzi Ragsdale virtually cut her teeth in the recording studio. Her dad a singer/songwriter as well, she grew up surrounded by music. At age 5, she sang with the kiddie chorus on her father Ray Stevensâ Grammy Award winning smash, âÂÂEverything Is BeautifulâÂÂ. At 10, she began recording childrenâÂÂs albums and writing her own songs⦠by 13, she was singing other writersâ demos⦠& by 17 singing in local clubs.
In 1990, Suzi began collaborating with Verlon Thompson and the two produced 4 albums for their own VNS Records. They also joined Guy ClarkâÂÂs band and played and sang on GuyâÂÂs albums such as Boats to Build (1992), Dublin Blues (1995) and Keepers (1997). Suzi can also be heard singing and/or playing on six of Darrell ScottâÂÂs seven albums from 1996 to the present. Darrell produced SuziâÂÂs 1998 album Future Past, and both he and Verlon accompanied her on it.
Since 1990, Suzi RagsdaleâÂÂs vocal work has appeared on discs by Suzy Bogguss, Pam Tillis, David Ball, Hank Williams Jr., Joy Lynn White, Tom Paxton, Ian Tyson, Jo-El Sonnier and many others. During this same time period, her songs were recorded by stars such as Anne Murray, Billy Dean, Pam Tillis, Mila Mason, Suzy Bogguss, Lari White, Lisa Brokop and the rock twins Nelson. From 1991 to present, sheâÂÂs collaborated in studio & on stage with Darrell Scott.
In 2008, Suzi launched Stark Raven Records and in March of âÂÂ09, released her first project, Best Regards. She is currently working on her second project.
âÂÂBest Regards is just the right mix of wisdom, whimsy and white wine. My advice is to listen in your kitchen. There's a lot of hers in the music.âÂÂ
-- Rodney Crowell
âÂÂBacked by sophisticated arrangements and innovative sonic textures, she performs a collection of strikingly original tunes. An absolutely stunning achievement.âÂÂ
-- Robert K. Oermann
Music Row magazine
T
Age:
47 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Alisti Music
Bio:
Age:
28 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
N/A
Bio:
Age:
40 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
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Bio:
Ted Painter is an award winning country music singer/songwriter whose songs embrace the roots of traditional country music while blending contemporary country and rock influences.
Painter started writing and performing original songs at open-mic's in February 2006 after serving as an infantry officer in the US Army. The open mic circuit helped Ted to connect with other musicians, giving him the opportunity to perform as a solo artist and band front man in numerous venues throughout New England, Kentucky, Virginia and Washington DC ranging from clubs, festivals and bike rallies to open mic's and local cable access TV.
Most recently, Ted opened for country hit maker Collin Raye and for Nashville Star winner and hit songwriter, Buddy Jewell. Additionally, his songs have received airplay and he has performed live on independent and mainstream FM, AM and internet radio. Ted received the New England Country Music Organizations Songwriter of the year award (2008) and CD of the year (2009) and he is also a 2007 Great American Song Contest award winner.
âÂÂPainter blends country-fried pop with stories drawing on everything from his military experience to his day-to-day life â heâÂÂs a modern-day minstrel [with a] sterling voice.âÂÂ
Worcester Magazine
âÂÂGreat rockabilly!âÂÂ
The Boston Globe
"Impressive debut CD that will please fans of country and rockabilly alike."
The Pulse-Lifestyle & Entertainment Magazine
âÂÂEclectic folk/rock/country sound.âÂÂ
To the Fallen Records
âÂÂTed Painter's âÂÂDoinâ Her Wrongâ is as good as anything that IâÂÂve heard on country radio.âÂÂ
Wormtown.org--Planet Mental Compilation CD Review
âÂÂ[Ted's songs] combine country and rock influences, fusing twangy guitar parts with strong, propulsive rhythms for a heartland soundâÂÂ
Worcester Telegram and Gazette
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
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Ten Out Of Tenn debuted three years ago to shine a light on a few of the many Nashville artists who havenâÂÂt waited around for the world to hear about them. It was the brainchild of recording artist Trent Dabbs and his wife Kristen. On their way to Nashville from Jackson, Miss., it occurred to them that their favorite musicians were closer than theyâÂÂd realized. âÂÂWe were thinking about how much music we like that happens to be our friendsâÂÂ,â says Dabbs. âÂÂThereâÂÂs a community of people here with a lot of talent.â Helmed by Kristen, the idea quickly turned into a compilation disc, and the compilation into a tour.
The inaugural tour was partnered by Myspace.com and Paste Magazine who praised: âÂÂThe average personâÂÂs knowledge of Music City consists of televised Tim McGraw concerts and Bluebird Cafe T-shirts. But thereâÂÂs a mostly overlooked community of musicians behind NashvilleâÂÂs glitz. Ten out of Tenn is a group of independent, Nashville-based musicians who have a lot more to offer than rhinestones and country-pop.âÂÂ
Age:
25 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
music means the world to me; without music i can't feel, i hear nothing and i cant see anything clearly, its like my heart becomes completely stripped of all my passion. the passion of music moves me; to understand and relate to a story-line, feeling the melody, good harmonies and meaning; the ability to create a feeling within. music has definitely chosen me, no matter how hard i try to tell myself I'm going to be this great academic, which i am, i also hold a placed in my heart thats filled with beats, lyrics, vocal arrangements, ideas for songs, music has my mind.
i first fell in love with music when my mom would sing Michel'le's something in my heart to me, from that moment on i knew there was something in my heart as well, music. i first took an interest in songwriting when i was younger, puppy love stages when you're broke you try and think of creative ways to say i care. i used to write my songs for my first love and sing them on her answering machine. I was way too shy back then to say it or sing face to face, and i knew she could save the message for as long as she needed a reminder. She was the first to take my songs serious, she definitely gave me confidence.
