SOLO ADDS MUSIC INDUSTRY CONFERENCE TO SONGWRITERS WORKSHOP & FESTIVAL
(Lafayette, LA — May 13, 2019) Lafayette will host more than fifty songwriters for the second annual South Louisiana Songwriters Festival and Workshop (SOLO) May 21-26, 2019. What makes SOLO unique is that it celebrates the process of songwriting. SOLO blends a 4 day songwriters workshop with a public facing festival, allowing artists to perform the songs they have written during the workshop.
This year, organizers have added a music industry conference. This allows SOLO to broaden its reach by providing educational and professional development to the community and beyond.
“This has always been one of our goals,” explains Mark Falgout, SOLO co-founder. “We are going to offer professional development, emphasizing the importance of intellectual property, song rights, and other tools that will allow songwriters to build sustainable income to support themselves and their families. Ultimately SOLO aims to help songwriters expand both their creative legacy and their financial security.”
May 24 & 25 SOLO will welcome panelists from London, New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, Austin, New Orleans, and more. Registration is open at www.solosongwriters.com, student pricing is available, and all are invited to attend. The conference, held at Warehouse 535, will appeal to both aspiring artists and the region’s established professional musicians. SOLO is pleased to be able to offer access to all of these informative and educational panels for only $99.
FRIDAY, MAY 24
8AM-9AM REGISTRATION
9AM-10AM Opening remarks from Mayor-President Joel Robideaux and CREATE Lafayette, representatives from the Buddy Holly Educational Foundation, Louisiana Entertainment, and Lafayette Economic Development Authority.
10AM-11:15AM HOW TO PROMOTE YOURSELF IN THE NEW INDUSTRY MODEL Matt Hanks, Shore Fire Media (Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Carole King, Cyndi Lauper) and Glenn Dicker, founder of Yep Rok Records (Nick Lowe, Jim Lauderdale, Mandolin Orange)
Moderated by Aileen Bennett.
11:45AM-1PM MAKING A GREAT RECORD: MAKING THE MOST OUT OF STUDIO TIME Garry Tallent (E Street Band), Justing Tocket (Dockside Studio), Sean Ardoin (Grammy nominee).
Moderated by CC Adcock (Producer).
1:30PM-3PM WHO’S GOT YOUR BACK? WHAT MANAGERS DO AND LOOK FOR IN ARTISTS Chris Kasa (UROK- Jade Bird, Liam Gallagher), Reid Martin (Midcitizen Entertainment - Big Freedia, Sweet Crude, Tank and the Bangas), Ed Gerrard (Impact Artist-Gipsy Kings, Amy Helm).
Moderated by Reid Wick
3:15PM-3:45PM SONGPLUGGING: HELPING SONGWRITERS PITCH THEIR SONGS Jacee Badeaux (Big Yellow Dog Music - Jesse James Decker, Meghan Trainor Josh Kear). Followed by one-on-one opportunity for songwriters to speak directly to Jacee Badeaux.
Moderated by Scott Durbin.
4PM-5:30PM THE ART OF SONGWRITING Rusty Tabor (Earl Bud Lee Publishing-Friends in Low Places), Gary Larsen (Royal Teeth), and Bob Holbrook (Holbrook Multimedia).
Moderated by Reid Wick
SATURDAY, MAY 25
9AM-10AM REGISTRATION
10AM-11:15AM NAVIGATING NASHVILLE: FROM GETTING DISCOVERED TO LANDING A RECORD DEAL WITH BIG MACHINE LABEL GROUP (TAYLOR SWIFT, SHERYL CROW, FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE, LADY ANTEBELLUM) Eric Smith and Payton Smith discuss their journey as a father/son-manager/artist duo navigating the music industry in Nashville.
Moderated by Aileen Bennett.
