Music City Songwriting Competition

In July, the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau (NCVB) launched the inaugural “Music City Songwriting Competition” with partners Phil Vassar, XM Satellite Radio, Jack Daniel’s, GAC, Southwest Airlines, Universal Records South, The Music Group International, f.y.e., American Songwriter magazine and the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.

The response to the songwriting competition was overwhelming, with almost 2,000 people submitting entries before the Aug. 31 deadline.

The entries were narrowed down to 25 for judging by a panel of top music industry professionals including: Universal Records South recording artist Phil Vassar, Grammy winning songwriter Tim Nichols, ASCAP’s Mike Sistad, music publisher Barbara Orbison, Universal Records South A&R Executive Cliff Audretch, III and Nashville CVB President, Butch Spyridon. Each song was judged based on melody, composition, originality, lyrics and commercial appeal.

The winning song titled “All is Right With Me” was written by Alex Alberti of Miami, FL. Alberti was flown to Music City to perform on tonight’s edition of “Music City Connection: Heroes Behind the Hits,” a monthly radio show recorded and produced by the Nashville CVB and broadcast exclusively on XM Satellite Radio.

In addition, Alberti will have a recording of his song produced by renowned Nashville producer and Universal Records South President Mark Wright and published by The Music Group International. American Songwriter magazine will also include a mention of the winner in the November-December issue. Transportation and hotel accommodations at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel have also been provided to Alberti.

Phil Vassar

Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, Phil Vassar grew up with a mother who stayed at home caring for him and his two younger sisters, and a father who was a singer that enjoyed local and regional success, performing in a restaurant he owned and at outside venues. Although intrigued by music as a child, Vassar's interests leaned more towards playing ball. In high school, he began running track which helped him land an athletic scholarship to James Madison University.

Vassar arrived in Nashville in 1987. He found a furnished apartment outside of town, got a job bartending to pay the rent and began knocking on the doors of Music Row. He saved his money and, in 1995, bought the restaurant and club where he had been performing. A patron of the club asked Vassar to send him a tape of a couple of his songs. He sent a demo that included "Once in a While.” The song became his first cut when the patron's father, Engelbert Humperdinck, recorded it.

Suddenly, things began to surge for Vassar. He began writing with well-known Nashville songwriters that would frequent his club to perform. That attracted music industry professionals, including publishing executive Greg Hill. Hill eventually signed Vassar to a publishing deal with EMI. Penning hits for Alan Jackson ("Right on the Money"), Collin Raye ("Little Red Rodeo"), Tim McGraw ("For a Little While" and "My Next Thirty Years") and Jo Dee Messina ("I'm Alright" and "Bye, Bye"), Vassar was named ASCAP's songwriter of the year in 1999.

Vassar landed a solo deal with Arista Records and released his self-titled debut album in 2000. The album's first single, the up-tempo "Carlene," broke into the Top 5 on the Billboard country singles chart. The follow-up, "Just Another Day in Paradise," became Vassar's first No. 1 hit as a performer. Just three weeks later, McGraw's "My Next Thirty Years" claimed the top spot. Vassar's second album, American Child, arrived in 2002. His third, Shaken Not Stirred, led to the No. 1 hit, "In a Real Love," in 2004.

Vassar recently took a creative step by signing with newly restructured Universal Records South. Vassar’s first Universal Records South single, “This Is My Life,” hit the radio airwaves in May and his forthcoming album, “Prayer Of A Common Man” is set for release this fall.

Tom Douglas

Tom grew up in Atlanta, graduated from Oglethorpe University and received an MBA from Georgia State. In 1980, he moved to Nashville to pitch songs for Lowery Music and pursue a career in songwriting. He had little success, but he did make a friend in the Nashville music industry who would later change his life. After four years of frustration he moved to Dallas and sold real estate there.

"I never thought I'd ever come back to Nashville," he recalls. "I was loving my life and my family in Dallas. But without the pressure of having to succeed at it, I was enjoying songwriting more than ever -- just for the love of it. I joined the Dallas Songwriters' Association, read some books about songwriting. I was not a professional songwriter, I was a fan and a lover of music.

In the summer of 1993, Tom attended a songwriting seminar in Austin. In the morning he played his song ' Little Rock' for several publishers, but they were not impressed. However, that afternoon he saw his old friend from Nashville, Paul Worley. Paul thought Tom had turned the corner as a songwriter and took some of his songs back to Nashville with him, including “ Little Rock.”

