Tamworth Young Country

International Songwriting Competition "Early Bird Deadline" Quickly Approaching -- Enter On or Before July 16 and Save On Entry Fees

(PRWEB) July 5, 2007 -- One of the largest songwriting competitions in the world, ISC offers entrants a chance to share in $150,000 in cash and prizes, including an Overall Grand Prize package of $25,000 (US) in cash and more than $20,000 in merchandise, unmatched by any other songwriting competition. Enter early and take advantage of ISC's Early Bird deadline. For songs entered on or before July 16, the first song entry is $30, and all additional entries are only $20 (save $10 per entry on multiple entries). After July 16, the fee is $30 per song entry with no discount for additional entries. This is a great opportunity to save on entry fees.

All online entrants also receive a complimentary six-month membership to Sonicbids.

Go to http://www.songwritingcompetition.com to enter songs via mail or online.

ISC winners benefit from extensive press and publicity, gaining exposure and recognition from an international music market of industry professionals and fans. ISC welcomes original songs from musicians, artists, and songwriters at every level from amateur to professional. Multiple songs may be submitted in each category or the same song may be entered in more than one category.

ISC is proud to announce the addition of a new category for 2007: Comedy/Novelty. Judging this category will be comedy icons "Weird Al' Yankovic (Three-Time Grammy Winner), David Cross (Arrested Development), and Cheech Marin (Cheech and Chong).

ISC is unique because of its judges. Since its inception, ISC has been renowned for having the most prestigious judging panel of any songwriting competition in the world. Its judges include high-profile recording artists and respected music executives. Entering ISC offers you an unprecedented opportunity to have your music heard by these influential members of the music industry.

The 2007 ISC judging panel includes recording artists such as: Tom Waits; Loretta Lynn; Julian Casablancas (The Strokes); Nelly Furtado; Kenny Wayne Shepherd; Ornette Coleman; Youssou N'Dour; Sean Paul; Jerry Lee Lewis; "Weird Al" Yankovic; Frank Black (Pixies); Robert Smith (The Cure); Cassandra Wilson; David Cross; Craig Morgan; John Mayall; Joe Satriani; Toby Mac; Billy Dean; Michael W. Smith; Chris Hillman (The Byrds); John Scofield; Hinder; Amy Ray (Indigo Girls); Cheech Marin; Darryl McDaniels (Run DMC); Macy Gray; Peter Hook (New Order); Paulina Rubio; and Tiesto.

And the judging panel also includes top industry executives such as: Charlie Walk (President, Epic Records); Monte Lipman (President, Universal Records); Mona Scott-Young (President, Violator Records); Cameron Strang (President, New West Records); Steve Lillywhite (Producer - credits include U2, The Rolling Stones, Dave Matthews Band, Phish, Peter Gabriel, and more); Bruce Iglauer (Founder/President, Alligator Records); Cory Robbins (Founder/President, Robbins Entertainment); Betty Pino (DJ, WAMR Miami, pioneer of Latin radio); Angel Carrasco (President, 605 Discos and Sr. VP A&R, Sony BMG Latin America); Thomas Brooman (Co-Founder/Artistic Director, WOMAD); Dan Storper (President, Putumayo World Music); Nancy Wolpert (VP Home Entertainment and Nick Records, Nickelodeon/BMG); Leib Ostrow (CEO, Music For Little People); and Paul Majors (CEO/Founder Majors Music).

Enter any of ISC's 19 categories:
Pop/Top 40, AAA (Adult Album Alternative), Rock, Country, Americana, R&B/Hip-Hop, Blues, Folk/Singer-Songwriter, Jazz, Gospel/Christian, Latin Music, Instrumental, Dance/Electronica, Comedy/Novelty, World Music, Children's Music, Lyrics Only, Teen, and Performance

Please visit http://www.songwritingcompetition.com for an entry form or more details.

