Meeting Critiques

Each month songs of members are critiqued at the 1st Thursday workshop. Winners each month are published in Songwriters Notes. Members only may enter up to 2 songs per month (or more if time allows) by going to this link https://dallassongwriters.org/song-critique/ to enter the lyric and audio file or you may upload the lyric and perform the song live at the meeting. Time is limited to the review of 8 songs per meeting on a first come basis. (If we run out of time, the songs will be moved to next meeting). Members will have until the end of November to rewrite and record their song before it is sent to the judge. At the end of each year, the songs are judged by industry pros and the Song of the Year is awarded to the songwriter whose song garnered the most points from the judges. Also, The Vern Dailey Songwriter of the Year Award goes to songwriter who has the most songs with the highest points in the top ten. Winners are announced at the Virtual Awards Program in February which include performances by the finalists.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Ray Phillips- 2008 Songwriter of the Year

Ray Phillips- 2008 Songwriter of the Year
by Buck Morgan

September on My Mind
is winning song of 2008 DSA monthly song critiques


With a hand in writing half of the 16 winning songs in the DSA monthly song contest, Ray Phillips, excuse me, the amazingly talented Ray Phillips is the runaway DSA Songwriter of the Year for 2008.
In addition, independent judges have recently chosen Ray’s song, “September in My Mind,” as DSA Song of the Year.
Clearly a favorite among DSA members, Ray faced stiff competition with the judges. You see, his songs had to beat out his songs in independent judging for Song of the Year. Ultimately the judges chose Ray and writing partner Richard Davis’ “September in My Mind,” beating out another Phillips/Davis tune, “She Loves to Infinity”.
Other songs among the judges’ favorites were “We Don’t Eat Together Anymore” by Bob Paterno and, yes, Ray Phillips, “A Man’s Gotta Do” by 2007 songwriter of the year Ed Williams, and “Dancing Feet and Honkytonk Hearts” by Vern Dailey, who’s won songwriter of the year numerous times.
“Finding great songs by DSA members is never a problem, but it’s always a challenge to find good judges,” said Steve Sullivan, DSA president. “That’s one reason we’re a little late in making this announcement. However, we’re very pleased to have found three music industry professionals to listen to and rate our songs.
Judges were: Mark Mason, a writer’s representative for BMI in Nashville. Mark listens to hundreds of songs every month and is a well-respected member of the Nashville writers’ community.
Steve Leslie is a professional songwriter with multiple Darryl Worley cuts, including two on his current album. George Strait has also covered one of Steve’s songs. In addition to songwriting, Steve runs a publishing company in Nashville and enjoys teaching songwriting.
Louis Lofredo is a long-time industry insider, producer and publisher and a good friend of DSA.
Those of you who regularly attend monthly meetings know that on most months DSA members submit songs for panel critiquing and membership scoring. The two highest scoring songs each month become nominees for Song of the Year. On months with fewer than six song submissions, only one song is nominated.
The DSA is proud of Ray and all the monthly winners and submitters. To hear some of Ray’s songs, please visit http://www.myspace.com/rayphillipssongwriter From there you can leap to Ed and Bob’s pages. If you want to know more about Vern Dailey, just Google him. He’s a Texas treasure.
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BEST SONGS OF THE MEETING CRITIQUES

Each month songs of members are critiqued at the 1st Thursday meeting. Songs that are critiqued each month are published in Songwriters Notes. Members only may enter by uploading lyric and audio file to https://dallassongwriters.org/song-critique/ or you may upload the lyric and perform the song live at the meeting. Members will have until the end of November to rewrite and record their song before it is sent to the judge. At the end of each year, the songs are judged by industry pros and the Song of the Year is awarded to the songwriter whose song garnered the most points from the judges.
Also, The Vern Dailey Songwriter of the Year Award goes to songwriter who has the most songs with the highest points in the top ten.