The Songwriter's Beat - Feel the Music! Song Contest was launched in May, 2010 to provide an opportunity for performing songwriters and to raise funding for the NYC nonprofit Feel the Music!. The contest was so successful in its debut year that plans are to make this an annual Song Contest.

PRIZES: Martin Guitar ($1000), a Kala Ukelele ($750), a Shure Microphone ($250), a prix fixe dinner for two at the renowned Cornelia Street Cafe, plus top three winners perform their winning songs at the 2010 Songwriter's Beat Festival!

JUDGES: Ashford & Simpson, Mike Barbiero, Ted Perlman, Mike Thorne, Steve Addabbo, Joel Jaffe, Harvey Goldberg, Ann Ruckert.

SPONSORS: The ASCAP Foundation, Martin Guitars, Kala Ukelele, Shure, Cornelia Street Cafe.

BENEFIT: All song submission fees support the nonprofit Feel the Music!. Each song submission fee will help bring music where its needed most - to children, families and adults impacted by trauma, loss or illness.

FESTIVAL: The 6th annual Songwriter's Beat Festival takes place Thursday July 22, Friday July 23 and Saturday 24, 2010 at The Cornelia Street Cafe. The top three winners will each perform their winning song on one of the three festival nights. Confirmed Festival performers include Felicia Collins, Martha Redbone, Tabitha Fair, Keith Fluitt, Rob Morsberger, Bertha Hope & Monica Hope, Peter Calo and more, including our multi-talented festival producers. See performance schedule below.

The Songwriter's Beat Festival and Song Contest is produced by acclaimed NYC performing singer-songwriters Valerie Ghent, Deni Bonet, Deborah Berg and Ann Klein whose collective credits include: Ashford & Simpson, Cyndi Lauper, Deborah Harry, Nina Simone, Sarah McLachlan, REM, Joan Osborne, Ani DiFranco, Black 47 and many, many more.

Songwriter's Beat - Feel the Music! Song Contest Rules:

• All song submissions must be sent through sonicbids.com/songwritersbeat


• Multiple song submissions are welcome.


• All entries must be submitted by June 28, 2010 at 11:59pm EST.


• Categories include: A Capella, Acoustic, Alternative, Americana, Bluegrass, Blues, Country, Folk, Funk, Gospel, Jam Band, Jazz, Latin, Pop, Reggae, Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Soul, Urban/R+B, and World.


• Entry fees: $10 for the first song, $5 for each additional song. Song submission fees go to support the nonprofit Feel the Music!.


• All songs will be screened by a Songwriter's Beat listening committee who will select the finalists, the finalists' songs then sent on to the judges who will select the winners. Songs are evaluated for originality, melody, lyric, composition, performance and song structure. (Performance is evaluated because one of the contest prizes is a performance slot at The Songwriter's Beat Festival for three winners to perform their winning songs.)


• Participating songwriters acknowledge that submitted songs may be distributed to the judges who will select the winners.


• Participating songwriters will be asked for permission that in the event their song is a semi-finalist, finalist or winner, The Songwriter's Beat may announce via email, post on The Songwriter's Beat website and facebook page and include links to these songs.


• All submissions must be original songs written by the person submitting the song. Songs may have co-writers but only one co-writer may submit the same song.


• Entered songs must not infringe on any existing copyrights of third parties. By submitting a song to this contest, entrant agrees to indemnify and hold The Songwriter's Beat harmless from and against any claims arising from copyright issues.


• Copyright of any song submitted is retained by the person who submitted the song.


• Winners will be notified by July 14, 2010 and announced shortly thereafter. The Songwriter's Beat will make all reasonable effort to announce winners on the designated date but will not be liable for any unforeseen delays.


• Prizes must be collected in person or by a designated representative. The Songwriter's Beat can not ship prizes to winners. Winners are solely responsible to pay any necessary taxes associated with prizes.


• Participating songwriters agree to release, indemnify and hold The Songwriter's Beat, its sponsors and judges harmless for liability, damages or claims for injury or loss to any person or property relating to, whole or in part, directly or indirectly, participation in The Songwriter's Beat - Feel the Music! Song Contest.