Member Success

Pam Lack and Bobby Kropp score big with over 700,000 streams of their song ” Find My Faith”

recorded by Christian Artist Ben Fuller

And Irish artist Ed Holland from the group

“Bobby Kropp, my partner in life and love, and I got on this crazy musical journey in Nashville in 2015, and a great piece of advice we got was to write with unsigned young artists. How did our story with rising Sony Provident artist Ben Fuller begin? In 2019, we got a call from our dear friend, Sandy Ramos, saying she had written a song with Ben Fuller, a new writer in town, and asked us to record the demo so she could pitch it. We were so impressed with Ben during that short recording session that we asked if he’d like to come on as a co-writer and write the melody on some song lyrics we had just written. That song was called “Catcher In The Rye.” Ben agreed, and we formed a powerful bond that day. Bobby and I truly believe that God brought Ben to us.

Realizing that Ben didn’t have much in the way of recordings, we all agreed that we’d co-write with him and produce an independent album. It was a huge commitment, but we were all in 100%. Ben was just finding his faith and becoming a Christian, and the whole theme of the album was to chronicle his journey from addiction to redemption, and our title track was called “Witness.”  The first line in the chorus was all about finding God… “You’ve been waiting on a witness; I’ve been waiting on a sign.”   Working with Ben was a true joy and a labor of love, and the 12-song album took an intensive 10 months to write and record. It was our honor to help his voice be heard.

We really learned through that album; it was a crash course in how to write for an artist.  The focus was always on Ben’s voice being heard. Bobby and I dug deep to find our shared experiences in every song we wrote with him. To me, the mark of a great artist and writer is someone who can make a deeply personal experience become universal.

Towards the end of working on ‘Witness’, Ben met Krystal Polychronis, an excellent Nashville songwriter who felt deeply moved to become his manager.  She had never been a manager before, but Krystal dove right in.  It was a huge undertaking, but she eventually mentored with Nashville manager Neil Speilberg last December, and together, they got Ben signed to Sony’s Christian label, Provident.   Fast forward, Ben has been touring with Cain, and playing Christian Festivals and churches all over the country.  He is gearing up for a 54-city tour with Zach Williams this fall.  In July, he was asked to perform at The Ryman Auditorium with Sidewalk Prophets and perform his first Sony Provident single, “Who I Am.”   As of 8/2/22 it stands at #11 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Christian Chart.  It is such a joy to watch someone soar in their gifts in this town!

“Find My Faith”, one of our songs from ‘Witness’, has almost 700,000 streams and is still consistently rising by about 1,000 streams per day.  Another song on the album called “Other Plans”, chronicles a very dark point in Ben’s life when he was 16, and how “the Hand Of God” led him back to the light. Writing those two songs, Bobby and I tapped into our own dark places, and together we all shed a lot of tears and laughter on these deeply personal songs.  Nicole Lewis was a co-writer on both, as well, and they have been pivotal in Ben’s ministries.  

Another important point we witnessed watching Ben’s journey was that, as incredible of an artist as he is, I think that Ben’s heart is a huge part of his success.  When he is not opening for major Christian Artists, Ben regularly performs and uplifts inmates and those struggling with addiction at Christian Festivals, Recovery Centers, and prisons all over the country.  Because he is so transparent about his own addiction recovery issues, people can relate to him on an intimate level.  We are so honored that those two songs have raised up so many souls.  There are hardly words to express it.  

Honestly, sometimes you never know who is going to walk into your life and be that next special relationship or opportunity.  Even if you are at a low point, and everything looks dark, your life can still change in a moment.  My best advice…never stop doing what feeds your soul.   

One of the people who has been the most important to us on this journey is Sheree Spoltore.  I don’t know where we would be without her encouragement and helping us to connect with artists and publishers.  She continues to be one of our biggest blessings.   Such an incredible connector, I honestly don’t know where we’d be if not for being members of Global Songwriters Connection, and we are eternally grateful.”

