Songwriter Associations For Michigan, Minnesota, And Mississippi

Michigan

Detroit Chapter NSAI. Coordinator: Terri Senecal. 586-493-7643. 49 Macomb Place, Suite 15, Mount Clemens, MI, 48043. e-mail: [email protected]. Senecal, who was the former head of the Metro Detroit Songwriters Association, is now launching this Detroit Chapter of NSAI.

Battle Creek NSAI Workshop. Coordinator: James Oliver. 616-789-2874. e-mail: [email protected]. Please contact James Oliver for more information.

Grand Rapids Songwriter Alliance (GRSA). Contact: Tim Perry. 616-307-8609. E-mail: [email protected]. This organization was founded 14 years ago as an informal group that meets the second Wednesday of each month at the Story Cafe, 444 Leonard St., Grand Rapids, MI from 6:30 pm to 9 pm. Songwriters of all genres are encouraged to attend and play two of their original songs (or 10 minutes). This is mostly an acoustic guitar group, but we also accommodate any instruments that can be lugged into the Cafe. We do monthly songwriting assignments and peer critiques (upon request). We usually play at Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts as an organization every June. Website

Minnesota

Minnesota Association Of Songwriters (MAS). President: Wayne Hamilton. P.O. Box 4262, St. Paul, MN, 55106. The Minnesota Association of Songwriters is a volunteer, member supported, nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the songwriting skills of its members through seminars, workshops, music critiques, and showcases. MAS meets twice monthly, on the second Tuesday in Minneapolis and on the last Wednesday in St. Paul. Details at Website

Minneapolis/St. Paul NSAI Chapter. Coordinator: David Werhane. 651-459-5531. E-mail: [email protected]. This group holds its meetings the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 7:00 pm, in downtown St. Paul at the Music Tech on the corner of 10th St. and Cedar. Website

Minnesota Association of Christian Songwriters (MACS). President: John Bennett. MACS is a non-profit organization that supports local Christian artists. They have monthly meetings and promote the talents of Christian songwriters. Over the years MACS has helped many songwriters, listened and evaluated over 2000 songs written by Minnesota Christians, hosted numerous songwriter concerts, brought many people together in recording studios to record their music, released 4 compilation albums, and has begun a thriving Christian networking community with a new Website.

Mississippi

Mississippi Songwriters Association. Founder and Director: David Cox. 704 Northwest Avenue, Durant, MS 39063. E-mail: [email protected]. The purpose of the MSA is to create a network for the composer/writer/performer throughout Mississippi, and, to establish a meeting place in each county of the state where songwriters can attend workshops and showcase their material statewide. The MSA welcomes and encourages musical diversity. This is a member-supported association. Website

Missouri

Songwriters Circle Of Kansas City. Songwriters Circle Of Kansas City. Contact David Hakan, Founder at 816-363-1917, e-mail: [email protected], or to 8646 Chestnut Circle, #2, Kansas City, MO 64131. This is an artist coop of performing singer/songwriters who perform using a unique “campfire” style similar to “in the round” performances. The Circle, founded in 1992, also puts out a song challenge once a month to keep the group writing. The Circle also hosts an annual song contest at the Heartland Folks Fest.This group, which meets twice per month, strives to support and assist original songwriting and songwriters in the greater Kansas City area. Website

St. Louis NSAI Chapter. Co-Coordinators: Donna Opfer, [email protected] and Curtis Griffin, [email protected] for all-genre meetings. Candy Eagle, [email protected], is coordinator for the Christian-focused NSAI group (although all genres are welcomed). The all-genre group has monthly meetings on the 2nd Monday of the month and the Christian-focused group meets on the 4th Monday of the month. Meeting agenda includes 1) song coaching, in which attendees provide feedback on songs played live or previously recorded, and 2) discussions/lessons on songwriting craft/business topics,or a guest speaker. You may attend as a guest before you join.

Montana

Western Montana Regional NSAI Workshop. Regional Workshop Coordinator: Mardi Milligan, 406-542-9258. You can send mail to Western Montana NSAI, PO Box 17137, Missoula, MT 59808. E-mail: [email protected]. This regional workshop meets once a month in conjunction with webcasts on NSAI and monthly lesson plans from the pros. Meetings are 50/50 lesson plans and peer evaluations.

Nebraska

Nebraska 2 Nashville, Regional NSAI Workshop. Chairman: Robert DeBusk, 402-450-1057. You can send mail to Western Montana NSAI, PO Box 17137, Missoula, MT 59808. E-mail: [email protected]. Nebraska 2 Nashville meets the third Saturday of every month at the Waverly SportsPage in Waverly, Neb. (13631 Energy Way), 1-4 p.m. or 2-5 p.m. Website