DSA2013 Song Contest Entry Deadline June 17th

CASIO, DALLAS SONGWRITERS MAKE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC
WITH GRAND PRIZE KEYBOARDS
Top Winner In International Contest Gets Casio PX-350 Privia Piano

DALLAS—The Dallas Songwriters Assoc. today announced a new partnership with Casio America Inc., that delivers a Casio PX-350 Privia piano, with an MSRP of $1,099, to the grand prizewinner of the 23rd Dallas Songwriters Annual Song Contest.

Casio calls the PX-350 "a grand revolution" with new keyboard action and a powerful new sound engine. It has more than three times the memory, giving it a more natural piano tone. A proprietary sound source, "AiR" (Acoustic and intelligent Resonator), provides unmatched realism and detail. The redesigned 88-note Tri-sensor scaled hammer action keyboard features simulated ebony and ivory textured keys for an incredible feel.

The PX-350 has 180 drum patterns with full auto accompaniment and a 17-track recorder for composing your own songs. Ready for the stage or studio, the PX-350 has ¼" audio outputs so you can easily connect the PX-350 to recording and sound reinforcement equipment.

Grand Prize Winner will also have the opportunity to record at a premier Nashville recording service, Beaird Music Group who recorded the demo of Lady Antebellum's "I Run to You" which was the Single of the Year at the CMA Music Awards.

Amateur songwriters from around the world compete yearly for more than $5,000 in prizes in the Dallas Songwriters Annual Song Contest. This year's contest features eight categories judged by music industry professionals.

Song categories for 2013 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 online via either DSA submission partner, www.broadjam.com or www.sonicbids.com, through June 17, or by mail with entry forms (CDs only, cassette tapes will not be accepted) mailed to: DSA 2013 Song Contest, Sammons Center for the Arts, 3630 Harry Hines Bld. #20, Dallas, TX 75219. Entry fees are $25 per song.

Winners in past years came from Massachusetts, California, New Hampshire, Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, Maryland, Virginia and North and South Carolina. Additional winners came from Canada, Portugal and the United Kingdom.

Sponsors and submission partners are Broadjam.com and Sonicbids. Music industry partners are Casio America, Beaird Music Group, River Sound Recording Studios, Jo-Musik, Dallas International Guitar Festival, Arlington Guitar Show, Texas Music Group, Bar-b Music Marketing Consultants, and Musemuse.com.

For more information log onto http://dsasongcontest.blogspot.com.

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.

About Casio America, Inc.
Casio America, Inc., Dover, N.J., is the U.S. subsidiary of Casio Computer Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, one of the world's leading manufacturers of consumer electronics and business equipment solutions. Established in 1957, Casio America, Inc. markets calculators, keyboards, mobile presentation devices, disc title and label printers, watches, cash registers and other consumer electronic products. Casio has strived to fulfill its corporate creed of "creativity and contribution" through the introduction of innovative and imaginative products. For more information, visit www.casiousa.com.

DALLAS SONGWRITERS ASSOC. KICKS OFF 23rd ANNUAL SONG CONTEST

$5,000 in prizes for top winners

DALLAS--Amateur songwriters from around the world can compete in the 23^rd Annual Song Contest hosted by the Dallas Songwriters Assoc. (DSA). This year's contest features eight categories judged by music industry professionals and will offer more than $5,000 in prizes to the top winners.

Contestants can enter online via either DSA submission partner, www.broadjam.com or www.sonicbids.com, through June 17, or by mail with entry forms (CDs only, cassette tapes will not be accepted) mailed to: DSA 2013 Song Contest, Sammons Center for the Arts, 3630 Harry Hines Bld. #20, Dallas, TX 75219. Entry fees are $20 per song.

Winners in past years came from Massachusetts, California, New Hampshire, Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, Maryland, Virginia and North and South Carolina. Additional winners came from Canada, Portugal and the United Kingdom.