i first began performing typically like most other kids, in elementary school with the school plays and musicals, i always felt like i wanted, needed to be doing something in entertainment, but bak then if i was a solo act i wasn't going for it! i again was too shy to step out front. i want my music to take me to the hearts, ears, radio stations, tv shows, movies all around the world, allowing my music to reach vast audiences. i want my music to take people on a ride, give them a story they can either relate or can imagine, i want to take people to a place of feeling where my music evokes some sort of feeling; music isn't medicine without feeling. when i hear my music i feel relieved, i feel like something amazing is happening right in front of me. my music comes from my life, everything we do, feel, see, hear, taste creates a notable experience to write about.
if i had the chance to either change my design or keep it the same, i would choose the same path because i have yet to discover everything this path has to offer. my family inspires me so much, they allow me to create, explore my life without placing judgements or restrictions on me, thats truly inspirational. my family and friends encourage me a lot, always supporting me an telling me when I'm losing it, which seems to be often (lol).
i am unsigned , currently working on a few projects for a few artist in a couple states across the country, and also the beautiful songstress, Ase Surrant out of the Bay Area, CA is going into the studio to begin recording her debut EP that we've been working hard on. i want to create memories with my writing, i want my music to be like that song you remember hearing at your prom when you had your first dance with the love of your life, the time you got in a car accident and everything turned out right, i want the songs i write to move people towards feeling
Terrence De'Aundre
Song Writer/Arranger,Vocalist & Model
Terrence.DeAundre@yahoo.com
Www.Myspace.com/TerrenceDeAundre
Www.ModelMayhem.com/JustTokyo
. i love, live, breathe and eat music, you ever been in love like this before? âÂ¥âÂ¥âÂÂ¥"I Recall"âÂ¥âÂ¥âÂÂ¥
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Sony ATV Publishing
Bio:
Bio/Discography
Terry is presently lives in Nashville.
Highlights:
#1 in Japan on pop & international radio with Back in Town. Matt Dusk BMG Japan: Writer/Producer
Gold album in Canada with two songs on Matt Dusk/Universal album "Two Shots".
Originally from a small paper mill town in the northern part of Ontario Canada, Terry started writing songs at age 16. It wasn't long before he started composing original music for highschool musicals and started a garage band in his brotherâ≢s basement. At age 21 Terry left home for the big smoke of Toronto to pursue music.
Sawchuk graduated from The Harris Institute for the Artâ≢s Production program. His first few breaks came in 1991 when he landed the job of engineer at Arnyard Studios in Toronto. Between '91-'95 Sawchuk helped record such albums as Our Lady Peace's "Naveed" and "Clumsy" (Sony/BMG), among others.
In 1994 Terry co-wrote one song with Alanis Morissette and producer Glenn Ballard. "Superstar Wonderful Weirdo's" went as far as being recorded and mixed during the "Jagged Little Pill" sessions.
Universal Music Canada signed Sawchuk and his alternative rock project The Miller Stain Limit to his first major label deal in 1997. At age 27 Terry produced, engineered, mixed and co-wrote the album "Radiate" which featured the top 20 single "Cellophane".
Other career highlights: Terry co-wrote two songs for Dusk's debut album titled "Two Shots" featuring some of Britain's top songwriters including Bono & The Edge of U2 who penned the title track. Sawchuk has been a panelist for the following music conferences. NXNE, Nemo Boston, Music Industry Adelaide Australia & is a member of the A.E.S. & SOCAN.
Terry has worked with the following songwriters,arrangers & engineers:
Sammy Nestico, Pat Williams, Vince Mendoza, Cliff Masterson, Tom Douglas, Roger Cook, Richard Leigh, Al Schmitt, Chris Lord-Alge.
Awards:
#1 pop radio in Japan with Back in Town. Matt Dusk BMG Japan: Writer/Producer
#1 AC radio in Canada with All About Me. Matt Dusk/Universal: Producer
# Top 10 Hot AC, 2 Canadian Music Awards, SOCAN Award in Canada with Night Like This. Tomi Swick/Warner: Mixer
Gold Album Awards:
Matt Dusk - Two Shots Decca/Universal Canada
Tomi Swick - From The Heart, Warner Canada
Our Lady Peace, Naveed, Sony/BMG Canada
Our Lady Peace, Clumsy, Sony/BMG Canada
Our Lady Peace, Clumsy, Sony/BMG USA
Platinum Album Awards:
Tomi Swick - From The Heart, Warner Canada.
Our Lady Peace - Naveed 7 times platinum in Canada
Our Lady Peace - Clumsy - Diamond in Canada (1 Million),
Education:
Harris Institute For The Arts, Toronto Canada
Discography:
- Oliver Twist - Mixed to singles for Russia.
- Josh Osbourse - Mixed radio single.
- Gordie Samson - Few & The Far Between - Mixed
- Chris Nathan - Words - release Oct 2007.
- Matt Dusk For The Love of Money. for the Apprentice Final Season CD Compilation.
- Eleanor McCain - Golden Slumbers. Retriever/Somerset
Producer, Engineer, Mixer. Due Spring 2007.
- Matt Dusk "Back In Town" Decca/Universal
Producer, Writer, Engineer, Mixer.
- Tomi Swick (Warner) Radio Single "A Night Like This"
Mixed.
- Year of The Monkey - Featuring Tomi Swick, Haydn Neal, Tara Sloan, Andy Stochansky. Mixed
- Idle Sons - Sixteen Seasons EMI - Co arranger Now Forever
- Ron Sexsmith (Maple/Universal) Radio Single "How On Earth"
Mixed.
