SAMI, The Songwriter's Association of Mid-north Indiana, had a reason to celebrate this past weekend when it was announced that four of their members were finalists in the 2012 Blooming-Tunes Annual Song Contest. Neil McTavish took second place with the song, "Always On My Mind." Briagha McTavish, Bette Anderson, and Joe Peters were honorable mentions with their songs "Sick", "Life On My Own", and "Heaven and Earth" respectively. Briagha is Neil's daughter and songwriting partner. Bette Anderson is from Kokomo and a veteran member of SAMI. Joe Peters is the co-president of SAMI.
 

"I can't express how grateful I am. I couldn't have done it without SAMI because I wouldn't have even known about the contest without SAMI. SAMI is such a supportive group and we really work hard at making sure all in the group are aware of things like Blooming-Tunes." says McTavish. Joe Peters joked with Neil by telling him that he was in "good company," as he had won in 2009 with his song "Sail Away." SAMI member MJ Bishop was a co-winner with Joe's friend Bill Headley last year.
 

Blooming-Tunes was conceived by Suzette Weakley, a singer-songwriter based in Bloomington IN. She describes Blooming-Tunes as a Song Contest designed for Singer-Songwriters from the Midwest, who have visited the Midwest, who love the Midwest and/or who have Midwest connections. The judging panel includes professional writers typically based in Nashville TN, working musicians/songwriters, and non-musicians who have shown a true ability to support the art of Songwriting and music. The top four winners, of which Neil McTavish is one, will perform their song live at the historic Buskirk Chumley Theater in downtown Bloomington, IN on October 13, 2012. Neil says that he will not be performing, however. His daughter played piano and sang on the audition recording and she will perform the song with her sister and violinist Jinty McTavish, and friend Paige Clinkenbeard. "Trust me, you don't want to hear me sing this!" laughs Neil. Paige, a former Purduette, agreed to sing harmonies with Briagha and Jinty, even though she was going into "enemy territory!"
 

Last year's Blooming-Tunes headliner was Don Pedigo, Nashville Tennessee who hails from Southern Indiana. Prior year’s top talent included Jenny Devoe (Indiana based Singer/Songwriter - Commercial Songwriter), CJ Watson (National Award Winning Songwriter), Jeff Gilkinson (founder of 'The Dillards') Tirk Wilder (Nashville PRO writer - 'Eyes of a Texas Ranger'), Tim Grimm & Jan Lucas as well as Jason Wilbur (John Prine Band and radio personality 'In Search of A Song'). The top 15 submissions will be included on the 2nd Annual Blooming-Tunes Compilation CD.
 

SAMI welcomes all songwriters in the area to join them for their meetingsat 7:30 pm every 3rd Tuesday of the month in the basement at the Tippecanoe Arts Federation (Wells Community Center) at 638 North Street in Lafayette.
 

For more information:
 

Blooming-Tunes: http://www.blooming-tunes.com
 

More Blooming-Tunes info on Sonicbids:

http://www.sonicbids.com/Opportunity/OpportunityView.aspx?opportunity_id=107325

 

 

SAMI's own MJ Bishop set to perform at the

2012 Uptown Jazz & Blues Festival

Acoustic Jazz & Blues
A native daughter of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and a 30 year resident in Seattle, MJ recently moved to Nashville Tennessee to begin work on her fourth album. A highly acclaimed acoustic solo artist, MJ’s music is described as open-road longing folk Americana, and she has been rightfully compared to Emmylou Harris and Gillian Welch. Combining deep roots in acoustic music with a maturing country sensibility, MJ has fashioned a genre that has become her own.

MJ received top honors in the Blooming-Tunes songwriting competition for her song Up North, honorable mention from American Songwriter Magazine Lyric Contest for her song Hobo Dreams, honorable mention from Nashville Demo Studio Annual Songwriters Competition for her song This Way & That, and her latest CD, Pull of the Moon, was chosen as Notable Northwest Recording by Christine Linde, Americana Music Director, KBCS FM of Mid-North Indiana)

Visit MJ at
> www.mjbishopband.com/bishopdavidson.html

Get more information at
> http://www.jazz-blues.org/index.htm

SAMI to play all day at 2012 Riverfest!

Tapawingo Park West Lafayette, Saturday, July 14, 2012 9am-4pm

Join us on the banks of the Wabash River for a free, family-friendly celebration of one of the region’s greatest natural resources!

Music provided all day by SAMI and the Dulcimer Gathering!

Kids zone featuring free pony rides sponsored by Henry Poor Lumber, Columbia Park Zoo, a big bounce, and great kids activities! Canoe races hourly on the half hour throughout the day. An officially-timed 5K race sponsored by the Tippecanoe County Partnership for Water Quality. Unused medicine and personal care product drop off sponsored by Illinois Indiana Sea Grant and West Lafayette DARE. Join us for this great family-friendly event!