ISC 2007 Sponsors: Electro-Voice, ASCAP, Berklee College Of Music, Cakewalk, Shure, D'Addario, Hear Technologies, Disc Makers, Sonicbids, Musician's Atlas, Sibelius, Karian Studios, OnlineGigs, The Music Business Registry, Mediaguide, ArtistMonitor, Platinum Blue Music Intelligence, Alphabet Arm Design, George Stein, Esq., SongU, Shari's Berries, and Taxi

Australian Songwriters Win Big In International Songwriting Competition

April 6, 2007 -The International Songwriting Competition (ISC), the world's leading global songwriting event, is pleased to announce its 2006 winners. More than $150,000 in cash and prizes will be shared among the 56 winners, including an overall Grand Prize of $25,000 (US) cash - the largest cash Grand Prize of any songwriting competition in the world. ISC received almost 15,000 songs by amateur and professional songwriters from 88 countries in the 2006 competition.

Australian songwriters also did extremely well in this year's competition, winning First Place in the Country category, Second Place in the Dance/Electronica and Performance categories, Third Place in Gospel/Christian and Rock categories, and several Honorable Mentions in multiple categories.

"Tailwind," by Harmony James of Tennant Creek, NT, has been awarded First Place in the Country category. Judges included such high-profile artists as Rosanne Cash, Craig Morgan, and Mark Chesnutt. Not only is James the first Australian ever to win top honors for the Country category, but her song beat out many extremely respected Nashville songwriters. James wrote the autobiographical song last year, not long after graduating from the Australian College Of Country Music. Her winning song is also her first single on her newly-released debut EP Harmony.

"Pictures," by Connie Mitchell and Angus McDonald (Sneaky Sound System) of Bondi Beach, NSW, won Second Place in the Dance/Electronica category. The Sneaky Sound System trio has had an extremely busy six months. After touring with both Robbie Williams and The Scissor Sisters, their winning ISC track "Pictures" spent an incredible 15 weeks at #1 on the Australian Dance Charts. The song also charted in the ARIA Top 20, and their win in ISC strengthens their global appeal as one of the worlds leading dance acts.

Sunshine Coast, QLD, residents Mishelle Bradford Jones, Phil Barton, and Jamie Sullivan are awarded Second Place in the Performance category for their collaboration on the song "Racket." After being discovered at age 21 by the Ausmusic scholarship board at University, Australian songbird Mishelle Bradford Jones' folk/pop album Firefly was released in 2003. Now as an independent artist and songwriter, Mishelle is widely known for her emotive image-driven lyric style. Phil Barton has had several Australian Record Industry Award (ARIA) nominations for his work and an APRA song nomination in 2000 for Best Children's Song.

Third Place honors are claimed by Roma Waterman in the Gospel/Christian category for her song "Wings Of Love;" and by Phil Usher, Scott Mullane, and Sean Bower (of the band Grand Atlantic) for their song "Coolite" in the Rock category. Usher, Mullane, and Bower also earned an Honorable Mention in the Performance category for their song "Wonderful Tragedy."

In addition to these winners, several Australian songwriters garnered an Honorable Mention in their respective categories:

"For Everything Else I Got You" - Mark Lucas (Leichhardt, NSW) - Americana
"Love Someone" - Lou Bradley (Brunswick Heads, NSW) - Americana
"Silver Dollar" - Colin Germano (Bourbon Street) (Drummoyne, NSW) - Blues
"Ed The Emu" - Kirk Simpson (Jimboomba, QLD) - Children's Music
"Falling In the Sea" - Michael Paynter/Sven Tydeman/Michael Szmouski (Melbourne, VIC) - Folk/Singer-Songwriter
"Tears Of The Oppressed" - Dave Hanbury/Tyler Hall/Rich Thompson/Mike Tenkate (Revive) (Sydney, NSW) - Gospel/Christian
"The Boisterous Border Collie" - Pete Hawkes (Melbourne, VIC) - Instrumental
"Almost Crazy" - Virna Sanzone/Lindsay Page (Sydney, NSW) - Jazz
"El Ciego" - Carlos Naranjo (Carlito's Orchestra) (St. Peters, NSW) - Latin
"Mad Mad Love" - Lisa Richards (Townsville, QLD) - Performance
"Wonderful Tragedy" - Phil Usher/Scott Mullane/Sean Bower (Grand Atlantic) (Wavell Heights, QLD) - Performance
"I Want You" - Mick Anderson/Patrick Ricapito/Huw Griffiths/Dave Simon/Laurent Salgine (Kid Courageous) (Bonnet Bay, NSW) - Pop/Top 40
"Something Crazy" - Nathan Ironside (The Stirring) (Sunshine Coast, QLD) - Rock

