Press Room for Dallas Songwriters Association

Larry Dodge Presented Check and Certificate as Winner of the Spring 2011 Lyric Contest

2011-11-15T11:02:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, November 8th, Lyric Contest Winner, Larry Dodge, was presented a check and certificate by Lyric Contest Director, Nancy Rynders, (left) and DSA President, Buck Morgan, (right) for winning the Spring 2011 Lyric Contest. Larry has been in Montana for the summer and had just returned to Dallas. The presentation took place a the 2nd Tuesday meeting. Congratulations Larry.

MINNESOTA’S SHANE MARTIN WINS 2011 DALLAS SONG CONTEST

2011-07-01T13:39:00.000-07:00

DSA Announces Grand Prize Winners of 22^nd Annual Contest

Shane Martin shows off his new Tradition G-12 .

DALLAS—The Dallas Songwriters Assoc. (DSA) announced today that Shane Martin of Independence, Minn., is Grand Prize winner of the 22^nd Annual Dallas Song Contest.

After winning the Country category in the DSA’s international song contest, Martin’s “No Hard Feelings” won out over the top three winners from each of the contest’s eight categories.

“From a commercial perspective, ‘No Hard Feelings’ is a song that any artist could sing. It has strong crossover potential,” said Roy Elkins, grand prize judge and CEO of Broadjam.com, an online community and resource for musicians. “This could be sung with an acoustic guitar, sitting at a piano or it could be a good instrumental. I can close my eyes and hear numerous productions of this melody. That's what makes it great.”

Hear and connect with Shane here:
web page link: http://www.shanemartin.com

Bandcamp: http://shanemartin.bandcamp.com/

facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shane-Martin/52992824131

Electronic Press Kit: http://www.sonicbids.com/epk/epk.aspx?epk_id=224026

“River Dance,” a country rocker by Nashville’s Ruben Estevez, won second, and novelty/children category winner “Oliver Otter,” by Donna Lisa, Westfield, N.J., won third overall.

Hear the winning songs and read Elkin’s comments on his top 10 finishers at http://dsasongcontest.blogspot.com/p/grand-prize-judge-roy-elkins-comments.html .

As Grand Prize winner, Martin took home a new G-12 Standard Series Tradition electric guitar featuring Tradition 2-1-1 pickups with coil tap Humbucker; he gets a Premier Demo by Beaird Music Group, one of Nashville’s top recording facilities, and receives a one-year Primo MoB membership from Broadjam.

All first place category winners win $100, a one-year Broadjam MoB membership and a year’s membership in the DSA. Second place wins $50 and a year’s DSA membership, and third place finishers win a DSA membership.

As Grand Prize runner up, Estevez gets a day of free recording at Riversounds Recording Resort nestled along the Llano River on the back of a 300 acre ranch in the Texas Hill Country, in addition to a one-year Broadjam Primo MoB membership.

Third Place finisher Lisa receives a song critique and fully-produced demo with Kim Copeland of Nashville’s Kim Copeland Productions and a one-year Broadjam Primo MoB membership.

Additional sponsors include Crystal Clear Sound, Patrick McGuire Recording and WM Sales/Cam Audio. Submission partners are Broadjam.com and Sonicbids. Music industry partners are Dallas International Guitar Festival, Arlington Guitar Show, Tradition Guitars, MyStudio Recording Studios, Texas Music Group, Bar-b Music Marketing Consultants, Musemuse.com, Sante Fe Design, Austin Songwriters Group and Jo-Musik.

DALLAS SONGWRITERS ANNOUNCE 2011 SONG CONTEST CATEGORY WINNERS

2011-05-27T11:48:00.000-07:00

The march toward the Grand Prize winner for the 21st Annual Song Contest hosted by the Dallas Songwriters Association (DSA) reached the finalists’ phase with selection of the top three finishers among the contest’s eight categories.

The category winners represent 12 states and three countries, with California and New York getting four finalists each. International winners were from Australia and Canada.

