ARI GOLD WINS TOP PRIZE AT 2007 USA SONGWRITING COMPETITION

Ari Gold Wins Top Prize At 2007 USA Songwriting Competition

Ari Gold, New York singer-songwriter won the Overall Grand Prize as well as the first prize in the Pop category at the 2007 USA Songwriting Competition with his song "Where the Music Takes You". He and his co-writers Joe Hogue & Sean Petersen wrote the song that topped the competition for 2007. Other winners include: Barry Privett (from rock group "Carbon Leaf"); Richmond, VA, Jules Anna Jones from De Witt, MI, David Francey (Canada), Miguel de Azcarate, Yani Helle & Sylvia Greif (France).

Here is the complete list of winners:

OVERALL GRAND PRIZE: Where The Music Takes You - Ari Gold, Joe Hogue & Sean Petersen; New York, NY.

OVERALL 2nd PRIZE: The War Was In Color - Barry Privett (Carbon Leaf); Richmond, VA

OVERALL 3rd PRIZE: Cliché - Jules Anna Jones; De Witt, MI

FIRST PRIZES IN 15 INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES

1st Prize Rock/Alternative

Cliché - Jules Anna Jones; De Witt, MI

1st Prize Country

I Can Live Without You - Mary Danna & Troy Verges; Minnetonka, MN

1st Prize Folk

Ballad of Bowser Macrae - David Francey; CANADA

1st Prize Pop

Where The Music Takes You - Ari Gold, Joe Hogue & Sean Petersen; New York, NY

1st Prize Dance/Electronica

Waking Up - Miguel de Azcarate, Yani Helle & Sylvia Greif (Milow), FRANCE

1st Prize R&B

No Place Like Home - Mark E. Robertson Jr, Michael McDonald & Leon Jones (Ahmir); Boston, MA

1st Prize Hip-Hop/Rap

Set It Free - Christopher Reynolds & Jonathan Reynolds (The Genetics); Allston, MA

1st Prize - Lyrics

The War Was In Color - Barry Privett (Carbon Leaf); Richmond, VA

1st Prize Gospel/Inspirational

Brighter Days - Ryan Shea Smith, Tyler Allen & Tony Williams; Seattle, WA

1st Prize Latin

Rompecabezas - Melany Moloney; Bogota, COLOMBIA

1st Prize - World

Fado Torto - Louis Simao; CANADA

1st Prize - Jazz

Isaac's Blues - Duane Andrews; St John¹s, CANADA

1st Prize Instrumental

Cella's Song - Eric Roberts; Highlands Ranch, CO

1st Prize Novelty/Comedy

Doer's Lament - Eric Colville; Ipswich, MA

1st Prize - Children

Up! - Steve Weeks; Colorado Springs, CO

20 HONORABLE MENTION AWARDS

Open Your Eyes - Tom Watson (Transparent); AUSTRALIA

Reckless - Marc Costanzo, Chin Injeti & Tebey; Toronto, CANADA

You Can't Hurt Me Now - Karen Taylor-Good, Jim Daddario & Tania Hancheroff; Nashville, TN

I Will Never Be The Same - Mary Sue Englund & Victoria Banks; Nashville, TN

We Stand on Common Ground - Shirley Eikhard; CANADA

Getting Over You Again - Tim Mathews & Josh Bernard; Nashville, TN

Like Salt - Helle Hansen; Copenhagen, DENMARK

Inside My Heart - Agatha Comia Obar, PHILIPPINES

Something Better - Craig Sheets (A True Story); Riverview, MI

Rosetta Stone - Noam Weinstein; New York, NY

Dying Daily - Simon Spire; Santa Monica, CA

Black & Blue - Jesse Terry & Scott Carter; Nashville, TN

You Say - Afiya "Fi-Fi" Bala; Oak, CA

Actin' Up - Erin Reed (PurpleRed); Grenada Hills, CA

Blackberrying - Ishita Rungta; Plantation, FL

Caminito - Raúl Sandoval (Canvas); Lauderhill, FL

i husinu okkar er thoka - Ingvi Thor Kormaksson & Kristin Omarsdottir (JJ Soul Band); ICELAND

I Should Have a Broken Heart - Jill Barnett; Sedona, AZ

You can do it! - Keren Alexander (Go Seek); AUSTRALIA

July Rendez-Vous - Shao Suan Low; SINGAPORE

Entries are currently being accepted for the 2008 Annual USA Songwriting Competition. Winning songs of the 2008 USA Songwriting Competition will receive airplay on a nationally syndicated radio program "Acoustic Café" as well as XM Satellite Radio. This is the first Songwriting Competition that gives airplay to the winning songs, giving deserving bands, songwriters the recognition and exposure they deserve. Entrants stand to win a grand prize of over US$50,000 in cash and music gear from Sony, Ibanez Guitars, Audio-Technica, IK Multi-Media and more, making this the largest prize package for any annual songwriting competition. Many USA Songwriting Competition winners in the past have received recording and publishing contracts, as well as having their songs placed on film and television. Judges include A&R managers from record labels such as Warner, Capitol Records, Universal, BMG/SONY Music.

Sponsors include Sony, Keyboard Magazine, Audio-Technica, Ibanez Guitars, D'Addario Strings, New Music Weekly, Sonicbids and IK Multimedia. Songs may be entered in 15 different categories including Pop, Rock/Alternative, R&B and Country. The competition is aimed at promoting excellence in the art of songwriting among writers, composers, bands, singer/songwriters and solo artists in an international forum. Entries are accepted from now through May 30, 2008.

For more information, visit: http://www.songwriting.net

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