Fellow DSA members,
I feel a strong forward momentum with DSA this year. We have started the year off with a bang. It is good to see members getting involved in our activities and see the sustained growth of our membership with our new members. As a board member, I want to see DSA flourish and grow. I see positive things happening with our programs, workshops, song swaps, and performance activities. I have spoken with members that are becoming active again and new members coming in this year. We try hard to find something that we can provide that bridges across the organization. Julie Jean White heads our programs and Lisa Byrn is tasked with our showcases and Michael Brandenberger has workshops. If you have any ideas or contacts with industry professionals that would make a good speaker in person or via Skype, let us know. The only thing that cannot be achieved is the thing that is never attempted. So, lets aim high and get those speakers that are well accomplished in the music industry.
I felt a magical moment with Carly Simon and Ben Taylor in our March meeting as did many others. They confirmed the principles that DSA teaches about the craft of songwriting, but also established the connection to that intangible spirit of the song itself. It was kind of one of those moments where you just know that a song is a great song because you just feel it. This does not diminish the role of the hard work that a songwriter puts in looking for proper structure and those colorful expressions and metaphors that add that extra dimension to our songs. The words and phrases we use to make something more interesting to our listeners. That is one of those things that sets a great song apart from others. We have to say the same in thing in a new and interesting way, or find something new to say. Like Carly mentioned, she keeps notebooks of song ideas that she has kept for years. She goes back through those notebooks and finds things to include in new songs. When the muse visits, if you are like me, I have to write it down, or I find myself somewhere down the road without that great idea.
In April, we have Zane Williams as out guest speaker. Zane spent about 10 years of his life in Nashville with a publishing deal and as touring musician. He had a top 20 song "Hurry Home" performed by Jason Michael Carroll. He knows his craft. Anybody that knows Zane understands the story within his songs. He provides clear and vivid images that tell a story. Zane had his magical moment recently and here is his quote: "Zane was in heaven recently when Bob DiPiero, Jerrery Steele, and David Lee Murphy invited him up to sing an original song during their song swap at a Texas Heritage Songwriter's Association private party. The thrills continued when the next day he performed onstage at Austin City Limits Live, opening the ceremony that inducted Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen, and Townes Van Zandt into the Texas Heritage Songwriter's Hall of Fame." Can you imagine how he felt getting to perform on stage with Robert Earl Keen and Lyle Lovett and paying tribute to Townes Van Zandt. This speaks highly of the talent and recognition that Zane has accomplished.
We have a couple of festivals coming up. The first one is the Deep Ellum Arts Festival. It will be held April 6th - 8th down in Deep Ellum. Our stage will be at Malcolm X and Main. We are right in the middle of things. Come by and listen a while and browse around. Next up we have the Wildflower Festival May 18th - 20th. The Songwriters School will be lead by Beth Nielsen Chapman on May 18th. Beth is a wonderful teacher and I am glad that she agreed to come back to Dallas to lead this workshop. There are only 40 seats available, so go out to Beth's website and sign up soon: http://www.bethnielsenchapman.com/index.php?page=workshops. Later that evening, Beth will be a headliner on stage. Guy Clark is another headliner this year. This is shaping up to be a great festival. DSA will be hosting an acoustic performance stage this year. This will be a separate stage from the Bud Light Stage that we previously hosted. We can obtain our own sponsors, so if you know somebody that wants to be a sponsor, let a board member know.
I am proud to be a member of DSA and I am glad to see more members becoming active in our programs and activities. We are gaining recognition and we are working hard to put together programs and workshops that any member can gain from. I always say that you will get the most out of an organization when you are willing to invest your time in that organization. Song swaps, workshops, open mics, and programs are here for you, the songwriter. You will hear different opinions, views, and advice about your songs, but that is a good thing and as I see it, that is a mini sample of your greater audience.
Let's have a good year with lots of fun and learning.
I feel a strong forward momentum with DSA this year. We have started the year off with a bang. It is good to see members getting involved in our activities and see the sustained growth of our membership with our new members. As a board member, I want to see DSA flourish and grow. I see positive things happening with our programs, workshops, song swaps, and performance activities. I have spoken with members that are becoming active again and new members coming in this year. We try hard to find something that we can provide that bridges across the organization. Julie Jean White heads our programs and Lisa Byrn is tasked with our showcases and Michael Brandenberger has workshops. If you have any ideas or contacts with industry professionals that would make a good speaker in person or via Skype, let us know. The only thing that cannot be achieved is the thing that is never attempted. So, lets aim high and get those speakers that are well accomplished in the music industry.
I felt a magical moment with Carly Simon and Ben Taylor in our March meeting as did many others. They confirmed the principles that DSA teaches about the craft of songwriting, but also established the connection to that intangible spirit of the song itself. It was kind of one of those moments where you just know that a song is a great song because you just feel it. This does not diminish the role of the hard work that a songwriter puts in looking for proper structure and those colorful expressions and metaphors that add that extra dimension to our songs. The words and phrases we use to make something more interesting to our listeners. That is one of those things that sets a great song apart from others. We have to say the same in thing in a new and interesting way, or find something new to say. Like Carly mentioned, she keeps notebooks of song ideas that she has kept for years. She goes back through those notebooks and finds things to include in new songs. When the muse visits, if you are like me, I have to write it down, or I find myself somewhere down the road without that great idea.
In April, we have Zane Williams as out guest speaker. Zane spent about 10 years of his life in Nashville with a publishing deal and as touring musician. He had a top 20 song "Hurry Home" performed by Jason Michael Carroll. He knows his craft. Anybody that knows Zane understands the story within his songs. He provides clear and vivid images that tell a story. Zane had his magical moment recently and here is his quote: "Zane was in heaven recently when Bob DiPiero, Jerrery Steele, and David Lee Murphy invited him up to sing an original song during their song swap at a Texas Heritage Songwriter's Association private party. The thrills continued when the next day he performed onstage at Austin City Limits Live, opening the ceremony that inducted Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen, and Townes Van Zandt into the Texas Heritage Songwriter's Hall of Fame." Can you imagine how he felt getting to perform on stage with Robert Earl Keen and Lyle Lovett and paying tribute to Townes Van Zandt. This speaks highly of the talent and recognition that Zane has accomplished.
We have a couple of festivals coming up. The first one is the Deep Ellum Arts Festival. It will be held April 6th - 8th down in Deep Ellum. Our stage will be at Malcolm X and Main. We are right in the middle of things. Come by and listen a while and browse around. Next up we have the Wildflower Festival May 18th - 20th. The Songwriters School will be lead by Beth Nielsen Chapman on May 18th. Beth is a wonderful teacher and I am glad that she agreed to come back to Dallas to lead this workshop. There are only 40 seats available, so go out to Beth's website and sign up soon: http://www.bethnielsenchapman.com/index.php?page=workshops. Later that evening, Beth will be a headliner on stage. Guy Clark is another headliner this year. This is shaping up to be a great festival. DSA will be hosting an acoustic performance stage this year. This will be a separate stage from the Bud Light Stage that we previously hosted. We can obtain our own sponsors, so if you know somebody that wants to be a sponsor, let a board member know.
I am proud to be a member of DSA and I am glad to see more members becoming active in our programs and activities. We are gaining recognition and we are working hard to put together programs and workshops that any member can gain from. I always say that you will get the most out of an organization when you are willing to invest your time in that organization. Song swaps, workshops, open mics, and programs are here for you, the songwriter. You will hear different opinions, views, and advice about your songs, but that is a good thing and as I see it, that is a mini sample of your greater audience.
Let's have a good year with lots of fun and learning.