The winners in order by category are:

Americana:

1. “Adenine” by Kyle Carey, Providence, RI

2. “Over Now” by Chatham Street, Stephens City, VA

3. “The Voice” by John Friday, Bonita Springs, FL

Christian/Inspirational:

1. “The One” by Keith Thompson, Las Vegas, NV

2. “Let Jesus In” by Keith Thompson

3. “Deception” by Paul McNair, Dallas, TX

Country:

1. “No Hard Feelings” by Shane Martin, Independence, MN

2. “Grandpa, Why So Slow” by Tom Biles, Keller, TX

3. “River Dance” by Ruben Estevez, Nashville, TN

Instrumental:

1. “After the Storm” by John Visconti, Merrick, NY

2. “Gypsy Dancer” by Adre Kerek, Miami, FL

3. “Half Past Dawn” by Andre Kerek

Love Songs/Easy Listening:

1. “Y-E-S” by Noel Cohen, Jeremy Bruce, Jenifer Marks, New York, NY

2. “Sweeter Than Temptation” by Mike Corbin, Merrick, NY

3. “A Deeper Meaning” by Stonewall “Stoneman” Towery, Clayton, CA

Novelty/Children’s:

1. “Oliver Otter” by Donna Lisa, Westfield, NJ

2. “Fernando the Fantastic Flea” by Brendan Watson, Balmoral, QLD, Australia

3. “My Samior” by Donna Lisa

Honorable Mention: “Poopie Diaper” by The Monkey Bunch, West Toronto, ON, Canada

Pop/Rock/Alt/R&B:

1. “You’re Everything” by Noel Cohen, New York, NY

2. “It Should Be Me” by Janine Wilson, Hyattsville, MD

3. “Memories” by Tara Priya, San Francisco, CA

Singer/Songwriter:

1. “One Foot on Your Doorstep” by Renee Safier, Andy Hill and Hard Rain, Redondo Beach, CA

2. “Crazy Daddy” by Wyler Delray, Creve Coeur, IL

3. “Stay Another Day” by Renee Safier, Andy Hill and Hard Rain.

All first place category winners win $100, a one-year Broadjam MoB membership and a year’s membership in the DSA. Second place winners win $50 and a year’s DSA membership, and third place finishers win a DSA membership.

The Grand Prize winner will take home a new G-12 Standard Series Tradition electric guitar featuring Tradition 2-1-1 pickups with coil tap Humbucker, get a Premier Demo by Beaird Music Group--one of Nashville’s top recording facilities--and receive a one-year Primo MoB membership with Broadjam, the on-line resource company and web community for musicians.

The Grand Prize runner gets a day of free recording at Riversound Recording Resort nestled along the Llano River on the back of a 300 acre ranch in the Texas Hill Country, in addition to a one-year Broadjam Primo MoB membership.

Third Place overall receives a song critique and fully-produced demo with Kim Copeland of Nashville’s Kim Copeland Productions and a one-year Broadjam Primo MoB membership.

Dallas Songwriters Assoc. is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing information about the craft and business of songwriting. All styles of music are welcome in the DSA, and membership includes writers of all ages. DSA monthly activities include meetings with guest speakers, song critiques and performance showcases that are open to the public. In addition, the DSA supports and promotes workshops and contests and publishes a monthly newsletter.

DALLAS SONG CONTEST SEMIFINALISTS ANNOUNCED

2011-05-09T09:16:00.000-07:00

Songs From 27 States, Five Countries Make First-Round

Culled from almost 400 entries, the semifinalist songs from the 21^st Annual Song Contest hosted by the Dallas Songwriters Association (DSA) have been announced. Songwriters from around the world once again made the annual fundraiser an international event.

Songs from Texas led the way, with 17 in the semifinals. California and New York were close behind with 14 and 13. Surprisingly, only three songs represent Tennessee; Canada and Australia had just as many. A song each from Germany and France also made the group.