Many other countries across the world are also represented with ISC wins. The 2006 Grand Prize is awarded to Scott Leger of Austin, TX, USA for his song "Maybe Tonight, Maybe Tomorrow." In addition to its lyrical content, the song's memorable chorus and strong pop sensibility resonated with the ISC judges, culminating in it being awarded this year's prestigious Grand Prize. Upon learning of a friend's cancer diagnosis, Leger wrote the song both as a personal coping mechanism and as a tribute to honor survivors across the world.

ISC is now accepting entries for 2007. The ISC Overall Grand Prize for 2007 includes a $25,000 cash prize, the largest cash Grand Prize of any songwriting competition. Visit www.songwritingcompetition.com for more information and entry forms.

For a complete list of all ISC winners, please go to:
http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners.htm

It is with the greatest pleasure that ISC is awarding this year's Grand Prize to Scott Leger of Austin, TX, USA for his song "Maybe Tonight, Maybe Tomorrow."

Upon learning of a friend's cancer diagnosis, Scott wrote the song both as a personal coping mechanism and as a tribute to honor cancer survivors across the world. According to Leger, the song is dedicated not only to his friend but also to the millions of people affected by cancer. His hope is that the song will encourage people everywhere to live life to its fullest, whether they're dealing with cancer or any other challenge. The song was debuted at the Lance Armstrong Foundation Gala in front of a room full of VIP's including former President Bill Clinton.

In addition to its lyrical content, the song's memorable chorus and strong pop sensibility resonated with the ISC judges, culminating in it being awarded this year's Grand Prize.

As the lead singer and principle songwriter of the award-winning band Wideawake, Leger brings a passion and purpose to his songwriting that is inspirational and timeless. Wideawake's two releases, Bigger than Ourselves, and Not So Far Away have sold a combined 40,000 units independently, and they have shared the stage with Switchfoot, Blue October, Third Eye Blind, Sister Hazel, Sheryl Crow, Hootie and the Blowfish, Tears for Fears, Vertical Horizon, and Gavin Degraw. Leger has also recently launched a solo career.

In addition to the Grand Prize winner, many other deserving songwriters also share in the prestige and kudos of winning their respective categories in ISC 2006. These winners hail from all over the world, representing diverse cultures and ranging from talented amateurs to seasoned songwriting veterans. The 18 categories include all genres of contemporary music, from rock to jazz to R&B/Hip-Hop and more.
Click here for winners.

the world's leading global songwriting event, is pleased to announce its 2006 winners. More than $150,000 in cash and prizes will be shared among the 56 winners, including an overall Grand Prize of $25,000 (US) cash - the largest cash Grand Prize of any songwriting competition in the world. Almost 15,000 songs by amateur and professional songwriters from 88 countries were submitted to the 2006 competition. Entries were received from all across the globe, from Rwanda and Cameroon, to Croatia and Uzbekistan, to Panama and Guatemala, to China and Singapore, to New Zealand and Australia, and beyond.

Please visit http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners.htm for a complete list of 2006 ISC winners and to hear the winning songs.

It is with the greatest pleasure that ISC is awarding this year's Grand Prize to Scott Leger of Austin, TX, USA for his song "Maybe Tonight, Maybe Tomorrow."

In addition to its lyrical content, the song's memorable chorus and strong pop sensibility resonated with the ISC judges, culminating in it being awarded this year's prestigious Grand Prize.

Candace Avery, the founder and director of ISC, applauds Leger, stating, "Maybe Tonight, Maybe Tomorrow" is a song that all of us can relate to and draw strength from. As the lead singer and principle songwriter of the award-winning band Wideawake, Leger brings a passion and purpose to his songwriting that is inspirational and timeless."

