March 1st , 2010...Great news in the world of Raisin Rhyme!
We are proud to announce that Raisin Rhyme has been announced as a Winner in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest for the song "Don't Forget Three".
The JLSC is an international songwriting competition that has entries from all over the world. With multiple winners in New York, Los Angeles, Nashville ,Canada, Australia & even South Korea. Raisin Rhyme is the only Chicago entry to win in 2009 in any genre!
"What do Fergie, Kevin Bacon, Natasha Bedingfield, singing pop sisters the Veronicas, former Grateful Dead bassist Bob Weir, ex-MTV 120 Minutes VJ Matt Pinfield and legendary Motown songwriter Lamont Dozier have in common?
They are all new fans of Raisin Rhyme - a childrens performing act from Chicago, Illinois! Singer-songwriters Rob Lisak and Patrick Doody were 1 of 3 acts as finalists in the worldwide 2009 John Lennon Songwriting Contest, which announced its selections Tuesday morning."
Here is the list of judges and their bios...
Fergie (Black Eyed Peas)
Starting off at the age of 8 on Kids Incorporate Fergie was bound for celebrity. She would join the all-girl group Wild Orchid in the mid 90's and eventually the Black Eyed Peas in 2003. She has since received 3 GRAMMYs and 7 GRAMMY nominations.
The Veronicas
The dynamic duo Lisa and Jess of The Veronicas from Brisbane, Australia. 'Untouched,' the first single from the electro-rock sizzler Hook Me Up, which was released by Sire Records in August 2008, is currently No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and shows no signs of slowing down. With its expert songcraft, killer harmonies, and sassy confidence, Hook Me Up is a powerful step up from The Veronicas' debut album, The Secret Life Of … which sold more than 300,000 copies in Australia, spawned three of their five Top 10 singles, and won a slew of awards (including a coveted ARIA), making the girls international stars.
Natasha Bedingfield
The United Kingdom's biggest female pop star, Natasha Bedingfield has taken the United States by storm with the first British chart-topping hit by a female in almost 20 years. Vanity Fair singled her out as the spearhead of a new "Britpop"; invasion, and she now has a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Natasha has sold more than 10 million singles and albums worldwide and has five top 10 U.K. singles. Her 2006 U.S. debut came with the No. 1 single, "These Words". Later that year, "Unwritten" became the most played song on mainstream American radio. Natasha's success continues with "Pocketful of Sunshine" which also has become a favorite on radio stations across the country.
Jesse Harris
Jesse Harris is a singer/songwriter from New York City. In 2003 he won the Grammy Award for Song Of the Year for Norah Jones’s rendition of “Don’t Know Why”. He wrote four other songs for that album and also appeared as guitarist. His songs have been recorded by many artists, including Madeleine Peyroux, Lizz Wright and Pat Metheny. As a guitarist he has played on a wide range of albums, including the new Bright Eyes “I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning” and the forthcoming debut by Tristan Prettyman “Twentythree”.
Lamont Dozier
Multi award winning songwriter/ producer/ artist Lamont Dozier is one of BMI's most honored songwriters, with over fifty-four #1 hits for such chart topping artists as the Supremes, the Four Tops, Marvin Gaye and many others when part of the legendary songwriting teams, Holland-Dozier-Holland. For the last 30 years, he has had an outstanding solo career earning him a nod as Best New Male Pop Vocalist from Billboard, a collaboration with Phil Collins on the soundtrack for Buster, which earned them a Grammy, Golden Globe Award, Brit Award, Britain's distinguished Ivor Novello honor and an Oscar nomination. He is currently co-writing the score to the Broadway production of “The First Wives Club” as he continues to work with artists including Solange Knowles, Kanye West, Eurythmics' Dave Stewart, members of the Black Eyed Peas, and Joss Stone.
Matt Pinfield
Matt has been around music his entire life and in 1995, he became the permanent host of the influential MTV show "120 MINUTES". Within a year, he became a staple on MTV, hosting a variety of shows- including "PINFIELD SUITE", "PINFIELD PRESENTS", "MTV LIVE" and over 100 specials.
Matt is now Senior Director of A & R and Artist Development for Columbia Records and continues to host tv and radio shows, writes, and remains one of the most appreciated and recognized personalities in the music and entertainment industry.
Bob Weir
A founding member of the Grateful Dead, Bob Weir's musical legacy (separate from its cultural implications) will be of an utterly strange rhythm guitar player and songwriter who grew up in one of the most lasting outside bands of the 1960s. Playing with the Dead until their dissolution following the death of Jerry Garcia in 1995, Weir has since made his musical homes in Ratdog and the Other Ones.
Ryan Shaw
This 26-year-old singer/songwriter from Decatur, Georgia is out to revive the passion and soul of the Golden Age of Rhythm & Blues (1960-1972) for a new generation. His Razor and Tie debut album, This Is Ryan Shaw, combines a powerfully expressive voice with a clutch of great songs both classic and new — and a state-of-the-art, in-your-face sound that makes it impossible to sit still.
The Bacon Brothers Featuring Keven Bacon (now we are 7 steps from him!)
These guys have seen it all! With Kevin's diverse acting repertoire and Michael's classical music background, the Bacon Brothers have all the ingredients needed to wow audiences.
Ken Komisar
As an industry veteran, Ken has worked with such artists as Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Dr. Dre and Eazy-E, Suicidal Tendencies and Marc Anthony to name a few. You want your music heard by Ken!
