BMI songwriter Marc Broussard and BMI's Ben Tischker

The high-profile, high-energy four-day NACA National Convention provides networking opportunities with other professionals, students and associate members, and features three dynamic components, including showcases that give delegates the opportunity to view more than 80 live performances ranging from music and comedy to lecture and novelty/interactive programs; educational programs that focus on topics such as professional and student leadership development, programming, multicultural education, campus organization dynamics and advising, and identification of current trends in the field of campus activities; and the Campus Activities Marketplace, or exhibit hall, where students and staff have the ability to meet member agents and artists face to face, enhancing familiarity with the marketplace and facilitating campus bookings. Attracting more than 2,000 delegates from nearly 450 member schools, NACA's National Convention is the nation's largest campus activities marketplace.

Pat Green performs at the NACA National Convention

BMI songwriter Pat Green and BMI's Ben Tischker

Born in Boston and raised in Kentucky, Colorado and South Florida, school brought her back to Cambridge. She started to sing as a child and spent years studying classical voice and piano, and in high school sang in everything from alt rock garage bands and Motown funk bands to jazz and classical choirs and church. At the end of high school, she taught herself guitar when an uncle gave her his old acoustic. But the sum of these parts wasn’t clear to anyone until she left home for college, where the truth was revealed on the streets of Harvard Square.

Mieka’s ability to captivate audiences first made her a favorite of Boston’s best clubs including The Paradise Lounge, House of Blues, Club Passim and Kendall Café - and next at New York’s renowned Bitter End, Living Room, Makor, Knitting Factory and Village Underground. In Summer 2002 she graduated from Harvard with a degree in Biological Anthropology, won BMI’s Rock Boat Song Contest, and placed top three at the famed Telluride Troubadour Competition. In 2003 she was invited to perform at four of the top music festivals in the country: The Newport Folk Festival, On The Bricks in Atlanta, Dancin’ In The District in Nashville and a return trip to The Rock Boat. 2004 included the month-long Citizen Cope Northeast Tour, the first ever BMI/NACA “See It Hear First” showcase, sharing a bill with Eric Clapton at Boston’s Tweeter Center, and winning the prestigious Rocky Mountain Folks Fest Songwriter Showcase. In 2005 she was nominated for a Boston Music Award, won the first ever Starbucks Emerging Artist Award, and recorded a new EP with producer John Alagia (John Mayer, Dave Matthews, Jason Mraz, Rachel Yamagata, Josh Kelly, Lifehouse, Liz Phair, Trevor Hall and others), due to be released in early 2006.

Over these first 36 months of her young career, she’s become the embodiment of the musician road warrior: A girl, a guitar, and a car - crisscrossing the country and playing over 450 club and college shows from northern Maine to southern Florida, from the Pacific Northwest to southern California, from the Colorado Rockies to the Tennessee valleys to the Great Lakes States and all points between - and back around the bases of street corners, cafés and clubs of Boston - even sliding into home plate at Fenway Park for a National Anthem. She has shared the bill with such artists as Eric Clapton, Wyclef Jean, Jason Mraz, John Legend, the Black Eyed Peas, John Hiatt, Blues Traveler, Martin Sexton, Jesse Harris, Mindy Smith, Edwin McCain, Citizen Cope, Shawn Mullins, Marc Broussard, Talib Kweli, North Mississippi All-Stars, Ben Lee, Tift Merritt and Erin McKeown, among many others.

A recent Boston Globe feature on her perhaps said it best: “While the eyes may be the windows to the soul, Mieka Pauley lets you in through her voice (as unstoppable as a flood) and through her lyrics (as personal as diary entries). She’s making her voice heard, and not just on the streets of Harvard Square.”

But even among this rarefied company, Louisiana wunderkind Marc Broussard stands out. His major label debut album, Carencro (Island Def Jam), introduces a diverse singer/songwriter with a confident, r&b-inflected voice. Commencing with the swampy delta blues track "Home," Broussard's gently segues into the unassuming balladry of "The Beauty of Who You Are," and "Hope for Me Yet." His premiere single, "Where You Are," is a heaven-sent hybrid of modern soul and Jackson 5-style vintage pop.

But though he has shared stages with luminaries like Willie Nelson, the Dave Matthews Band and Tori Amos, success isn't going to Broussard's head. Despite favorable fan comparisons to everyone from Joe Cocker to Stevie Wonder, Broussard describes himself simply as "a white boy singing soul music."

For Broussard, soulfulness is a matter of pedigree. The son of Boogie Kings guitarist and Louisiana Hall of Famer Ted Broussard, Marc was instilled with an appreciation for blues and the Cajun traditions of the South.

In 2002, Broussard's independently produced debut recording, Momentary Setback , appeared to encouraging reviews. A tune from the album, "Just Like That," was featured on the 2003 Lost Highway Records compilation, Lost and Found, Vol. 1 , alongside tracks by Ryan Adams, the Jayhawks and other noted Americana acts. That same year, Broussard also appeared on the Bruce Springsteen tribute disc Light of Day with the track "Back in Your Arms."

Now, with the formidable support of Island Def Jam behind him, Broussard is on the verge of an international breakthrough. But the singer hasn't forgotten his roots: Carencro is named for his suburban Lafayette hometown. Consider it a "shout-out" to the place where this talented pop impressionist nurtured his musical soul.

Marc Broussard performs on BMI's stage at ACL Fest

BMI sponsored an expanded Singer/Songwriter stage which featured Kacey Crowley, Willy Mason, Marc Broussard, The Honorary Title, J.T. Van Zandt, Jason White, Deadman, Trish Murphy, Holly Williams, Monte Montgomery, Davis Raines, Samantha Stollenwoerck, Papa Mali, Bobby Bare, Jr. and The Greencards.

