Notes for Songwriters | Songwriters’ Groups
1. The songwriting groups and associations listed below are an excellent way to learn and share information.
2. Area nightclubs and open mic nights are excellent for trying out your material before a live audience.
3. You may want to join one of the Texas Music Associations and Unions.
4. Familiarize yourself with our Copyrights, Trademarks and General Music Business Information, as well as the music publishing sections of our Getting Started in the Music Business guide.
5. Contact a CD manufacturer to produce professional quality copies of your demos; familiarize yourself with how to upload digital copies of your songs on your website and social media.
6. Build up a "resume" of at least 40 original songs.
7. Make sure all songs are registered with the US Copyright Office.
8. If you own the SR part of your copyright and / or release records on your own label, register your recordings with Sound Exchange to help collect your royalties for non-interactive digital transmissions, including satellite and Internet radio.
9. Register with EnjoyTexasMusic.com's Texas Talent Register so that you'll be eligible for referrals.
10. Create "promo pack" with: (1) song titles and years of copyright; (2) lyric sheets of three best lyrical songs; and (3) list of all song titles previously recorded by others, artist's name and album name. Include all co-writers and their publishing company names.
11. Make a compilation CD (5 of your songs recorded by others; 5 or more songs with just vocals and guitar or piano).
12. Make business cards with your publishing company name on them.
13. Update your contact list; pursue current contacts that are established recording artists so that they might cover your songs.
14. Make a top ten "wish list" of artists you would like to cover your songs and then contact their management (Texas Music Office has this information). Be realistic about whether your song would fit into their repertoire.
15. Broaden exposure to national audience by establishing a YouTube channel containing high quality video performances of your songs.
16. Make sure all of your songs are available to be purchased on iTunes, Amazon, eMusic, Napster, Rhapsody, etc. Companies like Tunecore, Reverbnation and CDBaby can help facilitate distribution to those digital stores for a fee.
17. Create awareness among your fans for music streaming sites like LastFM, Pandora, Spotify, Slacker, etc. that pay digital royalties to featured recording artists and sound recording copyright owners (usually a record label, unless you self-release your music) through Sound Exchange. Most of these sites have an app that you can add to your social media pages.
18. Reach out to film, television and video game music supervisors that accept unsolicited material.
19. Make sure the music on your social media is the best you've got. Music supervisors often comb the internet to select fresh artists (that will not demand standard licensing fees) for televisions show soundtracks and other visual mediums.
Songwriting Groups and Associations
Sorted by city
Austin Songwriters Group | The Mockingbird Cafe
4606 Burleson Road, Suite D, Austin, TX 78777
(512) 698-4237
Lee Duffy, Executive Director
Dallas Songwriters Association
Sammons Center for the Arts • 3630 Harry Hines Blvd. • Box 20, Dallas, TX 75219
(214) 750-0916; (214) 691-5318
Barbara McMillen, Founding President Emeritus
Nashville Songwriters Association International • Dallas/Fort Worth
Dallas, TX
(817) 917-0120; (817) 915-3155
Claudine Jackson, Coordinator; John Terry, Coordinator
Nashville Songwriters Association International • North Texas
Dallas, TX
(972) 517-4565; (972) 517-4565
Sam Moore, Coordinator; Cyndy Moore, Coordinator
Fort Worth Songwriters Association
P.O. Box 330233, Fort Worth, TX 76163
(972) 322-4359
Rob Owen, President
Nashville Songwriters Association International • Houston, TX
Spring, TX 77379
(281) 932-4867; (281) 376-1686; (407) 928-7020
Mitch Tiffin; Warren Hanson; Linda Schaible
Nashville Songwriters Association International • San Antonio, TX
San Antonio, TX 78230
(210) 391-5572; (210) 690-5040
Gary Moeller;Barrlynn West
Nashville Songwriters Association International • East Texas
Tyler, TX 78230
(713) 628-5625
Connie Mims Pinkerton