- Matt Dusk "Two Shot's" (Decca/Universal) 2002
Producer, writer, engineer, mixer.
- Simon Wilcox - Smart Function (She/BMG)
Mixed.
- Kill Cheerleader Album (Independent)
Mixed.
- Our Lady Peace - Naveed & Clumsy (Sony/BMG). Second Engineer/Engineer.
- Finger 11 - EPK (Windup/Sony BMG) Producer, Mixer
- Ashley Mac Isaac - Pride (Linus/Warner) - Mixed.
Terry Sawchuk
Age:
57 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Performing singer-songwriter Terry Whitehead has music running through his blood. He grew up listening to his father who was an accomplished guitarist in the style of Chet Atkins and has been singing since he was old enough to talk.
TerryâÂÂs earliest performing experiences were singing in the church and at weddings. For awhile he tried his hand as a lead singer in a rock band but after becoming an active participant in local âÂÂSongwriters Nightsâ and âÂÂAcoustic Nightsâ he decided to leave the band to focus on songwriting and more acoustic-based performing.
He was encouraged by other local singer-songwriters to record his songs and began doing just that and produced his debut album, Perfect Wave released in 2008. The title song is inspired by his love of the Atlantic coast where he has lived for many years. The recording is a collection of all originals that are leaving an impressive track record in several songwriter contests such as Billboard international (Happy Valley Folks: "Lots of great crisp sounds. Very raw and real. Nice work.") and the UK Songwriting contest where Happy Valley Folks was a semi-finalist in 2008. Songs from Perfect Wave have been in rotation on several online radio stations and are available for purchase at all of the common sites such as iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Napster, etc.
Terry also is the band leader and co-lead vocalist for the Americana Rock band "Red Afternoon."
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
The Civil Wars are the lovely Joy Williams and the fantastic John Paul White. In addition to their solo careers, Joy & JP have begun The Civil Wars out of an unexpected creative chemistry that has been discovered between the two singer/songwriters.
To download a FREE copy of The Civil Wars debut release, Live at Eddie's Attic, go to their website: http://thecivilwars.com
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
thedeepvibration@gmail.com
Bio:
The Deep Vibration is a rock and roll band playing American music. In a time when it might be more popular to play pitch perfected pop or distanced, âÂÂhipper than thouâ indie rock, their sound calls a listener back to a stark simplicity and authenticity. A lean and gritty four-piece, The Deep Vibration has surprised Nashville with their heartfelt explorations and maturity, earned from years of listening and learning from the classics.
Matt Campbell (vocals, guitar) and Jeremy Fetzer (guitar), the bandâÂÂs founding members, began collaborating while attending college in Nashville. Their original visionâÂÂplaying blues and rock music as explosively as possibleâÂÂhas been enhanced over time with explorations of wild and lonely folk tales and soul powered rave ups.
After shuffling through a handful of members, the band finally meshed with Adam Binder (whose bass has been heard backing bands in Nashville for years) and Luke Herbert (a drummer from Sydney, Australia who has studied with drumming greats Bernard Purdie and Joe Morello in New York). After signing to Dualtone Records, the band changed their name from âÂÂThe Attack!â upon discovering that a 60âÂÂs British psych-outfit bore the same moniker. In searching for a new name, the group had to look no further than to their collective hero and indie pioneer Lou Reed for inspiration. The band approached Reed for some advice after his performance in Nashville on May 2, 2008. After a moment of thought, he christened them (in characteristic growl) "The Deep Vibration."
With an arsenal of Americana tinged rock songs, the band recorded live onto 8 track one-inch tape at NashvilleâÂÂs Masterlink Studios for their first EP, Veracruz. At the helm were Niko Bolas (Neil Young, My Morning Jacket) and Rob Clark (Neil Young), who took care to faithfully capture The Deep VibrationâÂÂs naturally classic aesthetic. Matt CampbellâÂÂs eccentrically soulful vocals pierce and tremble over the bandâÂÂs driving stomp led by Jeremy Fetzer, whose jolting guitar work in âÂÂThanks To Youâ and âÂÂOklahoma City Woman Bluesâ plays out like a thoughtful combination of Neil YoungâÂÂs edginess and the quirky rock endeavors of WilcoâÂÂs Nels Cline. Binder and Herbert provide the combustive impact behind âÂÂThird Day of Julyâ and a primitive elegance in âÂÂMississippi Women.âÂÂ
The EP is verdant with rich tones, driving rhythms, sly orchestrations and serves as the proper introduction to the band: loud, rock solid, and strangely spiritual. Appropriately skidding to a halt, VeracruzâÂÂs bookend gem âÂÂTennessee Roseâ features Gillian WelchâÂÂs graceful harmonies accompanying the tale of a sojourner whose mind lingers at home with his love. As stated in American Songwriter Magazine, âÂÂTennessee Roseâ is one of those songs that makes you stop what you're doing, and, like the great American songs, puts an original voice in a pair of very old shoes." The Deep Vibration are walking in those shoes of American musical tradition and taking them to strange, new places. They have it, that inarguable authenticity that accompanies music not made out of will or want, but whose creation and existence is simply necessary. To have it in such a city, at such a time, is no easy feat; leaving no doubt that soon The Deep Vibration will be felt everywhere.
Age:
21 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
26 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Very short and sweet. We started singing Patty Griffin covers in October 2007 and people liked it, so we decided we should start writing our own songs in January of 2008. After an EP and a crash course in being a band (in the form of lots of shows :)) we're still around and coming out with our first full length in the next month! We love, and are so thankful for, what we do!
