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Craig Jackson





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Oct 16, 2006

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Saturday, July 22, 2006

cj 2 cuts on "best of fest"- release party 7/27
Category: Music

For Immediate Release
July 22, 2006
Nashville, Tennessee



Release Party For Nashville SongWriters Festival Best Of Fest Selections.



A "Best of the Fest" Volume I, CD release party will be held this Thursday, July 27 from 4-7 PM at Dan McGuinness Irish Pub 1538 Demonbreum St. Nashville, Tennessee 37203. The Volume I collection comprises song finalist by writers who attended the recent Nashville SongWriters Festival on Music Row.

The 16 songs selected to be on Volume I represents many genres. Writers did not pay to submit songs or to be on this compilation. All songs submissions went through a selection process and were field tested on listeners from the average Joe on the street to Industry professionals. Writers whose songs were nominated are paid a mechanical for each record copy produced and digital download.

"It's a great album! These are undiscovered songs by previously unpublished songwriters." says Cornelius "Popcorn" Robertson festival founder. "These writers will now get a chance to display their craft to the music industry and listeners worldwide. The "Best of the Fest" Volume I is giving writers the recognition they deserve. Already several publishers and song pluggers have expressed interest in the songs on this brake out CD project."

"I think is cool." Popcorn continues, "Now we have the music Industry talking to festival attendees, taking a deeper look into their song catalogs and increasing writers chances of getting cuts. The writers are really excited by all the recognition and possible inclusion in future artist projects. This is a part of what the Nashville SongWriters Festival on Music Row is all about, inspiring and reinvigorating the unsung heroes of music, the songwriter."

"We believe this product can compete in the market place for the average listener and plan on fully exploiting that." Popcorn says, "We are releasing the CD using every marketing tool available to get the music out worldwide. One method is with online sales and digital distribution by CD Baby, Apple iTunes, Tower Records, Yahoo Music, Best Buy, Rhapsody, Napster, MSN Music, SongWritersFestival.com, DigiPie, Audiolunchbox, Nareos, PeerImpact, Flip Technologies, Inc., Intent Media Works, iSound, Weed and more. We will also be going after physical distribution outlets in record stores and retail chain outlets.

Two Hundred promotional copies will be distributed to those who attend the CD release event. The Music Industry, Fest Heads, songwriters and the general public are invited to attend the release party.

Volume One Song Selections are.....

1. Not Afraid To Burn Scott Stinson 2. Smile Myself To Sleep Robin Anderson 3. Walk'n Away With My Heart Tim Casey 4. Not Worth Miss'n Tracy Williams 5. Nobody Scott Stinson 6. Ain't Got It So Bad Brian Edward Bell 7. Spanish Rain Craig Jackson 8. Woman With Child Ronald Brown 9. Queen Of My Castle Crissy Wix 10. This Time Craig Jackson 11. To Things Ronald Brown 12. Without You Dax Evans 13. What I Already Know Stacia Thompson 14. Under The Influence Pat Riley 15. Really Do Care Dax Evans 16. You Can Only Follow David Greenberg

All "Best of the Fest" collection CD holders also receive 2 General Admissions passes to attend the Nashville SongWriters Festival on Music Row. "We're a no fluff Fest. A gathering of music people big, little and in-between, from all walks of music life in a laid back atmosphere." Popcorn says. "We want everyone to share ideas, talk and network amongst themselves.

Popcorn adds, "Proceeds from record sales and digital distribution go to pay writers mechanical, production of "Best of the Fest" Volume II scheduled to be released this Fall and to help enhance activities of the Nashville SongWriters Festival now in its 5th year. "Best of the Fest" Volume 3 will be released in the Spring. Then we start the process all over again at the 2007 Nashville SongWriters Festival On Music Row June 13-17."

Advance copies can be obtained at SongWritersFestival.com or telephone 615-424-1491 or 931-296-4067
Inquiries can be emailed to Popcorn@SongWritersFestival.com or telephone.
Visit www.SongWritersFestival.com for more info




- nashville songfestival

A couple of years ago I reveiwed singer/songwriter Craig Jackson's CD "Last House on the Left" under the headline "The Best Tom Petty Album By Someone Other Than Tom Petty." As usual when I get too clever for my own good, ever since then I've lived in fear of running into him around town.

When I finally did run into him recently at the Prospector, I talked to him for about 10 minutes before I realized this was the same guy I had been so cutesy with in my column. I asked him if he knew who I was, and he began to quote my review back to me verbatim.

Ack!

Oh well. I knew this job was dangerous when I took it.

