Barbara Cloyd
Hit Songwriter and Workshop Instructor
Barbara Cloyd's is far from being "new" to the music business. In 1983 she moved to Nashville, a town she had never been to before and where she didn't know anyone. Within a few days of arriving she knew she was home. Three years later she was hired to organize and run the Open Mic at the Bluebird Cafe, which was well on it's way to becoming the world-renowned songwriter's venue it is today. Her struggle to perfect her craft as a writer paid off in 1993 when she had the hit single "I Guess You Had to Be There" recorded by Lorrie Morgan.
Visit Barbara at www.barbaracloyd.com.

 

Dave Berg
Triple #1 Songwriter!
Over years of performing at and hosting writers nights in Nashville, Barbara's has served as a workshop moderator for the Nashville Songwriters Association and was the creator and host of the long-running Country Song Contest at Gibson Cafe which helped many writers make connections in the music industry. She has hosted popular writers nights at local venues such as Radio Cafe, The French Quarter and The Broken Spoke. Currently she books all the early shows at the Bluebird Cafe, writes a question/answer column for thestagehand.com, is a board member for the Frank Brown International Songwriters' Festiva, and a mentor for Just Plain Folks.

In 2001, in response to continual requests for help from developing writers, she founded a consultation service which she named "Ready for the Row." Through workshops, classes, recorded critiques and individual sessions she is helping new writers to develop their writing skills and navigate their way through the maze of the music business.

Because of her growing reputation for being able to spot talent there are many Nashville publishers eager to listen to writers she recommends. She secured initial appointments at Almo Irving Music for Bret Jones ("Better Man, Better Off," "Little Past Little Rock") and Anthony Smith (Mercury Recording Artist and writer of "Run," "I'm Trying" & "Didn't I") where both have both enjoyed significant success. The introductions she made for singer/songwriter Marcel after his performance on the Bluebird Cafe Open Mic opened Music Row doors for him the led to his artist deal on Mercury Records.

With over a half dozen singles racing up the charts in recent months, Cal IV songwriter Dave Berg has become one of Nashville’s hottest hit makers. His breakout run began in 2004 with his first #1 hit “Somebody” performed by Reba McEntire. In 2006, Dave celebrated a four-week number one for Rodney Atkins’ “If You’re Goin’ Through Hell (Before The Devil Even Knows).” This smash was honored as the R&R/Billboard Country Single of the Year for scoring the most airplay of any Country song for 2006 and was also nominated at the Billboard Music Awards for Single of the Year. Other current and recent singles include the Top 5 hit “Stupid Boy” recorded by Keith Urban, “Don’t Make Me” performed by Blake Shelton, “Moments” performed by Emerson Drive and Sarah Buxton’s debut single “Innocence.” Originally from Portland, Oregon, Dave moved to Nashville as his Ty Herndon single “I Want My Goodbye Back” became a Top 5 hit. Since then, Dave’s songs have been recorded by country music legends and rising stars alike, including Tracy Byrd, Ronnie Milsap, Terri Clark, The Warren Brothers, Lorrie Morgan, Katrina Elam, Jimmy Wayne, Bucky Covington, and Tracy Lawrence, to name a few. Dave has recently enjoyed international success ranging from a spot on the #1 album in Hungary to a major ad campaign for Chinese recording artist and movie star Aaron Kwok.

A successful independent artist in his own right, Dave has recorded two critically acclaimed albums Surface and Three Perfect Days. Visit Dave at: www.myspace.com/davebergmusic.

Sam and Annie Tate
2006 SESAC Songwriter of the Year
Sam and Annie Tate are one of the few successful husband and wife songwriting teams in Nashville. They write for Carnival Music, one of Nashville's "hottest" small publishers. They have had songs and hits with artists such as Randy Travis, Collin Raye, Gary Allen, Joe Nichols, Reba McIntyre, Mark Wills, Montgomery Gentry, Buddy Jewell, Ty Herndon, Kevin Sharp, Chely Wright, Sammy Kershaw, Chad Brock, Tommy Shane Steiner, Dan Baird, Chris Knight and others. They gave Chely her first hit single with the song "Shut Up and Drive" and were co-writers on Sammy Kershaw's recent top 40 hit, "I Want My Money Back". They penned the 2004 hit "Somebody" for Reba McEntire which topped the Billboard chart and was Reba’s 33rd number 1 song. This year gave the Tates their biggest hit to date. “If You’re Going Through Hell” spent four weeks at number one for Rodney Atkins.