Riverfest 2012 SAMI performing schedule:

9:00am - Barrett Myers

9:30am - John Lacy

10:00am - Chase Cotten & Brandon Fulk

10:30am - Briagha McTavish

11:00am - Lee Anna Atwell

11:45 - Scott & Vicki Greeson

12:30 - Joe Peters

1:15 - Amanda Fletcher

2:00pm - Jordan Friend

SAMI Turns 20!

Dear SAMI Family,

This is the 20th Anniversary year of SAMI, and I am pleased to serve as your co-president.

We recently, on May 15th, concluded our 12th annual awards concert for the Shirley Martin Scholarship for Young Songwriters and Mike Lane Horizon Award.  If you were in attendance, or served on the judging committee, I am sure you will agree with me that this crop of kids was stellar in every sense of the word.

On May 19th, the second MindBoggling event was held at the Lily Nature Center at the Celery Bog in West Lafayette.  This year, SAMI partnered with the even organizers to write and perform songs inspired by the celery bog, and there were seven SAMI members who participated in one way or another with their songs and performances.  There is talk now about making SAMI a permanent partner in this endeavor to raise awareness and appreciation for this nature area. 

On June 16, no fewer than four SAMI members or scholarship recipients will play on one stage alone at the Taste of Tippecanoe, the largest musical festival in the county.

On July 14th, a number of SAMI members will perform at this year's Riverfest in Tapawingo Park, West Lafayette, from 9am to 4pm.  SAMI has been involved in providing music at this event on the river since its inception, and our presence has just grown stronger over the years.

On August 11, the city of Lafayette will host a Mosey Down Main Street for the Arts, and once again, with your help, SAMI will be out in force.  We will have a SAMI booth, with brochures about SAMI and SAMI's groupies (as we will be promoting our link to this fund raising dynamo), hands on song performances, both at the booth and on the stage, and encouraging applications to the scholarship.

On November 10, SAMI will host an all-day songwriting workshop and evening concert with hit Nashville writer Steve Seskin.  Those of us who have done workshops with Steve elsewhere know just how invaluable his skills and teaching abilities are, so we are fortunate to get him to Lafayette.

All in all, it's been a great year so far, and will continue to be so for SAMI and its members.  As host of Acoustic Blend, a radio program on WBAA, I have interviewed and had in-studio musical sessions with numerous SAMI members already this year, and the June 9th edition will feature yet another SAMI member.

So come on out to SAMI meetings and events, get involved if you are not already, and spread the word to other songwriters, especially the youth.

As SAMI turns 20, I for one am both humbled and honored by the accomplishments of the organization and its members.  I want to personally thank each and every one of you who have built this phenomenon, and who now keep the mojo going, two decades into this grand experiment.

In gratitude,

Joe Peters
Performing Songwriter

http://www.reverbnation.com/joepeters

Scholarship Awards Concert Tuesday, May 15th 7-8:30pm!

First Place Scholarship Winner:  Briagha McTavish, age 17, “Sick”
First Runner-Up:  Chase Cotten, age 18,  “Another Moment More”
Second Runner-Up:  Mark E. Smith, age 16, “Tonight”
Co-Horizon Award:  Erin Eldridge, age 17, “I Don’t Need More Sugar”
Co-Horizon Award:  Benjamin Douma, age 14, “This is Life”

 

Please join SAMI (Songwriters Association of Mid-north Indiana,) for the 12^th annual Shirley Martin Scholarship for Young Songwriters Awards Night on Tuesday, May 15^th at 7-8:30 pm at the Tippecanoe Arts Federation building, 638 North Street, Lafayette. The Scholarship targets songwriters age 14-19 that exhibit exceptional talent and ability. The top winners will be announced and celebrated with performances of their winning songs. This event is free and open to the public and refreshments will be served during the reception. 

"Like" us on Facebook to get announcements and updates throughout the year! 
Shirley-Martin-Scholarship-for-Young-Songwriters

Applications Are Now Being Accepted!

2012 Shirley Martin Scholarship for Young Songwriters

 “A scholarship for the advancement of young songwriters”

Who- The Songwriters Association of Mid-north Indiana (SAMI)

What- Currently accepting applications for the 2012 Shirley Martin Scholarship for Young Songwriters, which includes the special Mike Lane Horizon Award. This scholarship and award exists for the purpose of developing, recognizing and supporting area youth in the advancement of their songwriting skills.

Who Can Apply- Candidates must be between the ages of 14 and 19 at the time of application and be a permanent resident of one of the following Indiana counties to apply: Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Fountain, Howard, Jasper, Montgomery, Newton, Pulaski, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Warren and White.