Besides, I meant what I said in the very best way. I've never heard Jackson give anything less than a spot-on professional, engaging performance, then or now.

Sitting in a bar last Tuesday night, listening to his band play, I felt like I was an extra in one of those chatty mainstream chick flicks where they talk about issues. The music created the perfect ambience--mellow enough to be unobtrusive if you wanted to talk over it, but nuanced and articulate enough to be your sole area of interest if that's what you came for.

Former drummer Jackson got his first break in 1985 in an airport lounge when he ran into John Taylor (of all people) from Duran Duran, who listened to his demo on a flight from New York to L.A., then hooked him up with his publishing company.

That was 16 years ago. Thankfully, Duran Duran isn't still around, but Jackson is.

Jackson describes his audience as those "people who listen to Shawn Mullins, and are waiting for a new Jackson Browne album to come out... and Counting Crows, the Wallflowers... that kind of vibe."

He's not kidding. Just about every song of Jackson's--live as well as record--sounds like it oughtta be on the radio. They're perfectly crafted, lovingly constructed Old School album-oriented rock tuneage, polished to a shiny glow and performed damned near flawlessly.

A couple of his most arean-ready tunes are "A Place in the Sky" from his already-released disc, available at Fingerprints in the Shore, and "Another Voice" off his killer five-song demo, currently being shopped around to the majors by his brand-new manager Vicky Hamilton, the same woman who handles June Carter Cash (nothing says "quality" to me like a Johnny Cash connection!)

Here's hoping this local boy makes good on his talent. Maybe he'll buy a big house up there in Beverly Hills and make it safe for me to start going out to local clubs again.

In addition to regular high-profile gigs in Hollywood, Jackson and his band can be found most Tuesday nights in March, free of cover charge, at DiPiazza's Restaurant & Lounge (formerly the Captain's Quarters) on PCH at Anaheim. - Pete Brooks

We believe in Craig Jackson as an up and coming artist. We had over two dozen a/c stations playing the first single against very heavy established artists with NEW records in the fall and have ten adds with Top 40 in the first two weeks of new promotion. Craig made print in the Gavin Reports up and coming three weeks in a row.

Craig's song, In a Heartbeat and Waiting in the Wings from his first Green Records release Make it Right were featured in the film "Murder Weapon." The songs were recorded with Craig and various musicians from Elvis Costello, Paul Carrach, Mister Mister and Toy Matinee's Bands.

Beginning his career in San Francisco, Craig played in local bands and opened shows for George Thorogood, Huey Lewis, David Crosby, Jefferson Starship and Dwight Twilley.

We are getting good response at radio all across the country on Gavin stations. Everyone playing Craig's record is looking forward to having a hit with Blinded by Love, the first single. P.D.s and M.D.s really like it.

Craig's song, In a Heartbeat and Waiting in the Wings from his first Green Records release Make it Right were featured in the film "Murder Weapon." The songs were recorded with Craig and various musicians from Elvis Costello, Paul Carrach, Mister Mister and Toy Matinee's Bands. - Howard Rosen Promotions

Coming off like a cross between Glenn Frey, Jackson Browne and Tom Petty, Craig Jackson displays his wares in songwriting, singing and production and scores very well in each and every category. The production is extremely Eagles-ish, which works well with jackson's voice. The finale of this four-song submission is a great ballad called "A Place in The Sky." With its poignant lyrics sung a la Roger McGuinn, this last selection alsohappens to be the most memorable. Here is a case of an artist that should be meeting with producers and A&R reps to discuss career plans. My advice would be to get ahold of Craig's demo tape and give it a good once over. You won't be sorry. - Kenny Kerner, A& R Report

An accomplished musician with a distinctive, lyrical style and prolific songwriting abilities, Craig Jackson is bringing back a renewed sense of intimacy to the ever changing vein of rock music.

Craig's latest release on Green Records is the C.D. Last House on The Left,produced by Craig and Barry Fasman, British Producer of the Year in 1985 with many gold records to his credit. The record is full of jangly guitars, soaring harmonies and the good old piano and Hammond B-3 organ. A very organic and rootsy record.

A cross between Glenn Frey, Jackson Borwne and Tom Petty...this is a pro all the way around....Here is a case of an artist that should be meeting with Publishers and A&R Reps to discuss career plans. - Music Connection Magazine

We received a lot of great calls after playing Craig Jackson's CD, Last House on the Left - Gary Moore, D.J., KLOS 95.5/Los Angeles

Up and coming artist. Ten adds, 2/1-2/9, 1999, for first single, Blinded by Love. Top 40. - The Gavin Report