June 30, 2004

W.C HANDY MUSIC FESTIVAL/SONGFEST 2004 MEANS GREAT R&B ROCK, COUNTRY AND GOLF IN NORTH ALABAMA

ASCAP JOINS WITH THE MUSIC PRESERVATION SOCIETY AND THE
MUSCLE SHOALS MUSIC ASSOCIATION TO PRESENT JULY MUSIC FESTIVAL

ASCAP (The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) will be joining with two of Alabama's leading music organizations -- The Music Preservation Society and The Muscle Shoals Music Association - in presenting the W.C. Handy Music Festival/Songfest 2004, a unique weeklong music festival (July 23 - July 31), which celebrates the very fertile musical ground of northern Alabama. Florence, Alabama was the birthplace of W.C. Handy (1873 - 1958), revered worldwide as "the Father of the Blues," and composer of the enduring classic, "St. Louis Blues," recorded by everyone from Bessie Smith to Chet Atkins to Leonard Bernstein. Just across the river is Muscle Shoals, the legendary Alabama music center where countless memorable sides were committed to tape by the likes of artists ranging from Percy Sledge, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Clarence Carter, Arthur Alexander, Tommy Roe, Otis Redding, Etta James and Bobby Blue Bland to Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, George Michael, Mac Davis, Rod Stewart, Bob Seger, Paul Simon, Joe Cocker and Willie Nelson, among many others. This year, Songfest is working in conjunction with the long-established W.C. Handy Music Festival.

W.C Handy/Songfest 2004 will feature educational seminars & panels, songwriters in the round as well as a golf tournament. In addition to the more than 200 W.C. Handy Music Festival events featuring jazz, blues and gospel, several Songfest events have been added as Songfest 2004. Highlights include:

Celebrity Golf Tournament on Tuesday, July 27, at Cypress Lakes in Muscle Shoals.
Concerts and events featuring Gary Baker and Friends (Jason Scheff - lead singer of Chicago, Steve Diamond); Muscle Shoals - The Next Generation (Gary Nichols, John Paul White, James LeBlanc, Brad Crisler); and the Anointed Jackson Sisters. More to be announced.
A day of educational and musical panel discussions featuring top songwriters, recording artists, studio musicians and producers, sponsored by ASCAP at the Florence Event Center. Among those taking part are Norbert Putnam, David Hood, Jerry Carrigan, Jimmy Johnson, Sonny Burgess, Paul Burch, Sid Selvidge, Carson Chamberlain, Tony Mullins, Gordon Bradberry, Jeremy Spillman, and others.
Other primary sponsors: American Airlines, Big River Broadcasting, Holiday Inn, Springfield Water, Crown Royal, Long-Lewis Limousine, MSMA, Mitchell Printing

American Airlines is the official airline sponsor of SongFest.

The full calendar of events can also be found at
http://www.wchandymusicfestival.org

Established in 1914, ASCAP is the world's largest performing-right organization, with over 180,000 active composer, lyricist and music publisher members. ASCAP is committed to protecting the rights of its members by licensing and collecting royalties for the public performance of their copyrighted works, and then distributing these fees to the Society's members based on performances. ASCAP's repertory spans the entire spectrum of music - from pop to symphonic, rock to gospel, Latin to country to jazz, rhythm and blues, theater, film and television music. ASCAP's Board of Directors is made up solely of writers and publishers, elected by the membership.