SONY/ATV signed Tom as a staff writer and in June, 1994 ' Little Rock' became a number 1 hit for Collin Raye -- and Tom Douglas. Some of Tom’s other cuts include four more by Collin Raye and “The Gift ” by Jim Brickman, which was #1 on the Adult Contemporary Charts for five weeks. In addition, Tom has had his songs recorded by Martina McBride (“Love’s The Only House ”) Brooks and Dunn, Trisha Yearwood, Garth Brooks and the #1 hit for Tim McGraw (“Grown Men Don’t Cry ”). Tom and co-writer Brett Beavers also wrote the first single, title cut from Lee Ann Womack’s album, “Something Worth Leaving Behind. ”

Tom brought his family back to Nashville in March of 1997. His wife Katie is a Nashville native so she's thrilled to be back; their three children, he says, have adjusted nicely, and as for his new life in the world of Music Row, Tom declares, "I appreciate my opportunity more the second time around."

Tim Ryan

Tim started playing music with his grandfather at the age of four. Over the years, together they both played throughout Western Montana at every event imaginable.

Growing up on the flatland Indian Reservation in the Rocky Mountains, the days were filled with hard work and each night with music. Tim played in bands throughout high school and actually got to play lead guitar for a few shows with Tex Williams at age 14.

While attending the University of Montana on a football scholarship, Tim continued as lead singer and lead guitar in a local band. The band went on to win many competitions throughout the Northwest including Battle of the Bands contests.

After finishing college, Tim and his wife Peggy left for Nashville, not knowing what would lie ahead. Within three months of arriving, Tim landed a publishing deal with Buddy Killen at Tree Publishing. Two weeks later Tim signed a record deal with Epic/CBS. Tim’s first single, “Let’s Dance in Circles” became one of the most played songs on Texas radio and was a national hit.

Months later Tim signed on with Warner/Warner Western. Tim wrote or co-wrote all the songs for the award winning album titled “Tried True and Tested.” Tim won “Song of the Year” for the western and folk genre with “Golden Harvest.” The song was also “Song of the Year” for the Farm Journal. Rolling Stone magazine called the album a great work of art. Cowboy and Indian magazine gave the album high praise, but to no avail, Warner Western folded its tent tree weeks later.

For the past 20 years, Tim has written songs recorded by today’s top entertainers. He focused and persevered greatly the last few years, writing strictly for other artists. Tim co-wrote the number one smash hit “Last Day of My Life” with Phil Vassar. The song will receive the 2007 ASCAP Award. Tim also co-wrote two songs on the platinum-selling, award-winning George Strait album “Somewhere Down Texas.”

Tim’s songs have been recorded by George Strait, Phil Vassar, Deana Carter, Randy Travis, Trisha Yearwood, Trick Pony, Don Edwards, Red Stegal and many others. Tim currently has several songs coming out this fall with Phil Vassar, George Strait, Trick Pony and others.

Alex Alberti Music City Songwriting Contest Winner

In a highly competitive and often hyper-critical world of popular music, finding a young musician with enough substance to impress his peers is easier said than done. Having that same artist be able to effectively bridge the gap between musically relevant and commercially appealing is even less likely – enter Alex Alberti. The 29-year old singer, songwriter and producer from Miami, FL possesses a soulfully fluid voice that echoes the stylings of his musical heroes: Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire and Brian McKnight. Alberti has harnessed the knowledge gained as a classically trained instrumentalist and coupled it with the informal student of soul music since childhood, thus creating a unique brand that exudes refinement.

Having earned the respect of major industry figures, Aleberti’s list of accolades is not filled with the fluff and self-rightousness that you would expect to find in an up-and-coming artist’s arsenal of promotional material. As is always the case, Alberti’s focus is on quality – something that has been proven through his invitations to collaborate with acclaimed songwriter and producer Veit Renn, (Backstreet Boys, N’Sync) celebrated powerhouse singer and actress Jennifer Hudson, (American Idol, Dreamgirls) and his recognition by Billboard Magazine as one of the top 14 artists in the Southeast U.S., a distinction that earned him a spot on the Disc Makers Independent Music World Series compilation album which released 10,000 copies nationwide in 2006.

The above qualities have never been more apparent than in Alberti’s debut album, “Two Sides to Every Story.” This is an album that celebrates sensuality, the wash of emotions that accompanies love and relationships and the continual journey of self-improvement.

Divided into two vibes, listeners will notice the presence of slickly produced pop/R&B songs like “All is Right with Me” and “Betrayed” which embody Alberti’s skill at contemporary pop/urban writing production and performance. The remaining songs reflect a more organic approach to recording, one that exists through the exclusive use of live instrumentation which transports listeners to a time when jazz, soul, R&B and pop music melded seamlessly together and flooded their ears with one unique and unforgettable sound.