Canadian Country Music Association, SOCAN present song camp

Story by Howard Druckman, with files from/avec Melissa Cameron-Passley | Tuesday February 19th, 2019

Patricia Conroy

Patricia Conroy

SOCAN partnered with The Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) to present the inaugural CCMA Song Camp, from Jan. 27 to Feb. 2, 2019, at The Beachcomber resort at Las Canas, in The Dominican Republic. The week-long camp gathered 15 country music songwriters and producers, aiming to create a collection of radio-ready songs.

Once again, SOCAN helped to provide a unique, powerful opportunity to help our members develop their co-writing skills, and grow their business worldwide. The isolated location allowed participants to break free from their day-to-day routines and distractions, and offered them access to unique collaborative experiences they might not otherwise have. Participants ranged from longtime country stars like Patricia Conroy, to professional songwriters like Kelly Archer and Tebey, to fast-rising talents like Lindsay Ell, to producers like Karen Kosowski and Colin Munroe.

Each morning at 10:00 a.m., the participants received their group assignments – which changed daily – then spent the full day and evening writing songs in those groups. Each night at 10;00 p.m., the entire camp would gather to listen to the playback of the songs created that day. The writers quickly bonded, as they co-wrote in 12-hour workdays.

Colin Munroe

Jeff Johnson

“What an incredible week,” said participating singer-songwriter Meghan Patrick. “Amazing songs were written, creative comfort zones were pushed… Thank you to the CCMA and SOCAN for putting together such an great week… I definitely foresee future hits coming from this.”

“You guys did an amazing job,” said participating singer-songwriter Dan Davidson. “Thanks for all the hard work setting this up, and all the effort making it fun and easy for everyone – it didn’t go unnoticed! Thank you so much for including me this week. I felt I got some really great co-writes, strengthened some contacts, and made some new buds. Feeling pretty lucky to be involved! It’s nice to know we have people like you guys on our side.”

“The song camp experience is totally unique,” said SOCAN Director, A&R, Rodney Murphy. “Watching the writers grow from the first day to the last, and connecting them with new co-writers to create songs together, is a tremendously satisfying experience. We’re thrilled to have worked with the CCMA on their first Country Music Song Camp, and enjoy our mutual passion to foster music creators’ growth.”

SOCAN No. 1 Song Awards: Meghan Patrick, Tebey, Lindsay Ell, Kelly Archer

SOCAN No. 1 Song Awards (L-R): Meghan Patrick, Tebey, Lindsay Ell, Kelly Archer

We presented three SOCAN No. 1 Song Awards to four writers attending the camp, after the final listening session, as follows:

  • To Lindsay Ell, for “Criminal”, performed by Ell, reaching No. 1 on the Nielsen BDS Country Airplay Chart, on April 9, 2018. The song is co-written by Chris Stevens (BMI) and Fred Wilhelm (BMI), and sub-published by Universal Music Publishing Canada, and BMG Rights Management Canada via Magic Mustang (BMI) and Lindsay Ell Music (BMI).
  • To Tebey, for “Who’s Gonna Love You”, performed by Tebey, reaching No. 1 on the same chart, on Nov. 19, 2018. The song is co-written by Ryan Lafferty (BMI), and published by BMG Rights Management Canada.
  • To both Meghan Patrick and Kelly Archer, for co-writing “Walls Come Down,” performed by Patrick, reaching No. 1 on the same chart, on Dec. 17, 2018. The song is also co-written by Mike Weaver, and co-published by Downtown Music Canada, Warner Chappell Music Canada Ltd., and ole Media Management .

Lindsay Ell is the first Canadian female artist to top both the Nielsen BDS and Mediabase Country airplay charts in 11 years. Ell and Meghan Patrick both scaling the peak of the Nielson chart marks the first time in 20 years that two Canadian female artists have accomplished that feat.

The CCMA Song Camp, facilitated by representatives from the CCMA and SOCAN, boasted a roster of some of Canada’s top country talent. Those attending were:

SONGWRITERS
Andrew Hyatt
Ben Stennis (BMI)
Dan Davidson
Emma-Lee
Kelly Archer
Lindsay Ell
Meghan Patrick
Mike Robins
Patricia Conroy
Tebey

PRODUCERS
Blake Bollinger (ASCAP)
Jeff Johnson
Karen Kosowski
Colin Munroe
Dave “Dwave” Thomson

FACILITATORS
Tracy Martin – CCMA President
Alannah Cruickshank – CCMA Head of Live Events + Artist Relations
Rodney Murphy – SOCAN Senior Director, A&R
Melissa Cameron-Passley – SOCAN A&R Representative

SOCAN is very pleased with the inspired creativity, fresh songs, and new working relationships that were developed at the CCMA Song Camp.

Photo by Brad Ardley

JUNO Nominee Interview: Splash’N Boots

Story by Howard Druckman | Tuesday February 19th, 2019

In a video interview with SOCAN, Splash’N Boots – for whom this is the sixth Children’s Album of the Year JUNO Award nomination, this time for You, Me and the Sea – briefly discuss their reaction, and co-writing and recording it with producer Alan Doyle, formerly of Great Big Sea.

SOCAN holds open house in new Los Angeles office

Story by Howard Druckman, with files from/avec Camille Mathews. | Friday February 15th, 2019

Erica Grayson, Darren Fung

L-R: Erica Grayson, Darren Fung

About 80 SOCAN members, member teams, key music industry personnel, and other colleagues in the music community came out to enjoy drinks and poutine at the new SOCAN Los Angeles Office on Feb. 4, 2019, for an open house mixer, organized around playing a connective game of “We’re Not Really Strangers.”

The crowd at the open house included a diverse array of member songwriters, composers, and producers, including screen composer Darren Fung; hip-hop/R&B producer FrancisGotHeat, and his manager Jai Huang, of EI Mgmt.; pop singer-songwriter FAANGS; multiple JUNO-winning producer/songwriter Brian West; R&B singer-songwriter/producer Sylo Nozra; producer/songwriter Brandon Delyzer; producer/songwriter Erik Alcock; publisher Kim Temple of Six Shooter Records; and longtime professional songwriter and recording artist Ian Janes.

Sylo Nozra and Erik Alcock hadn’t seen each other since the 2018 SOCAN Kenekt Song Camp in Nicaragua, and because of meeting again at the open house, planned to co-write together within a few days – which is exactly the sort of connection SOCAN aims to accomplish at its gatherings.

Racquel Villagante, FrancisGotHeat, Camille Mathews

L-R: Racquel Villagante, FrancisGotHeat, Camille Mathews

Attending the open house on behalf of SOCAN were Los Angeles-based Senior A&R Executive Erica Grayson; Los Angeles-based A&R Representative Camille Mathews; and Vancouver-based A&R Representative Racquel Villagante.