Guys,

There are a lot of variables. My job is to work with writers and artists and try to give them some workable advice. About 5 years ago, a woman named Julie Moriva, came to me from Green Bay Wisconsin. She was around mid forties, very sweet and the NSAI coordinator for the Green Bay group. She had been the coordinator for 10 years but had had very little success outside the big events, meeting a few people and getting song critiques.

We started working on her existing material of which she had about 20 songs recorded but only about three "workable." I then took her around the town introducing her to various people. One of the first places was the Harland Howard Birthday Bash with thousands of people at once. I introduced her to Chad Green, from ASCAP, who on my recomendation accepted her into a special writers group where she would come once a month for the next six months, which she did.

During each trip, she booked a day with me. We wrote songs, worked through her process and helped develop her skills and networking. After two years and recording her own "artists CD" (She doesn't sing or perform, we had Nashville musicians and singers do the songs and a showcase) this put her in contact with hundreds of people.

Over the past five years she has come to Nashville about 6 times a year, each time getting off the plane, and getting right into her first of 6-8 writing appointments over four-five days. Within a very short time (people LOVE this woman!) she had developed a network and written with 5 number one hit writers, was part of an 18 person song plugging group from people across the US, and was working with a variety of artists.

Two of those artists, Megan Lindsey and Josh Jones, are Steel Magnolia, who this past Saturday night, won the "YOU CAN DUET" television program. They won a record deal with Scott Borchetta, (Taylor Swift's label) $50,000, and worldwide stature and promotion. They go on tour with Taylor next year. The song they won on was the one they wrote with Julie. She has about 15 more with them for consideration for their upcoming record deal.

Julie still lives in Green Bay with her husband and daughter. She has no plans to move here and doesn't need to.

It can be done in this day and age ladies and gentlemen. It just takes drive, determination, skill, personality, dedication, and (with all humility) a group of people who help you get to your goals while achieving their own.

Make memories, not excuses.

MAB