For the second year Rusty Bickford, left, president of Fort Worth, Texas-based Tradition Guitars, has donated a guitar for the Grand Prize winner of the Annual Dallas Song Contest. At the Dallas Guitar Show, Bickford tracked down DSA President Buck Morgan to make the presentation. The winner gets a G-12 Standard Series guitar with a skunk-stripe neck, proprietary pickups and a 5-way switch that delivers tons of tone.

By category, the semifinalists are:

AMERICANA/FOLK/BLUEGRASS

Adenine by Kyle Carey, Providence, RI

A Hole in the Fence by Rob McHale, Troutman, NC

Blue Sky Blues by Phil Henry, Rutland, VT

Breakfast for One on the 5th of July by Ed Romanoff, Brooklyn, NY

Come, Follow Me, All You Restless Sailors by Phyllis Travis, Houston, TX

Easy Street by Drew Ashe, Newborn, GA

Enough is Enough by Jean Synodinos, Austin, TX

Hill of Death by Mark W. Courtney, Las Cruces, NM

Lady Luck by Ed Romanoff, Brooklyn, NY

New Year's Prayer, by Ed Romanoff, Brooklyn, NY

Over Now by Chatham Street, Stephens City, VA

Solstice Morning by Tom Neilson, Greenfield, MA

The Voice by John Friday, Bonita Springs, FL

COUNTRY

Angel In My Arms by Wyler Delray, Creve Coeur, IL

Armour by Jaymie Jones, Omaha, NE

A Place To Land by David Carter, Jude Jones, Cincinnati, OH

Every Time I Hit The Bottle by Jeremy Pike, W. Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, CAN

