DALLAS SONGWRITERS 2011 SONG CONTEST KICKS OFF

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.

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, 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 demo/consultation with Kim Copeland of Nashville’s Kim Copeland Productions and a one-year Broadjam Primo MoB membership.

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.

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.

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. For more information, visit www.dallassongwriters.org.

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