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
N/A
Bio:
Nashville rock/Americana duo The Wheels (Sean Locke and Jabe Beyer) met onstage at a Billy Block show in 2007 and performed together before ever speaking a word. âÂÂJabe and Sean are remarkable talents individually and, together, they are magical,â says manager Ramona E. Simmons. Likened to âÂÂa combination of the Everly Brothers and Paul Westerberg with a new edge.â Critics have called the Wheelsâ musicianship âÂÂflawless and contemporaryâ and songwriting âÂÂnothing short of excellent.â Smart lyrics, catchy hooks and seamless harmonies give their music enormous cross-genre appeal.
The Wheelsâ live performances include sold-out gigs at 3rd and Lindsley with Raul Malo, Leon Russell and the Duhks and other local shows at The Bluebird, 12th & Porter and more. The band has also toured through Massachusetts and Vermont. The Wheelsâ management, Global Eyes Entertainment, is currently booking gigs throughout the US and Europe to support the bandâÂÂs upcoming release.
The Wheels' debut album of eleven self-penned tracks was produced by Stu Kimball (guitarist/Bob Dylan) and Doug Lancio (guitarist/Patty Griffin) at PattyâÂÂs Nashville Studio. Sean Locke, a Nashville writer with a number of hits, including Pinmonkey's "Barbed Wire & Roses," quickly became a staple of the Nashville songwriter scene after making the move from Iola, Kansas. His songs have been recorded by Gary Allan, Bruce Robison, Kieran Kane and others. Jabe Beyer, an award-winning songwriter from Boston, MA whose credits include a Songwriting Hall of Fame Award and a 2007 BMI Musicmaker win, toured the U.S. and Europe extensively with his namesake band, JABE and his side project The Benders.
Age:
53 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
We Chiggers are based in the greater Nashville area and love to make music.. We started recording the songs we'd come up with about 8 years ago with the sole intention of giving them away to family and friends as Christmas presents.. Ol Uncle Ned never did kike the ties he always got.. But they all love the Chigger tunes.. This Christmas we'll be giving out our 7th CD.. More samples out our "work" can be found here: http://www.songramp.com/homepage.php?userid=7991
We've got a nice little "studio" built up right in fashionable Green Hills - just a mile or so from the famous Bluebird Cafe and we're open to helping you get those guitar/vocal or piano/vocal demos out of your head and on to CD... If you're interested, let us know!
Age:
34 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Chad Hannah
Bio:
Age:
62 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Degree in music. I've been playing music since I was 10. Started writing seriously about 5 years ago, and started to send stuff out to publishers. I've been able to get 8 single song contracts, but no cuts yet.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
www.myspace.com/thomashinelink
Bio:
New album "Into the Bottomlands" out February 1, 2011.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Thomas Jay Kowalchuk
Bio:
T.Jay is an up and coming artist from Westchester, NY. After receiving a scholarship to play Division I college baseball, T.Jay had been pursuing a career as a professional baseball player; playing gigs on the side to raise a little extra money. It wasn't long before crowds started to grow and word started to spread. From there, the choice was easy. Now, T.Jay is a 25 year old singer/songwriter from Stormville, NY, but don't let the singer/songwriter brand fool you. T.Jay's style of writing incorporates Blues, Jazz, Funk and Rock all rolled into one, for a truly unique sound. Through the use of an array of floor pedals, T.Jay is able to create live sounds that rival that of a full band. T.Jay has been working his way quickly up the ranks, opening for well established artists such as Fastball, Joan Osborne, Graham Parker, and Back Door Slam. His rapidly expanding fan base now spans a large portion of New England, from Boston, to New York and beyond.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
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Bio:
born in ATL. UGA grad. Career as newspaper reporter, editor and columnist. Self produced two CDs, on CDBaby, iTunes, etc. Did the acoustic, singer/songwriter scene inside the 285 Perimeter until I gave up the day job, married my sweetheart and moved to quirky Tybee Island off the Georgia coast, where I'm playing gigs as often as I can.
Age:
41 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
For the past five years Thomas Pace has recorded and released a steady stream of remarkable records that few Chicago songwriters could claim to have paralleled.
In 2003 Pace's solo debut "Walking Distance" met with wide acclaim from both fans and critics. Creating a solid foundation for future works "Walking Distance" remains a fan favorite.
In 2004, during the lead-up to the presidential election, Pace postponed working on his follow up album to write and record the politically charged, four-song EP "If You Want to be Heard, Speak Up!" It is with the "Speak Up" Ep that Pace garnished his first attention at the national level.
In early 2006 Pace released the heart-breaking and haunting "Electrocaine."With the help of performances from some of the best musicians in Chicago and around the country, "Electrocaine" solidified his place among Chicago's premier songwriters.
After hosting the Chicago House of Blues weekly Songwriter-in-the-Round show for nearly two years, Pace returned to the studio has finally released what can only be described as his culminating work.
On "New American Way," Pace continues with his habit of making extraordinary records. Pace's songs offer a unique honesty that often capture the truth at a basic level.
"I think of it as kind of an American self-portrait. Says Pace looking as though he's apologizing. "If you look hard enough, you might even be able to see yourself. I know I do."
Age:
4 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
all you need to know is.....i'm bad ass.
Age:
24 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Tim Halperin has been immersed in the music scene since he began taking piano lessons at age six. Growing up in Omaha, Nebraska, he wrote and played music with several bands in high school, and all the while played piano and sang at church on the worship team. When Tim entered college at Texas Christian University, he found inspiration to write new songs and decided to stop playing with bands and enter the singer/songwriter scene. The authentic, emotion-packed music Tim wrote struck a chord with fellow students and the surrounding community of Fort Worth and Dallas. This support led Halperin to play more shows and record his debut CD.
