If you’re in the Nashville area July 11-13, 2013, then check out Summer NAMM at the brand spanking new Nashville convention center. Saturday, July 13, NAMM will be opening the doors to the public for its “Music Industry Day.”

Taking part in the selection of workshops, panels and events that day is Mad Sun’s own Laura B. Whitmore, author of the Guitar World Guitar Girl’d blog. She’ll be participating in a series of workshops presented by NewBay Media, publisher of Guitar World, Guitar Player, Bass Player and more. First up she’ll be presenting a workshop on marketing and PR for musicians at 11am. And at 1pm she’ll moderate a roundtable discussion with some of Nashville’s top songwriters. Both sessions will take place in Convention Center room 205B

The panel, titled, “Top Nashville Songwriters Share Tips for Success,” includes John Ozier, general manager of creative in Nashville for ole Music Publishing; songwriter and guitarist Dean Berner of the band Edens Edge; and hit songwriters Liz Hengber and Marty Dodson.

Here’s more info on the panelists, and find out more about what’s going on during “Music Industry Day” at NAMM at http://www.namm.org/summer/2013/musicindustryday

John Ozier, General Manager, Creative, Nashville
Ole’ Music Publishing
John Ozier is General Manager, Creative in Nashville for ole’ Music Publishing. Prior to this role he was at Curb Records, where his track record includes placing songs recorded by Tim McGraw, Rodney Atkins, Clay Walker, Lee Brice, Ronnie Dunn, Jo Dee Messina, LeAnn Rimes and many more. In 2010, Ozier was responsible for four songs in the Top 15 on the Billboard country charts, including the longest-ever running single, Brice’s “Love Like Crazy,” at 56 weeks. More recently, he was responsible for No. 1s by Rodney Atkins (“Take A Back Road”) and Brice (“A Woman Like You,” ‘Hard To Love,” and “I Drive Your Truck.”). He is also a published songwriter with cuts by Lee Brice, Charlie Worsham, Josh Thompson, Tyler Farr, Air Supply and others. He co-wrote Brice’s multi-week No. 1 and platinum single, “Hard to Love.” http://www.majorlyindie.com

Liz Hengber
Originally hailing from New York, Liz Hengber is a Nashville based hit songwriter. In 1991 Hengber signed with Reba McEntire’s company Starstruck Entertainment as a songwriter and within six months she had her first hit “For My Broken Heart” (1991), which held the number one position on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart for two weeks in December 1991. She composed three additional top-five country hits (Billboard) for Reba McEntire – “It’s Your Call” (1993), “And Still” (1995),” and “Forever Love” (1998). She has co-written charting singles for a variety of other artists including Rick Trevino’s “Looking for the Light” (1995), Lisa Brokop’s “She Can’t Save Him” (1996), Peter Cetera’s “Do You Love Me That Much” (1997), Andy Griggs’ “She’s More” (2000), Clay Davidson’s “Unconditional” (2000), Trick Pony’s “The Bride” (2005), Trace Adkins “The Stubborn One,” and Bucky Covington’s “A Father’s Love (The Only Way He Knew How)” (2010).

Marty Dodson
Marty has had numerous cuts by such artists as Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Emerson Drive, Julianne Hough, Bucky Covington and Darryl Worley, among many others. Marty’s Billy Currington smash, “Must Be Doin’ Somethin’ Right,” spent two weeks at #1 on the Billboard Country Charts. His Kenny Chesney single “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven” entered the Country Chart at # 22 on August 5, 2008, and spent two weeks at #1 as well. “Tell Me You Get Lonely” was a top 40 hit for new artist Frankie Ballard in 2010. “Let Me Down Easy,” performed by Billy Currington, is Marty’s most current #1 hit. Marty also has current cuts on Carrie Underwood, Craig Morgan, Dierks Bentley, The Plain White T’s and Saving Jane. Marty writes for Ole’ and resides in Nashville, Tennessee.

Dean Berner, Edens Edge
Dean Berner is a Nashville-based performing songwriter originally from Arkansas.  He writes, sings, and plays dobro, acoustic and electric guitar, and lap steel as a member of Edens Edge. As Big Machine Recording Artists, Edens Edge toured with Brad Paisley, Reba McEntire, Lady Antebellum, and Rascal Flatts in 2011-2012 and charted Top 20 & Top 30 singles “Amen” and “Too Good To Be True,” respectively, on Country Radio. Currently, Berner is writing for a new Edens Edge project, working as a studio and live player, and pursuing other writing and producing opportunities in Music City. www.edensedge.com