DSA 2006 SONG CONTEST
|
||||||||||||||
Grand Prize Judge
Roy Elkins, CEO of Broadjam, Inc.
Roy
Elkins is a well-known music technology entrepreneur who has been leading
industry innovations for over twenty years. Elkins is the Founder and CEO of
Broadjam Inc., serving independent musicians and industry giants such as
Warner/Chappell, The Academy of Country Music, AMD, Yamaha, Peavey, Roland,
ProSoundWeb and others. Broadjam.com, the company’s popular web site, now
hosts one of the largest collections of searchable independent music on the
planet. The site is known for its user-friendly services for musicians,
including artist web pages, song reviews, song contests, Top 10 Charts and the
revolutionary METAJAM software.
Before founding Broadjam, Elkins was the Vice President-Sales & Marketing for Sonic Foundry, and held several Director-level positions with Ensoniq Corporation. He maintains a database of over 5,000 music industry contacts include executives at virtually every company in the music industry and past and/or present artists such as Will Smith, Eddie Murphy, D.J. Jazzy Jeff, the Beach Boys, the Allman Brothers Band, BoyzIIMen, Roy Firestone, Joe Walsh (The Eagles), Paul Broucek(Lord of the Rings), ELP, Yes, Journey, Skid Row, Bill Walton, Jackie Martling (Howard Stern), David Arkenstone, Randy Jackson and many others. He is an accomplished musician and songwriter who thoroughly understands the musician’s world.
Semifinal Category Judges
Pop/Rock/Alt/R&B/Urban - Monica Benson
Monica Benson has run BOK Music, her own successful independent publishing company since 1990. BOK has placed songs with wide range of artists including Whitney Houston, Misteeq, the Lizzie McGuire soundtrack, the Temptations and in films Bring It On, Miss Congeniality, The Hot Chick, Birthday Girl, Soul Plane, and Barbershop. TV placements include The OC, One Life to Live, The Young and the Restless, Charmed, South Beach, The Ghost Whisperer, Related, The Bold and the Beautiful, CSI, Darcy's Wild Life and Reunion.
Country - Norman Devasure
Norman Devasure is owner of Sunset Ranch Music/Norman Productions, Nashville. He has an extensive career in the country music market, having been Senior Creative Director for HoriPro Entertainment Group and Vice President and co-owner of RPM Music Group. Norman placed Tracy Byrd's mega-hit "Keeper of The Stars" and Jeff Bates' current single "Long Slow Kisses". He has also had cuts by Lee Ann Rimes, John Michael Montgomery, Ty Herndon, Billy Ray Cyrus, George Strait, Lorrie Morgan, Reba McIntire, Daryl Singletary, Tanya Tucker, and Tracy Lawrence to name a few. He also published, pitched and produced RCA artist Brice Long. Norman is currently pitching a couple of new young female artists to the labels.
Love Songs/EZ Listening - Robert A. Case
Robert Case is president of New Pants Publishing, Inc. (ASCAP) and Old Pants Publishing, Inc. (BMI) He is a graduate of the Colorado Institute of Art, Denver, Colorado in the USA with an Associates Degree in Business with an emphasis in Music and Video Business. Mr. Case's songwriter's songs have appeared in 19 TV shows including One Life to Live on ABC Daytime and the Soap Network and South Park on Comedy Central in the US. Mr. Case's his companies are proud members of ASCAP, BMI, Academy Of Country Music and The Recording Academy (Grammy)
Novelty/Patriotic/Children’s - Sara Hickman
Sara Hickman has released more than 15 albums, including a half dozen on major record labels, and a few independent albums. She has been a guest performer on at least 25 albums released by other musicians. She had a #3 adult contemporary hit "I Couldn't Help Myself", has twice been a guest of NBC's Tonight Show, hosted her own VH-1 special, produced an independent video, Joy, which won first place in the USA Film Festival, and co-produced a PBS documentary titled "Take It Like A Man." She has appeared and has been heard singing in national ad campaigns for things like Wal-Mart, Daisy Sour Cream, Southwest Airlines, Fannie Mae and many others.
Americana/Folk/Bluegrass - Rick Beresford
Rick Beresford is an award-winning songwriter, coach, teacher, author, & lecturer, producer. Rick has been coaching individual songwriters since 1985 and teaches commercial songwriting at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. He is the director of the Kerrville Folk Festival Song School held in Kerrville, Texas each year and a curriculum writer and lecturer for The Nashville Songwriters Association International's song camps and Workshops. Rick has conducted 3 hour to 3 day seminars for songwriter's groups and conventions across the United States, Canada and England.
Instrumental/TV/Film/Classical/Jazz - Susan Finch
Susan Finch is a freelance film and video editor and writer living in NewYork. She has worked on projects for MTV, The Discovery Channel, Nickelodeon, NBC, Moxie Pictures, Sprint, Heineken, Sam Adams, Citibank, Twix, Burger King, Marriott, BP, Wendy's, Target, Foot Locker, Maybelline, Loreal, the film Lost in Translation among many others. Her ebook and music evaluation services can be found at www.yourmusicheard.com.
Singer/Songwriter - Al Johnson
Al Johnson is the Venue Manager of the Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival held each spring. Music has been a part of Al’s life from a very young age through today. In junior high, high school and college he was in various choirs and barbershop quartets. While in college he began his love of the guitar that led to the formation of a rock and roll band in the mid 60’s. Al’s career for the past 37 years has been in public parks and recreation. As Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Richardson he was instrumental and part of the team that started the Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival in 1993. Through this role he was instrumental in creating and growing the Wildflower Singer/Songwriter Venue and the Singer/Songwriter Contest. Since his retirement as Director of Parks and Recreation he has devoted his festival time exclusively to booking the Singer /Songwriter Venue and managing the Singer/ Songwriter Contest. Through his network with over 20 Singer/Songwriter venues across the state of Texas and his partnership with the Kerrville Folk Festival and the Dallas Songwriters Association he has had the opportunity to know, hear and appreciate the songwriting talents of many songwriters from across the USA and Canada.
Christian/Inspirational - Susie Luchsinger
Susie Luchsinger’s smile is a genuine one -- and a familiar one. With more than a passing physical resemblance to her sister, singer/actress Reba McEntire, Susie also shares her big sister’s musical giftings. But Susie has directed her talents to the country/gospel music field over the past few years, garnering much acclaim from her peers and fans alike. In addition to numerous awards and nominations from TNN, GMA, and CCMA, Susie has been named “Artist of the Year” several times in the field of Positive Country Music. She has also scored four #1 singles on the Positive Country radio charts. However, more than her notoriety, it is Susie’s faithfulness in the midst of difficulties and her genuine compassion for others that inspires the people around her.