In the past two years, Halperin has organically established himself as a singer/songwriter with a future that only continues to look brighter in the face of opportunity. TimâÂÂs piano-based pop music has a hint of jazz and an aroma of his biggest influences such as Ben Folds and Elton John. Fans will tell you that TimâÂÂs way with catchy melodies and his unmistakable rhythmic piano vibe are his most distinctive traits. With the debut release of TimâÂÂs You Are the Moon EP in January of 2008, his fan base began to grow and demand more music. Shortly after this release, TimâÂÂs music was featured on XM Radio in February of 2008. Tim also had the opportunity of making guest appearances on NBCâÂÂs Kansas City Live and on radio stations across Texas, Nebraska, and Illinois. One year after HalperinâÂÂs debut release, his music was named among the best in 2008 by The Fort Worth Star Telegram. In October of 2009, a new EP entitled "Make or Break" was released for free download at NoiseTrade.com. This EP was produced by Brian Kieta of Fort Worth, Texas. Kieta has produced for many artists including Green River Ordinance and April Geesbreght. Halperin has been handing this EP out as he travels to colleges and universities in the South and Midwest as a part of the Tim Halperin Sorority Tour. In the first month of release, Make or Break was named a Critics Choice on OurStage.com and was featured on AOL Music.
With confidence and determination, Tim continues to play shows in the Dallas Metroplex, as well as in the surrounding cities. Tim has played with artists such as Jon McLaughlin, Matt Wertz, Andy Davis, the Ying Yang Twins, and Green River Ordinance. With his overwhelming success, Tim has plans of bringing his music to people on a broader scale. With solid roots, a genuine love for music, and proven ability, Halperin will continue to make his mark on the music industry.
Age:
45 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
TJWay bio:
TJWAY was born in Lebanon, Beirut but then immigrated with her family to Canada in 1976 and has resided in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, since the tender age of eight. Her love for music drew her to write songs at the age of thirteen, and to this day she remains to do so with a devoted passion....TJ writes meaningful and hearfelt lyrics that have touched many people over the years (read more of TJ's bio on the official website) at: http://www.tjwaymusic.com
To listen to various full Pop and Country song tracks available for artist consideration, please visit TJ's music website at: http://www.soundclick.com/tjwaysongs
Age:
40 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Raised in the small town of White Pine, Tennessee, Chris has been influenced by the likes of Jim Croce, James Taylor, Merle Haggard, as well as his own musical family. He made his way to Nashville where he soon landed his first songwriting deal with âÂÂKing Lizard Musicâ that began his professional career.
Since then Chris has had numerous songs recorded, most recently was his 1 hit singles with Toby Keith âÂÂLove Me If You CanâÂÂ, Kenny Chesney âÂÂDonâÂÂt Blinkâ spent 6 weeks at number one and Montgomery GentryâÂÂs multi-week smash "Something To Be Proud Of." HeâÂÂs also had top five hits with âÂÂIâÂÂm TryinâÂÂâ by Trace Adkins, and âÂÂSpeedâ by Montgomery Gentry. Other top forty singles include âÂÂYour In My Headâ by (Brian McComas), "What Brothers Doâ by (Confederate Railroad), and âÂÂJohn J. Blanchardâ by (Anthony Smith).
An active advocate for songwriterâÂÂs rights, Chris has traveled with other influential members of NSAI to Washington DC to help revise legislature concerning intellectual property rights.
Artists who have cut ChrisâÂÂs songs include Lorrie Morgan, Toby Keith, Keith Anderson, Anthony Smith, Montgomery Gentry, Sammy Kershaw, Joe Diffie, Trace Adkins, Michael Peterson, Jeffrey Steele, Confederate Railroad, Neal McCoy, Brian Mccomas, Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney, Diamond Rio and many more.
Age:
36 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
BMI
Bio:
I live, I observe, I write, I re-write, write some more then I sing about it.
Age:
41 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
Tony Lechner
Bio:
Tony Lechner is an award-winning songwriter and the owner of Wild-Wood Studio (www.wild-wood.com/studio) where he produces music for artists and commercial applications. Tony's band Wild-Wood performs Indie Folk around New England (www.wild-wood.com). Tony's latest production is The Rosewood Project (www.myspace.com/rosewoodproject) which features the incredible vocals of Rose Whitcomb as well as the instrumental talents of Miro Sprague and Ross Bellenoit.
To learn more about Tony, visit: www.TonyLechner.com
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
info@traviskline.com
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
none
Bio:
I moved to Nashville 5 years ago as a solo artist, put out a couple of records - 'Quite Often' on Sweet Tea Records 2005, and 'What's Golden Above Ground' on Ready Set Records 2006. Spent some time touring those records, then got a job in A&R;with EMI. I started writing songs with artists and evolved Ten Out Of Tenn. We made a compilation and toured and just released another round recently. I also released a record called "Decade Fades" last March. I signed a pub deal in Nashville with a company called Crossfire 3 and have been writing with artists from here to LA. Good things.
T
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
n/a
Bio:
With the release of her second CD, As It Should Be, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Treva Blomquist, backed by her versatile band, The Suits, show the rich musical textures sheâÂÂs been bring to her acclaimed venue-filling shows. The uplifting music Treva delivers canâÂÂt simply be pegged âÂÂfolk,â âÂÂAmericana,â âÂÂchick rock,â âÂÂsoul,â or even âÂÂjazz,â though it contains elements of all of them. Critics have described it as âÂÂdeep,â âÂÂstarkly beautiful,â and âÂÂexceptionally listenableâ and raised Patty Griffin, The Weepies, and Mindy Smith as points of comparison. Treva (pronounced âÂÂTree-vaâÂÂ) puts an extraordinary vocal range and knowing, accomplished vocalizing to work in the service of her own crafted, hook-laced self-penned tunesâÂÂheartfelt songs of life and relationships that exhibit a strong sense of careful observation and storytelling. Her songwriting abilities were recognized early. Even before she finished her musical training at Middle Tennessee State University, she was a finalist in the 2005 Kerrville (Texas) New Folk Competition, the first songwriting competition she ever entered. Honorable mention in the USA Songwriting CompetitionâÂÂs âÂÂfolkâ category and the Grand Prize Winner at the RiverBluff Performing Songwriter Competition soon followed, as did her first, acoustic independent CD, Plain Vanilla Me (2006). A riveting, appealing live performer, Washington- State-raised Treva Blomquist brings an involving, dynamic, full sound to her new release, As It Should Be, recorded and mixed at NashvilleâÂÂs Compass Studios, and available at TrevaâÂÂs website, shows, iTunes and CDBaby.com.
