Nashville Songwriters Association International
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The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) is a 501(c) not-for-profit
trade organization A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry. An industry trade association partic ...
that works to help
songwriter A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music ...
s in three ways: through legislative advocacy, through
education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...
and advice about the actual craft of
songwriting A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music gen ...
, and through teaching about the music industry, and how to best position a song for success within it. They own the Bluebird Cafe.


Overview

The organization is the world's largest not-for-profit songwriters trade association. Established in 1967, with former singer-songwriter
Lorene Mann Lorene Mann (born Lillian Lorene Mann; January 4, 1937 – May 24, 2013) was an American country music singer and songwriter. She is known for her duets with Justin Tubb and Archie Campbell. Biography Mann was born January 4, 1937, in Huntland ...
as a co-founder, the membership of more than 5,000 active and pro members spans the United States and six other countries. NSAI is dedicated to protecting the rights of and serving aspiring and professional songwriters in all genres of music. NSAI established "Songwriters Caucuses" in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate. In Congress, a "caucus" is a group of like-minded lawmakers who share a philosophical pre-disposition to support an issue. When NSAI has an issue before Congress, they have caucus members who will assist by co-sponsoring legislation, allowing songwriters to testify, and using the power of their offices and the media to represent the songwriter view.


History

Up to 1960s, Nashville's songwriting community consisted of only a few dozen writers who received little credit for their achievements and whose royalty compensation was small, largely because of an antiquated copyright law. Additionally, outside of the then-existing performing rights societies ASCAP, BMI and SESAC, songwriter recognition was virtually non-existent. In November 1967, over lunch at Ireland's Restaurant in Nashville, Eddie Miller (a 1975 inductee into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and founding member of the
Academy of Country Music The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller (songwriter), Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris ...
in Hollywood) encouraged fellow songwriters Buddy Mize and
Bill Brock William Emerson Brock III (November 23, 1930 – March 25, 2021) was an American Republican politician who served in both chambers of the United States Congress from 1963 to 1977 and later in the United States Cabinet from 1981 to 1987. He was ...
to begin an association for writers in Nashville. Mize and Brock loved the idea, and all three set out to make it happen. Within a month, Eddie, Buddy and Bill were conducting the group's first organizational meeting at the Old Professional's Club on
Music Row Music Row is a historic district located southwest of downtown Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Widely considered the heart of Nashville's entertainment industry, Music Row has also become a metonymous nickname for the music industry as a w ...
. The meeting attracted some 40 songwriters, including Liz and Casey Anderson ("The Fugitive"),
Felice and Boudleaux Bryant Felice Bryant (born Matilda Genevieve Scaduto; August 7, 1925 – April 22, 2003) and Diadorius Boudleaux Bryant (; February 13, 1920 – June 25, 1987) were an Americans, American husband-and-wife country music and pop songwriting team. They ...
("Wake Up Little Susie"),
Kris Kristofferson Kristoffer Kristofferson (born June 22, 1936) is a retired American singer, songwriter and actor. Among his songwriting credits are " Me and Bobby McGee", " For the Good Times", " Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and " Help Me Make It Through the ...
("Me And Bobby McGee") and Marijohn Wilkin ("One Day At A Time"). These 40 became the founding membership of NSAI and began spending countless hours around Marijohn's kitchen table brainstorming, discussing and refining ideas. Within a year, the Nashville Songwriters Association was chartered by the state of Tennessee as a not-for-profit trade association, and from that moment, NSAI went on by helping to revise antiquated copyright laws and to establish new intellectual property protection in the digital age, by establishing a network of over 90 songwriter workshops to provide local instruction at home and abroad, and by conducting several educational conferences and awards shows each year. The NSAI has since grown into 4,500+ members. The association today promotes awareness of songwriters' cultural contributions (through events such as
Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival The Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival is an annual festival of songwriters in Nashville, Tennessee. It was established by the 4,000-member Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) in 1993. The festival is typically a five-day sess ...
), champions the legal rights of professional songwriters and helps develop the abilities of aspiring songwriters. Though based in Nashville, NSAI represents all musical genres and includes songwriters from across the United States and overseas.


Federal court cases

''Eldred vs. Ashcroft'' — NSAI filed an "amicus brief" with the United States Supreme Court in a case that determined how long you and your heirs will own your copyrights. NSAI was the only songwriter organization to meet with the Justice Department attorneys, arguing the case on behalf of copyright owners. NSAI songwriter and Constitutional scholar
Peter McCann Peter James McCann (March 6, 1948 – January 26, 2023) was an American songwriter, musician, lecturer, and songwriters' activist. He was known for writing successful pop-rock and country songs, including his 1977 solo hit " Do You Wanna Make Lov ...
researched the diaries of founding father James Madison. Madison authored Section 1, Article 8 of the United States Constitution that says: "Congress may grant, for a 'limited time', to authors and composers…" At issue was the definition of "limited time." McCann found that Madison intended for his own diaries to be published after his death by his family, for profit. This compelling argument influenced the Supreme Court's decision in favor of copyright owners and their heirs.


See also

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Barbershop Harmony Society The Barbershop Harmony Society, legally and historically named the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc. (SPEBSQSA), is the first of several organizations to promote and preserve barbershop ...
*
Magdalene program Magdalene is a recovery program in Nashville, Tennessee for women who have histories of substance abuse and prostitution. It was founded in 1996 by Becca Stevens, an Episcopal priest and the current chaplain of Saint Augustine's Chapel at Vanderbi ...
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The Salvation Army Nashville Area Command The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestant church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. The organisation reports a worldwide membership of over 1.7million, comprising soldiers, officers and adherents col ...
*
Nashville Children's Theatre Nashville Children's Theatre (NCT) is one of the oldest continually operating professional children's theatre company in America. It is a member of the Theatre for Young Audiences, the ASSITEJ, and is affiliated with the Actors' Equity Associatio ...
(NCT) is the oldest professional children's theatre company in America, p. 1.


References


External links

* {{Official website Organizations based in Nashville, Tennessee Non-profit organizations based in Tennessee Music industry associations Music organizations based in the United States