About

The Texas Heritage Songwriters’ Association, in collaboration with Texas-born singer-songwriter Jack Ingram and The ASCAP Foundation, announced the 3rd Annual Texas Songwriter U (TxSU) discovery and development program. Panelists joining its 2016 workshop include American country music singer-songwriter, musician and music producer Radney Foster, and Liz Rose, American country music songwriter best known for her work with Taylor Swift.

Texas Songwriter U is an annual songwriting competition, educational workshop and showcase event serving to identify, develop and support the best adult songwriters in Texas, while improving upon the quality and quantity of professional songwriting across our state. The program will return to Austin, October 26th – October 28th, 2016.

Texas Songwriter U now accepts application of all lyrical, musical genres into its 2016 competition. Songwriters have until midnight, Sunday, September 11th, to submit two songs via upload to TexasSongwriterU.com. 

This year's Texas Songwriter U winner will be awarded the following: 

• An opportunity to co-write one song with Jack Ingram, and Liz Rose
• An opening for Jack Ingram at a concert or music festival of his choice, travel expenses paid.
• A performance at the 2017 MJM (Mack, Jack & McConaughey) charity after-pick party
• A recording studio demo session at The Compound Studio in Austin, Texas, or a TxSU-approved studio near the artist's location, valued at $1,500.00.

“Texas has always produced more than its fair share of excellent songwriters over the years and many of them have moved on to make significant contributions to the music industry,” says Texas Heritage Songwriters’ Association board member Michelle Johnson. “We are proud to be partnered up with Jack Ingram and ASCAP Foundation, working together to discover excellent young songwriters while keeping the art and craft of songwriting alive and well across the entire Texas music community.”

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and either have been born in Texas or currently reside within the state. Applicants can hold a current publishing agreement and TxSU will accept both self-published and co-written songs. A $25 processing fee is required of all contest applicants. The structure for judging individual songwriting talent will rely on industry professionals blindly rating each song. 

Of special note, each applicant shall be entered into a raffle whereby one name will be drawn during the workshop and awarded a new Gibson Acoustic guitar, signed by Jack Ingram and Friends.

On Monday, September 26th, Texas Songwriter U will award its top eight finalists with an invitation to Austin, October 26th – October 28th. Here, finalists will participate in a two-day songwriting workshop and showcase performance led by award-winning songwriters Radney Foster and Liz Rose, and moderated by Jack Ingram.

Event Details

• Date: Now through September 11
• Website: http://texassongwriteru.com/

Ticket Information

• Cost: $25 Processing Fee

Presenter Details

• Name: Texas Songwriter U

WHAT IS TEXAS SONGWRITER U?

With the goal of keeping the art and craft of songwriting alive and well in the great state of Texas, the Texas Heritage Songwriters Association has collaborated with Jack Ingram and the ASCAP Foundation to form the TEXAS SONGWRITER U. We are in constant search of the next Great Young Songwriter.

TxSU is an educational program and songwriting competition which serves to identify the best young adult songwriters in Texas, while improving upon the quality and quantity of professional songwriting across our state.