In response to winning ISC, Leger says, "It's a huge honor to be recognized by the ISC and their renowned group of judges among so many talented artists and great songs. I'm truly blown away by the overwhelming response and all the support that this song has gotten."

Upon learning of a friend's cancer diagnosis, Leger wrote the song both as a personal coping mechanism and as a tribute to honor survivors across the world. Since its release, the song has understandably become an anthem of hope and courage. 100% of the proceeds from the song's iTunes downloads are donated to the Lance Armstrong Foundation and its cancer initiatives.

Wideawake's two releases, Bigger than Ourselves, and Not So Far Away have sold a combined 40,000 units independently, and they have shared the stage with Switchfoot, Blue October, Third Eye Blind, Sister Hazel, Sheryl Crow, Hootie and the Blowfish, Tears for Fears, Vertical Horizon, and Gavin Degraw. Leger has also recently launched a solo career.

In addition to the Grand Prize winner, many other deserving songwriters also share in the prestige and kudos of winning their respective categories in ISC 2006; winners include First, Second, and Third Place winners, as well as a group of Honorable Mentions. These winners hail from all over the world (46% of this year's winners come from outside the USA), representing diverse cultures and ranging from talented amateurs to seasoned songwriting veterans. The 18 categories include all genres of contemporary music, from rock to jazz to R&B/hip-hop and more.

Renowned for its high caliber of judges, ISC compiled a stellar panel of judges for the 2006 competition, including: Brian Wilson; Tom Waits; Rosanne Cash; Sean Paul; Mark Chesnutt; Jerry Lee Lewis; Frank Black (Pixies); Robert Smith (The Cure); Cassandra Wilson; Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse); Medeski Martin & Wood; Craig Morgan; John Mayall; John Scofield; Amy Ray (Indigo Girls); Darryl McDaniels (Run DMC); MercyMe; Macy Gray; Charlie Musselwhite; Peter Hook (New Order); Blue Man Group; Tiesto; Jeff Stinco (Simple Plan); Charlie Walk (President, Epic Records); Monte Lipman (President, Universal Records); Mona Scott-Young (President, Violator Records); Cameron Strang (President, New West Records); Steve Lillywhite (Sr. VP A&R, Columbia Records and Producer - credits include U2, The Rolling Stones, Dave Matthews Band, Phish, Peter Gabriel, and more); Alexandra Patsavas (Owner, The Chop Shop Music Supervision - credits include The OC, Grey's Anatomy, Without A Trace, Carnivale, Rescue Me); Barbara Sedun (VP Creative, EMI Music Publishing Canada); Bruce Iglauer (Founder/President, Alligator Records); Cory Robbins (Founder/President, Robbins Entertainment); Betty Pino (DJ, WAMR Miami, pioneer of Latin radio); Angel Carrasco (President, 605 Discos and Sr. VP A&R, Sony BMG Latin America); Thomas Brooman (Co-Founder/Artistic Director, WOMAD); Dan Storper (President, Putumayo World Music); Danny Epstein (Music Supervisor, Sesame Street/Sesame Workshop); Tara Griggs-Magee (Executive VP Gospel/Urban Music, Sony Records); Emily Wittmann (VP, Nick Records); Leib Ostrow (CEO, Music For Little People); Larry Willoughby (VP A&R, Capitol Records Nashville) and Manolo Gonzalez (Sr VP Regional Mexican A&R and National Promotion, Univision Records).

2006 Sponsors: ASCAP, Epiphone, Berklee College Of Music, Sam Ash, Cakewalk, Shure, D'Addario, Hear Technologies, Disc Makers, Sonicbids, Musician's Atlas, Sibelius, Karian Studios, Planetary Group, OnlineGigs, The Music Business Registry, Mediaguide, ArtistMonitor, Shari's Berries, Platinum Blue Music Intelligence, Alphabet Arm Design, George Stein, Esq., SongU, Sleepless Media, and Taxi

ISC is now accepting entries for 2007.
Go to http://www.songwritingcompetition.com