Ray,

I just saw this and wanted to respond to it. The question being "Why would he have to play it for anybody else, and not just pass on it?"

I just played in Cincinatti with about 13 hit writers from Nashville. Including the writer of the current number one, "Going out with my Boots On." There is not one of them that have not had cuts on songs that were turned down over and over.

Songs like "I've had moments" a HUGE "Can't Miss" song was turned down for 8 years before it was cut. Over and over again, songs that turn out to be hit songs are passed over by different people. The Gambler, by Kenny Rogers not only was turned down for years, but was cut 8 times before it got to Kenny. This is an element of the business that has been there for years.

Another song I personally know of "I Swear' by John Micheal Montgomery, was around for about 8 years with a very pop sounding demo. It was turned down by everybody. Then they re-demoed it country and got the John Micheal cut almost immediately. It was then cut by a pop group after it became a big hit in country.

Everything is about upping the level of your odds. The demo is simply another step. And EVERY one has to go through those steps. Even the hit writers. Jeffery Steele spends a lot of money every year on demos. Those songs sound like records. So anyone that wants to take a chance on a minimal demo in this day and age, does so at his or her own peril. Just another thing that makes it harder or easier depending on who how you look at it.

MAB