Age:
37 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
constuntly@yahoo.com
Bio:
At age 5, Trey Hawkins recorded his first song sitting at his grandmotherâÂÂs kitchen table, âÂÂMommaâÂÂs DonâÂÂt Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboysâ by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. Hawkins has been surrounded by music and music lovers his entire life, itâÂÂs no surprise that music is the motivating factor in everything he does. The âÂÂsouthern sonâ of a hard working mother and a tough loving father, Hawkins figured out at an early age that music could take a man anywhere he wanted to go-if it was only in his mind. Hawkins was soaking in the Red Dirt sounds that blasted from his daddyâÂÂs home stereo and was writing his own songs by the age of fourteen. Whether performing solo with an acoustic guitar in local settings or singing to thousands at Talladega Motor Speedway, it doesnâÂÂt make any difference as long as Trey Hawkins gets to sing his song!
Born in Monroe, Louisiana, Hawkins actually grew up just north of the Louisiana/Arkansas state line, where he was raised in Hamburg, Arkansas. He soon began to develop his own style and sound from a long list of musical influences.
From Waylon Jennings to The Black Crowes, to John Mayer and Cross Canadian Ragweed, Hawkinsâ unmatched style of singing and songwriting has tastes of country, southern rock, blues and a splash of soul, all held together with fresh, addictive melodies that bring his lyrics and vocal driven performances to life at every show.
Age:
24 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
NA
Bio:
Nashville, TN - Trey Lockerbie is a young 22 year old singer/songwriter who recently moved to Nashville to record his first EP entitled "The Hummingbird" released in May. Trey was recently picked by Nashville's radio station WRLT Lightning 100 as a Local Spotlight Artist and also featured on sites like Kings of A&R;. His song "Sullivan Street" received an honorable mention in a lyric contest for American Songwriter Magazine and will be featured in the July/August issue. Trey has also already had two songs on a Josh Kelley (Universal Nashville) record and toured as his guitar player as well as Lenka (Epic Records) and Josh Hoge (Blackledge Music) and has also opened as a solo artist for many national acts including Green River Ordinance (Virgin). Now he's ready to set out on his own and everyone seems to agree.
"Trey's debut solo effort is truly a masterpiece." - THISisMODERN
"Local singer-songwriter Trey Lockerbie splits the difference between the spacey sweetness of Coldplay and the hushed, confessional soul of John Mayer on his new The Hummingbird EP. ItâÂÂs hard to make rock thatâÂÂs this agreeable stand out in the crowd, but he should have no trouble making his mark."
-The Tennessean
"After hearing 'The Hummingbird EP,' you will no doubt believe that Trey will eventually get what he is after, and he's definitely ready for it now."
-musiccityunsigned.com
"Trey is slowly building a body of work that is sure to be recognized for it's quality."
-the-trades.com
Age:
27 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Scaramouche Music
Bio:
In her hometown roots of Queens, New York, Trudee Lunden started playing guitar, writing words and music while still a youth in grade school. After moving to Los Angeles to attend college, Trudee soon achieved a Bachelor of Arts in Music with English and Business Minors from the University of Redlands, California. As a lifelong enthusiast of Top 40 Radio, she also served as Disc Jockey and Music Director for the connected collegiate and community airwaves of KUOR-FM.
Amidst her studies, Trudee also took songwriting lessons with the legendary Tommy Boyce, and later moved to Nashville, Tennessee to fine tune her storytelling skills. Throughout her career, she has been an active member of numerous professional organizations including The National Academy of Songwriters, Los Angeles Songwriters Showcase, Nashville Songwriters Association International, Los Angeles Women In Music, Santa Clarita Valley Blues Society, SongNet, Los Angeles Songwriters Co-op, and she is currently affiliated with BMI as a writer and publisher.
Trudee's work has received accolades from Billboard Magazine and Travel Weekly Magazine. Her song Good Friends was featured in the documentary Unconditional Love: The AIDS Heartline Story and is currently used in Pets-For-Vets promotional videos.
Trudee's background incorporates advertising and marketing expertise, and her songwriting specialty is crafting catchy lyrical and melodic hooks that are theme oriented. Her songs depict many topics and all moods ranging from silly to serious for mass emotional appeal.
On a personal note, Trudee is also focused on the environment, sustainability, peace and natural health alternatives, and her catalog reflects these values. As a travel aficionado and resident at one time or another of the three main US music cities (NY, LA & Nashville) she's always open to meeting or collaborating with like-minded folks from around the world, so drop her a note!
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
aspiring
Contact Publishing:
none.
Bio:
Tyler Boone is a singer/songwriter from Charleston, SC and has been writing and playing music for over three years now. Just releasing his first record "Stuck Between" in the summer of 2010, he is starting to make a name for himself in the music scene.
