Notes on Napkins

musings for songwriters

Author Archives: Sara Light


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GOLD STARS Report: SongU.com Songs Recently Picked Up (latest update)

CONGRATULATIONS to the writers whose songs were picked up, signed, or pitched for the following SongU leads during the time period 01/17/2023 – 02/22/2023. Note: Some of these opportunities are no longer open for submissions.

Pitch For Publisher. Blues, Pop, Reggae, Singer Songwriter, Alternative, Indie. From SongU mentor and publisher, Bob Dellaposta. Opportunity for direct Licensing for Germany, Poland, France, Belgium, Italy, UK, Sweden, Norway and Europe. We need happy, positive, carefree, cheerful, fun rhythmic feel good music. …

    • Robbi Atkins “FABULOUS**” (Date picked up: 1/25/2023)
    • Priscilla Connolly “OPEN ROAD” (Date picked up: 1/25/2023)

Pitch For Publisher. Americana, Country, Dance, Folk, Pop, Rock. From SongU mentor and publisher, Bob Dellaposta (My3Kids Music). Opportunity for mechanical licensing. This platform licenses your song and your instrumental tracks to Indie artists all over the world….

    • Hilton Severson “COMING SOON” (Date picked up: 1/25/2023)

Pitch For Publisher. Country. CLIFF DORSEY. Extended! Still listening. Street Pitch guest, D.G., veteran music publisher, who has already generated income for SongU members, is looking for songs for Black Sheep Label Group artist Cliff Dorsey. Need great country songs for up-and-coming country artist…

    • Greg Smith “WRAP YOU UP IN LOVE DMB” (Date picked up: 2/14/2023)

Pitch For Publisher. Southern Rock. TENNESSEE OUTLAW COUNTRY/Featuring MATT WESTIN. Extended! Matt’s team is still looking. Street Pitch guest, D.G., veteran music publisher, who has already generated income for SongU members, is looking for songs for Spectrum Records artist Tennessee Outlaw Country/ft Matt Westin…

    • Paul Jarvis “LINES” (Date picked up: 1/23/2023)
    • Scott Miller “ZERO TO HILLBILLY” (Date picked up: 1/23/2023)
    • Rita Weyls “POUR DECISIONS FINAL” (Date picked up: 1/23/2023)

Pitch For Song Plugger. Country. ALABAMA. Extended! Street Pitch guest, J.N., veteran independent songplugger who has generated income for SongU members is looking for songs for BMG artist Alabama. Still seeking a few great country songs for their next project, consider ’90’s country’ positive message story song, up tempos, or mids…

    • Paul Jarvis “UNTIL YOU’VE RAISED A DAUGHTER (YOU’LL NEVER UNDERSTAND)” (Date picked up: 2/15/2023)

Pitch For Song Plugger. Country, Traditional Country. LAUREN ALAINA. Extended! Street Pitch guest, J.N., veteran independent songplugger who has generated income for SongU members is looking for songs for Big Loud Records artist Lauren Alaina. Seeking traditional country up tempos and mids. Stay away from pop country, listen to her recent duets with Jon Pardi. Lauren is very open-minded about outside songs…

    • Andrew Trotter “ROUGH DRAFT” (Date picked up: 1/31/2023)

Pitch For Publisher. Country. DANIELLE BRADBERY. Street Pitch guest and publisher, Bob D., who has already generated income for SongU.com members is looking for songs for Big Machine Records artist Danielle Bradbery. Seeking radio-friendly fun hits…

    • Derek James “WORN TO BE WILD” (Date picked up: 1/18/2023)
    • Carey Latham “TUNNEL” (Date picked up: 1/30/2023)

Pitch For Publisher. Country, Pop. COREY KENT. Street Pitch guest and publisher, Bob D., who has already generated income for SongU.com members is looking for songs for Sony artist Corey Kent. Seeking radio-friendly positive up-tempo youthful country pop. MALE vocal demos only…

    • Derek James “ONLY A BACKROAD KNOWS” (Date picked up: 1/19/2023)

Pitch For Publisher. Country. MaRYNN TAYLOR. Extended! Street Pitch guest, D.G., veteran music publisher, who has already generated income for SongU members, is looking for songs for Black River Records artist MaRynn Taylor. Listening for UPTEMPOS only! No ballads. Needing 90’s style Country…

    • Carey Latham “THAT GUY” (Date picked up: 2/14/2023)

Pitch For Publisher. Contemporary Country. JERICHO ROSE. Quick Pitch! Two weeks / Two songs only. Street Pitch guest, D.G., veteran music publisher, who has already generated income for SongU members, is looking for songs for Global Eyes Entertainment artist Jericho Rose. Especially listening for mids and uptempos…

    • Luke Denison “ONE INCH AT A TIME” (Date picked up: 2/21/2023)
    • Luke Denison “NOBODY’S YOU” (Date picked up: 2/21/2023)
    • Carey Latham “WE GOT THIS” (Date picked up: 2/21/2023)

Pitch For Song Plugger. Country. GARTH BROOKS. Extended until end of the month; but BEFORE PITCHING, READ ADDITIONAL NEW CASTING INFO BELOW. Street Pitch guest, J.N., veteran independent songplugger who has generated income for SongU members is looking for songs for Pearl Records artist Garth Brooks. New description From JN, Thanks for all the songs you’ve been pitching. With an artist that has such a long and successful career as Garth…

    • Ricky Amburgey “GIRL DAD” (Date picked up: 2/11/2023)

Pitch For Licensing Agent. Pop, R&B, Rock, Soul, Alternative, Indie. SONGS FOR STREAMING SERIES. Street Pitch guest, N.P. is seeking songs for sync licensing. Please read the entire brief before submitting. Pitch appropriately. We need your COOLEST indie alternative, pop/rock songs for several spots in this show…

    • Malcolm Stretten “ALWAYS FOR YOU” (Date picked up: 2/20/2023)

Pitch For Publisher. Country. JASON ALDEAN. Street Pitch guest and publisher, Bob D., who has already generated income for SongU.com members is looking for songs for BBR Music Group artist Jason Aldean. Bob says, I’m looking for a few to send to this artist. Must be broadcast quality demo. A radio smash, great lyric, nothing “cutesy”….