Fresh Air by Carmen Logan, Lancaster KY

Grandpa, Why So Slow by Tom Biles, Keller, TX

In by Brooke Malouf, Stan Gassoway, Dallas, TX

Jim Beam & George Jones by Wyler Delray, Creve Coeur, IL

Just Can't Help Myself by Lori Bunting, Antioch, CA

Let's Gamble On Us by Larry Dodge, Dallas, TX

Love Drunk by Erin James, Nashville, TN

No Hard Feelings by Shane Martin, Independence, MN

Pass It Down by Andrew Scott Willis, Chad Tyler, Gallipolis, OK

River Dance by Ruben Estevez, Nashville, TN

Side Effects by Lori Kelley, Centerville, VA

Someday by Jim Burnevik, Minneapolis, MN

Tex Appeal by Thalia Kalodimos, Chicago, IL

The Color Of Blue by Jim Burnevik, Minneapolis, MN

The Perfect Crime by Jean Synodinos, Austin, TX

You're Just 18 by Mathew Stemme-Writer, Castaic, CA

INSTRUMENTAL

After The Storm by John Visconti, Merrick, NY

Gypsy Dancer by Andre Kerek, Miami, FL

Half Past Dawn by Andre Kerek, Miami, FL

Laptop Lover by Paul McNair, Dallas, TX

LOVE SONGS/ EASY LISTENING

A Deeper Meaning by Stonewall "Stoneman" Towery, Clayton, CA

A Soft Place To Fall by LV Band, Glen Ellyn IL

Before You Go by Sebastien Parentin, Loudrefing, France

In Between by Marissa DiBlasio, Valencia, CA

Let Me Love You by Mimi Balkey, Steve Ritter, Don Townsley, Dallas, TX

Looking In The Eyes Of A Heartache by John Visconti, Merrick, NY

Small Things by Andy Hill, Renee Safler and Hard Rain, Redondo Beach, CA

Sweeter Than Temptation by Mike Corbin, Merrick, NY

The Way Things Are by David Spence, Austin, TX

What Used To Be by Hillary Chapman, NY, NY

Y-E-S by Noel Cohen, Jeremy Bruce, Jennifer Marks, NY, NY

CHRISTIAN/INSPIRATIONAL

Deception by Paul McNair, Dallas, TX

For Your Glory by Jackie Doss, Dallas, TX

Hail Mary by Joe Perlaky, Oregon, OH

I Never Realized by Robert Young, Henningen, Germany

Is This The Way by Charles Green, Danville, IL

Keep Walking On by Jami Jackson, Astoria, NY

Let Jesus In by Keith Thompson, Las Vegas, NV

Love Is Stronger by K-onna Mason, Provo, UT

Open Your Heart (and Let the Light Shine) by Keith Thompson, Las Vegas, NV

Promises Promises by Lance Watkins, Nashville, TN

Save Me by Joanna Ensley, Tyler, TX

Sudbury Rain by Matt Stemme, Castaic, CA

The One by Keith Thompson, Las Vegas, NV

You Carry Me by Brad Alden, Siren, WI

NOVELTY/ CHILDREN'S

Airport Blues by Lanny Sherwin, Santa Barbara, CA

Dad Said A Bad Word by Lanny Sherwin, Santa Barbara, CA

Down on Grandpa's Farm by Patricia Lou Harris, Klamath Falls, OR

Femme Fatale by Jan Seides, Austin, TX

Fernando The Fantastic Fea by Brendan Watson, Balmoral, Queensland, Australia

Jungle Beat by Patricia Lou Harris, Terri & Josh Finch, Klamath Falls, OR

Milkshake Lake by Randy Sauer, Hays KS

My Samior by Donna Lisa, Westfield, NJ

Oliver Otter by Donna Lisa, Westfield, NJ

Poopie Diaper by The Monkey Bunch, West Toronto, Ontario, CAN

Santa's Dream Flight by Glen Naylor, Bright, Victoria, Australia

Seabiscuit by Lou Harris, Terri & Josh Finch, Klamath Falls, OR

Tell Us The Time by Frank Fulton, Annapolis, MD

Thank You For Giving Me A Chance by Becky Wright, Tahlequah, OK

POP/ROCK/ALT/R&B

23,999 MPH by Christopher Fisher, Broadalbin, NY

All I Want To Do by Patrick McGee, Orlando, FL

Diva by Steve Ritter, Don Townsley, Dallas, TX

Exception To The Rule by Debra Gussin, Los Angeles, CA

In Everybody's Life by Geoff Rotunno, Solvang, CA

Inhale Life by Mellina Barnett, Moreton in Marsh, UK

It Should Be Me by Janine Wilson, Hyattsville, MD

Keeping Time by Jen D'Angora, Medford, MS

Let The Right One In by Louie Cate, Alexandria, VA

Memories by Tara Priya, San Francisco, CA

Ode To A Tom by Danny McIntyre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, CAN

Sail On by David Bogosian, Eranston, RI

Stop Messin With My Mind by Marissa DiBlasio, Valencia, CA

Unfaithfully Departed by G William Boyd, Plano, TX

You're Everything by Noel Cohen, NY, NY

SINGER/SONGWRITER

Breakaway by Steve Bennett, Lake Cathie, Australia

Come On Home by Vicky Williams, Ennis, TX

Crazy Daddy by Wyler Delray, Creve Coeur, IL

Diary by Steve Johnson, Hot Springs Village, AK

Don't Tell Me by Mary Munsey, Abingdon, VA

Follow Me by Paul Cataldi, Fort Worth, TX

Freedom by Dennis McVay, Canton, OH

Granada, Mi Amor by Jaime Leopold, Portland, OR

Happy Goodbye by Pierre Mongeon, Eask York, Ont., CAN

Nothin' New by Mary Munsey, Abingdon, VA

One Foot On Your Doorstep by Renee Safier, Andy Hill and Hard Rain, Redondo Beach, CA

Stay Another Day by Renee Safier, Andy Hill and Hard Rain, Redondo Beach, CA

The House of Thieves by Leni Stern, NY, NY

Water Wheel by Randall Kronn, Winchester, MA

What Do We Know (about love) by Michael Holland, Boston, NY

You by Jefferson Headricks, Wickford, RI

Grand Prize runner up gets a day of free recording at Riversound Recording Resort, nestled along the Llano River on the back of a 300 acre ranch in the Texas Hill Country, in addition to a one-year Broadjam Primo MoB membership.

