DSA 2007 SONG CONTEST
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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
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.
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 - Pamela Phillips Oland
Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Selena, Frank Sinatra, Peabo Bryson, Reba McIntyre, The Jacksons, and Gladys Knight are among the artists who’ve recorded more than 400 Pamela Phillips Oland songs. Anne Murray and Dave Loggins’ Grammy-nominated record of her #1 song “Nobody Loves Me Like You Do” has logged well over 1,000,000 airplays. Pam shares her expertise as a mentor, for consultations, go to her site www.pamoland.com
Novelty/Patriotic/Children’s - Susie Luchsinger
Her 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.
Americana/Folk/Bluegrass - Alan Rhody
Alan Rhody’s hit song, "I’ll Be True To You", performed by the Oakridge Boys became a standard by the late eighties ringing up more than four million in sales and eventually over one million airplays. He has spent three decades writing and singing with the passion of someone who is not only highly gifted, but who is driven to create. His poignant ballads and gutsy rockers have also garnered over a hundred recordings by a long list of major artists in country, folk, and bluegrass. Rhody’s newest new album, "Rhody In Black & White" (Ashwood Recordings), is a 21 song retrospective ranging from his beginnings in the Canadian folk scene of the early seventies through brand new material and his own arrangements of his hits by others including Del McCoury, Lorrie Morgan, Murray McLauchlan, Kevin Welch, Hoyt Axton, The Oak Ridge Boys, and Tanya Tucker.. www.alanrhody.com
Instrumental/TV/Film/Classical/Jazz - Sonny Curtis
Crickets legend, Sonny Curtis is a native West Texan who currently resides in Nashville. Early in his career, he penned ,"Walk Right Back," which was recorded by the Everly Brothers and topped the charts in the U.S. and England. Sonny also wrote numerous nationally-known jingles for clients including McDonald's, Buick, Western Airlines, Mattel Toys, Honda, Olympia Beer, and Bell Telephone. He also wrote and sang the theme song for the Mary Tyler Moore Show, "Love Is All Around." Sonny is a member of BMI's "Million Airs Club" in recognition for "I Fought the Law," "More Than I Can Say" (co-written with J.I. Allison), "Walk Right Back," "The Straight Life," and "I'm No Stranger to the Rain," each of which has logged over a million airplays – over 50,000 radio hours apiece. www.sonnycurtis.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 - Jeff Ferguson
Jeff Ferguson is a minister of 27 years, gospel-recording artist and songwriter. Jeff’s music has been nominated many times over nearly a decade for the Dove, Grammy, and Stellar Awards and was nominated two successive years, in 2004 and 2005, for songwriter of the year and is a 2007 Stellar Award nominee. Jeff’s songs have been recorded over 600 times in the past seven years by Christian artists including T.D. Jakes, Micah Stampley, Vicki Winans, Vicki Yohe, Mike Purkey, Edith Tripp, The Lesters, The John Hagee Family, LuLu Roman, The Haire Family, The Hoskins Family and many more. Some of Jeff's more popular songs include, "Woman, Thou Art Loosed." "Potter's House Theme Song," "At Your Feet," and "Christmas Around the World." Jeff also has two songs on Bishop Jake's new record, "He Motions," - "It Doesn't Matter Who You Are," and "Brother and Friends." Jeff mentors songwriters through his workshops. To attend one go to his website jeffferguson.com