PLEASE REVIEW THIS PARAGRAPH:

Last year’s Grand Prize Winner, Macy Medford of The Woodlands, TX, won a Taylor model numberXXXXXX guitar signed by Nashville songwriter/artist Beth Nielson-Chapman, whose songs have been performed by Elton John, Trisha Yearwood, Willie Nelson, Faith Hill, Martina McBride and many others. She has also been a judge in the annual contest. OR HAS SHE????

Song categories for 2013 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

For more information log onto http://dsasongcontest.blogspot.com.

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  HYPERLINK "http://www.dallassongwriters.org" www.dallassongwriters.org.

DSA ANNOUNCES SONG AND SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR 2012 by Buck Morgan

The Dallas Songwriters Association has named James Pappas winner of the 2012 Vern Dailey Songwriter of the Year Award. This makes James winner for the second year in a row.

YOU WON’T FIND STRAIGHT-AND-NARROW TRAILS IN JAMESS PAPPAS’ SONGS
By Buck Morgan

James Pappas, the 2011 DSA Songwriter of the Year, is the working man’s songwriter. On 2nd Tuesdays, he’ll slip in a little late. He’s just had time to come home, clean up, grab a bite, and head out. He sits near the back, and you might not notice him until he speaks up.

After most meetings, James is one of the last to leave. He has clean-up detail, and he makes sure that the ladies at the Center for Community Cooperation give the Dallas Songwriters a check mark each month. Then, after the chairs are straightened, the trash cans just so, the coffee, tea and water cart cleaned and in their spot, James hangs out with the other hangers on, people like Roger, Lisa, Joe, Casey, Alex, Tom, me and sometimes a first timer, people who like to talk about songwriting and about the songs they heard that night. Some nights James sets a time and a place to meet with someone to work on or record a song.

You all know James. He’s the barrel-chested guy wearing the pony tail and the vest, the guy with the huge, rough hands who sits in the back and often has a suggestion or comment on a song during Critiques.

He’s been a DSA member since 2000. In other words, forever. Only Barbe McMillen, Vern Dailey and Nancy Rynders have been members longer. The first time I met James was at a song swap about four years ago, back when we just had one. I was feeling out the group, trying to figure out what the DSA had to offer, and I found myself across the table from James and a friend of his named Lefty, or at least that’s how I remember him, because he had a right-handed guitar strung lefty. Bob Paterno was there that night, too. (Ironically, Bob is a left-handed guy who plays righty.)

James is unorthodox. I learned that straight away. He didn’t bring an instrument or lyric sheets. He brought a CD player with a 4-way splitter and four headphones, and he wanted us to hear a song he had done to entertain his kids when they were little. It was a cute song, but there were headphone problems that night.

Afterward, out behind the White Rock Coffee Shop, I stood and talked to James and Lefty. We talked and we talked. I rolled a cigarette. I think I may have rolled another. To look at James and Lefty, you’d think they might have a cigarette, too. But James doesn’t smoke. Seems like I suggested getting a beer, but James doesn’t drink, either. Of course, he used to do both, but he quit.

There’ve been a few turns in James’ life. He was born in Mobile, AL, but seasoned from age 12 in Kansas City. He’s lived and worked all over. James is always cooking up something, which comes naturally to a former chef. He worked as a hotel chef for 25 years: for the Fountainebleau in Miami Beach, for Westin Hotels in three cities, for Hilton Hotels in three cities, and for Adam’s Mark hotels in three cities. One of those stops was at the Anatole Hotel in Dallas, where he met his wife, Amelia.

Leave it to James to fall in love with a woman who didn’t speak English. Of course, he didn’t speak Spanish. He says it couldn’t be helped. They were in love, and they would figure out the rest later. So far they’ve managed 28 years, four grown children and seven grandchildren.

Today, James only cooks on keyboards, guitar and control board. For the last 10 years he’s run a successful business, Dallas Ice Sculptures. You may have admired some of his work at our Christmas parties. To see more, visit http://dallasicesculptures.com/ .