    • Ricky Amburgey “GIRL DAD -“ (Date picked up: 2/21/2023)
    • Derek James “ONLY A BACKROAD KNOWS” (Date picked up: 1/30/2023)
    • Jeff Roe “SHE’S GONNA LEAVE A MARK” (Date picked up: 2/21/2023)
    • Eric Spiegel “NEVER TOO LATE” (Date picked up: 2/21/2023)

Pitch For Publisher. Contemporary Country. TEGAN MARIE. Street Pitch guest and publisher, Bob D., who has already generated income for SongU.com members is looking for songs for Warner Brothers artist Tegan Marie. This is a 19-year old singer that was first signed to a major label at age 13. She needs…

    • Carey Latham “SOUNDS LIKE A SONG” (Date picked up: 2/21/2023)

Pitch For Licensing Agent. Film/TV/Media. MUSIC FOR CABLE TV SERIES. Street Pitch guest, N.P. is seeking songs for sync licensing. Please read the entire brief before submitting. Pitch appropriately. Seeking 3 styles/moods for this show…

    • Ricki Bellos “IF I EVER SAW YOU AGAIN” (Date picked up: 2/15/2023)
    • Daniele Fortunato “BEAUTIFUL RAIN” (Date picked up: 2/15/2023)

And a big round of applause to those marked ‘Maybe’ too. Keep up the great work, everyone!


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GOLD STARS Report: SongU.com Songs Recently Picked Up (latest update)

CONGRATULATIONS to the following SongU.com members for having their songs signed or pitched for the following leads during the time period 01/01/2023 – 01/16/2023. (Note, some of these leads may no longer be available for submissions.)

Pitch For Publisher. Blues, Pop, Reggae, Singer Songwriter, Alternative, Indie. From SongU mentor and publisher, Bob Dellaposta. Opportunity for direct Licensing for Germany, Poland, France, Belgium, Italy, UK, Sweden, Norway and Europe. We need happy, positive, carefree, …

    • Robbi Atkins “LA LA LA LA LOVE” (Date picked up: 1/11/2023)
    • Robbi Atkins “CREW” (Date picked up: 1/11/2023)
    • Mark Newman “SMILING – MASTER” (Date picked up: 1/11/2023)
    • Mark Newman “LOCK THIS DOWN – MASTER “ (Date picked up: 1/11/2023)
    • Hilton Severson “THE WATER YOU GIVE” (Date picked up: 1/11/2023)
    • Tom Watson “BLOSSOM” (Date picked up: 1/11/2023)
    • Aaron j Wayman “YOU WOULDN’T LET ME” (Date picked up: 1/11/2023)
    • Cari lynn York “THAT’S WHAT YOU ARE (FULL MIX) “ (Date picked up: 1/11/2023)
    • Cari lynn York “STRONGER THAN I THINK ***** (STRINGS)” (Date picked up: 1/11/2023)

Pitch For Publisher. Bluegrass. BLUEGRASS MUSIC FOR VARIOUS ARTISTS AND LABELS. Extended! Street Pitch guest, D.G., veteran music publisher, who has already generated income for SongU members, is listening for Listening for Bluegrass Music ONLY!! Please do NOT pitch country. Bluegrass music instrumentation includes …

    • Enda Cullen “THE TRAIN CAME BACK” (Date picked up: 1/2/2023)
    • Sandra Devault “LORELEI” (Date picked up: 1/2/2023)

Pitch For Publisher. Country. CLIFF DORSEY. Extended! Still listening. Street Pitch guest, D.G., veteran music publisher, who has already generated income for SongU members, is looking for songs for Black Sheep Label Group artist Cliff Dorsey. Need great country songs for up-and-coming country artist. …

    • Ricky Amburgey “SHE’S A LIGHT” (Date picked up: 1/2/2023)
    • Ricky Amburgey “THE BEST THINGS DON’T COME FIRST” (Date picked up: 1/2/2023)
    • Carey Latham “COUNTRY SUMMER NIGHT” (Date picked up: 1/2/2023)
    • Karen Mitchell “LOVE AIN’T LOOKIN'” (Date picked up: 1/2/2023)
    • Mitch Townley “NOTHINGOUT OF SOMETHING” (Date picked up: 1/11/2023)

Pitch For Publisher. Contemporary Country. WALKER COUNTY. Street Pitch guest and publisher, Bob D., who has already generated income for SongU.com members is looking for songs for Warner Bros. artist Walker County. These are two sisters (think harmony). UPTEMPOS. Think Dixie Chicks meets Miranda Lambert. …

    • Jerry Blackburn “IT HAS TO HURT” (Date picked up: 1/2/2023)
    • Kenneth Riggins “GIRL GOTTA DO/ LYRIC REWRITE” (Date picked up: 1/2/2023)

Pitch For Licensing Agent. Dance, HipHop, Pop. SONGS FOR AD CAMPAIGN. Street Pitch guest, N.P. is seeking songs for sync licensing. Please read the entire brief before submitting. Pitch appropriately. Seeking songs about Unity & Universal Love for advertisement campaign This brand is looking for positive, upbeat songs …

    • Frank Stopak “WORLD-GO-ROUND” (Date picked up: 1/16/2023)

Pitch For Publisher. Country, Pop. COREY KENT. Street Pitch guest and publisher, Bob D., who has already generated income for SongU.com members is looking for songs for Sony artist Corey Kent. Seeking radio-friendly positive up-tempo youthful country pop …

    • Robbi Atkins “SLOWPOKE’S FIELD (FINAL)” (Date picked up: 1/11/2023)

Pitch For Publisher. Contemporary Country. CAM BOGLE. Street Pitch guest and publisher, Bob D., who has already generated income for SongU.com members is looking for songs for up and coming new artist Cam Bogle. This guy is pretty cool. He has a rich baritone voice. Looking for HITS only …

    • Jim Purtell “BLUE SKY RAIN” (Date picked up: 1/2/2023)

And a round of applause to those marked ‘Maybe’ too. Keep up the great work, everyone!


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How Do You Measure Songwriting Success?

Guest post by Mitch Townley

Picture: Karen and Mitch Townley with Sara Light in Nashville

We write songs for a variety of reasons. It could be to share a story or relate an emotion. Sometimes it’s to honor someone, describe a relationship, or bring an issue to light. We could be testifying to God’s work in our life through a worship song or a song designed to encourage someone else. But what does it mean to be “successful” with the songs we write?

Our motivation to express ourselves is primarily our purpose for writing a song. So, we are successful when what we desire to communicate in our song is what the listener feels or experiences when they hear it. In simple terms, the listener “gets it.”  This accomplishment is what I like to call “expressive success.”  Expressive success is rooted in understanding the fundamental concepts of songwriting. It takes practice and work at the craft to get there and should be enjoyed and celebrated when achieved. Any other success we experience with a song is icing on the cake and essentially out of our control.