Sam and Annie have also had songs in commercials, TV shows ("ER") and in the movies: "Miss Congeniality II" Sandra Bullock's latest, "Space Truckers" starring Dennis Hopper, "Black Dog" with Patrick Swayze and Randy Travis, and "The Big One" with Michael Moore." They have been awarded six gold records and three platinum records as well as many Sesac performance awards and a highly coveted Nashville Songwriters' Association Creativity Award.

Both Sam and Annie had successful performing careers before they met. Sam has been a staff songwriter in Nashville and Los Angeles since the age of 19, writing country music, commercial jingles and songs for TV and movies, including Cannonball Run, Simon and Simon and the Fall Guy. As an artist he was an opening act for the likes of John Prine, Buffy Saint-Marie and Steve Martin. Annie is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Stanford University graduate with a degree in psychology who has enough road band experience under her belt to qualify as a veteran. She traveled everywhere from Las Vegas to Alaska, but left the road to spend more time writing. It was a good decision. Annie's first demos (produced by Sam) landed her a record deal, a national Exxon commercial, a movie theme song and a wedding ring. Sam and Annie write about their experiences --- about loving and losing, about dreaming of something better and about border towns and all the colorful people who live there. Like Annie always says, "if you want to know us, listen to our songs." They have been partners in music and life now for 18 years.

Visit Same and Annie on MySpace at www.myspace.com/annietate!

Jason Matthews
Which is more amazing...the voice or the songs?
You can hear in every note and word that Patrick Jason Matthews was born to write songs. Following in the footsteps of great southern writers, Jason emotes songs as harmonic conversations on life. "If Faulkner needed a soundtrack, he'd ask Jason Matthews to write it," says Max Hutchinson of Valhalla Music Group. He mixes the traditional sounds of rock, gospel and country with his own melodic muse to create a sound all his own.

Born in Harrells Store, North Carolina, Matthews started writing songs at age fifteen, and the craft became his obsession. For his parents, however, he put his songwriting on hold and took a full scholarship to East Carolina University and earned a degree in English. At college, he established a fan base in the regional circuit, playing clubs up and down the coast of Carolina. WRFX disk jockey Macon in Charlotte (home of the John Boy and Billy show), became one of Jason's first fans and gave a demo tape to the legendary musical comedy team Pinkard and Bowden. After a call from Sandy Pinkard, he left Eastern North Carolina to be a roadie and songwriter for the comedy duo.

After a year on the road he settled in Nashville to see how he might fare amongst the greatest writers in the world. He's faring well. Many now tout him as a future Hall Of Famer, due to the critical and chart success of his ten singles in the past two years. Kevin Denney's "That's Just Jesse", Tammy Cochran's "Life Happened , James Otto's "The Ball," Dusty Drake's "One Last Time," Roxie Dean's "Remind Me," Julie Roberts "Break Down Here," and Billy Curringtons Number One smash "Must Be Doin' Something Right" have made Jason Matthews the go-to songwriter for career songs.

Visit Jason at www.patrickjasonmatthews.com or at www.myspace.com/patrickjasonmatthews!

Matt Ramsey
Meet the next #1 Songwriter in town!
We'll give you ONE hint. This guy writes for a brand new publishing company...and the owner is a MAJOR country music artist and songwriter! We are so excited to meet Matt, and we can't wait for you to hear him! Matt is a fresh new writer from Virginia that we stumbled across on MySpace. Amazed by his talent, we asked him where he writes. We were so excited to find out that he's a writer for a brand new publishing company - owned by one of our all time favorite songwriters. It's only a matter of time before Matt...and this company...score some MAJOR hits in country music. We knew Matt had to be a part of this workshop, and we're so excited to introduce you to the next #1 songwriter on Music Row.

Check out Matt at www.myspace.com/mattramseymusic!