While a film or TV show’s casting director is tasked with finding the right actors for a given role, those of us who create and represent songs have the job of identifying the ideal artists for our songs. Whether you are a songwriter pitching your own material or a music… Read more...
In this issue: What’s Hot—and What’s Not In Songwriting Industry Leader Kara DioGuardi: A Born Mentor Piano Virtuoso Arthur Hanlon Finds Magic in the Music BMI Celebrates its 2021 Film, TV & Visual Media Awards Plus much, much… Read more...
While most of the world met Kara DioGuardi during her stint as a guest judge on “American Idol,” she’s been working in the industry for decades as a songwriter, producer, and performer, collaborating with artists like Miley Cyrus, P!nk, Carrie Underwood, and Jason Derulo. Drawing from her seemingly endless well… Read more...
BMI teamed up with HospitalityMaine and longtime BMI licensing customer, The Front Porch Restaurant & Piano Bar, recently (12/11) to sponsor a unique charity event at the Ogunquit, Maine landmark to benefit “Inspired Nation,” a youth-oriented non-profit started by BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year Kara DioGuardi. The event, dubbed… Read more...
Sometimes, playing it safe is the most dangerous thing we can do. This is especially applicable when our goal is to write songs that rise above the competition; songs that become artists’ signature songs; and songs that impact audiences and propel artists to a next level. We need to find… Read more...
Producing hit songs requires as much technical know-how as the ability to let one’s head fly above the clouds, so to speak, and if there’s any producer who can legitimately claim to have mastered both skills, it’s Howard Benson. A onetime aerospace engineer, Benson has become a go-to producer for… Read more...
At the beginning of my career, I had a song go on hold for a female country music star whose singles regularly went to #1. The head of her record label said my song was a “must-cut” situation, and I was faced with a daunting decision: should I buy a… Read more...
The 2018 Beasley Media Group General Managers meeting featured an intimate one on one conversation with BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year Kara DioGuardi. The annual gathering of managers from the Naples-based radio company took place recently (8/24) in Boston, where WKLB-FM midday personality Carolyn Kruse spent time chatting with… Read more...
When it was suggested I write about songs that are fun to sing, the jukebox in my brain instantly thought of “The Name Game” (recorded by Shirley Ellis, written by Lincoln Chase and Shirley Elliston). Anyone of a certain age remembers plugging his or her name into the… Read more...
BMI Songwriter of the Year Kara DioGuardi was the featured entertainer at “The Toast,” the annual reception held in conjunction with the New England Food Show. The event, which is a joint venture between the Massachusetts Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association was held on February 25, at The… Read more...
