[FM] Beth Nielsen Chapman, has joined the teaching staff for the Memorial Day Songwriting Retreat: Wake Up & Dream

[Want2Dance@aol.com]

SongshopsCoop is proud to announce that Hit Singer/Songwriter/Performer, Beth 
Nielsen Chapman, has joined the teaching staff for the Memorial Day Retreat: 
Wake Up & Dream: A Songwriting Retreat in Litchfield CT. 
    Bios of all the staff are listed below. Come to the web site to read more 
the retreat and register. 
    Reminder the deadline for early bird registration is March 15th, so if 
you plan on coming get your deposits in the mail before the deadline and save 
$50!
More details & registration at the website
    Can't wait to start writing! 
                
    E-mail or call if you have any questions.
                    Barbara
                    SongshopsCoop Coordinator
                    http://www.songshopscoop.com
                    617-558-9978
Songshops Coop is proud to present:
Wake Up & Dream: A Songwriting Retreat, (May 26-28th, optional additional May 
28th bed & breakfast) Litchfield, CT (100 mi. from NYC, 130 mi. from Boston) 
with Beth Nielsen Chapman, Jason Blume, Sherril Blackman & Jerry Vandiver. 

Beth Nielsen Chapman, Hit Singer Songwriter/Performer
    Beth is the writer behind number-one country hits for Trisha Yearwood, 
Willie Nelson, Lorrie Morgan & Faith Hill. Jazz artist Ute Lemper & 
blues-rock Grammy winner Bonnie Raitt have also recorded her songs. The 
cowritten Faith Hill grammy award nomination hit "This Kiss" (BN Chapman, A 
Roboff & R Learner) Happy Girl (BN Chapman & A Roboff), Shine On Me (BN 
Chapman & Waylon Jennings), Down On My Knees (BN Chapman), Deep Inside Of You 
(BN Chapman & Neil Diamond), Child Again (BN Chapman) Strong Enough to Bend 
(BN Chapman) was a hit for Tanya Tucker. Chapman's own albums have charted in 
the top 10 in the Adult Contemporary field.
    In addition to cuts upcoming on albums by Faith Hill, Martina McBride, & 
Bonnie Raitt, Chapman is working on her next album project  in another 
direction, an album of hymns. The new Fox movie Where The Heart Is, starring 
Natalie Portman & Ashley Judd, features two of Beth's songs on its 
soundtrack. Co-written with Annie Roboff, Beth sings "Shake My Soul" with 
Bonnie Raitt on backup vocals. This song will be on Beth's next album as 
well. Recently, Elton John chose the title song of her current release, Sand 
and Water, to sing at his concerts in memory of Princess Diana & Gianni 
Versace. 
     When she first started to teach she wondered if she could "teach" 
someone else how (she) did it. (She) was sure they’d find out (she) was an 
impostor." Beth Nielsen Chapman says: "Writing my own songs has always been 
like setting out on a journey without a map & little clue of a destination.  
Almost always,...following a sound that comes from a place within me that 
sometimes runs like clear water, & sometimes there’s rust & rock in that 
water, but the water is always in there."
    Jason Blume, Hit Songwriter, Author, Teacher
        Jason, one of the few songwriters to have had charted hits in

Country, Pop & Rap all at the same time, also has a new book out, 6

Steps to Songwriting Success (Billboard Books). He currently has cuts

with Backstreet Boys & Britney Spears, the #1 & #2 artists worldwide.

Blume’s song, “Change My Mind,” was a top 5 Country single for John

Berry & was awarded a prestigious ASCAP Award for being one of the most

performed songs of the year. His songwriting lesson plans are used by NSAI & 
SGA workshops around the country. He is a sought after teacher nationally & 
internationally at songwriting conferences. 
      Sherrill Blackman, Publisher/Songwriter
    Sherrill's Nashville based

publishing company, The SDB Music Group is home to 3 publishing branches

& a professional songplugging service. Since 1994 he has secured

recordings including: JOHN MICHAEL MONTGOMERY (Atlantic); KEITH GATTIS

(RCA); a fourth cut by  LeANN RIMES (Curb);  DON WILLIAMS (Giant); STEVE

HOLY (Curb); TRACE ADKINS (Capitol); GEORGE JONES (Asylum); BLACKHAWK

(Arista)  & various other Country & Bluegrass.  The George Jones cut is

his brand new single, "Sinners And Saints". The Blackhawk cut "I Need

You All The Time" is currently climbing the charts as their new single.

Since Sherrill also has songwriting credits of his own in gospel,

bluegrass & comedy. Having worked as liason for NSAI to Music Row from

1984-1990, his music business expertise is in touch with & respectful to the

songwriter's perspective. 
    Jerry Vandiver, Hit Singer/Songwriter

    Originally from Kansas City, MO, Jerry, in the fall of 1984, made the 
move from being a 7th grade science teacher to full time student in the music 
business school of hard knocks in Nashville.  He took on various odd jobs 
including house painter, tour bus driver, & sound engineer for Nashville's 
public radio station while honing his songwriting & networking skills in the 
music business.

    He has been a staff writer for Dick James Music (now a part of Hori Pro),

Little Big Town Music & Malaco Music while owning & managing a mail

order demo studio on Music Row.  He currently is an exclusive staff writer

for Talbot Music in Nashville.

    Jerry's first major label cut, "DON'T WASTE IT ON THE BLUES" by Gene

Watson (Warner Bros), reached #5 on the country charts.  Since then, he

has had songs recorded by Wild Rose (#20 Go Down Swingin'), Lee Greenwood,

Barbara Mandrell, Ronna Reeves, Cleve Francis, among others including Tim

McGraw (first cut on the platinum 5 album "Not A Moment Too Soon").

His most recent cut, also by Tim McGraw on his triple platinum album,

"Everywhere", entitled "FOR A LITTLE WHILE" recently reached #2

on the country charts & was performed by Tim on the David Letterman Show.

    Jerry is a regular performer at the Bluebird,  Douglas Corner & Radio

cafes in Nashville in addition to several writers nights around town.

    For details & registration go to http://www.songshopscoop.com