Some of us may experience an additional “layer” of success that I refer to as “complimentary success.” Examples of this type of success are when a song is recorded by an artist, placed in a movie or TV show, or performed in a venue. It may win a contest, be used as a theme song for an organization, or perhaps even win an award. These examples are remarkable moments of encouragement for a songwriter but don’t have to be what defines us as “successful” in our writing. For me, complimentary success is undoubtedly a blessing to enjoy, but not the reason why I write. It is not an expectation I have for every song. While we can certainly aspire to write quality songs that contend for complimentary success, I don’t think it is reasonable to expect something that is so far out of our control. There is no shortcut to the destination of this type of success. It takes practice, patience, and perseverance even to consider it.

I would be remiss if I did not mention an even more elusive form of measuring songwriting success: commercial success. Typically, it means a famous or emerging artist has recorded your song, sold many CDs or downloads, done well on major music industry charts, and generated revenue. Most songwriters who enjoy a viable professional income from their songwriting are staff songwriters at music publishing companies. However, the percentage of songwriters who earn a living as a songwriter is extremely low. Does that fact make you want to stop songwriting immediately? I certainly hope not! It is just the nature of the music industry. It’s essential to understand your motivation for writing songs. A person whose aspiration is to be a professional, commercially successful songwriter has restrictions. They can’t always choose what, why, and when they write.

“The percentage of songwriters who earn a living as a songwriter is extremely low. Does that fact make you want to stop songwriting immediately? I certainly hope not!”

I write songs because I “cannot not” write them (pardon the grammar). It is something I love to do. I get so excited when I have written a song that emotionally affects someone in the way I intended. When a listener “gets it,” I am a successful songwriter. I suspect that many of you can become or already are successful too.

Mitch Townley is from Knoxville, TN, where he has served as a Children’s Pastor since 1996. He has over 40 independent artist cuts, including a song featured in a documentary about the Vietnam Memorial and a song placement in the TV show “Nashville.” His song, “This Side Of Sunday” (co-written with Scott Parker), was recorded by Brent Harrison and spent eight weeks in the Number 1 spot on the Christian Country Countdown in April/May of 2018. In April of 2019, it received the 2018 Inspirational Country Song Of the Year award from the Inspirational Country Music Association at a ceremony held at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN. Mitch is the Knoxville Chapter coordinator for the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI). He performs his songs regularly in songwriter rounds in the greater Knoxville area as a solo artist and with the acoustic duo “The Back Pew Poets.” Mitch has been a member of SongU.com since 2006 and hosts the regular SongU Open-Mic Experiment, virtual writers’ nights. 


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Inside the (Surprising) Writer’s Room with Special Event Winner Jonny Born!

For our Fall 2021 SongU Special Event Pitch, “Staff Writer for a Day,” the Creative Director of Winsongs Music Publishing, Kirby Smith, listened to over 200 songs. She selected one writer, Jonny Born, to win the coveted “staff writer for a day” prize which featured a co-writing session with Winsongs’ artist/writer Eric Van Houten. This month Jonny flew from his home in Utah to Nashville, TN, for that session. He told me later that he was glad he made the trip to write in person because the visit was full of surprises, and the creative energy in the writer’s room was tangible. 

Jonny, how’d your staff writer session go?

It was amazing! In addition to Eric Van Houten from WinSongs, Kirby added a new artist/writer named Nick Boyd to the meeting as well, and I am so glad she did. Watch out for this kid. He is the real deal!

You had another happy surprise too, right?

We wrote in Liz Rose’s office and I was pumped. I can’t even imagine how many monsters have been written in those walls. I took a picture before the meeting. I know it looks like I’m not happy, but that’s my “Jon, get your head in the game and show up and contribute, it’s time to go to work” face!!! HAHA. Honestly, I just wanted to get a picture before anyone saw me taking a selfie and figured out I was a nervous rookie!

Songwriter, Jonny Born, in Liz Rose Music Writer’s Room

You don’t look like a rookie! What happened when Eric and Nick arrived?

After we chatted for a while and just got to know each other a bit, we talked about what we wanted to write.

How’d the writing process go?

I had about 15-20 hooks/ideas I’ve been saving for that day. I pulled out what I thought was the most intriguing one — a concept around the word “Unmade,” with the chorus starting out, “I can’t lie, the way you kissed me, left me drunker than the whiskey.” And ending with: “Now, I can’t lie, in this bed that we unmade.” They dug it, and we dove in. I was SUPER worried about keeping up and adding value in that room, but was happy that by the end of it, I’d contributed about 40+% of the lyric, most of the music/progressions, and the hook. I felt I belonged in the room.

That’s terrific! It’s great that you came prepared with so many ideas, even though they liked the first one you presented.

Those guys made it modern, and fresh, and really really cool. It’s certainly one of the better ones I’ve written, but those boys write every day. They also seemed happy with it.

Did you learn anything new about the writing process from this experience?

The experience did shine a light on some areas where I get to improve and up my writing game. New ways to approach a lyric, and a top line. How to get out of my comfort zone and do things lyrically, and musically, that aren’t expected and are new and fresh. Mixing up the lyric syncopation, etc. I’m going to dig in and really get to work on that. You’ll see an improvement in my writing because of this. It makes me wonder how good I could get if I was here, and had the chance to write with better writers every day.

What was your overall experience with the Staff Writer for a Day Special Event?

I just wanted to express my gratitude again for creating this opportunity for me. I feel really, really blessed to have had the chance to be part of SongU and get better at the craft, and have the chance to meet you, and be able show up and be “in the room.”

Jonny, THANK YOU for chatting about your “Staff Writer for a Day” experience so that we can all learn from it! Here’s the WORKTAPE of “Unmade” (with your vocal).

“Unmade” written by Jonny Born, Eric Van Houten, and Nick Boyd


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SongU Top Marketer: John Cirillo!

Congratulations to all of our Top Tier Marketers who pitched their songs the MOST times at SongU.com in 2021, including our SongU “Mover & Shaker” John Cirillo who pitched 634 times and says that SongU.com has been the best investment of his career.

About John Cirillo: Personally, John has impressed me not only with his determination but his modesty. He routinely highlights his cowriters’ participation and talents, heightening their abilities and profiles. But what truly sets John apart is that he makes time to help other songwriters, at every level, reach their own goals by setting up collaborations and connections, sharing leads, and frequently referring writers to SongU.com (thanks, John). His spirit of mentorship and community is what SongU is all about and what truly earns him his SongU Mover & Shaker title. Below, John tells us about his SongU experience in his own words.

Songwriter, John Cirillo (TN) and his writing buddy, Mickey.

John says: About a year or so ago I was fortunate enough to win a one year membership with SongU (I have since renewed!). I was curious as to the value and the potential of the tools that SongU had to offer and was anxious to get my account up and running. I have worked with several different publishers and organizations in pitching my songs into this ever-changing market. With SongU I found an organization that posted what current successful independent songwriters were looking for; both with artists and with Synch opportunities; which basically covers my catalog.