Third Place overall receives a song critique and fully-produced demo with Kim Copeland of Nashville’s Kim Copeland Productions and a one-year Broadjam Primo MoB membership.

2011 Dallas Songwriters Contest Entry Deadline Fast Approaching

2011-03-01T12:39:00.000-08:00

Take your songwriting aspirations to the next level by entering the prestigious 21^st Annual Dallas Song Contest hosted by the Dallas Songwriters Association (DSA).

This year’s contest will feature eight categories, judged by established music industry professionals, and offer nearly $5,000 in prizes to the top winners in each genre.

Entries must be post-marked by March 31. Song categories include: Country, Americana/Folk/Bluegrass, Pop/Rock/R&B/Alternative, Love Songs/Easy Listening, Christian/Inspirational, Children’s/Novelty, Singer/Songwriter and Instrumental.

Contestants can enter online by clicking the Songwriting Contest tab at dallassongwriters.org or by mailing with entry forms to: DSA, 2011 Song Contest, Sammons Center for the Arts, 3630 Harry Hines Blvd. #20, Dallas, TX 75219. Entry fees are $20 per song. Only CD format will be accepted via mail.

“Maybe it’s the economy, I don’t know, but entry levels are way down this year,” said DSA founding president Barbe McMillen. “That’s bad for us as a fund raiser. On the other hand, songwriters stand the best chance ever of winning.”

This year’s contest will feature eight categories judged by established music industry professionals and will offer almost $5,000 in prizes to the top winners in each category.

The Grand Prize winner will take home a new Tradition electric guitar, get a Premier Demo by Beaird Music Group--one of Nashville’s top recording facilities--and receive a one-year Primo MoB membership with Broadjam, the on-line resource company and web community for musicians.

Grand Prize runner up gets a day of free recording at Riversound Recording Resort, both along the Llano River on the back of a 300 acre ranch in the Texas Hill Country, in addition to a one-year Broadjam Primo MoB membership.

Third Place overall receives a song critique and fully-produced demo with Kim Copeland of Nashville’s Kim Copeland Productions and a one-year Broadjam Primo MoB membership.

DALLAS SONGWRITERS 2011 SONG CONTEST KICKS OFF

2011-01-07T09:32:00.000-08:00

Amateur songwriters from around the world are invited to compete in the 2011 Annual Song Contest hosted by the Dallas Songwriters Association (DSA). This year’s contest will feature eight categories judged by established music industry professionals and will offer almost $5,000 in prizes to the top winners in each category.

Entries must be post-marked by March 31. Song categories for 2011 are:

1. Christian/Inspirational

2. Country

3. Americana/Folk/Bluegrass

4. Pop/Rock/R&B/Alternative

5. Love Songs/Easy Listening

6. Children's/Novelty

7. Singer/Songwriter

8. Instrumental

Contestants can enter now through March 31 online by clicking the Songwriting Contest tab at http://www.dallassongwriters.org/ , or by mail with entry forms mailed to: DSA, 2011 Song Contest, Sammons Center for the Arts, 3630 Harry Hines Blvd. #20, Dallas, TX 75219. Entry fees are $20 per song. Only CD format will be accepted via mail.

Third Place overall receives a song demo/consultation with Kim Copeland of Nashville’s Kim Copeland Productions and a one-year Broadjam Primo MoB membership.

Last year’s Grand Prize Winner, Lanny Sherwin of Santa Barbara, Calif., swept the Novelty/Children’s category with first, second and third place wins. His top winner was “I Can’t Rhyme,” taking first place in the category as well as Grand Prize for the overall contest.