A very special “meant to be” connection and cut via a GSC POP Event

Steve Peters from Louisiana is fairly new to the GSC family and has just started pitching his songs on our GSC Publisher Online Pitch event.  Steve recently pitched a song to Dallas Gregory of Song Rocket Music Publishing.   During the process, Steve shared a very personal song with Dallas regarding the very recent loss of his son.  Little did Steve know that Dallas manages and represents artist and GSC member Briana Dominica whose mission and message is to reach people who are considering suicide with a message of hope.  Steve’s song is a great expression of love and hope.

Briana has been very open to the fact that she has lost a brother and several close family relatives to suicide.  Steve’s song regarding the loss of his son perfectly fits the work and message of HOPE that Briana is sharing through her Suicide Awareness program called “Warrior in Me” program.

Dallas was kind enough to play the song Steve pitched with his artist Briana Dominica. Briana loved the song and has committed to recording this song, putting this song on her next project, and there is a possibility that it will be her next single.  At GSC, we sometimes sit back and marvel at how the pieces and people come together and the incredible, nearly magical journey a song takes to reach its just right destination.

Over the past couple of years of Covid, there are a lot of people suffering anxiety from loss of jobs, fear, loss of family to Covid, and they are hurting more than they have ever known.  Suicide seems to be the only way out of their unbearable pain.  If you know of someone who may be experiencing these types of feelings, please connect them to Briana’s website and/or her social media pages.  Her website contains helpful video’s, tips, tools and resource materials that may save a life! Learn more about Briana at https://www.brianadomenica.com/ .

Steve, your GSC family thanks you for your courage to share this very special song.  We trust that millions will hear its message of hope and compassion and we thank you for including us on this special journey.  ~Your GSC Family

West Ireland Band, Hurricane Highway, cuts GSC members song, “All Time Favourite”

Global Songwriters Connection congratulates GSC members and songwriters Nancy Moser, and Kevin Rowe and their co-writer Kelly McKay on the single release of their recent cut of their song “ALL TIME FAVOURITE” and Publisher Matt Lindsey! The song “ALL TIME FAVOURITE” has been recorded and released by the West Ireland band Hurricane Highway.

Matt Lindsey is a wonderful, legitimate, hardworking, Nashville Publisher and Song Representative, or Plugger, as we say here in Nashville. Sheree is fortunate to have known Kevin and Nancy for some time as GSC members and hear their great catalog of pitchable songs.

Kevin and Nancy were writers with a handful of really strong songs, a growing catalog and lots of determination and discipline. Sheree felt they had a couple of treasures and made the “connection” to Matt and he agreed, took on the challenge and now they all three have another cut!

GSC congratulates ALL of the team on their efforts. Enjoy the song and the video and may there be many more to come! Click below to watch the video of Nancy and Kevin’s song and be sure to SHARE!

Hurricane Highway Video – “All Time Favourite”  

Breaking Through – Artist Cuts, Publisher Calls and Meetings

GSC Member Patrick Dodge from New York had an amazing 2021 year via GSC events such as our GSC FOCUS Retreats working with GSC artists and our exclusive POP Event Publishers!  Here is his story in his own words.

From Patrick Dodge: “COVID aside,2021 has been pretty darn good to me in the GSC music world: an incredible February FOCUS event , a cut written with Briana Domenica one her “Warrior In Me” EP called “Every time”, a cut on Sarah Taylor Young’s “Step Into Freedom” called “Love One Another” written with Sarah, Brian White and Matt Houston, many songs taken by publishers at the POP events, 2 cuts on Katilyn Pulcher’s Rock album “Feminengine” written with Katilyn, a co-write with Alexa Valentino called “Happy For You” that landed on her POP EP “A Guide To Moving On”, 5 publisher meetings and the restart of the Home Free “Dive Bar Saints” tour where I had a cut written with Jeffrey East called “Why Not” with a video that has over 450,000 views! 

But just when the year is coming to a close… one of GSC’s favorite publishers, Woody Bomar, calls me to let me know that he landed a cut with Kathryn Shipley with “Rise Above” written with GSC members Michaela Clark and Mary Haller. Then Dallas Gregory, another GSC favorite publisher, reaches out to let me know that “Why Not” is being licensed and cut on a limited release CD called “Songs of Joy”, being released December 28 with a compilation of pre-released songs recorded by “Various Legendary Artists”… I wonder who will be doing “Why Not”?!! ” 

But wait…. there’s more! Then Dallas emails me like the very next day to let me know that a FOCUS event song called “Must Be Love” written with Avrim Topel and Jeffrey East has been picked up by up-and-coming Country-R&B artist Tylar Bryant and that they’re putting the finishing touches on it this week!!!! What a way to end 2021 – woo hoo!!!

