The Oklahoma Film + Music Office (OF+MO) is proud to sponsor the third annual Oklahoma Songwriters Festival, taking place on Saturday, April 14, at Tower Theatre in Oklahoma City’s Uptown district.
Performances and educational panels will be presented by songwriting industry veterans, including Bob Dipiero, member of the Songwriter Hall of Fame who has written 15 U.S. number one hits for the likes of Reba McEntire, Vince Gill and George Strait among others; Travis Hill (a.k.a. Scooter Carusoe), founder of Carnival Music Company and writer of hit songs performed by Kenny Chesney and Darius Rucker; Jaret Reddick, Bowling for Soup front man and voice-over phenomenon for “Phineas and Ferb” and Chuck-E-Cheese; and Zac Maloy, festival founder and Ada, Oklahoma native and lead singer for The Nixons who has written with Blake Shelton and co-wrote Carrie Underwood’s number one song, “Temporary Home”.
The 2018 festival will include a daytime Songwriting Camp presented by OF+MO on Saturday, April 14, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Tower Theatre. Free to the public, the camp will include an interactive panel discussion and Q&A session with the songwriters. Attendees will learn secrets to successful songwriting and gain insight into aspects of publishing, licensing and the music business, as the songwriters breakdown the specifics of how they wrote their chart-topping hits. During the camp, there will be a drawing to win a private lunch and mentor session with Zac Maloy immediately following the camp.
Later that day, the festival will host The Songwriter Showcase at 7:00 p.m. at Tower Theatre. Using a format frequently used in Nashville, this “writer round” presentation will allow the audience the opportunity to hear high-quality, original songs and listen as their creators tell the stories of how they were formed. Local Oklahoma artists will also perform. This is a ticketed event with a VIP option available, which includes preferred seating and the opportunity to attend a meet-and-greet with the artists before the show. Ticket prices range from $18 – $40.
“This event is like having a handful of songwriters in your living room, talking about how we wrote each song then performing that song live,” says festival Founder Zac Maloy. “As songwriters, we enjoy the interaction with the crowd and are excited to be back in Oklahoma City. As a native Oklahoman, it’s especially gratifying to see how the Oklahoma music scene continues to grow and thrive.”
“Oklahoma has long been known for our talented songwriters, and we are thrilled that this year’s showcase will open with performances from some of our local Oklahoma writers, including two artists that were chosen by an open call hosted by OF+MO,” states Lindsey Flowers, OF+MO Deputy Director of Music.
To see a schedule of events or purchase tickets for the Songwriter Showcase, visit oklahomasongwritersfestival.com.
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About Oklahoma Film + Music Office
Created in 1979, The Oklahoma Film + Music Office (OF+MO) strives to share all that Oklahoma has to offer by welcoming filmmakers and music professionals to the state and by creating a network of support to develop Oklahoma’s film and music industries. For more information about the Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program or the Oklahoma Film + Music Office please visit okfilmmusic.org.