Having his music played on WXRY and WARQ in Columbia, SC and also The Bridge 105.5 in Charleston, SC, Tyler is staying busy. After teaming up with producer MJ Fick, they released Tyler's new record "A New Start" on MAy 28th, 2011. Featuring 11 of SC's finest musicians with some of them being Kara Hesse, Haley Dreis and Carmen Kegians from the band I-Nine. Tyler is also apart of a compilation record named "The Swamp Sessions" coming out in 2012 with Danielle Howle, Mark Bryan from Hootie and The Blowfish, Cary Ann Hearst, Edwin McCain and many more artists from all around the country. Tyler is also going to be starting his first full length at the end of 2011 and will be aiming to release it in 2012.
Also just releasing his new single, "Austin" for free download on his website, Tyler is building up steam for his next E.P.
- www.tylerboone.bandcamp.com -
To keep up with updates follow Tyler's Twitter and follow him on Facebook.
www.twitter.com/tylerbooner
www.facebook.com/tylerboonemusic
www.tylerboonemusic.com
www.myspace.com/tylerboonemusic
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Tyler Bryant lives his life for music. Passionate about expressing himself and connecting with others through his songs and sounds, Tyler moved to Nashville from Honey Grove, TX when he was 17 to write songs and start a band. He has pushed the musical limits of guitar, vocals, and performance, and has captured the attention of the music scene with his spectacular talent and rare showmanship. Tyler is currently focused on songwriting in Nashville and Los Angeles that is centered on guitar-driven rock with an undeniable soul.
Tyler Bryant is a guitar prodigy who has shared the stage with Heart, REO Speedwagon,
BB King, Styx, Vince Gill and others, this past year. Tyler and his band; Caleb Crosby on drums, and Calvin Webster on bass, perform intensely and passionately and have thrilled their audiences while on their Samsung sponsored USA tour. Tyler is working tirelessly on writing and recording songs for his first CD.
At age 15, Tyler won the Robert Johnson Blues FoundationâÂÂs New Generation Award, which recognizes him as one of the most promising new artists on the music scene.
He has also performed at Eric ClaptonâÂÂs Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago,
recently released a single, âÂÂBittersweet,â produced by legendary Led Zeppelin producer, Kevin Shirley, and was signed by Creative Artists Agency on the spot, after, one performance in Nashville.
âÂÂItâÂÂs all been a whirlwind,â Tyler says, as he recalls a musical turning point at age 11, when he walked into a music store in Paris, Texas and heard 63-year old bluesman, Roosevelt Twitty, on guitar. âÂÂHe was playing a Lightning Hopkins song. The soul just got me. It was all about the feeling,â Tyler says. âÂÂMr. Twitty was performing with such emotion that it translated deeply, and I understood. Whenever you hear someone play with that much soul, where they really believe what they are singing, itâÂÂs so inspiring.âÂÂ
TylerâÂÂs captivating live performances exude his inspiration. âÂÂI am kind of OCD,â Tyler says. âÂÂIâÂÂll play something over and over until I get it right. But on stage, I donâÂÂt think about technique. ItâÂÂs like instinct, you just move toward it and I am never more energetic or natural than when I perform.âÂÂ
Tyler is also featured in the award winning Rock Documentary Film, âÂÂRock Prophecies,â with Jeff Beck, Santana and Slash, and most recently, his song, âÂÂWho I Am,â is featured on Guitar Heroî 5. With a fearless obsession for his art, Tyler Bryant is advancing his music at a feverish pace, and without limits!
John Huie, of CAA, says it best. âÂÂIt has been a while since there has been someone who has the full package and can shred a guitar like Tyler Bryant. At 18, it is clear that he has a bright future ahead. With Guitar Hero, we have a whole new generation falling in love with the rock-n-roll heroes of their parentsâ era. This is about to change with the emergence of Tyler Bryant.âÂÂ
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
I was born in the evergreens of the pacific northwest. I was raised in the cornfields of small-town iowa. I live in the home of country music, nashville, tn. I write my songs on the upright piano in my house under the windows where the sun shines in. I've spent the last few years traveling the states on my own in my VW. When its right, I take my band...cause that's how I hear it in my head. I've released some records over the years that most people have nice things to say about.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
jbgibson@rrohio.com
Bio:
Age:
107 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Tyler toured with Band of Horses recently. It was swell.
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
None
Bio:
When Tyler Summers, award-winning jazz saxophonist turned singer-songwriter and pianist, began to delve into his third original project, he set out to create a record which truly combined his distinct musical roots. What resulted was "Whatever It Takes", an emanation of passion and candidness both musically and lyrically, and songwriting that is honest, penetrating, and raw.
Recorded and produced in Brooklyn, New York by the talented David Little, the album blends piano pop and saxophone, and features five original tracks. The record has spawned a response from listeners as passionate as the music itself, bringing Summers three top ten placements in the Pop and Acoustic categories on Ourstage (www.ourstage.com) and in Nov/Dec 2008, a feature in American Songwriter Magazine for the lyrics to "Mirror of a Man" (track 5).
Since the beginning of the recording process, Summers has toured the album in New York City, Canada's west coast, and the college town circuit in Texas. The live show is an impressive merger of beatboxing, saxophones and keyboards with a live looping set up; a performance that arrests the audience as much for its sheer uniqueness as for the music and songwriting itself.
"Whatever It Takes" is available on iTunes or at tylersummers.com.
V
Age:
42 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Asheville N.C's Valorie Miller has plenty of accolades in the world of songwriting: top finalist in the 2007 Great American Song Contest, a recent invitation to play at New York City's renowned folk club, The Bitter End, and even fan mail from Lucinda Williams herself. But to Valorie, the hallmark of personal success is the intensity with which her fans become attached to her songs. One fan recently had his favorite of her songs played his mother's memorial service. Another sustained a life threatening injury while deep in the wilderness alone, and later wrote her to say that playing her songs over and over in his head gave him the strength to get himself out alive. To her fans, Miller's songs are more than entertainment, they are vitally important touchstones. This phenomenon inspires her to keep touring, writing and recording. Her current release, "Autumn Eyes", masterfully delivers her newest material with the trademarks that everyone who loves her music has come to expect: beautiful guitar picking, a genuine and singular voice, and heart-wrenching lyrics. This woman is a songwriter's songwriter, and she inhabits the Americana music scene like a true native.