The Long Winding Road – to Song Cuts and Signed!

I first sought out Sheree Spoltore and joined GSC back in 2015 after several years of frustration and desperation from having my songs repeatedly rejected. In my first meetings, I brought Sheree 30 songs and asked her to listen to them, identify my strengths and weaknesses, and chart me a path to become a better songwriter. Since then, it’s been a long and winding road.

Shortly thereafter, I also joined Songtown and participated in their many wonderful services. With time I became more and more active with both organizations eventually leveling off around 2018 by attending every GSC FOCUS Retreat and every Songtown Pro-Writer Retreat offered.  In addition, I started writing with Artists on my journey.

My consistency in “showing up” and willingness to be coachable…. started to make a difference!  Looking back, I see that clearly as I have extensive working relationships with pro songwriters and publishers that I never would have had.

Since that first meeting with Sheree’ and my many efforts, my songs have been picked up by top publishers and song pluggers in Nashville and LA including holds by major artists.  More recently my songs have been cut and signed through GSC events and relationships!  Read on….

I could go on and on about the many and various efforts I have made to become a better writer. My efforts have even been recognized with music industry awards!!  However, what is important in what I’ve done is this; by continuously showing up, working hard, and being coachable….. I’ve grown into a better songwriting.

A few years back, a major songwriting publisher contacted Sheree and volunteered to mentor me. He recognized something in me and my songwriting and work ethic that he thought was promising. As you can imagine, this meant the world to me! With all of the rejection in this business, every affirmation and attaboy is worth its weight in gold.

About a year and a half ago I received a phone call from another major music publisher I met through GSC, who told me he had pitched one of his writer’s songs to an artist who was going to cut it, and that I was a co-writer on. When he asked me if he could represent my publishing, I was ecstatic. This same publisher was someone who had selected another one of my songs at a Publisher Pitch event 6 months prior, so I was definitely getting his attention.

From this call, I kept our relationship alive by staying in touch and sending him occasional songs. Lo and behold, in November he wrote me saying a Grammy-nominated artist who he had pitched another song of mine to was putting it on her new album.

Two weeks later, the publisher who had offered to mentor me wrote asking for my new mailing address…he was sending me a single-song contract for a song I had sent him last year!

And just last week, a GSC member/co-writer friend of mine wrote me and another GSC member letting us know that a label had written him revealing that a new rising star Country artist was cutting our song!  All at once, it seems, my songs are seeing success, but really…it has been a long and winding road.

Until last June I had pretty much ignored writing for the sync/film/tv market. Then Sheree called me and told me she really wanted me to give it a shot by attending a special “invite only” retreat learning from top sync songwriters and industry professionals.  She felt I had the talent for the sync market as she heard that market in the chords and styling of my music. I confess, I reluctantly agreed.

Long story short, I fell in love with this part of the songwriting universe. I felt it gave my songwriting a newfound freedom. I dove in, and a few months later wound up with two single-song contracts for two solo written sync songs with one of the top LA sync publishing companies in the business that I connected with at the GSC FOCUS Retreat.

My most important takeaway from my GSC experience today is this; a few years back my songwriting was not what it is today, and I knew very few pro writers, artists, music publishers and industry professionals. Today I have dozens of these folks I consider my peers and close friends.  My writing has greatly improved simply by showing up, remaining open and teachable. More importantly, I am doing what I love to do and having fun. AND…my songs are getting cut by artist and signed!

For calendar year 2022, I’m taking my songwriting commitment to the next level by meeting with Sheree two times a month as she helps me focus to continue to grow. How could I not take this opportunity when the first 6 or 7 years with GSC have exceeded my expectations.

I’m a lucky guy!  There’s nothing more, I’d rather be doing than songwriting. I’m grateful every day for having the GSC family in my life.