* Previous Songwriting Camp and Songwriting Tune-Up participants may register without submitting application materials.

1. Please provide lyrics and a recording of one song you have written or co-written, and which you feel demonstrates your solid understanding of the basics of lyric writing: title, theme, verse, chorus, bridge (optional) and rhyme-scheme. We will not judge the quality of your performance or of the recording, and you may submit a simple phone memo. If you do not play an instrument, please feel free to sing a cappella or to enlist the help of guest musicians. Similarly, if you prefer not to sing, you may enlist the help of guest vocalists. Do your best and remember that this application needs only show your songwriting know-how, and not any performance or recording skills.
2. In a brief personal statement (500 words or fewer), please tell us about yourself. We’d like to know about the song you submitted – how, when, and why you wrote it. What have you learned about songwriting, how, and from whom? Have you had experience co-writing songs, recording music, or with music production? What apps or software have you used, if any? Also, please tell us why you think you would do well in our intermediate-to-advanced camp (as opposed to the beginner to intermediate camp), and what you hope to gain from your camp experience.
3. Please email all supporting materials (song lyrics, recording, and personal statement) to camp@countrymusichalloffame.org WITHIN ONE WEEK of registering for camp. Songwriters unable to submit their materials WITHIN ONE WEEK of registering – or whose materials do not demonstrate an understanding of songwriting appropriate for the intermediate-to-advanced camp session – will receive a refund or may choose to enroll in the beginner-to-intermediate camp session, space permitting. We will evaluate and respond to supporting materials within one week of submission.

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is dedicated to equal opportunity education and provides financial assistance options to allow greater access to Summer Songwriting Camp. Financial assistance plans reduce registration fees for qualifying families. Applications for assistance are reviewed according to families’ financial need, household income, household size, and circumstances. We evaluate applications on a first-come, first-served basis. We encourage applicants to apply as early as possible. A limited number of assistance spots are available for each camp. Families interested in financial assistance should email to request an application. Camp staff will review and respond to all applications within two weeks. Qualifying families will receive a unique registration link and should complete registration upon receiving it.

June (Beginner-to-Intermediate) Camp

• Level one: 50% cost coverage: $275.00 camp registration. Lunch included.
• Level two: 95% cost coverage: $25.00 camp registration. Lunch included.

July (Intermediate-to-Advanced) Camp

• Level one: 50% cost coverage: $275.00 camp registration. Lunch included.
• Level two: 95% cost coverage: $25.00 camp registration. Lunch included.

July (Intermediate-to-Advanced) Camp + Demo Day recording

• Level one: 50% cost coverage: $495.00 registration for both camps. Lunch included.
• Level two: 95% cost coverage: $25.00 registration for both camps. Lunch included.

*Financial assistance applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis beginning on February 2, 2024.

Applications must be submitted by April 1, 2024 to be considered for the June Camp.

Applications must be submitted by May 6, 2024 to be considered for the July Camp.

The financial aid status of all campers, as well as your personal and financial information, will remain secure and completely confidential.

To receive the Museum member discounted rate, your membership must be active at the time of registration and remain active throughout the entire selected camp session.

Membership rate is available for family level memberships or higher. Access the membership discount rate by logging into the membership portal before registering for camp.

Acknowledging the composition of the song (the lyrics) are creators’ intellectual property, for songs generated in July (Intermediate-to-Advanced) Camp sessions, the Museum has the responsibility and non-exclusive right to administer songs as a benefit to campers and professional songwriters. Should a song’s lyrics/composition generate income, the Museum will collect income on behalf of songwriters and distribute payment according to industry standards (i.e. if a song is cut by a recording artist and one student and one professional songwriter created the lyric, the ownership of the song’s composition would be a 50/50 split between the professional writer and the student.)

• Recording a professional-quality demo of the original song written in July Camp ($675 value)
• Collaborating with professional studio musicians and audio engineers during a live recording session
• Learning the basics of mixing recordings using GarageBand, Logic, or Pro Tools ($250 value)
• Receiving insights from music business professionals on how to market and distribute your music ($250 value)
• Lunch ($10 value)

Monday, July 15, 2024 * Priority given to families who do not reside in Middle Tennessee

Tuesday, July 16, 2024

9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location

SAE Institute Nashville

7 Music Circle North

Nashville, Tennessee 37203

$440 (Total estimated value $1,185)

*Financial assistance: We offer a limited number of needs-based financial assistance packages that reduce the Demo Day fee to $0 or $220 for qualifying families. The application period opens February 2, 2024.

Please email camp@countrymusichalloffame.org with any questions.

Demo Day recordings are demonstration recordings. The purpose of demonstration recordings, or “demos,” is to professionally present songs with limited audiences for pitching purposes. Professional musicians, producers, and/or engineers who are part of the Museum’s Demo Day sessions have agreed to contribute their services to the Museum for students’ educational purposes and personal use exclusively. Demo Day recordings are not created for commercial exploitation on platforms that monetize music (i.e., Spotify, Apple Music). Demo Day recordings may be used for non-commercial purposes, such as pitching songs to music professionals or sharing on social media.