Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Tom Waits – Nominee for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2011

From the info page at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee page for Tom Waits:

Only one songwriter could be covered by the Ramones (“I Don’t Want to Grow Up”) and the Eagles  (“Old 55”).  Beginning with his first album in 1973, Tom Waits has carved out a unique place in rock & roll.  His music mixes Chicago blues, parlour ballads, beat poetry, pulp fiction parlance and – when you least expected it – heart-breaking tenderness.  His enormously influential live shows combine elements of German cabaret, vaudeville and roadhouse rock.  After establishing a successful early style as a wry singer-songwriter, Waits went through a dramatic expansion with Swordfishtrombones  (1983). Disregarding musical borders and commercial considerations, he set off in wild pursuit of the Muse.  Waits has composed film scores, musical theatre and an operetta. He has co-written with Keith Richards and William Burroughs.  His songs have been covered by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Solomon Burke, Marianne Faithful, the Neville Brothers, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss and the Blind Boys of Alabama. He has recorded with the Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, the Replacements and Roy Orbison.   A tribute to his great influence is how many of his songs have been recorded by artists who usually write their own – including Bruce Springsteen (“Jersey Girl”), Tim Buckley (“Martha”), Johnny Cash (“Down By the Train”), Bob Seger (“16 Shells from a Thirty-Ought Six”), T-Bone Burnett (“Time”), Tori Amos (“Time”), Steve Earle (“Way Down In The Hole”), Elvis Costello (“Innocent When You Dream”) and Rod Stewart (“Downtown Train”). 

The Muse has been with Tom for a long time now… He is certainly deserving of this honour and if he doesn’t get in, something’s very wrong with the world…

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Wednesday, September 22, 2010

What A Tale My Thoughts Could Tell…

Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame Newsletter

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Press Release:

On Thursday, October 21, 2010, two of Canada's most celebrated songwriters, Ian Tyson and Jim Cuddy, will be live in performance and in conversation for the second episode of the innovative new master series, “If You Could Read My Mind” created by the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Through conversation and music “If You Could Read My Mind” contemplates the continuation of the Lightfoot lyric, "what a tale my thoughts could tell" and digs deep to unearth why Canada is such a hot bed for songwriting talent. The series got off to a phenomenal start this past February with its inaugural sold-out show, featuring the Canadian legends Gordon Lightfoot and Gord Downie.

Hosted by CBC Radio's Laurie Brown, the October 21st event will also feature emerging Canadian artist Wayne Petti from Cuff The Duke, who will bring his unique blend of alt-country singing-songwriting to the stage for a special performance.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to see Jim Cuddy and Ian Tyson in an intimate setting at the world class, acoustically spectacular George Weston Recital Hall at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. Contact TicketMaster today!

"If You Could Read My Mind" featuring Ian Tyson & Jim Cuddy
Thursday, October 21, 2010 - Showtime 8:00 p.m.
The George Weston Recital Hall, Toronto Centre of the Arts, 5040 Yonge Street
Tickets: $30, $40, $50 - On Sale Now
Available on TicketMaster.com or by calling 416-872-1111.
www.cansong.ca

Thursday, September 09, 2010

ECHO Songwriting Prize

Vote now for SOCAN's fifth annual ECHO Songwriting Prize

ECHO Logo - English

SOCAN has launched the fifth annual ECHO Songwriting Prize, designed to identify what's next and what's best in current Canadian independent music. This prize will honour some of the most innovative and artistic songs created in the past year by emerging songwriters in Canada. The writer(s) of the winning song will receive a $5,000 CDN cash prize.

The five nominated Canadian songs, as selected through a rigorous process by an independent panel of 10 music community tastemakers, are:

“Albatross” written by Olga Goreas, Kevin Laing, Jace Lasek and Richard White, performed by The Besnard Lakes
“Celestica” written by Ethan Kath and Alice Glass, performed by Crystal Castles
“Destroyer” written by Catherine McCandless and Stephen Ramsay, performed by Young Galaxy
“Hearts Trompet” written by Edo Van Breeman, Bryan Davies, Richard Saul and John Walsh, performed by Brasstronaut
“Odessa” written by Dan Snaith, performed by Caribou

SOCAN invites you to listen and vote for your favourite song, up until the deadline of September 30, 2010. One lucky voter will win an Epiphone Ultra II Les Paul electric guitar.

