San Diego NSAI Workshop Events
The San Diego NSAI Regional Workshop holds regular monthly meetings the fourth Monday of the month from 7:30-10:00pm at the homes of San Diego regional workshop coordinators Liz Axford (coordinator 1992-present) in Del Mar, CA and Bob Duffy (coordinator 2005-present) in Poway, CA, alternating locations every other month. We do writing exercises supplied by the NSAI office in Nashville, as well as group song critiques. We do quarterly songwriter showcases at The Hot Java Cafe.
We also host special event seminars with pro-songwriters, artists, authors, and other music industry guests.
To join NSAI or be put on the mailing lists (e-mail and snail mail), contact San Diego NSAI Workshop Coordinator Liz Axford at EAxford@aol.com or call Liz at (619)884-1401 and leave a message.
We look forward to meeting you and seeing you at our events!
For current event listings, please see above.
Our guests have included:
Charles David Alexander (1994 National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion)
Danny Arena and Sara Light of www.SongU.com (Virtual Guests!) ("Home to You" by John Michael Montgomery, Tony Award nominated songwriters for their songs in the Broadway production of Urban Cowboy)
Elizabeth C. Axford (Author of "Song Sheets to Software - A Guide to Print Music, Software, and Web Sites for Musicians")
Marc-Alan Barnette ("Rescue Me" by John Berry, cuts by Shelby Lynne and others, mentor to all the NSAI regional workshops)
Rick Beresford ("If Drinkin' Don't Kill Me, Her Memory Will" by George Jones, "Harmony" by John Conlee)
Dave Berg (#1 "Moments" by Emerson Drive, #1 "Somebody" by Reba McEntire, #1's "If You're Going Through Hell" and "These Are My People" by Rodney Atkins, CMA Song of the Year nominated "Stupid Boy" by Keith Urban, "Don't Make Me" by Blake Shelton, "What Kind Of Gone" by Chris Cagle)
Ed Berghoff ("Cowboy Bill" by Garth Brooks)
Jason Blume ("Back to Your Heart" by The Backstreet Boys, "Dear Diary" by Britney Spears, "Change My Mind" by John Berry, five Collin Raye cuts, and author of "Six Steps to Songwriting Success")
Joann and John Braheny (Author of "The Craft and Business of Songwriting")
Jan Buckingham ("Cleopatra, Queen of Denial" by Pam Tillis)
Chuck Cannon (Past NSAI President, Chuck's song credits include: "American Soldier" #1 - Toby Keith (4 weeks); "I Love the Way You Love Me" #1 Country - John Michael Montgomery (3 weeks), ACM Song of the Year, #2 UK chart - Boyzone, BMI 2 Million - Air award; "How Do You Like Me Now?" #1 (5 weeks) - Toby Keith; "Dreamwalkin'" #1 - Toby Keith; "We Were In Love" #1 - Toby Keith)
Kerry Chater and Lynn Gillespie Chater (Adopt-a-Shop pro mentors for San Diego, founding member of Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, #1's "You Look So Good in Love" by George Strait and "I.O.U." by Lee Greenwood, Jessica Andrews cut, and many, many others)
Kim Copeland and Susan Tucker (Songwriters, author and publisher of "The Soul of a Writer," "The Secrets to Songwriting Success," and "The Songwriters Connection" e-zine and more)
Mary Coppin (Grand Prize winner of the 1999 John Lennon Songwriting Contest)
A.J. Croce (Singer/Songwriter, son of Jim Croce)
Eddie Cunningham ("The Miracle Song" sung by Ben E. King in the movie "Made in America," "The Gram Parsons Notebook," Grand Prize Jim Beam Country Band Search)
John Dawes (Co-author with Tim Sweeney of "The Complete Guide to Internet Promotion for Musicians, Artists and Songwriters")
Don Dunn (Songs recorded by Joe Cocker and bluegrass artists)
Mary Francis ("Tonight the Heartache's on Me" by The Dixie Chicks, "Whiskey, If You Were a Woman" by Highway 101)
James Grey (Singer/Songwriter, Independent Artist)
Dave Howard (Singer/Songwriter, Independent Artist)
Jon Ims ("She's in Love with the Boy" by Trisha Yearwood, "Falling Out of Love" by Reba McEntire)
Jai Josefs (author of "Writing Music for Hit Songs" with numerous film/TV credits)
Craig Lackey (LA NSAI Workshop Coordinator)
Donna Michael (Former NSAI Regional Workshops Director, New Age Artist)
Nancy Moran ("Four Bitchin' Babes," Co-Author "The Songwriter's Survival Kit," SongU.com Faculty Member)
Penny Nichols (Grammy-nominated vocal arranger and coach and sponsor of Camp SummerSongs)
Devon O'Day (#1 hit by George Strait, Lee Ann Womack single, WSIX Radio Nashville)
Pamela Phillips Oland ("Nobody Loves Me Like You Do" by Anne Murray and Whitney Houston, 350 songs recorded and/or placed in film/TV projects, author of "The Art of Writing Great Lyrics" and "The Art of Writing Love Songs")
Kim McLean ("Elisabeth" by Billy Gillman, singles by Tim McGraw and Lee Ann Womack, Dove Award recipient)
Harriet Schock ("Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady" by Helen Reddy and author of "Becoming Remarkable")
Warren Sellers (Singer/Songwriter, Independent Artist)
Steve Seskin ("Grown Men Don't Cry" by Tim McGraw, "Life's a Dance" by John Michael Montgomery, "I Think About You" by Collin Raye and many more)
Randy Sharp ("Cheap Seats" by Alabama, "You Will" by Patty Loveless)
Lee Silber (Author of "Self Promotion for the Creative Person," "Time Management for the Creative Person," and "Career Management for the Creative Person")
Gordy Thomas (Songwriter, Showcase Organizer, CCMA Vocalist of the Year)
Tim Thompson (Nashville-Based Fingerstyle Guitarist and Session Player - www.timthompsonguitar.com)
Jerry Vandiver (#2 "For a Little While" by Tim McGraw, "Athens Grease" by Phil Vasser, #5 "Don?t Waste It On the Blues" by Gene Watson, Co-Author of "Your First Cut")
Brian Austin Whitney (Just Plain Folks)
Alex Del Zoppo ("In a Rainbow" and more by Sweetwater, the first band to perform live at the original 1969 Woodstock and subject of the first ever VH-1 made-for-TV movie in August, 1999)
We have hosted showcases featuring many talented San Diego singer/songwriters, including:
Across the Room
Alyssa Jacey
Bill Farkas
Bob Duffy
Bobo Czarnowski
Brad Cahill
Bridget Brigitte
Bruce Betts
Calman Hart
Catherine Beeks
Celia Lawley
Carlos Omeda
Charly Ott
D.R. Auten
D'Vora Gittleson
Dani Carroll
Derick Duplessie
Diane Waters
Eclipse
Eddie Cunningham
Eric Burton
Gary Rold
Geoff Hanson
Harriot Berholtz
Jeff Berkley
Jeff Lizerbram
Jessica Treat
Jim Beggs
Joan Kurland
Joe Rathburn
John Bosley
John Katchur
Johnny Pacifica
Judy Calem
Kris Stone
Lisa Chaddock
Marc-Alan Barnette
Mary James
Mary Lyn Bates
Matthew Stewart
Mermaids Journey
Mike Nelson
Paul Kamanski
Peggy Watson
Sketch
Skyler Day
Stephen Clark
The Bakers
Tracey James and Vance Marino
and many others!