NSAI

NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) was formed in November 1967 by songwriters Eddie Miller, Buddy Mize and Bill Brock when they came up with the idea of a an association.

The first organizational meeting was at the Old Professionals Club on Music Row and attracted 40 Nashville songwriters. Within a year, the Nashville Songwriters Association became a chartered not-for-profit trade association. Since that time NSAI has made a difference for all songwriters.

Back in the late ‘60s, songwriters received little credit for their songs and royalty compensation was small. This was largely because of out of date copyright law. Also, aside of the performing rights societies like ASCAP, BMI and SESAC, songwriter recognition was virtually non-existent.

Nashville Songwriters Association helps to revise copyright laws and to establish intellectual property protection in the digital age. The association has a network of over 90 songwriter workshops to provide local instruction at home and abroad. It also conducts more than a half dozen educational conferences and awards shows each year.

It is based in Nashville but represents all musical genres and includes songwriters from across the United States and overseas. Its purpose is to work with both proven and undiscovered writers. Writers can also drop by and get a cup of coffee, make a phone call or seek advice or consolation.

Today it promotes awareness of songwriters' cultural contributions champions the legal rights of professional songwriters and helps aspiring songwriters. The Nashville Songwriters Association International has grown to 4,500+ members It’s motto is: "IT ALL BEGINS WITH A SONG"

They also put on four song camps or songwriting workshops. Each is three days long. In the Nashville Songwriters sponsors the five day Tin Pan South songwriters festival in conjunction with Symposium, a 2 day song writing event.

In the fall they sponsor the five day Songposium in conjunction with one of their Song Camps. If you are in Nashville they also have Thurs night songwriter sessions.

I’ve attended some of their workshops, Tin Pan South and Symposium. I highly recommend any one to attend. Tin Pan South is a songwriters dream for small intimate acoustic shows.

You can attend about 20 shows in five days if you want to hustle around Nashville to the various venues. Songposium is a smorgasbord of workshops.

They also offer regional programs through their system of volunteer regional coordinators. They train their regional coordinators just before Symposium each year. If you’re in Nashville you can just drop into their Music Row offices. They are a great resource. Check out NSAI.