July 23rd (Friday)
Blues Ball - Florence Conference Center (Mardi gras theme)
Doors open at 5 p.m.
Performances by: Gary Nichols, Karen Gruber & Charles Rose, Zack & Angela Hacker
8 to 10 p.m. / The Decoys and special guests
Admission: $5 (proceeds go to MusiCares, MSMA, Music Preservation Society
Sponsors: Jerry Damson Honda, Jerry Damson Nissan, Grand Rental Station, Big River Broadcasting, Florence Conference Center, Teresa's Day Spa & Salon, OBGYN & Associates of Northwest Alabama, FAME, MSMA and Long-Lewis Limousine

July 24th (Sunday)
Music Blast - Alabama Music Hall of Fame
Gates open at 5:30 p.m.
Admission $15.00 (advance) $18.00 day of event
Performances by: Percy Sledge, Dennis Edwards and the Temptations Review, The Midnighters, Debbie Ritter & 4-40 Blues
No coolers allowed

July 25th (Sunday)
Sunday Brunch with the Anointed Jackson Sisters
Florence Conference Center
11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost: $
Sponsors: Florence Conference Center, Malaco Music Group

July 26th (Monday)
Gary Baker and Friends (Jason Scheff - lead singer of Chicago, Steve Diamond)
Holiday Inn - Fizz Lounge
8-10 p.m. / admission: $5
Sponsors: American Airlines, ASCAP, Big River Broadcasting, Holiday Inn, Springfield Water, Crown Royal, Long-Lewis Limousine, MSMA, Mitchell Printing

July 27th (Tuesday)
Golf Tournament - Cypress Lakes, Muscle Shoals
8 a.m. Registration / 10 a.m. Tee time
Contact: Nick Martin @ 764-8121
Sponsors: International Paper, American Airlines, ASCAP, Big River Broadcasting, MSMA, Bank Independent

Cal IV Entertainment (David Berg, Georgia Middleman, Dylan Altman, Trent Tomlinson)
Holiday Inn - Fizz Lounge
8-10 p.m. / admission $5
Sponsors: American Airlines, ASCAP, Big River Broadcasting, Holiday Inn, Springfield Water, Crown Royal, Long-Lewis Limousine, MSMA, Mitchell Printing

July 28th (Wednesday)
Industry Panels - Florence Events Center
Admission Free
1:30 p.m. Jim Steinblatt (moderator)
The Memphis-Muscle Shoals-Nashville Triangle: Where Blues, Country and Gospel Collide.
Panelists: (Sid Selvidge, Paul Burch, Sonny Burgess, Nick Spitzer)

Four Decades of Rock & Soul, Rhythm & Blues.
2:30 p.m. Dan Daley (moderator)
Panelists: (Norbert Putnam, David Hood, Jerry Carrigan, Jimmy Johnson)
Sponsors: ASCAP, American Airlines, Big River Broadcasting, Holiday Inn, MSMA, Long-Lewis Limousine, Mitchell Printing,

Universal Music Publishing (Carson Chamberlain, Tony Mullins, Gordon Bradberry, Jeremy Spillman)
Holiday Inn - Fizz Lounge
8-10 p.m. / admission $5
Sponsors: American Airlines, ASCAP, Big River Broadcasting, Holiday Inn, Springfield Water, Crown Royal, Long-Lewis Limousine, MSMA, Mitchell Printing

July 29th (Thursday)
Muscle Shoals - The Next Generation (Gary Nichols, Brad Crisler, John Paul White, James LeBlanc)
Holiday Inn - Fizz Lounge
8-10 p.m. / admission $5
Sponsors: American Airlines, ASCAP, Big River Broadcasting, Holiday Inn, Springfield Water, Crown Royal, Long-Lewis Limousine, MSMA, Mitchell Printing

July 31st (Saturday)
Rollin' In The Hay- Florence Conference Center
8 p.m. until / admission $10
Sponsors: Florence Conference Center, American Airlines, ASCAP, Big River Broadcasting, Mitchell Printing, Holiday Inn, Long-Lewis Limousine, MSMA

Member Access Login

ASCAP License

Songwriters, composers and publishers...

About ASCAP

W.C HANDY MUSIC FESTIVAL/SONGFEST 2004 MEANS GREAT R&B ROCK, COUNTRY AND GOLF IN NORTH ALABAMA

ASCAP is the U.S. Performing Rights Organization owned and run by songwriters, composers and music publishers.