Praise for Valorie Miller's 2006 release Folk Star
"Folk Star is her fourth album and its quality is such that some major label had better get crackin' and sign her"
-One Way Magazine Dec 2006
Folk Star "is an album that cold travel very well from Miller's trailer to the concert halls of the world"
-Rambles.Net April 2007
"the North Carolina based Blue Ridge mountain girl composes sweet tea southern songs with a street busking ragged-n-ruggedness. (her song) 'One Little Moon' delivers a would-be cabaret hit that sounds as good as most people look in candle light"
-Glide Magazine Sept 2007
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
N/A
Bio:
Age:
23 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Van Risseghem (pronounced: van - riss - egg - hem) is a 22 year old singer-songwriter from Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA.
In 2009, Van Risseghem debuted with The Motions. This self-produced 9 track album quickly grew in popularity due to critical press acclaim and worldwide licensing features. Most notably, the album's title track was chosen as Delta Airlines' boarding theme song for international and domestic flights and also featured in nationwide AMC and Cinemark Theaters. The opening track, "Love, Again", was also recently featured in the 2nd season of Comedy Central's "Tosh.0". Van Risseghem supported many well known artists such as Cake, Metro Station, Rooney, Meg and Dia, and American Idol winner Kris Allen.
He Is No Stranger (a holiday EP) was released later that year. Straying from the typical sing-along with a sleighbell style Christmas releases that come from most artists, He Is No Stranger was well received for its highly innovative compositions.
Van Risseghem has spent most of 2010 completing his follow-up full-length Passenger. This album showcases some of Van Risseghem's best songwriting to date and promises to be worth the wait. The first single, "The River" releases October 26 and was written for the "Filter For Good Canada" commercial that aired earlier this year. While an official release date for Passenger has not yet been set, you can be sure to catch a sneak peak at vanriss.com
W
Age:
4 Years Old
Level:
professional
Contact Publishing:
The Music Group International
Bio:
I'm from Mobile AL. I have two kids, one on the way and a wife. I write for TMG (The Music Group, International), and I'm an artist on Capitol Records. Sorry, I don't have one of those "formal" bios, BUT if you want to know about me buy me lunch. I like food. Roll Tide
Age:
28 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
My book of poetry, "Fascists, Fanatics & Escapists", available at www.gjredpill.org. In April '09 I won the Mark Fischer Poetry Award for "Thirty Years Till Birth", one of the poems from it. I won the 2009 American Songwriter Lyrics Contest Grand Prize so Rodney Crowell (who is a very awesome person) and I have been working on a song. My poetry is available online at Thieves Jargon, Madswirl, and Opium Poetry 2.0. My fiction can be found in The Delinquent out of the UK and my non-fiction has appeared in The Denver Voice as well as other places. I record music under the moniker Watermelon.
Age:
24 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Wes Casto - michaelwestoncasto@gmail.com
Bio:
âÂÂI've never heard anyone who sounds like Wes Casto...He is a true original.àHe possesses that rare "whatever you call it, can't put your finger on it, but know that it is right on it" quality in his sound, performance, and writing.àSmart observations of real life situations that reach beyond his 22 years"
ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ -Todd Burge, singer/songwriter
Raised at the crossroads of the Midwest and Appalachia, Wes Casto is a singer-songwriter with the depth of John Prine and the soulful appeal of John Mayer. While audience members have likened Casto to Todd Snider, Loudon Wainright III, and John Prine, his combination of folk and pop influences has created a sound that Todd Burge calls "truly original".
In 2008, Casto was named a finalist in the Newsong and Great American Song contests, and lyrics to his song "Ripple" were featured in American Songwriter Magazine (Nov/Dec 2008). His success continues in 2009 with being named the Midwest winner of the Newsong Contest and vying to perform on the internationally-broadcast radio program, Mountain Stage. Wes was also selected as the winner of the 2009 Ozark Folk Festival Songwriting Contest in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. In 2010 his lyrics to "Not-So-Precious Metal" and "That's What I'm Here For" were featured in American Songwriter Magazine. He also opened for Grammy-nominated artist Eliza Gilkyson at the 2010 Ozark Folk Festival.
Age:
29 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Born in Louisville, raised in Oklahoma City, and a part-time resident of Chicago, Wesley Mathias Wilson is well acquainted with the sounds of the south and the smells of the city. As a young boy, Wes cut his teeth on old Jackson Browne and John Prine records passed down from his daddy. Through the years, he has developed a style that is an unique to himself yet familiar to most everyone: songs of heartbreak, hope, and longing for home. He's sincere to the core and sexy as hell. Wesley Mathias Wilson is a modern day troubadour.
-Brandon Grissom
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
novice
Contact Publishing:
Bio:
Y
Age:
27 Years Old
Level:
semi-pro
Contact Publishing:
Terell Baker 706.829.5169
Bio:
young Goodman Brown is a musician and writer from the state of Georgia in the United States. Goodman began drifting between the Augusta, Athens, and Atlanta music scenes in the winter of 2008 with only a firm grasp of literary device and the sweetness of his Piedmont fingerstyle guitar. Raising his voice with the likes of Drivn N CryinâÂÂ, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge, and Carolina Chocolate Drops, to name a few, Goodman proved that he was no easy act to follow.
Z
Age:
0 Years Old
Level:
Contact Publishing:
Big Yellow Dog
Bio:
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