I was also looking to find a site that was simple to use for any kind of changes or opportunities. SongU’s web site and applications definitely made my efforts easier to get my songs into the right hands. Because of the industry pros that SongU has developed relationships with, I have been able to pitch to opportunities almost every week. Also, the cost of doing so is much more affordable than many other organizations. This has allowed me to submit songs to a solid list of artists and synch opportunities. I have known a few of the industry pros prior to my subscription to SongU. But because of the opportunities to work with each other through SongU, I feel I have strengthened my relationships with a few Pros and started building new relationships with others.

Because the info that SongU provides from the Industry Pros, along with the deadlines and any other important information, I feel that I am able to present my best material for each particular opportunity. Sometimes I don’t have anything, sometimes I have several. But with SongU I feel much more confident that the songs I do pitch fit the opportunity.

Over the past year I have been able to sign several non-exclusive single song contracts with different Industry Pros. Because I am an independent songwriter, it is almost impossible for me to reach the level of artists that I would like to reach without paying a pretty hefty price for a quality sungplugger. But SongU has basically put me in touch with Industry Pros that can help me reach these artists. That is a valuable asset that not all songwriting organizations can provide.

Overall, between the ease of use, their connections to the right Industry Pros and the cost of using SongU, I feel that it certainly has been my best investment in my career as a songwriter.


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SongU Top Tier Learner of 2021: Karen Mitchell!

Congratulations to all of our  SongU Top Tier Learners for participating in the most instructor-led and private mentoring sessions this year! This is a huge accomplishment at SongU where our philosophy is that education leads to success. Our members, like our Valedictorian Karen Mitchell, have proven there is a direct correlation between furthering their knowledge of the craft and business of songwriting and meeting their personal songwriting goals.

About Karen Mitchell: I have had the pleasure of getting to know Karen since she joined SongU in 2019 and has participated in over 115 live courses this year. She has always impressed me with her humor, humility, and hard work. That combination has made all the difference. Below, she tells us about her SongU experience and successes. She even mixes in several of her song titles to prove she has learned to write her truth! 

Songwriter, Karen Mitchell (CA, SU class of ’19)

Karen says: I am honored to be at the “head of the class” for “Top Learners” in 2021. My SongU journey started in July 2019 at the suggestion of another member, co-writer and special friend. She thought I’d benefit from a membership and she was so write (pun intended)! Since that time I’ve had the awesome privilege of having songs I’ve written or co-written signed to numerous exclusive and non exclusive agreements! The SongU format of having a professional mentor(s) and five members in the live feedback classes is so valuable! It’s great to work with exceptional people who willingly share their thoughts and encouragement! I’ve also benefited from DIY classes, private sessions and written critiques. All services offered are extremely valuable and add to the in-depth learning experience! SongU has been instrumental in helping me see personal growth and I plan to continue with that process! Some critiques can be tough and when I can’t “Escape the Sad” I’ve learned to pour those emotions into a new song. In fact, I’m “Stronger Than I Think” and “Stronger Than I’ve Ever Been.” This year I started co-writing with an amazing and talented musician! We met in a SongU class. Writing with him has made me a “Better” writer! SongU has changed my life and I’m confident there’ll be many more incredible songs in the near future! In fact (for one mentor in particular) I’m just “Waiting” to see what new doors open in 2022!


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Matt Soileau, SongU Special Event Pitch Winner, Writes Like a Pro!

Winner of our February/March 2021 SongU Special Event Pitch “Staff Writer for a Day with Curb/Word Entertainment,” Matt Soileau (pronounced in Louisiana French as “swallow”) answered our questions about his writing process. He also filled us in on the co-write session set up by Senior Creative Director of Publishing Ciara Shortridge with hit songwriter Bobby Tomberlin (“One More Day”). 

Matt’s interest in songwriting started in 2016 in Texas from a random conversation about songwriting with one of his physical therapy patients. He was hooked when he learned that he could write the words to a song without the music. Until then, he didn’t even know there was such a thing as a “lyricist.” He admits that his first attempts were “horrible.” He and a co-worker would banter back and forth. He would create titles and lyrics to songs from the conversations, but they were always joke-type songs. They would watch a Country Music channel sometimes at work and would hear songs like T-Shirt and Trailer Hitch and say, “man, that’s pretty easy, simple, everyday stuff right there. We can make up lyrics and titles like that.” He learned later that it was a little more complicated than that.

Songwriter, Matt Soileau and Family in Big Bend National Park, TX

Like many new songwriters, Matt says the ideas for songs, titles, and twists on clichés were not the problem, but writing a complete song in a song-form to a melody was. Motivated to enter his lyrics into song contests, he teamed up to co-write with musicians and vocalists and started submitting his first “bad” songs. The contests led him to educational sites for songwriters, including SongU, and he began studying everything he could find about songwriting.

He wrote in secret for a year in fear that he “may not be good enough” and that those around him would laugh and think this was crazy. Eventually, he started to get some honorable mentions in songwriting contests, then semi-finalist, then finalist placements. He says that only then did he feel comfortable telling his wife and friends that he had entered into this new mid-life experiment. He says, “I didn’t understand why it was happening at that time but I just knew I felt so fulfilled when I was writing that this must be my purpose in life.”

Matt and son catch a fishy!

How often do you write? Do you have any set schedule or unique ways to enhance your creative process?

I “work” on songwriting every morning, but I do not write songs every morning. I have a family with three kids and a wife, and a day job. For that reason, my writing time is anywhere from 4 AM to 9 AM before my family wakes up. That sounds bad, but I am an early riser that needs little sleep to operate. I like a quiet setting and some strong coffee to aid the process. I get to go longer on weekends if the kids don’t have early activities. I have dry spells like every other writer. When I’m not feeling inspired, I do clerical work related to my songs, like organizing e-mails, reading educational things, and looking for new networking opportunities. If the lyrics aren’t there, I sometimes find new ideas for titles or songs in general. Some mornings I listen to other artists, and that spurs ideas.

“We watched a Country music channel sometimes at work and say, man, that’s pretty easy, simple, everyday stuff right there. We can make up lyrics and titles like that. I learned later that it was a little more difficult than that.”

-Matt Soileau

Tell us about the pitching for this Special Event with Ciara Shortridge, Curb/Word Publishing Creative Director. Four of your songs ended up on the contenders’ list! How did you decide which of your song to submit to the Special Event Pitch?  