Additional sponsors include Crystal Clear Sound, Patrick McGuire Recording and WM Sales/Cam Audio. Submission partners are Broadjam.com and Sonicbids. Music industry partners are Dallas International Guitar Festival, Arlington Guitar Show, Tradition Guitars, Texas Music Group, Bar-b Music Marketing Consultants, Musemuse.com, Sante Fe Design, Austin Songwriters Group and DIFS.

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A LEGEND IN HIS OWN TIME

2010-08-04T13:02:00.000-07:00

The Smiles That Blossom From Vern Dailey Have Roots In Pain

For as long as most of his friends can remember, Vern Dailey has been “the legendary Vern Dailey.”

It makes you wonder: How long does a legend get to be a legend? Vern has been one for decades now.

Most of Vern’s legendary activities probably don’t show up when you Google him. Still, you get a lot of highlights when you key in this 80-year-old’s name.

Vern was a star on local Dallas TV. While not as well known as Jerry Haynes, Mr. Peppermint of “The Mr. Peppermint Show,” Vern was likely the main reason kids tuned in for almost 35 years. Nothing against the human half of the team, but what made the show were the puppets, and what made Muffin the bear and the others come to life was puppeteer Vern Dailey.

Some of us, maybe most of us, didn’t grow up watching Dallas TV in the 70s. Yet, we still know Vern as the legend. It’s not because he does a cartoon page each month for County Line magazine or that he writes funny poems for Senior Voice magazine, though he does. The legend I know is a short, bespectacled, frowning curmudgeon who sits on the back row at monthly Dallas Songwriter Assoc. (DSA) meetings, cracking wise and kicking butt as a songwriter. That’s why, for the 4^th time in the last 12 years, Vern is the DSA Songwriter of the Year.

Vern drives in once a month from Wills Point for the DSA meetings at the Center for Community Cooperation in Deep Ellum. Toward the end of each meeting, the group critiques and scores recorded songs that members and guests submit, normally on CD, but in Vern’s case, normally on cassette tape.

The level of talent in these critiques is always astounding. It’s amazing how many good songwriters live around here. Yet, for the most part on these Tuesday nights, their songs are like bowling pins in an alley, standing straight and proud until the Vern Dailey song bowls them over, scattering them everywhere.

Vern is not a singer. He’s not even a musician. He’s a lyricist. He typically records his songs in Garland, humming a melody and coaching singers and musicians at the studio on how to deliver them.

Vern writes hard country. You can always dance to his tunes. When you hear one, you’re probably going to smile, and if you’re not careful, you’re also going to think while listening to “Weeds in the Sandbox (Rust on the Swings),” “You’re Finally Going Out of My Mind,” “Havin’ a Blast (Getting’ Over the Past),” “Futile Attraction,” “Part-time Lovers, Full-time Fools,” “You Broke It, You Fix It” and many others.

Although Vern can write from any perspective—male, female, young, old—there are qualities to his songs that mark them. They ought to play on a beer joint jukebox. They have humor and pathos, and somewhere in the song, there’s going to be that turn of phrase that you wish you’d written. His songs are consistently good. He’s a songwriter’s songwriter.

Vern says he never knows when a song will come. “A phrase will come to me; someone says something and I hear a song title. I’m a nut for playing on words, you know. I’ll be out mowing the lawn and suddenly get an idea, and if I don’t stop, I lose it.”

Vern’s got a notebook or two full of song titles waiting for songs, and that’s how a song usually starts with Vern; he gets a song title, or a rhyme.

Most of Vern’s songs have been recorded at McClain’s Recording in Garland. “You know, I usually have a tune in mind from the meter. I’m humming it,” Vern said. “Or, sometimes I’ll pick up a co-writer, and they’ll make changes, and of course they always make it better.

“I like to write songs for women more than I like to write them for guys, for some reason, but I’ve always had a romantic side to me. You know I’ve been married and widowed twice. I’ve never hurt for women,” he said.