CARY COOPER ANNOUNCED THE SONG OF THE YEAR AWARD AT THE MARCH 12TH MEETING

The 2012 Song of the Year is “Thank God He Broke Your Heart,” written by Brook Malouf. Brooke has a BA from Uva and and an MBA from the University of Dallas. Several of her songs have been nominated Best of Song U in Nashville and recommended for the NSAI’s music publisher’s luncheon. She co-writes with writers from all across the country, and travels to Nashville to write all throughout the year. Check out her songs at: http://www.myspace.com/brookeelizabethmalouf#!

Each month at the DSA’s Second Tuesday program, members anonymously submit recordings of their songs for comments and feedback. A panel, usually composed of the evening’s guest speaker and a DSA Board member, listens to the songs and comments and scores the songs according to six categories: hook, melody, lyric, structure, originality and truth. Audience members also score the songs and write comments on lyric sheets. At the end of the year, the top two songs of each month go before independent judges, who choose the annual Song of the Year.

This year’s judge was Cary Cooper. Coming in second was “The Good War” by Casey Graham and placing third was “Carribean Moon” by Roger Russell and James Pappas. 

For More information about the Best Songs of The Meeting visit: http://bestsongsofthemeeting.blogspot.com/

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2012 DSA Song Contest Winners

Macy Medford 2012 Grand Prize Winner in Songwriters Song Contest

Houston's Macy Medford wins Grand Prize 

by Roger Russell


After winning 2nd place in the Singer Songwriter category in Dallas Songwriters Association international song contest, Medford’s “Just Me and You” (co-written with Jonathan George) won out over the top three winners from each of the contest’s eight categories.

“One song, ‘Just Me and You’ caught my ear throughout the process” said Roy Elkins, grand prize judge and CEO of Broadjam.com, an online community and resource for musicians.

DSA President Roger Russell had a chance to talk with Macy and her mother, Stacy.

Roger: How old are you?

Macy: I am 15 years old now.

Roger: Are you attending high school now?

Macy: I am a sophomore at Seven Lakes High School in Katy, Texas.

Roger: What instruments do you play?

Macy: Guitar and Piano.

Roger: Did you take lessons?

Macy: Piano for 4 to 5 years while I was in elementary school and I am taking guitar lessons in high school.

Roger: What was the first time you performed?

Macy: I played Annie in the musical production the summer before fourth grade, however, the first time I performed on stage was the school Talent Show in 2nd Grade.

Roger: What inspired you to write the song “Just Me and You”?

Macy: Jason Mraz inspired me. I wanted a song with ukelele in it. The song is a combination of songs I have written. Jonathan George was the cowriter and helped to decide how the song was written.

Roger: Do you currently perform?

Macy: I perform in the Houston area and in Los Angeles.

Roger: Is the song available for people to purchase?

Macy: My whole CD is available on iTunes. I also have a website: macymedford.com where I have music and videos. The video on the first page was recorded at Marilyn Monroe’s house in Los Angeles.

Roger: Have you done other performances?

Macy: I played Tinkerbell in a school play and I am currently playing Janet in the school production of the musical “The Drowsy Chaperone”.

Roger: What was the first song you wrote?

Macy: “Bye Bye” was written when I was 13.

Roger: Do you aspire to be a singer/songwriter?

Macy: Yes, in the future. I have wanted this since the 5th or 6th grade. I always liked English and Poetry and singing songs.

Roger: Did you know who Beth Nielsen Chapman was before you won the guitar she had signed?

Macy: Yes, and I was proud to win the guitar she signed. I was on the Fox Morning Show when the guitar arrived and talked about it during my interview.

Roger: Stacy, how do you feel?

Stacy: I am so proud of her.

Roger: Jonathan George is your cowriter. How does he influence your songs.

Macy: Sometimes he can change a word or two that takes the song in a whole new direction.

Roger: What can you tell people about the music business?

Macy: People don’t realize what it takes to put out a CD until they have actually done it.

Roger: How many songs have you written and recorded?

Macy: I have written 8 songs. I wrote all of them with Jonathan as cowriter.

Roger: Do you have a manager or agent?

Macy: Jonathan George is my manager.