May the Muse be with you…

Songwriting Strategies

isw.netTom Slatter of Indiesongwriter.net is putting together a series of “songwriting strategy podcasts”.  Episode One was delivered by Tom himself and dealt with key changes, while Episode Two covered Nadia Cripps’ process to compose a new piano instrumental in one of her songs.

Check out the Songwriting Strategies podcasts and may the Muse be with you…

NASA Wake-Up Song Contest

SVG version of PNG Space Shuttle Logo/Patch.

Image via Wikipedia

Would-be songwriters will get a chance at fame by penning a wake-up song for NASA's last space shuttle mission, officials said.

Wake-up songs, beamed up to astronauts when designated sleep periods end, are a longstanding space tradition dating back to the Apollo program.

Traditionally, the wake-up songs are selected by friends and family of the crews, but for the last two scheduled missions, NASA is inviting the public to take part in a "Wake-up Song Contest" to select songs from a list of the Top 40 previous wake-up calls for the penultimate mission or to submit original tunes for consideration for the final shuttle flight, a NASA release said Friday.

The two songs receiving the most votes from the Top 40 list will be played as crew wake-up calls on the final scheduled flight of space shuttle Discovery, set to launch November 1, 2010.

"We're looking forward to hearing which songs the public wants played for us," Mission Commander Steve Lindsey said. "It's going to be a difficult choice, because there have been so many great songs played over the years."

Songwriters have until January 10, 2011, to submit an original tune related to or suggesting human spaceflight for consideration for the final shuttle mission by Endeavour, scheduled for February 26, 2011.

After screening by NASA, selections will be posted online for a public vote beginning February 8, 2011.

May the Muse take you to the heavens… literally…

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Lennon Letter to Folk Singer

John Lennon wrote a letter to calm a folk singer who once complained that success and wealth could ruin his songwriting, the musician has revealed.

Steve Tilston was just 21 in 1971 when the star read the interview he had done with now defunct ZigZag magazine.

In the hand-written letter, now revealed for the first time, Lennon told the young musician not to worry about becoming wealthy because it would not change what he felt inside.

Here are the words of wisdom in his own handwriting:

lennonltr

The Muse stay with you John… 70th anniversary of his birth in just one month from today…

Saturday, September 04, 2010

ESongwriter Songwriting Contest

esongwriterlogo

From a recent press release:

July 2010 was the official launch of a new kind of international songwriting contest from Esongwriter.com. With the music industry going through an overhaul of changes, Esongwriter jumps in to bridge the gap between artists and gigs, film and television. “The right songs can generate millions of dollars” says Christa Coir, CEO of CJC Music Associates and Publishing from NY and the Entertainment Paralegal for CorberLaw. Judge Dr. Brian Corber Esq., Entertainment Attorney of CorberLaw out of LA and North Hollywood says, “Hoping to find some real talent! This contest could take your career up the next two levels! I can’t wait to get started and hear some awesome submissions.” Brian has been a practicing entertainment attorney for the last 20 years with clients ranging from music artists, labels to composers. Other judges include Linda Williams from the Syracuse Symphony Associates and Voices Alive, John Nicolosi of Niko Records Studio from Clarksville, TN and Don Reed of Affinity Music and Dan Shafer of Rock N Load University and Music Group out of Nashville, Eric Purvis, formerly of Virgin Records and Universal Music Group, has joined the judge’s panel and is currently CEO of TGM Digital Global and Cine Music in Motion out of LA.

What makes this contest unique is in that they are not offering cash at this time, but prizes that will enhance the career of the independent songwriting professional or music artist. There are two contest division rounds each year (semi-annually) and there are 26 genres acceptable to submit through. One winner will be picked from each division in the adult and youth category with a total of four winners per contest year. Winners will receive a combination of awards, prizes and discounts on services, industry gear and other items that are exclusive for songwriters and artists. One grand prize winner will be selected for a publishing and licensing deal. Winners will be announced on the CJC Music Radio Talk Show.

Sponsors of Esongwriter.com Songwriting Contest for 2010 include such members as Making Music Magazine, International Musician (Bently-Hall Publications), CJC Music Associates and Publishing, Niko Records Studio, Rock N Load Music Group, Full Self Expression, CorberLaw Office (Entertainment Attorney) Don Reed Productions, Inc., TGM Digital Global, Cine Music in Motion, Kickradio and many other industry professionals and manufacturers offering prizes to winners. Sonicbids is the official online submission portal for digital song submissions and EPK’s. For more information on how you can enter or donate/sponsor prizes visit www.esongwriter.com or call 315-373-0600.

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