11:45AM-1PM GETTING IN SYNC - HOW ARTISTS AND MUSIC SUPERVISORS WORK TOGETHER TO GET MUSIC IN TV, FILM , VIDEO GAMES, AND COMMERCIALS Jamie N Commons (Orange is the New Black, Battlefield Hardline, Beats by Dre) and Ed Gerrard (Impact Artist- Scream, The Princess and the Frog, The Big Lebowski).
Moderated by Scott Durbin.
1:30PM-3PM ANATOMY OF MUSIC COPYRIGHTS AND PUBLISHING INCOME: HOW TO PROTECT AND MONETIZE SONGS Steve Lowy (Attorney, Managing shareholder of Isaacman, Kaufman, Painter, Lowy & Zucker P. C. in Los Angeles), Edgar D Gankendorff (Provosty & Gankendorff, LLC-New Orleans), and Stephen Easley (Attorney, Song Research & Recovery Services, LLC and Counsel to the Buddy Holly Educational Foundation, Austin TX).
Moderated by Aileen Bennett
Attendees of the conference will also gain admission to SOLO’s Weekend Festival and SOLO Sessions, the world premiere performance of SOLO-created songs.
IN GREAT COMPANY
SOLO Fest opens with a rare Louisiana performance by the legendary Nick Lowe on May 22nd and continues with Songs Over Style, an evening of original songs performed by a stylistically diverse collection of artists from South Louisiana — and across the pond (Sonny Landreth, Jon Cleary, Quintron +Miss Pussycat, Mary Gauthier, Cupid, Jamie N Commons, and CC Adcock) on May 23rd. The Weekend festival closes SOLO with over fifty unique and often spontaneous performances in various formats (rounds, song shares, group shows, etc.)
Tickets for Opening Night with Nick Lowe, Songs Over Style and the Weekend Festival can all be purchased at www.solosongwriters.com.
ABOUT SOLO
SOLO’s goal is to bring writers together to find inspiration not only from each other, but also from the rich, soulful and authentic vibe that is South Louisiana. Its purpose is to bring artists, music lovers, and industry professionals together to ignite Lafayette’s creative scene - to make Lafayette known not only for its heritage, but also for its deep pool of musical talent, engineers and studios, all capable of inspiring and creating music that is relevant now and into the future. The event is presenting in part by the generous support for the CREATE initiative, the Buddy Holly Educational Foundation, Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission, BMG and many public and private sponsors.
ABOUT CREATE
CREATE is an initiative of Mayor-President Joel Robideaux to improve quality of life, drive our creative economy, and stimulate investment in Lafayette Parish. Representing Culture, Recreation, Entertainment, Arts, Tourism, and Economy, CREATE is a parish-wide multi-year effort that will provide high-quality cultural and recreational experiences for residents and visitors; develop creative infrastructure, educate and inspire the next generation of creative thinkers to build our workforce and retain talent; promote and strengthen Lafayette’s creative assets'; and ensure robust support systems are in place to drive sector growth, capture return on investment and ensure sustainability. A partial rededication of the Public Health mileage was passed by Lafayette Parish voters to provide $500,000 annually to support the cultural economy through the CREATE initiative. More information is available at www.createlafayette.la.
ABOUT THE BUDDY HOLLY EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation is a 503(c)(3) charitable corporation founded by Peter Bradley, Senior and Maria Elena Holly to honor the music, life, legacy and dreams of Maria Elena’s late husband Buddy Holly. The mission of the Foundation is to honor Buddy Holly’s tremendous legacy and to fulfill Buddy’s and Maria Elena’s dream of extending musical education, including songwriting, production, arranging, orchestration, and performance education to new generations regardless of creed, ethnicity or income level. In this way, the Foundation wants to empower a new generation to follow in Buddy’s footsteps and remind them of his heritage. For further detailed information on the Foundation, please visit: www.tbhef.org.
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For more information:
SOLO Contact: Mark Falgout
Email: solo@solosongwriters.com
Phone: 337-344-4441