This was difficult for me. I have demos of a lot of songs already completed because it seems like my creativity is a steamroller at times and won’t stop. I enjoy that completion process so much. It is hard for me to choose my best song because you think all of them are good when you create them. But then, if you get into an evaluation or pitching process with professionals, you start to realize their flaws. But I was simply submitting a few Country songs and few Contemporary Christian songs. I have had several bursts of inspiration in Contemporary Christian, which I think are some of my best songs. I’m glad that Ciara agreed when she judged the contest.

That seems like an excellent strategy to show your range as a writer. What were your first thoughts when you found out that you were the winner?  

It was such an honor and validation to have a professional from a major label saying good things about my songs and picking me as the winner. Ciara’s comments were so nice and just gave me a good feeling about what I had done with my songs and how they could affect people in a positive way. She said that my song, So Help Me God, “resonates with me,” and she “loved it,” and “the double meaning of the hook knocked me out.” I played this song for a family member, and they cried because of its emotional impact. Even if this song never gets on the radio, it has still changed the world in some way and touched people already. That’s a great feeling and one of the goals of my writing.

I was also immediately anticipating the gift of a pro co-write with Bobby as well, and it was a really neat experience. This win [in addition to the Nashville Songwriter’s Contest win] has led to a couple of in-person co-writes when I make a trip to Nashville in November.

Here’s the song that rose the to top of the Special Event Pitch contenders list for Emily:

So Help Me God (Soileau/Chase)

I noticed that you submitted very well-done guitar/vocals rather than full-band productions. Ciara seemed to be drawn to them, which says a lot about the quality of the writing. You invited one of your co-writers to the session as well (with permission from Ciara and Bobby). Why was that?

I write with Brandon Chase, who does the vocals for most of my songs. He is now singing with the Christian group I Am They and was a former Voice contestant. His vocals are amazing! He is also very strong with melody, and that’s how we usually divide up the labor in our writes even though he has lyric skills as well. I just knew having him present would enhance the writing. I also wanted to invite him to show my gratitude since he was a co-writer on most of my contest songs, and I couldn’t have won without him.

How did you prepare yourself ahead of time for the co-write session with hit writer Bobby Tomberlin? Did you come with ideas or just let the ideas flow after you got in the “writer’s room” (aka online meeting)?  

Because I consider myself the “idea and lyric guy,” I prepped by going through a lot of my song ideas stored on my phone and in my e-mail. I’m constantly jotting down new titles, ideas, and lines. So I suggested a few different songs, and we then decided on “Happy Accidents” as the best choice for our write. I can’t contribute to melody much because of my skill set, so I wanted to try to really contribute on the front end of the song. We completed it in two writing sessions about a month apart. I prepared for our second writing session by doing a lot of lyric writing on my own for the second verse and bridge. I can write and contribute in the moment during a writing session, but, because of the way I usually write, I like to slowly ruminate on lyrics in the early morning hours.

  • Ciara Shortridge
  • Bobby Tomberlin

Can you walk us through the writing process a bit?  

It was a Zoom session since I live in Texas. We did introduce ourselves and just said a few things about ourselves to get started. There was a little talking and joking, but we started getting into the write quickly. I shot out a few ideas, and Bobby picked the one he liked the best. Brandon agreed and very quickly started playing some melody options on his guitar. We did two sessions to complete the song. The first was about 40 minutes after dealing with some tech issues and the second one was about an hour to finish up.

Are you, Brandon, and Bobby happy with the song you wrote? Is anything happening with it in terms of pitching?

The writing team was happy with the song when we finished it. We thought it was a unique presentation of the common but never old theme of love. We felt like the chorus was pretty “catchy” and could get listeners singing along. We didn’t get a lot of feedback yet from the Creative Director. We have not decided to do a full demo on this song yet, only a phone recording so far. I’ve learned that to pitch a song effectively, you can’t just throw it out there to everyone. It took me a while to learn that. But pitches should be strategic and targeted to specific artists that are looking for specific types of songs. So far, we haven’t found a match for our song in that way, so it is not being pitched. But if I see the right opportunity, I will definitely put it out there.

Thanks for sharing the worktape that came out of the session…

Happy Accident (Soileau/Chase/Tomberlin)

Your overall experience with the Staff Writer for a Day Special Event?

It was a great experience and opportunity. It was great to meet Bobby and write with him when you look at his songwriting accomplishments and cuts. I am very grateful and will always give SongU credit for my first co-write with a major-label pro writer. It’s just a great way to get a more quality writing experience in my back pocket to move the songwriting journey forward. It’s another step along the way to network and also hopefully get closer to my goal of getting some cuts in Nashville and commuting there regularly to write at some point..

Matt, thanks so much! We appreciate your sharing your experience so we can all learn from it.


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GOLD STARS Report: Songs Recently Picked Up (latest update)

Hi Everyone,

Our summer Gold Stars Report is here! For those of you who are not familiar with SongU.com, here’s how it works. Our members achieve success using a holistic approach focusing on education and numerous opportunities to reach their goals. These include online Song Feedback sessions, written Coaching evaluations, Private consultations/collaborations with our Music Publisher and Hit Songwriter Mentors, a Member-Website with a Cowriter search feature, and more. Our personalized approach gives every writer an opportunity to make each song as competitive as possible before spending money on a demo. Once their song is ready, we offer monthly Pitch opportunities with a GUARANTEED response from our Street pitch guests. And here are the results!

CONGRATULATIONS to the following members for having their songs signed or pitched for the following leads during the time period MAY 27th through AUGUST 12th 2021.

Pitch For Licensing Agent. .Top 40 Female Pop, Soul, Chillout-House, World Music AMURCO MUSIC LICENSING. Re-Opened for submissions! This is an UK-based licensing company with a catalogue of 70,000+ tracks, offering playlisting and syncing opportunities. They are currently interested in receiving submissions for the following types of music: Current Top 40 Pop (Female), Soul, Chillout/Chill House, and World. Here is a note to us from Joel at Amurco: “Our our deals …