BMI's Perry Howard and Dale Watson

Produced by Capital Sports & Entertainment, the Festival takes its name from the award-winning PBS series that has been showcasing live music for almost 30 years. This year's stage sponsors in addition to BMI were SBC, HEB, Heineken, Cingular Wireless, Austin Ventures LP, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Bank of America.

BMI's J.W. Johnson, the Greencards' Kym Warner, Carol Young and Eamon McLoughlin, BMI's Phil Graham

BMI's Mark Mason, Deadman's Pete Coatney, Lee Milton, Steven Collins and Sherilyn Collins, BMI's Phil Graham

BMI's Michael Weeman, Holly Williams, BMI's Mark Mason

BMI's Mark Mason (l) and Jill McGuckin (c) with American Analog Set

BMI's Jill McGuckin, Jason White, BMI's Mark Mason

BMI's Bradley Collins, Kasey Crowley, BMI's Paul Corbin

BMI’s Phil Graham with Los Lonely Boys’ Henry, Ringo and JoJo Garza

BMI's Michael Weeman and Phil Graham, Marc Broussard, J.W. Johnson

BMI's Mark Mason, J.T. Van Zandt, BMI's Paul Corbin, BMI's Bradley Collins and Perry Howard

]]> 2004-10-17T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/events/entry/532940 Artists, Bare Jr., Bobby , Broussard, Marc, Crowley, Kacy, Deadman, Greencards, The, Honorary Title, The, Mali, Papa, Mason, Willy, Montgomery, Monte, Murphy, Trish, Raines, Davis, Stollenwerck, Samantha, Van Zandt, J.T., White, Jason, Williams, Holly, Awards, Musical Styles, Folk, Pop, Rock, Singer-Songwriter, Regions, Austin, Showcase, Showcase Templated

Friday, September 17
11:30-12:00 Kacy Crowley
1:10-1:50 Willy Mason
3:10-3:50 Marc Broussard
5:10-5:50 The Honorary Title
7:10-7:50 J.T. Van Zandt

J.T. Van Zandt	Willy Mason	Marc Broussard

Kacy Crowley	The Honorary Title

Saturday, September 18
11:30-12:00 The Greencards
1:10-1:50 Deadman
3:10-3:50 Trish Murphy
5:10-5:50 Holly Williams
7:10-7:50 Monte Montgomery

Jason White	Deadman

Monte Montgomery	Trish Murphy	Holly Williams

Sunday, September 19
11:20-11:50 Davis Raines
12:55-1:35 Samantha Stollenwerck
2:40-3:20 Papa Mali
4:40-5:20 Bobby Bare, Jr.
6:40-7:20 Jason White

Davis Raines	Samantha Stollenwerck	Papa Mali

Bobby Bare, Jr.	The Greencards

]]> 2004-09-16T02:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/234155 Artists, Adams, Ryan, Alabama, Blind Boys of Alabama, The, Broussard, Marc, Cake, Cash, Rosanne, Crow, Sheryl, Crowley, Kacy, Deadman, Green, Pat, Greencards, The, Honorary Title, The, Mali, Papa, Mason, Willy, Montgomery, Monte, Murphy, Trish, Phish, Raines, Davis, Smith, Mindy, Stollenwerck, Samantha, Van Zandt, J.T., White, Jason, Williams, Holly, Musical Styles, Country, Rock BMI will host a singer/songwriter stage at the 3rd Annual Austin City Limits Music Festival, to be held September 17-19 in Austin's Zilker Park (2100 Barton Springs Road). Writers featured on this year's expanded stage will include J.T. Van Zandt, Samantha Stollenwerck, Marc Broussard, Jason White, Kacy Crowley, the Honorary Title, Davis Raines, Bobby Bare, Jr., Monte Montgomery, Willie Mason, Trish Murphy, Papa Mali, Deadman, Holly Williams, and the Greencards.

Other BMI artists performing throughout the three-day music fest include Sheryl Crow, the Pixies, American Analog Set, Phish's Trey Anastasio, Endochine, Pat Green, Reckless Kelly, Solomon Burke, Cake, Ryan Adams, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Mindy Smith, Rosanne Cash and My Morning Jacket.

The ACL Festival focuses on alternative country and roots music and will present more than 130 bands on eight stages over three days. The Festival takes its name from the award-winning PBS series that has been showcasing live music for almost 30 years. Produced by Capital Sports & Entertainment, this year's stage sponsors also include SBC, HEB, Heineken, Cingular Wireless, Austin Ventures LP, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Bank of America.

BMI Singer/Songwriter Stage Schedule:

Friday, September 17
11:30-12:00 Kacy Crowley
1:10-1:50 Willy Mason
3:10-3:50 Marc Broussard
5:10-5:50 The Honorary Title
7:10-7:50 J.T. Van Zandt

J.T. Van Zandt	Willy Mason	Marc Broussard

Kacy Crowley	The Honorary Title

Saturday, September 18
11:30-12:00 The Greencards
1:10-1:50 Deadman
3:10-3:50 Trish Murphy
5:10-5:50 Holly Williams
7:10-7:50 Monte Montgomery

Jason White	Deadman

Monte Montgomery	Trish Murphy	Holly Williams

Sunday, September 19
11:20-11:50 Davis Raines
12:55-1:35 Samantha Stollenwerck
2:40-3:20 Papa Mali
4:40-5:20 Bobby Bare, Jr.
6:40-7:20 Jason White

Davis Raines	Samantha Stollenwerck	Papa Mali

Bobby Bare, Jr.	The Greencards