NASHVILLE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
LAUNCHES INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITING COMPETITION WITH PHIL VASSAR

NASHVILLE – MUSIC CITY – The Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau (NCVB)
is launching the “Music City Songwriting Competition” and will partner with
Phil Vassar, XM Satellite Radio, Jack Daniel’s, GAC, Southwest Airlines,
Universal Records South, The Music Group International, f.y.e., American
Songwriter magazine and Renaissance Nashville Hotel to make it all happen.

Entries will be narrowed down to the top 25 which will then be judged by a
panel of top names in the Nashville music industry, including Universal
Records South recording artist Phil Vassar, Grammy winning songwriter Tim
Nichols, ASCAP’s Mike Sistad, music publisher Barbara Orbison, Universal
Records South A&R Executive Cliff Audretch, III and Nashville CVB President,
Butch Spyridon. Judges will rate each song based on the following criteria:
melody, composition, originality, lyrics and, most importantly, commercial
appeal. Every person who enters the Music City Songwriting Competition will
receive one copy of Phil Vassar’s upcoming album “Prayer Of A Common Man.”
The 25 finalists will also receive a certificate of recognition and a Music
City gift bag.

The winning songwriter will be flown to Music City and have the opportunity
to perform their song on “Music City Connection: Heroes Behind the Hits,” a
monthly radio show recorded and produced by the Nashville CVB and broadcast
exclusively on XM Satellite Radio. That show will be hosted by Universal
Records South recording artist Phil Vassar. The winning songwriter will also
have their song published by The Music Group International and have a
recording of their song produced by renowned Nashville producer and
Universal Records South President, Mark Wright. American Songwriter magazine
will also include a mention of the winner in the November-December issue.
Transportation, hotel accommodations at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel and
complimentary admission to over 30 Nashville attractions are also included.

The competition will accept entries from July 1 – August 31, 2007 and is
open to amateur songwriters. Songs may be submitted on cassette tape, CD or
on line as an MP3 file. The fee for the first entry is $30 and additional
entries are $25.

For more information on the competition, a copy of the rules and regulations
or to enter a song please visit, www.visitmusiccity.com/songwriting

One of the most successful songwriters in Nashville, Phil Vassar recently
signed with Universal Records South and has released “This Is My Life,” the
chart-climbing single that rocks the country and tells it like it is and is
the first track to be released from his new upcoming album, “Prayer Of A
Common Man.” He has penned megahits for stars including Tim McGraw and Jo
Dee Messina before embarking on his own highly successful artist career. A
succession of chart-toppers including “Just Another Day In Paradise,” “In A
Real Love,” “American Child,” “Six-Pack Summer” and “Carlene” propelled his
album sales and have become staples of his high-energy, critically-acclaimed
live performances.

The mission of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau is to maximize the
economic contribution of the convention and tourism industry to the
community by developing and marketing Nashville as a premier destination.