Congratulations to our newest “Play For Publisher” Top Ten songs and songwriters!

First of all, thank you to each of you who took a chance, took positive action, and submitted one or more songs to the “Play For Publisher” event with Chris Oglesby of BMG.  Ya’ll are just plain awesome.

Out of about 200 songs, it took a while to whittle it down to just 10.  We have a few country songs, some pop, male songs, female songs, and there’s even a second-time submission (good persistance)!

There were a lot of worthy songs sent in, and I felt bad about leaving so many out.  If your song wasn’t chosen this time doesn’t mean that it isn’t a good song.

You know, one time I turned a song in to my publisher, and they didn’t know what to do with it, so they didn’t want to do anything with it.  My cowriters wanted to demo it, and the publisher said they wouldn’t pay for a demo.

The song was called, “Crickets,” and we got it cut by Joe Nichols.  It’s the title track to his current album.

That’s right.  The song my publisher wouldn’t even pay to demo got cut anyway.  (My cowriters did an out-of-pocket guitar/vocal, and we pitched it ourselves.)

Welcome to Nashville.  So while I listened to each and every song and did my best to pick the ones that have the best chance of catching Chris’ ear… I could be wrong.  That’s just the way the music biz works.  So if your song wasn’t selected, it doesn’t mean you should give up on it.

Okay, here are the Top Ten (in no particular order):

“On The Rocks” by Pamela Lack, Dave Quirk, Bobby Earl Ray

“Written In Stone” by Jonathan Helfand, Scott Tonkinson

“Old School” by Jim Logrando, Sean Spollen, Ashley Scire

“Naked” by Lucy LeBlanc, Danny Myrick, Ben Freeman

“Jesus, The Beatles & Me” by Lee Black, Donna King, Gina Boe

“The Melody Is Playing Me” by Jodie Leslie

“My Cinderella” by Alyssa Trahan, Sydney Maxine, Reed Waddle

“Raising Jesus” by Alyssa Trahan, Marty Morgan

“Mirror” by Mikalyn Hay, Murray Dangle, Bobby John

“Grass Stains” by Pat Aureli, Todd Dickinson, Marty Dodson

(The Songwriting Pro community would LOVE to hear your songs, so if you have a link you’d like to post to your “Top 10” song, please post it in the comments below!)

Congratulations!  Chris and I look forward to hanging out with you on March 27.  (In the days before the event, I’ll email the winners the instructions about the online meeting.  If you didn’t get the email, please let me know!)

Like I said, the 10 songs above aren’t the only good ones I had the pleasure of hearing.  There are several more that were put “on hold” for the top 10 songs.  This list could be quite a bit longer, but I’d like to spotlight a few of them, too.  (Ya’ll feel free to link up your songs in the comments, too!)

“ON HOLD” songs…

“After Dark Smile”  by Bonnie Ryan, J. MacDonald

“Old Fashioned Way” by Scott Voelkerding

“She Gathers Me” by Jonathan Helfand, DuBois

“It Should Be Me” by Johnathan Cochran

“Whiskey In My Eyes” by Zebb Rogers, Clay M., Mathew P.

“Got Her Number” by Blane Mitchell, L. Sekscinski

“The Boy That Once Was Me” by Sam Speirs

“Your Jacket” by Chelsey Stallings

“Issues” by Amir Brandon

“Girl In The Second Row” by Jonathan Helfand, Cece DuBois

These songs, along with others, were in there battling it out with the top 10, so be encouraged!

If you want to become a songwriting pro (in how you think, write songs or do business), then a great place to start is RIGHT HERE.  I want to help you on your songwriting journey.  I’ve been in the music business for years, and I’m here to help you get the cuts – and avoid the bruises.  CLICK HERE TO START HERE.

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens, and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US and a #1 in Canada… so far.