    • Rachel Amidei “HOLDING OUT HOPE” (Date picked up: 7/9/2021)
    • Rachel Amidei “DIGGING” (Date picked up: 7/9/2021)
    • Robbi Atkins “GET IT DONE” (Date picked up: 7/9/2021)
    • Robbi Atkins “FABULOUS**” (Date picked up: 7/9/2021)
    • Robbi Atkins “DEAR BOY” (Date picked up: 8/9/2021)
    • David Chong “IT DOESN’T GET BETTER THAN THIS” (Date picked up: 7/9/2021)
    • Priscilla Connolly “CHRISTMAS WITH YOU “ (Date picked up: 7/9/2021)
    • Sally Edwards “I NEVER LIED” (Date picked up: 8/9/2021)
    • Sally Edwards “FASHIONISTA” (Date picked up: 8/9/2021)
    • Sally Edwards “CHANGING MY ECOLOGY” (Date picked up: 8/9/2021)
    • Shawn Fitzgerald “BLACK SATIN SHEETS” (Date picked up: 6/16/2021)
    • Beerand Flies “BITTER LOVE” (Date picked up: 7/9/2021)
    • Beerand Flies “SNOW ANGELS “ (Date picked up: 6/16/2021)
    • Beerand Flies “RIVERS FLOW” (Date picked up: 6/16/2021)
    • Beerand Flies “BIRDS” (Date picked up: 8/9/2021)
    • Beerand Flies “HIRAETH” (Date picked up: 8/9/2021)
    • Beerand Flies “LOVE RAT” (Date picked up: 8/9/2021)
    • Beerand Flies “I’M AWESOME!” (Date picked up: 8/9/2021)
    • Janet Herring “AND THEN I TURNED AROUND” (Date picked up: 7/9/2021)
    • Janet Herring “SHE’S A JEWEL” (Date picked up: 7/9/2021)
    • Janet Herring “I’VE BEEN TRYING TO REACH YOU” (Date picked up: 7/9/2021)
    • Kevin Kenney “BABY STEPS” (Date picked up: 8/9/2021)
    • James Laev “TALKING TO AN OLIVE” (Date picked up: 6/23/2021)
    • Bob Love “DIAMOND SOUL” (Date picked up: 6/23/2021)
    • Pete Papageorge “FUNDAMENTALLY BLUE” (Date picked up: 7/9/2021)
    • Stephen Peters “ANGRY AS HELL” (Date picked up: 8/9/2021)
    • Tina Rivera “IT’S ALL ABOUT ME” (Date picked up: 6/16/2021)
    • John Schutt “MORE LIKE THAT” (Date picked up: 7/9/2021)
    • Shaun Thomson “SEKAI HEIWA (WORLD PEACE)” (Date picked up: 8/9/2021)
    • David Will “DON’T DISMISS ME” (Date picked up: 6/23/2021)

Pitch For Publisher. Christian, Gospel. JASON CRABB. Extended! Still fully active. UPDATE: 7/1/21: “I spoke with Jason’s manager Philip the other day and he said what I’ve sent them is great, and they still continue to listen to songs, but nothing as definitive as a ‘hold’ has materialized. They’re asking me to send more songs, so I’m hoping something will ultimately stick.” Street Pitch guest, D.G., veteran music publisher, who has already generated income for SongU members is looking …

    • Rick Burge “HE SHOWED LOVE” (Date picked up: 7/27/2021)
    • Krystal Kuehn “THE LORDS PRAYER (THIS IS HOW WE PRAY) – KK” (Date picked up: 7/27/2021)
    • Abigail Marmion “PRAY YOU HOME” (Date picked up: 7/27/2021)
    • Abigail Marmion “TRUST YOUR OUTCOMES TO GOD “ (Date picked up: 6/22/2021)
    • James Oliver “LET GO LET GOD*” (Date picked up: 7/22/2021)
    • Ava Paige “WE CALL THE PRODIGALS HOME” (Date picked up: 7/22/2021)
    • Mitch Townley “NUMBERED (SDB)” (Date picked up: 7/22/2021)
    • Tery Wayne “SOMETIMES” (Date picked up: 7/27/2021)

Pitch For Song Plugger. Country. JULIA COLE. Extended! “Send me your A-list songs.” Street Pitch guest, J.N., veteran independent songplugger who has generated income for SongU members is looking for songs for independent artist Julia Cole. Julia has had over 20,000,000 streams and has been featured on CMT, Audience Network, The CW, Radio Disney and others. Seeking songs in the Florida-Georgia Line musical style (and perhaps lyrical direction of subjects they’ve covered), but that …

    • Noel Cohen “WHO IS THIS GIRL?” (Date picked up: 6/9/2021)

Pitch For Licensing Agent. Adult Contemporary, Singer Songwriter, Indie. ROMANTIC BACKGROUND MUSIC For CBS TV Sitcom. Extended! Pitch guest, N.P., is seeking two types of VOCAL songs for season 2 of this charming show:
1. Soft Pop style songs that have a romantic feel. Think warm and honest (not cheesy) current adult contemporary/soft pop that could be playing in a restaurant. Nothing too electronic, rocking or distracting as it is laying under dialogue.
2. Acoustic Indie Singer-Songwriter songs that have …

    • John Cirillo “STARS DON’T LIE” (Date picked up: 6/3/2021)

Pitch For Publisher. Country. TENILLE ARTS. Deadline approaching. They’re in the studio reviewing what they have. Will still be listening briefly for the undeniable hit that might beat what they already have. Street Pitch guest, D.G., veteran music publisher, who has already generated income for SongU members, is looking for songs for Reviver Records artist Tenille Arts. Looking for radio friendly songs, specifically up tempo, or the right mid-tempo that fits the project. Need …

    • Alexsi Mallory “GIRL HEART” (Date picked up: 6/8/2021)

Pitch For Publisher. Country. JOE NICHOLS. Street Pitch guest and publisher, Bob D., who has already generated income for SongU.com members is looking for songs for the first album in three years from Quartz Hill Records and multi-platinum selling artist Joe Nichols. Looking for radio-friendly Country HITS. All tempos. His newest release this month is “Home Run” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adUpbiLy-Qs . For the latest news on Nichols visit: http://www.JoeNichols.com and follow …

    • Ricki Bellos “BLUE SKY RAIN” (Date picked up: 7/5/2021)
    • John Cirillo “DRIVE SLOW” (Date picked up: 7/5/2021)
    • Jamie Trent “AIRPORT MARGARITAS” (Date picked up: 7/5/2021)

Pitch For Publisher. Country. Troy Cartwright. Street Pitch guest and publisher, Bob D., who has already generated income for SongU.com members is looking for songs for Warner Music Nashville artist Troy Cartwright. Looking for Country RADIO songs and VULNERABLE songs. Research artist before pitching https://www.troycartwright.com/about . This pitch will stay open on an ongoing basis until artist is no longer seeking outside songs. Pitch follow-up info: If this guest expresses …

    • Avrim Topel “LOVE YOU LIKE THAT” (Date picked up: 7/14/2021)

Pitch For Licensing Agent. Film/TV/Media. LULLABIES FOR PSYCHO KILLER TV SERIES. Street pitch guest, N.P., needs original lullabies and public domain covers that will sound ironic/paradoxical to scary, tense, stalker scenes that lead to murder. Think sweet childlike lyrics with simple/sparse production that lull the listener into a false sense of security. Songs with slightly sinister/dark undertones or instrumentation can work as well. Ballads and midtempos. Male or female vocals. GENRES: …

