Song of the Year Award
Honoring Rachel Thibodeau

"Good Directions"
Writers: Rachel Thibodeau
Publishers: Castle Street Music and Dan Hodges Music

Rachel Thibodeau grew up in the small town of Elk River, Minnesota, where at a young age she began singing, playing piano and writing songs. She attended college at St. Cloud State University, singing radio jingles to pay her way through school. On a whim, she entered the Minnesota State Fair talent competition, singing one of her own songs. After winning the competition in front of a crowd of 15,000, she was approached by one of the judges, Paul Moore of William Morris Agency in Nashville. Paul told her that she should strongly consider moving to Nashville, since he believed she had all of the elements to make a career in Music City. It didn't take much convincing; Rachel took the $1,500 she won from the contest, loaded up her 95 Escort and headed South!

10 years later, Rachel is a staff writer at Murrah Music, right on Music Row where she always dreamed of driving each day to write. She's had songs recorded by many artists, including the 3 week #1 "Good Directions" recorded by Billy Currington. Also, "Love Land" and "I'll Still Be Me" recorded by Martina McBride for her current cd "Waking Up Laughing," and "Then There's Me" recorded by Sony Australia artist Diana Corcoran which shot to #1 on the video chart and #4 on the singles chart. Marie Osmond recently recorded "I Can Do This," a song Rachel penned on her own. In 2007 Rachel co-wrote a song with Grammy Award winning composer producer David Foster and his daughter Amy Foster (writer of "Home" recorded by Micheal Buble). That song, "We Can Build Anything," was the closing song for a nationally televised TV special in Toronto, Canada in early June 2007.

Most recently, Rachel Thibodeau has signed a publishing deal with Little Champion Music. Thibodeau is the first writer to join the company, which was formed this year by Martina and John McBride. You can hear Rachel's songs, view photos, and learn more by visiting her website at www.myspace.com/RachelThibodeau






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