Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) has launched a branch through UNA where aspiring student-songwriters can be a part of a group that introduces them to the songwriting industry.

The NSAI is an organization devoted to protecting the future of professional songwriting. Membership with NSAI offers many benefits, such as unending assistance with the organization, getting songs heard at NSAI events and invitations to workshops in Nashville and throughout the region. They also offer feedback to aspiring songwriters through evaluations and an opportunity to audition at the famous Bluebird Café.

The NSAI website offers one-on-one mentors and legislative support as well. Even though the group is based in Nashville, it is not dominated by country music alone, but houses songwriters from various other genres.

Students who want to become a part of NSAI do not have to be expert songwriters to be considered valued members of the organization.

“There is no criteria to be a member,” said Dr. Robert Garfrerick, chair of the Department of Entertainment Industry. “You are not even required to join NSAI in order to hang out with us.”

The UNA group will welcome any student interested in songwriting to join them during their outings. UNA is one of the few colleges in the U.S. that offers NSAI as a campus organization to students.

“A lot of people have a creative side and need to find an outlet to express it,” said Mike Losey, UNA junior and NSAI-UNA member. “Songwriting is one of the greatest outlets to express creativeness.”

The main goal of NSAI at UNA is to set students up with other songwriters with the same writing style and teach them the songwriting business. Students will also learn about legislative issues and copyright laws.

Many of the NSAI-UNA activities will involve setting people up in writing sessions to combine lyric writers and composers to co-author their songs. The group is also looking to have a writers’ night at a local coffee house soon, so members can meet and develop relationships with other student-songwriters.

The NSAI-UNA group will kick off this semester with writers’ nights, song critiques, industry guest speakers and possible field trips to Nashville.

For more information, contact Dr. Robert Garfrerick at [email protected], or Mike Losey at [email protected].