    • Beerand Flies “LULLABY FOR A KILLER “ (Date picked up: 6/10/2021)

Pitch For Publisher. Country. EDDIE MONTGOMERY. Back on the board. Still looking! Street Pitch guest and publisher, Bob D., who has already generated income for SongU.com members is looking for songs for Average Joe Entertainment Group artist Eddie Montgomery. Looking for rowdy, rough, up-tempo Country radio hits Ala Montgomery/Gentry. Pitch follow-up info: If this guest expresses interest in your song, before pitching it, they will ask for publishing if a major recording results …

    • Jonny Born “RAIN AND RUST” (Date picked up: 7/25/2021)
    • Ronald Brown “YOU’LL BELIEVE IN THE RIDE” (Date picked up: 7/25/2021)
    • D Toomey “DRINK IT IN” (Date picked up: 7/16/2021)
    • Thomas White “SHOOT MY TRUCK” (Date picked up: 7/25/2021)

Pitch For Publisher. Country, Pop. MACY MARTIN. Street Pitch guest and publisher, Bob D., who has already generated income for SongU.com members is looking for songs for label-shopping artist Macy Martin. Looking for YOUTHFUL POP CROSSOVER songs. Think Disney. Speaking to girls and her generation. For artist sound watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imhdgiAv_Bw . Pitch follow-up info: If this guest expresses interest in your song, before pitching it, they will ask for …

    • Adam Avery “DOING THAT” (Date picked up: 7/25/2021)
    • John Cirillo “GOOD MORNING MIDNIGHT” (Date picked up: 7/25/2021)
    • John Cirillo “LOST AMEN- FEMALE” (Date picked up: 7/25/2021)

Pitch For Manager. Holiday Themed. BRIANA DOMENICA. UPDATE, SongU mentor Dallas Gregory manages this artist. “Keep songs coming. I’m planning to meet with her in person mid-July.” Looking for a Christmas single to be recorded late summer/early fall for release in November. She will also be filming a video of this single for release, which will coincide with the single release. Briana is a CCM artist, so nothing risqué or off-color will be considered. “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause” …

    • Robbi Atkins “LITTLE SIMPLE CHRISTMAS THINGS (V4)” (Date picked up: 7/7/2021)
    • Steve Bryant “A MAGIC CHRISTMAS EVE” (Date picked up: 7/7/2021)
    • John Cirillo “THE SOUND OF CHRISTMAS” (Date picked up: 7/7/2021)
    • John Cirillo “TINSELTOWN” (Date picked up: 7/29/2021)
    • Bill Gue “HALLELUJAH (GLORY TO GOD)” (Date picked up: 7/29/2021)
    • Bill Gue “THE GREATEST GIFT” (Date picked up: 7/29/2021)
    • Sarah Motes ashley “I HEARD THE BELLS / BE STILL” (Date picked up: 7/7/2021)
    • Daniel Obrien “NOEL D’AMOUR” (Date picked up: 7/29/2021)
    • Bill Ohanlon “ONE CHILD” (Date picked up: 7/7/2021)
    • Jeff Roe “LIGHTS” (Date picked up: 7/29/2021)
    • Melanie Smith “MARY, JOSEPH AND JESUS” (Date picked up: 6/29/2021)
    • Perry Walp “HEAVEN’S LIGHT “ (Date picked up: 6/29/2021)

Pitch For Licensing Agent. Pop, Rock, Indie. PROMOS FOR DISNEY+ SHOWS. Street Pitch guest, N.P. is Looking for two types of songs for these (see below references). The theme is: You can come to Disney+ for your favorites, but also new original content. The vibe/tone is: awestruck/wonder. Songs are aimed at ADULTS – sophisticated, and modern. Excellent productions. Male or female vocals. Specifics:
1. Fun, Wondrous, Adventurous. Think Misterwives – “The End”, Florence + The Machine – …

    • Isobel Greenhalgh “BEAUTIFUL WORLD” (Date picked up: 6/30/2021)

Pitch For Publisher. Traditional Country. DAN SMALLEY. Street Pitch guest and publisher, Bob D., who has already generated income for SongU.com members is looking for songs for Big Machine Label Group artist Dan Smalley who is being produced by veteran Keith Stegall (Alan Jackson, Zac Brown Band). Looking for traditional Country HITS ala Chris Stapleton. Pitch follow-up info: If this guest expresses interest in your song, before pitching it, they will ask for publishing if a major recording …

    • John Cirillo “LOST AMEN” (Date picked up: 7/9/2021)
    • Patrick Mcwilliams “LET IT BURN” (Date picked up: 7/9/2021)
    • D Toomey “HOLDIN’ OUT FOR HEAVEN” (Date picked up: 7/9/2021)

Pitch For Music Supervisor. Pop, Rock. BACKGROUND & SOURCE MUSIC FOR CABLE NETWORK SERIES. Pitch guest, N.P., is seeking two types of We need 2 types of songs here:
1. Pop in the style of Ava Max, Camila Cabella, Zayn, Harry Styles, etc.
2. Pop/Rock songs – Think upbeat and fun everything from produced pop to songs with organic instrumentation. Lyrics are not important, as long as the tone is upbeat and modern. A la Olivia Rodrigo, American Authors, “Fitz & The Tantrums “Head …

    • Beerand Flies “LOVE RAT” (Date picked up: 7/13/2021)

A special shout-out to those you whose songs are on the report for the very first time! And a round of applause to those whose songs were marked ‘Maybe’ too. Keep up the great work, everyone!


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Brad McKinney, Winner of “Staff Writer for A Day” Tells Us About Co-writing with Hit Songwriter Danny Myrick.

Thanks to singer-songwriter Brad McKinney from Kentucky (SongU.com member since 2014) for taking the time to answer some questions about his songwriting process and his experience as the winner of our October/November 2020 SongU Special Event Pitch “Staff Writer for a Day with Deluge Music.”

Songwriter, Brad McKinney

Brad, let’s start at the beginning. When did you first realize you wanted to write songs?  

I’m definitely a late bloomer.  It’s funny…I grew up around music but didn’t think I had a creative bone in my body.  My extended family is FULL of musicians and creators, and my uncle Dave Maggard was actually a Grammy nominated songwriter for his song “Lefty’s Old Guitar.”  Our family get-togethers usually ended up turning into bluegrass jam sessions where I wouldn’t participate but would admire from a distance.   As for me, I was 37 when I wrote my first song, and…it wasn’t good.   But the next one was a little better, and then the next one was better than that.  As it turns out, the more you do something, the better you get at it!

