Hanging with Songwriters

My good friend and Chapter Coordinator of the newly minted Nashville Songwriters Association International Ft Myers group, Mike King, invited me to cover their November meeting. On tap as a guest speaker was Gary Hannan, a staple of the Nashville music scene. Several talented songwriters performed music they are working on, and the evening culminated in Gary performing his well known songs for the group, including his #1 song, "Tequila makes her clothes fall off".

Mike King introducing the next performer

Folks came from all over SWFL to have their songs evaluated

 

Standing room only

 

My role there was to write a story or press release for the group for Nashville publications. This is the more detailed version;

 

The Nashville Songwriter’s Association International recently chartered a Southwest Florida chapter based in Ft Myers, and Chapter Coordintor, Nashville Recording Artist Michael King, has been busy booking guest speakers for their monthly meetings. November’s meeting featured well known Nashville Songwriter Gary Hannan who penned Joe Nichols #1 hit Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off, as well as several songs on Blake Shelton’s 2013 multi-platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated, ACA and CMA-winning Album of the Year, “Based on a True Story”. It was standing room only at the event held in North Ft Myers and was open to the public.

Hannan offered advice for up and coming songwriters and offered individual sessions for one on one focused mentoring. “This is indicative of the quality of the guest speakers we intend on having at our meetings”, King said. Chapter members can also look forward to instructional meetings and evaluations of their work by professional Nashville songwriters. “First and foremost, we help each other with song evaluation. The Association has a support system to assist with evaluation and protection of songwriter’s rights. We teach through seminars and mentoring sessions and help with the song pitching process in Nashville”.

After several members performed songs they were working on for the group, Gary Hannan took a turn at the microphone. He talked about growing up in then violent Rhodesia and how he began putting his feelings on paper. As he told stories about his eventful and interesting life, each story would lead to a song inspired by experience, like the melodic and soulful “John Roby”, a tune he wrote about his best friend and soldier who was killed in action during the Rhodesian Bush War. He performed several of his other songs, including “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” for the group before answering questions. “The NSAI is one of the few resources available to songwriters who don’t reside in Nashville”, Hannan said. “It provides them a lifeline to the industry, I really advocate people to join”.

For more information on the NSAI Ft Myers Chapter, check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NSAIFtMyers, or email Chapter Coordinator Michael King at michaelrking73@gmail.com.