For Immediate Release: July 6, 2009
DBEDT Release News 09-19

HONOLULU--The "Harbor Lights Concert - The Songwriters Sing" featuring performances by award-winning songwriters from Nashville, Los Angeles and Hawai‘i will be held Friday, July 10, 2009 from 6:45 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. at the Waterfront Stage, Aloha Tower Marketplace. The event kicks off the 1st Annual Music & Entertainment Learning Experience (MELE) Songwriters Workshop. Tickets for the concert only are $20 and are available online at www.melesongwriters.org or at the door while they last.

The concert event will showcase the talents of Hawai‘i's singer-songwriters Brother Noland and Manu Boyd alongside performances by the songwriters who have penned hits for major artists including Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Trisha Yearwood, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, and LeAnn Rimes.

The MELE "workshop" is a three-day event that takes place from July 10-12, 2009 at Honolulu Community College, and features seminars, panels, one-on-one critiques and networking opportunities with local and national music industry professionals and successful songwriters in all genres - pop, urban, R&B, country, film/TV. The cost of three-day workshop is $125, with $25 off for Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts (HARA), National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) and American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) members.

"We believe this annual workshop will help nurture Hawai‘i's artistic community, especially talented amateur songwriters who can benefit from the structure and support from these experienced and successful songwriters," said Georja Skinner, chief officer, Creative Industries Division, Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. "Participants will learn about contracts, record label and publishing agreements, royalty structures, management, and what it takes to build a career in the 21st-century music industry."

Performers include:

Dennis Matkosky: A versatile virtuoso responsible for such iconic radio smash hits such as "Maniac," LeAnn Rimes' "I Need You," and Keith Urban's "You'll Think of Me." Matkosky has been in the Top 10 of the Billboard charts in the categories of Jazz, R&B, Adult Contemporary, Country, Rock, Pop, Christian and Gospel.

Adam Watts and Andy Dodd: The Disney songwriting/production duo whose songs and productions have been featured on albums that have sold over 40 million copies worldwide. Their diverse list of credits includes: Kelly Clarkson, Switchfoot, Jesse McCartney, Jeremy Camp, High School Musical 1, 2, and 3, Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus 1 and 2, Aly & AJ, The Cheetah Girls, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, The Jonas Brothers Live Concert and Camp Rock. Watts and Dodd are signed to an exclusive publishing deal with Disney Music Publishing.

Craig Wiseman: A celebrated talent whose credits include Tim McGraw's "Live Like You Were Dying," Kenny Chesney's "Summertime," Toby Keith's "Love Me If You Can" and most recently Faith Hill's "A Baby Changes Everything" and Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats." Other major recording acts who have recorded Wiseman's songs include Lonestar, Phil Vassar, LeAnn Rimes, Trisha Yearwood and Dolly Parton.

Brother Noland and Manu Boy: Leading Hawai‘i singer-songwriters performing with Halau o ke ‘A‘ali‘i Ku Makani.

The MELE Songwriters Workshop is presented by Honolulu Community College's Music & Entertainment Learning Experience (MELE) program, in association with the University of Hawai‘i Foundation, the American Society of Composers, Artists, and Publishers (ASCAP), the Creative Industries Division of the State of Hawai‘i, DBEDT, Outrigger Enterprises Group, and the Mountain Apple Company. For full details on the workshop or to register to attend, please go to www.melesongwriters.org.

For more information, contact:
Dave Young, DBEDT Communications
Phone: (808) 587-1212
Email: dyoung@dbedt.hawaii.gov