When- Applications being accepted until April 6, 2011.

Winner Will Receive: 

1. $500 cash award to be applied toward the Shirley Martin Scholarship winner’s education, a musical instrument or other songwriting-supporting endeavor.  Other cash awards for runners-up and the Mike Lane Horizon Award.

2. Performance opportunities.

3. Local publicity.

How and Where to Apply:

Applications and instructions can be downloaded (click here) or write to:

The Tippecanoe Arts Federation

638 North Street

Lafayette, IN,  47901

 Distribution: Winners will be notified on or before May 4, 2011.

For additional information Email: cher_fletcher@yahoo.com

Next SAMI Meeting: Dec 20th

SAMI would like to invite you to the Dec 20^th meeting and annual holiday party at the TAF Fiddler’s Room.  Bring a snack or beverage to share and a ($5 or less) wrapped “White Elephant” gift if you would like to participate in the exchange.  The fun will begin at 7:30 pm with songs to share and stories to tell. We hope to see you there!!

Joel Mabus Concert & Songwriting Workshop

Songwriter's Association of Mid-North Indiana (SAMI)

presents

Joel Mabus Concert & Songwriting Workshop

Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

Concert 7-8pm

Workshop 8:30-10pm

Tippecanoe Arts Federation 638 North St, Lafayette, IN

Joel Mabus

"It's hard to imagine another artist on the folk scene who combines the same concise, deceptively understated, lyrical insight and sometimes devastating wit with such world-class instrumental prowess" 

~ Chris Rietz, MUSICHOUND FOLK, The Essential Album Guide

SAMI is proud to present nationally known folksinger, Joel Mabus, in concert on Tuesday, November 15, 2011 from 7-8pm. The concert will be held in the Fiddler’s Room (lower level) of the Tippecanoe Arts Federation, 638 North Street, Lafayette, IN and tickets are $10 per person (children 12 and under free), available at the door. After the concert Joel will offer a songwriting workshop from 8:30-10pm; cost of the workshop is $15 per person, or $20 for both the concert and the workshop (free to SAMI members who have paid 2011 dues).

Singer, songwriter and instrumentalist Joel Mabus is a maverick in the folk music world. He defies any easy pigeonhole. By turns, he picks a mountain banjo to accompany an ancient ballad, sings a witty song about modern life, plays a sweet Irish melody on guitar, swings a hot jazz number, and then reaches deep for a soulful expression of values in a troubled world. He tops it all with a fiddle tune or old Carter family song -- all skillfully blended into a seamless flow. One fan said “Its music from the heart that hits you right between the eyes.”

A mainstay on the folk circuit these past 30 years, Joel has 18 albums to his credit; the latest are Retold (2008) - new recordings of his early hits and The Joel Mabus Omnibus (2008) - a reissue of two early albums. He has performed in concert with such folk music stars as John Prine, Joan Baez and Tom Paxton, and has been featured at the top folk clubs and festivals, such as the Philadelphia Folk Festival and Vancouver Folk Festival.

Concert with Joel Mabus

When	Tuesday, November 15, 7:00 – 8:00pm
Where	Tippecanoe Arts Federation 638 North Street Lafayette, IN 47901 MAP
Description	SAMI will sponsor a concert by nationally known folksinger/musician Joel Mabus. Concert will be in the Indiana Fiddler’s Gathering Room at the Tippecanoe Arts Federation: $10 per person, kids 12 and under are free. For additional information: joedaiwarriors@yahoo.com

Songwriting Workshop with Joel Mabus

When	Tuesday, November 15, 8:30 – 10:00pm
Where	Tippecanoe Arts Federation 638 North Street Lafayette, IN 47901 MAP
Description	SAMI will sponsor a songwriting workshop by nationally known folksinger/musician Joel Mabus. The workshop costs $15 (attendance at both the concert & the workshop is only $20). Topics include Joel’s approach to writing, creativity and other aspects of songwriting. For additional information: joedaiwarriors@yahoo.com

N.B. Both the concert & workshop are free for SAMI members who have paid their 2011 dues.

Bio

Joel Mabus may be called a singer-songwriter, but he doesn't sound like one. He's the son of a 1930's old time fiddle champ and a banjo-pickin' farm girl. His performing career began in college during the Vietnam era, where he studied anthropology and literature by day and played coffeehouses by night. One critic writes, "Joel Mabus knows his way around the English language and American culture just as well as he knows his way around a fretboard.” Born in 1953 in the southern Illinois town of Belleville, Joel has recorded 20 solo albums of original and traditional music since his recording career started in 1978. For three years running, Mabus has been in the top 10 most played artists in the Folk Radio Charts for North America (folkradio.org) [The only other top 10 artists who share that 3-year distinction are Pete Seeger and Bob Dylan.] Joel's latest CD is 2011's American Anonymous, an album of traditional American folk songs. which has been garnering high praise from the critics. A one-off in the folk world, Mabus defies any easy pigeon-hole. His palette ranges from mountain banjo to jazz guitar -- from sensitive introspection to wicked satire. He's both picker & poet, and from coast to coast over the past 40 years this Midwesterner has brought audiences to their feet, wanting more.