Roger: How do you feel about winning the guitar?

Macy: I am so honored to be recognized for my songwriting from the Dallas Songwriters Association. I am very proud to be a part of this wonderful organization.

In conclusion, I am proud of Macy’s accomplishments. She has a bright future ahead of her as a songwriter and performer. At 15, she has already accomplished so much. Winning an international songwriting contest is something that some people spend a lifetime working toward. Her talent is a gift that she shares with the world and the Dallas Songwriters Association and I wish her the best in her songwriting. I see all kinds of possibilities for a talent like Macy, and I feel that one day I will see Macy as a star, and have the memory of the interview I did when she won our songwriting contest.

GRAND PRIZE WINNER

Just Me and You by Macy Medford, Jonathan George, Houston, TX

1ST RUNNER UP

That Old Shirt by Steve Chizmadia, Peekskill, NY

2ND RUNNER UP

You'll Be Back by Debra M. Gussin, Jonathan Bluth, LA, CA

Category Winners

AMERICANA
1. That Old Shirt by Steve Chizmadia, Peekskill, NY
2. Kids These Days by Andy Hill, Renee Safier and Hardrain, Redondo Beach, CA
3. Find My Way by Chris Alvarado, Santa Rosa Beach, FL

CHILDREN'S / NOVELTY
1. Bookstore Blues by Eric Colville, The Selkies, Ipswich, MA
2. Our Gumtree Home by Glen Naylor, Bright, Victoria, Australia
3. The Monster Masher by Lanny Sherwin, Santa Barbara, CA

CHRISTIAN
1. Blue Room by Keeton Coffman, Sping,TX
2. Is That You? by Debra M. Gussin, Rik Howard, LA, CA
3. Holy Water by Spencer Clark, Saint Helena, CA

COUNTRY
1. Abilene From Abilene by Kevin Reardon, Riverside, CT
2. Liar by Daniel Sumber, Josh Patton, Brandon Sparks, (Patton Sparks Band), Austin, Tx
3. I Love It When You Call by by Andy Taylor, Alpharetta, GA

INSTRUMENTAL
1. Dolphins In Love by Gavin R. Potter, Simons Town, S. Africa
2. I Need You by V. Padla Gootee, Arlington, VA
3. The Struggles Within by Diane Lekven, Jordan Perez, Rancho Sante Fe, CA

LOVE SONGS
1. I Like The Way You Look At Me by Belle Schneiderman, NY, NY
2. Believe In Love by Robert Graham, Toronto, Ont, CAN
3. Do U Miss The Heat by Debra M. Gussin, Stacy Hogan, LA, CA

POP/ROCK/RNB/ALT
1. Fade To Grey by Chris O'Neil, Heathmont, Victoria, Australia
2. Those Were The Days by Chase Thompson, Pasco, WA
3, Julie by Philip Creamer, Daniel Creamer, Tucker Cauble, Dallas, TX
HM: So Confused by Nestor Cora, Brooklyn, NY
HM: You'll Be Back by Debra M Gussin, Jonathan Bluth, LA, CA

SINGER SONGWRITER
1. I Am Not James Taylor by Gordon Lustig, Napa, CA
2. Just Me and You by Macy Medford, Jonathan George, Houston, TX
3. Sing Your Song by Susie McLean, Mississauga, Ontario, CAN
HM I Gave You Away by Becky Wright, Tahlequah, OK

Sponsors providing our prizes include Beaird Music Group, Roger Russell, River Sounds, JoMusik, Barbara McMillen, Broadjam, and Sonicbids. Additional sponsors include Crystal Clear Sound, Patrick McGuire Recording and WM Sales/Cam Audio. Submission partners are Broadjam.com and Sonicbids.com.  Music industry partners are Dallas International Guitar Festival, Arlington Guitar Show, Tradition Guitars, Texas Music Group, Bar-b Music Marketing Consultants, Musemuse.com, Austin Songwriters Group and Jo-Musik.  

Dallas Songwriters Assoc. is a 501c3 non-profit educational 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.