Songdoor 2006 International Songwriting Competition to Offer Online Submissions August 15; Marc-Alan Barnette Added to Judge Roster

NASHVILLE, TENN., USA - The SongDoor 2006 International Songwriting Competition will start accepting online submissions August 15.

In keeping with their philosophy of providing no-strings, affordable opportunities for songwriters to get their music heard, SongDoor management has opted to develop the web feature in-house vs. contracting it to an online submission site. SongDoor president Tony Zotta explains: “We didn’t want people having to sign up for memberships in order to enter their songs, or have to raise our entry fees to cover the cost of contracting it out, so we decided to do it in-house. This lets us keep the entry fee at $10, which is something we feel really strongly about doing.” Entrants will be able to complete the entire entry process online with no additional fees or obligation.

In other news, SongDoor announced the addition of prominent Nashville songwriter and performer Marc-Alan Barnette to its judging roster. Barnette (cousin of country-music founder Jimmie Rogers and self-described writer of “in-your-face-country/soul”) is a well-known fixture on the Nashville scene. He’s had cuts with Shelby Lynne, John Berry and David Ball, has opened for Garth Brooks, Patty Loveless and Ricochet and is the developer of dozens of nationwide seminars and workshops designed to educate songwriters about the intricacies of the music business. The energetic, charismatic Barnette also conducts the very popular "Nashville Songwriters Tours," a customized one-day (or more) excursion into a behind-the-scenes look at Music City. For more information, visit http://www.marcalanbarnette.com.

About SongDoor

SongDoor is an annual event designed by songwriters, for songwriters. All entrants receive a free self-paced songwriting course from SongU.com, worth about $40, plus a free professional evaluation of their songs. The Grand Award winner will receive approximately US $3,000 in music merchandise and services, including a fully-produced, private-session demo at Jay’s Place, a Music Row institution that has recorded Garth Brooks, Gretchen Wilson, Lonestar, Chet Atkins and many, many more. Category Winners also receive a valuable package of songwriter’s tools. The competition is open to amateur and professional songwriters worldwide. Entries are accepted through November 15, 2006.

Judges include seasoned music industry producers, artists and engineers who have worked with/for such artists as Britney Spears, Neil Young, Jimmy Buffett, Garth Brooks, *NSYNC, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind & Fire, Kenny Rogers, Tony Bennett, The Allman Brothers and The Marshall Tucker Band.

Complete information is available at http://www.songdoor.com.

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