Michael Longcor CD Release

With songs about soldiers, pirates, Vikings, motorcycles, and guys ogling women, it’s been said that Michael Longcor’s newest album Walking the Wilderness is “Manly Folk.” 

“There’s no denying it.   I’m a guy, and I tend to write from that point of view,” he says.  “I try to write songs that tell stories, and usually those stories are told by the little guys in the trenches, the ones who live and fight and make history one painful footstep at a time.  And when I say guys, it’s mostly men, but my songs are also about strong women.  And some of the songs are just for fun.” 

The new album’s songs deal with everything from love (“That’s Why This Is Not a Love Song”),  riding big motorcycles (“V-Twin Boogie”) the Columbia Shuttle disaster (“Shooting Star”), to kids who want to be threatening minions when they get older (“Flying Monkey”).  There’s even one about  trying to get respect while playing the banjo.   He also covers a creepy-yet-funny lullaby (Daniel Glasser’s “Close Your Eyes”).

 “I decided early on that this should be a local, Greater-Lafayette area project, and showcase some of this area’s remarkable talent.”  He enlisted the help of Echo Box’s Bartek Michael on lead guitar, classical violinist Allison Edberg, and bassist Lynn Colwell, a well-known performer in the local jazz scene,  supplying  the low end.  Paul Radecki, a regular with Dance Troupe Oasis and Ishtar, handled percussion.  The CD was recorded before a live studio audience and mixed and mastered at Jeff Anderson’s Sound Logic Studio, located just south of Lafayette.

Longcor has 13 other albums to his credit, primarily through small regional publishers such as Dodeka, located in the Chicago area and Firebird Arts and Music, based in Portland, Oregon.    His songs have won regional songwriting awards and have been featured on local NPR affiliate WBAA, and NPR’s nationally syndicated Folk Song Festival.   Some of Longcor’s quirkier music has appeared on the syndicated radio show, “Doctor Demento,”  and he has appeared onstage in live shows with the Good Doctor himself.  This CD marks Longcor’s first foray into producing.

“It’s the difference between being an architect and being the general contractor who’s building a house.  You’re suddenly responsible for getting everything to come together and look good, or in this case sound good.  Working with producers and engineers on previous CDs did give me an advantage in getting this one together.  I’m pleased with how this project turned out, and I think the people who helped contribute to the quality of the instrumental music and the recording have a big share in that.”

The Songwriters Association of Mid-north Indiana (SAMI) will hold a release party starting at 7PM Friday, August 19 in the Fiddler’s East Meeting Room at Tippecanoe Arts Federation, 638 North Street, Lafayette.  The event is free and open to the public.

Members of the Songwriters Association of Mid-north Indiana (SAMI) will perform on Saturday, July 9, in the Tapawingo band shelter from 9am to 4pm for the 2011 Riverfest celebration at Tapawingo Park, West Lafayette. The family-friendly event features a 5k foot race and voyageur canoe races all day long. The event is free and open to the public; however, donations to SAMI for its 2012 Shirley Martin Scholarship for Young Songwriters are appreciated. For more info: http://wabashriverfest.com/

Winners for Songwriting Scholarship Chosen!!!

SAMI has selected the winners for the 11^th annual Shirley Martin Scholarship for Young Songwriters this past week and wants to congratulate the winners. This year’s judges saw a record number of applications and stellar quality songs. The judging was both close and difficult with the winners all within a few points of each other. (Note the ties for both the Second Runner-up and the Horizon awards.)

Congratulations to:

First Place Scholarship Winner: Christina Shipley, age 19, Something Better

First Runner-Up: Justin Colwell, age 16, Ode to the Spectator

Co- Second Runner-Up: Chase Cotten, age 17, Yellow Daisy

Co-Second Runner-Up: Miguel Odron, age 16, Your Other Half

Co-Horizon Award: Shelby Plummer, age 17 Perfect

Co-Horizon Award: Hunter Rayne Taylor, age 15, Part of a Breaking Heart

The first place scholarship winner receives a $500.00 cash prize. There are additional perks for our top promising songwriters including cash awards, constructive feedback on their songs and opportunities to perform. The winners will be playing their songs and accepting their awards on Tuesday May 10^th, 7:00 pm at the TAF building, 638 North Street in downtown Lafayette. The event is free and SAMI would like to invite everyone to come and help us celebrate these amazing songwriters!