How often do you write? Do you have any set schedule or special ways to enhance your creative process? Any regular collaborators?

I’m a network engineer by day, so all of my writing takes place in the evenings or on weekends.   I typically have 4-5 co-writes per week on average, and I’m lucky enough to have a pool of co-writers who are not only awesome songwriters but also awesome friends.  As far as enhancing my creative process?  Coffee…lots of coffee!

What do you feel is your “strength” as a writer? In other words, are you more lyric-driven or music-driven, or something else?  

I’ve always considered myself stronger lyrically, but I’m also melody-capable.  I’m a bit of a “glue guy” in that I tend to do my best writing when there’s both a lyric and melody person in the room with me and I’m able to contribute equally to both.

Tell us about the pitching for the Special Event. How did you decide which of your song(s) to submit to the Special Event Pitch?  

I submitted two songs to Emily, and she ended up marking both of them as contenders.  I chose “Never Good at Math” (co-written with Kelly McKay and Kyle Jackson-Rachky) because we’ve gotten such great feedback about the originality of that one…it’s a hook that seems to jump off the page. I chose “I’ll Get Over You” because it’s a solo write (and my current single on all streaming platforms), and I think it best represents who I am as a writer and artist.

That seems like a good strategy to show your range as a writer. What were your first thoughts when you found out that you were the winner?  

I was ecstatic!!  My only regret is that I wasn’t able to attend the live reveal due to a scheduling conflict…I actually first found out through some congratulatory texts from friends and co-writers, and then later went and watched the reveal.

How did you prepare yourself ahead of time for the co-write session with hit writer, Danny Myrick? Did you come with ideas or just let the ideas flow after you got in the “writer’s room” (aka online meeting)?  

I try to go into each of my co-writes with a starter chorus as a building block.  Naturally, some ideas are better than others and we sometimes don’t use my idea at all.  I made sure to go into the write with Danny with a good starter chorus and some other ideas around it.  Luckily, Danny loved the idea and we ran with it!

  • Emily Dryburgh
  • Danny Myrick

How long was your writing session? Can you walk us through the writing process a bit?  

The entire write lasted around two hours.  Like previously mentioned, I came in with a starter chorus that Danny dug, then we discussed possible angles/counter-angles and just started knocking it out.  He suggested some melodic and lyrical changes to my starter, and it came together pretty quickly after that.  It was a very smooth, efficient, and entertaining write!

Did you learn anything new about the craft of songwriting during the session?

I learned SO much from Danny just from watching him work through the ideas!  Watching and experiencing a pro writer’s processes from start to finish was eye opening for sure, and I’m trying to incorporate some of those processes into my own writes.

Can you elaborate on that?

It’s hard to really put that one into words.  I basically just tried to soak up as much as possible from him…watched the different ways he would approach an angle, how he used the chorus melody to determine the feel for the verses, etc.    

Are you and Danny happy with the song you wrote? Did you demo it/ pitching it?

Danny was able to produce a pretty awesome demo-quality worktape with his own vocals (that afternoon, mind you!), and I was blown away by the quality and sound.  I’ve been pitching it through multiple avenues to whomever I see fit.  I can’t speak for Danny, but I couldn’t be happier!

Your overall experience with the Staff Writer for a Day Special Event?

Much like with the write itself, I couldn’t be happier with this event!   I think you’re providing unsigned writers an amazing opportunity to write with professionals, and I loved both the write and the end result. Thank you so much for the opportunity! 

Brad, we appreciate your sharing your experience so we can all learn from it. Here is the demo of the awesome song that came out of the session…

She Hides It Well (Danny Myrick/Brad McKinney)

To hear more of Brad McKinney’s songs check out his SongU member website here


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Strategies for Pitching Songs (and Meeting The Beatles) with David Stark!

SAVE THE DATE: April 22, 2021 at 1PM EST/5PM GMT. Meet Songlink founder David Stark in the SongU e-classroom and ask him your questions!

SongLink founder and Editor/Publisher David Stark has worked in the music business for over forty years, for such companies as DJM (Dick James Music), Decca Records (as international press officer), MAM Records (head of international promotions), Billboard / Music & Media, and various other music industry and pro-audio magazines, before launching SongLink International music tipsheet in 1993, and Cuesheet (for Film/TV and Ad music) a few years later. His recently released book, “IT’S ALL TOO MUCH: Adventures of a Teenage Beatles Fan in the 60’s and Beyond” is getting rave reviews.

Young David Stark with John Lennon outside Capitol Radio, London, 1974.

In October 1995 David received a prestigious Gold Badge Award at London’s Savoy Hotel for outstanding services to the UK songwriting industry from the British Academy of Composers & Songwriters. He has also served as a jury member at song contests, and/or has attended music industry events as far afield as Australia’s Gold Coast, Copenhagen, Cuba, Dublin, Helsinki, Bali and Jakarta (Indonesia), Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Poland, Prague (Czech Republic), Bucharest (Romania), plus Los Angeles, Nashville, Miami, New Orleans, New York and Vancouver. He has built SongLink up from small beginnings to a recognised worldwide brand name, and has made many friends and industry contacts over the years, hence his reputation as the man who knows (almost!) everyone in the music industry.

In 1999 David co-wrote the book “Inspirations – The Stories Behind The Songs” (Sanctuary Publishing) with DJ/broadcaster Mike Read and Michael Randolfi. The book features interviews with many famous songwriters who donated lyrics for auction by Sotheby’s in March 1999 under the banner ‘Hits Under The Hammer’, raising over £250,000 for childrens’ charities Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy and Norwood Ravenswood.

David was also a founding partner of the Unisong Song Contest which ran from 1997 to 2008, and as well as giving cash and prizes worth over $100,000, the contest also made donations to such worthy causes as Amnesty International, the Earth Love Fund and various songwriters’ associations worldwide.

A huge music fan since the 60’s, David has some amazing stories and items of personal memorabilia from meeting many top artists, including all of The Beatles on various occasions, and attending hundreds of concerts and other music events for the past 50 years. In December 202 he published “IT’S ALL TOO MUCH”, a memoir of his numerous encounters with the Beatles in the ’60s and beyond. He’s also a lifelong drummer who has played in many bands, including The Trembling Wilbur’s tribute band for the past ten years.

Registration for the online Meet & Greet on April 22nd starts on April 15th in the SongU Activity Area >> View/Edit Live Courses. If you register at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting, you can submit a question to David ahead of time to be sure that it gets answered.

Author and veteran music business professional, David Stark.