Country Music News for the Country Music Enthusiast

NSAI/CMT SONG CONTEST LAUNCHES!

Event Contact:   

David Petrelli
Events Director    
Nashville Songwriters Association International
615-256-3354 x239 
davidpetrelli@nashvillesongwriters.com

NSAI'S ANNUAL SONG CONTEST, PRESENTED BY CMT, 
OFFERS WRITERS THE CHANCE TO EXPAND THEIR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

PRIZES INCLUDE MENTORING, SINGLE-SONG CONTRACTS, RECORDING SESSIONS AND MORE

8th ANNUAL NSAI/CMT SONG CONTEST KICKS OFF AUGUST 1ST 2007
Official Contest Website launching August 1: nsai.cmt.com 

Nashville, TN - In its 8th year, the NSAI Song Contest, presented by CMT, boasts new, exciting prizes designed to help unsigned songwriters on the road to becoming professionals. Connection is key in the music business. The Nashville Songwriters Association International and CMT's Annual Song Contest offers prizes that give aspiring writers the chance to make connections and expand their professional development.

"Along with our legislative work for professional writers, NSAI is an educational organization that focuses on informing and educating aspiring songwriters," says David Petrelli, NSAI Events Director. 

Supporting that mission, the Top 6 Winning Songwriters will each win a single-song publishing contract from a major Music Row publisher. Cal IV Entertainment, Curb Music, Encore Entertainment, Hearts Bluff Music Island Bound and Universal Music Publishing will each offer single-song contracts to CMT/NSAI Song Contest winners.

"By offering the top six winning songs single-song contracts with a major publisher we create an opportunity for the aspiring songwriter to build relationships with top-notch songwriters, publishers and music industry executives that would normally take years to establish," says Bart Herbison, Executive Director of NSAI.

Past winners have had extraordinary successes:

• 2002 Winner Tracy Naples signed label development deal with Dreamworks.

• 2003 Winner Jesse Terry secured a staff publishing deal on Music Row and is currently co-writing with Nashville's hit-makers.

• 2005 Winner Zane Williams just completed his contract last week with BIG YELLOW DOG Music. 

The popular CMT Listeners' Choice Award returns for a third year. Beginning Jan 15, 2008, the Top 15 Finalists in the 8th Annual NSAI/CMT Song Contest will be posted at nsai.cmt.com. Music fans can go to the site through February 28, 2008, listen to the Finalists' demos and vote for their favorite song. The song with the most audience votes will be awarded the title of the CMT Listeners' Choice Award Winner. Last year, the contest received over 200,000 votes.

Prizes are awarded to One (1) Grand Prize Winner, One (1) CMT Listeners' Choice Winner, Four (4) Finalists, Ten (10) Runners-Up and Forty (40) Honorable Mentions. The contest is open to all genres of music. All songs entered receive a written judging report. Music industry executives, professional songwriters, and NSAI board members judge songs based on lyrics, melody and composition. Performance and production are not evaluated.

The entry fee, for NSAI members, is $30 per song. Non-members pay $40 per song. Writers may enter as many songs as they like.

All entries must be postmarked by the FINAL CONTEST DEADLINE: Nov. 3rd, 2007. Although the contest is presented by CMT, ALL GENRES OF MUSIC ARE ACCEPTED.

The 8th Annual NSAI Song Contest is presented by CMT and sponsored by the following organizations: Cal IV Entertainment, Curb Music, Encore Entertainment, Hearts Bluff Music, Island Bound Music and Universal Music. Also the Americana Music Association, Americana Rhythm magazine, American Songwriter, ASCAP, the Bluebird Café, BMI, DiscMakers, Elixir Strings, Fostex, Gibson Guitar, Graffiti Indoor Advertising, JACK-fm, Lightning 100, Masterwriter Mic-Stands.com, Music City Unsigned, Music Connection Magazine, Nashville Scene, Parlor Productions, Sam Ash Music, SESAC, SHURE Microphones, Songramp.com, Sonicbids, SongU.com, and 95.5 The Wolf.

All proceeds from the 8th Annual NSAI/CMT Song Contest will benefit NSAI's legislative efforts to protect the rights of songwriters. NSAI is the world's largest not-for-profit songwriters trade organization.

For more information on the Nashville Songwriters Association International and info on the 8th Annual NSAI Song Contest presented by CMT, visit www.nashvillesongwriters.com. 

Visit nsai.cmt.com or call 1-800-321-6008 for complete 8th Annual CMT/NSAI Song Contest rules and prizes and an entry form.

To submit online, visit www.sonicbids.com/nsaicmtsongcontest. Submissions are accepted as of August 1st 2007.