Ray,

I guess you are talking to different people than I have. I know of about 15 people who ended up getting cuts and hits when a new singer used their tracks and the song ended up getting cut. They didn't like the singer but liked the song. And I haven't seen the cheap demo route work in about 20 years.

The people Moke just mentioned, Steele, Wiseman, and about every other major writer out there do huge demos. I was just at a Taxi session in Nashville where the subject was this very issue. As well as almost every panel and private discussion I have been around for years, the subject comes up. The demos are as competitive because of the amount of competition in the market, and you are competing with the artist's themselves and their inner circles.

I guess it just depends on your background and who knows you. But I would never suggest anyone try to pitch anything but a great sounding demo. Just one more reason to be filtered out.

MAB