We’re honoured to be included in this year’s Songwriter’s Hall of Fame New Writers CD with our song DONT GET ME WRONG

http://www.songhall.org/writers_cd/entry/1202

About the writers:
Beth Walker (aka Betsy Milcarek) and Rich Howland (collectively known as Hook Driven Music) are an international and award winning songwriting team that started writing together approximately 6 years ago.

She is in NY and he is in Vancouver, BC, so it’s safe to say that they have the business of long distance songwriting technology down to a science! Beth and Rich love to write Pop, Pop-Rock and Pop-R&B for both adult and teen/tween artists.

This last year has been a busy one with placements in 3 different episodes of the CW summer reality series Plain Jane, and
a new song out, DON’T GET ME WRONG, co-written with Jeff Dawson (producer of Daniel Powter’s #1 Billboard Hot 100 single- Bad Day ).

Beth and Rich have been ASCAPLUS Award recipients for the last two years running as recognition for their tireless music business efforts. Many of their songs have been recorded by independent artists in 7 states here in the USA as well as Canada, the UK and Germany. Previously, AudioBrain, in NYC signed two of their songs for use with NBC Sports and the Beijing Olympics.

They currently have songs on file with Disney, Nickelodeon, and the American Red Cross, have songs signed for placement with prominent LA based music libraries and contract offers from NY- based placement companies and publishers.

Hook Driven Music’s songs continue to be recognized on a regular basis, garnering many awards and top placements in industry-respected songwriting competitions. Some examples are:

WHAT A KISS MEANS – Pop Winner, SongDoor International Songwriting Competition
Pop Semi-Finalist, UK Songwriting Competition
FIRST TRIP – Pop Finalist, UK Songwriting Competition
Honorable Mention – SongDoor International Songwriting Competition
HOW MUCH YOU LOVE ME – Pop Semi-Finalist UK Songwriting Competition
SMILE IS KILLING ME – Pop Semi-Finalist UK Songwriting Competition
Honorable Mention – SongDoor International Songwriting Competition
YOU WERE MY FIRST – Pop Honorable Mention – SongDoor International Songwriting Competition
DO YOU GET IT – Pop/Top 40 Semi-Finalist- International Songwriting Competition
TURN IT AROUND ON A DIME – Semi-Finalist – International Songwriting Competition

Through much of their song marketing efforts, Beth and Rich have crossed paths with many up and coming teen artists and their families. While all of their stories are different, it became clear that there was a need for real music business education for these talented young driven artists, musicians and songwriters. Organized by Hook Driven Music and facilitated by Betsy Milcarek (aka Beth Walker) their TEEN MUSIC ON TRACK series of programs launched this year in NYC to bring industry professionals in to educate teens on all different aspects of the music business. Classes are small group to facilitate an open platform. Special guests have included managers, hit songwriters, producers, major/independent publishers and major labels.

Vancouver based producer / engineer / mixer Jeff Dawson developed and produced the breakthrough debut album “Bad Day” by songwriter Daniel Powter (Warner) and the single “Bad Day” was #1 for 5 weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100 of 2006 and has become an incredible world wide hit with almost 2.2 million downloads and nearly 3 million albums sold. Don’t let the A/C sounds of Daniel Powter fool you. Jeff’s ear and musical taste run the full gamut. Recent projects include Load/EMI act The Dudes, Vancouver’s Art of Dying, 5AM’s latest “Raise The Sun” and R&B Diva Kelly Rowland single “Unity”. Jeff produced and recorded 2 year chart toppers, State of Shock and their smash album “Life, Love and Lies.” This CD is Certified Platinum in Canada and set to soon take the US by storm.