Vern says he became a songwriter, a puppeteer, a cartoonist, a poet and who knows what else to help escape a tough childhood. He said he had to work hard as a boy. “No matter how hard you worked, or how much work you did, you still never did it good enough. You know, my dad was married three times, and when he died not one of his wives or kids came to his funeral. “ He shakes his head and rubs his eyes. “Those were not the good old days, but anyway, I’m writing songs, and I’ll keep writing them until I’m 100, or I get a hit.”

Vern is one of the stalwarts of the Dallas Songwriters Association, which was formed in the early 1980s from the Texas Music Association. It has almost 200 members who are published or unpublished, recorded or not. All music styles and age groups are welcome. The DSA has song swaps twice a month for which members meet at a restaurant and coffee shop to play and sing their songs-in-progress for feedback from fellow songwriters, plus a monthly meeting and a monthly open mic. Find out more about the DSA at HYPERLINK "http://www.dallassongwriters.org" www.dallassongwriters.org.

Anyone can come to any DSA function, but if you want to hear a Vern Dailey song, you need to come to 2^nd Tuesday Regular Meeting, every second Tuesday of the year except for the one in August. That’s when the legendary Vern Dailey takes a break.

CHILDREN’S SONGWRITER WINS ANNUAL DALLAS SONG CONTEST TOP PRIZE

2010-05-06T07:56:00.000-07:00

Lanny Sherwin’s songs take grand prize, sweep Novelty/Children’s category

Dallas Songwriters Assoc. Announces Winners at Dallas International Guitar Festival

DALLAS (April 17)—The Novelty/Children’s category delivered the grand prize winner for the first time in the 20-year history of the Annual Dallas Song Contest, the Dallas Songwriter’s Assoc. (DSA) announced today.

Lanny Sherwin, president of Sandman Records, swept the Novelty/Children’s category with first, second and third place wins. His top winner was “I Can’t Rhyme,” taking first place in the category as well as grand prize for the overall contest. In the song Sherwin cleverly doesn’t rhyme disease/wasps, any more/window, mad/upset, time/sound the same. You expect to hear bees, door, glad and rhyme, but he fools and delights you every time.

Sherwin, who lives in Santa Barbara, Calif., won a Tradition S200 Gold Top electric guitar featuring a pair of PAF humbucker pickups, a “killer guitar” according to Tradition President Rusty Bickford. He presented the S200 Gold Top today to the DSA’s Steve Sullivan and Buck Morgan during the 33^rd annual Dallas International Guitar Festival.

“If you visit us in Fort Worth, you’ll see that our company is made up of guitar and bass players, so we like to stay close to the musician,” said Bickford. “We have a lot of love and admiration for good songwriting and love the thought of someone writing a great song with one of our guitars.”

Other grand prizes included a Premier Demo by Beaird Music Group, one of Nashville’s top recording facilities, and a one-year Primo MoB membership with Broadjam, the on-line resource company and web community for musicians.

Noel Cohen of New York took first runner up with “Delete,” which also won the Pop/Rock/Alt/R&B category. Country winner “Some Things You Don’t Throw Away” by Claire Ulanoff and Will Hopkins of Nashville took second runner up.

Cohen won a day of free recording at River Sound Recording Studio and a night in Merlin’s Cabin, both nestled along the Llano River on the back of a 300 acre ranch in the Texas Hill Country. He also won a one-year Broadjam Primo MoB membership.

The team of Ulanoff and Hopkins won a song demo/consultation by Kim Copeland of Kim Copeland Productions. Kim’s work as a Nashville producer consistently receives rave reviews. They also won a one-year Broadjam Primo MoB membership.

All first place category winners won $100, a one-year Broadjam MoB membership and a year’s membership in the DSA. Second place winners won $50 and a year’s DSA membership, and third place finishers won a DSA membership.

Other categories and their winners were:

Americana, “Stonewall” by Ward Parker, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Christian/Inspirational, “Hard and Unforgiving” by Scott Tonkinson, Chandler, Ariz.

Instrumental, “Wanderings” by John Visconti, Merrick, N.Y.

Love Songs/Easy Listening, “That Ain’t Me” by Claire Ulanoff and Will Hopkins

Singer/Songwriter, “Photographs” by Noel Cohen

Music Video, “Get Your Clothes On” by Peter Bacsalmasi, Calgary, Alberta.

Find out more about category winners here: http://dsasongcontest.blogspot.com/2010/04/2009-song-contest-winners.html

“It’s always rewarding work to be involved in the Dallas Song Contest,” said the DSA’s Morgan. “Without the generosity of our sponsors and judges, none of it would be possible.”

Contest judges this year were David Card of Poor David’s Pub, Dallas, Christian producer Randy Adams, children’s performer Deborah Poppink, artist manager Marty Rendelman, Mike Hall of Uncle Calvin’s, Dallas, Bart Weiss of Dallas Video Festival, film and advertising composer John Bryant, and hit songwriter Allan Rhody. Roy Elkins, CEO of Broadjam.com, was grand prize judge.

Additional sponsors included Crystal Clear Sound, Patrick McGuire Recording and WM Sales/Cam Audio. Submission partners were Broadjam.com and Sonicbids. Music industry partners were Dallas International Guitar Festival, Arlington Guitar Show, Texas Music Group, Bar-b Music Marketing Consultants, Musemuse.com, Sante Fe Design, Austin Songwriters Group and DIFS.

Tradition Guitars Donate Grand Prize for Song Contest

2010-04-30T17:58:00.001-07:00

John Nitzinger, DSA Founding President Emeritus Barbara McMillen, & Rusty Bickford

Rusty Bickford , president of Tradition Guitars in Fort Worth, and Dallas guitar legend John Nitzinger present a new Tradition Gold Top S200 to the Dallas Songwriters Association Founding President Emeritus, Barbara McMillen as part of the grand prize for California songwriter Lanny Sherwin, winner of the Annual Dallas Song Contest announced by the DSA at the Dallas International Guitar Festival. Nitzinger, part of the foundation of the 70's monster band Bloodrock, today performs around the world under his own name. He also works with and endorses Tradition Guitars. He said the solid mahogany, metallic gold guitar with rosewood fretboard is a "killer guitar" in large part due to a pair of PAF humbucker pickups. "At Tradition, it's all about the player. It's like a family there. Rusty is president, but his wife Patty, who heads up Sales, keeps everything moving in the right direction. As a member of the DSA myself, I feel almost like one of the kids." Learn more about Tradition Guitars, Nitzinger and the DSA at these web sites:

http://www.traditionguitars.com
http://www.nitzinger.com/
www.dallassongwriters.org

Check out the specs on the donated Gold Top S200

2008 Song Contest Grand Prize Winner recording in Nashville

2009-10-25T11:08:00.000-07:00

May, 2009, Nashville, TN

During the month of May 2009, DSA 2008 Song Contest Winner, Mark Glasmere, took advantage of his Grand Prize by recording his song, The Last Goodbye at Beaird Studios in Nashville. Studio owner and Beaird Music Group President, Larry Beaird, reported about working with Glasmere,

" He's been a joy to work with, and I thought I'd give you a little news about it."

The musicians on the session were:

Drums: Eddie Bayers

Bass: Eli Beaird

Electric Guitar: Troy Lancaster

Steel: Scotty Sanders

Piano: Mike Rojas

Acoustic Guitar: Larry Beaird

You can see credits for the musicians at http://www.allmusic.com

Above is a picture of Larry Beaird on the left with Mark Glasmere in the studio.

Listen to Mark's music at: www.markwayneglasmire.com/

Find out more about recording at Beaird Music Group, Inc.

615-279-8030

http://www.beairdmusicgroup.com /