The Fourth Annual New Jersey Songwriters’ Summit

The Fourth Annual New Jersey Songwriters’ Summit

Learn, Listen and Write Songs in the company of Master Songwriters.

Are your songs ready to go further?

A full day of immersive songwriting workshops with acclaimed songwriters:

Amy Speace, Susan Cattaneo, Carolann Solebello and Mark Aaron James.

Saturday, March 14, 2026

9:00am – 10:00pm

Full Day Songwriters’ Summit

• Full Day of Songwriting Workshops for all levels – Whether you’re new to songwriting or a professional yourself, you’ll learn from master songwriters.  We have designed the workshops to be immersive, interactive, hands-on and experiential.
• Lunch,
• Dinner,
• Snacks,
• Song Swaps,
• Journal,
• Enter the Songwriting Contest for a chance to play your song to open the evening concert – This is optional.  First, Register for the workshops and then send an mp3 and lyrics for one song to [email protected] with the subject line: NJ Songwriters’ Summit Song Contest Entry.  Deadline for entries: Sun, March 1, at 11:59PM.
• Evening Concert – Wrap up the day with a powerhouse concert from 7:30pm to 10:00pm, featuring performances by Amy Speace and Susan Cattaneo. (Plus: two openers who win the songwriting contest)
• are all Included in Your Tuition: $144

Evening Concert Only: $25 non-members/$20 members (Have your family and friends meet you after the workshops to join you for the evening concert.)

You can purchase separate

CONCERT ONLY TICKETS HERE:

👉 IN PERSON CONCERT and

👉 LIVE WEBCAST CONCERT TICKETS

Space is limited, reserve your spot today.

WE SOLD OUT LAST YEAR, WITH A WAITING LIST, AND EXPECT THE SAME THIS YEAR.

You can purchase your tickets for the Summit at

The top or bottom of this page.

The Songwriters’ Summit Faculty:

Amy Speace, an awarding winning songwriter, with an MFA in poetry, is a widely celebrated contemporary folk and Americana songwriter, heralded by Rolling Stone, Billboard, and The New York Times, and featured on NPR’s Weekend Edition for her deeply expressive voice and compelling songs. Her 2025 10th release, a spare, solo acoustic album recorded in three hours, “The Blue Rock Session,” is gaining the best critical raves of her career. The album was #1 on the Folk International Chart in December 2025. She has taught at The Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Song School, Swannanoa Gathering’s Contemporary Folk Week, Kerrville Song School, Sisters Festival Song School, Berklee College of Music, Northeastern College, and privately from Nashville and on Zoom.  She was discovered early in her career by legendary singer Judy Collins, who signed her to Wildflower Records and recorded her songs.  Amy brings a rare emotional precision and lyrical depth to her teaching – guiding songwriters to write with greater honesty, clarity and courage.

Mary Gauthier says, [Amy[ has reached the level of absolute mastery. Folk music doesn’t get any better than this.”

Link to Video: Weight of the World

Susan Cattaneo, an award-winning songwriter and Berklee professor, she is one of Boston’s most respected singer/songwriters known for her powerful voice, finely crafted lyrics, and a signature blend of folk, rock, blues, and country that she calls New England Americana.  She charted #1 on Billboard and Folk Radio Charts. As an in-demand songwriting professor at Berklee College of Music for more than 15 years, Susan has helped shape the craft of thousands of students and mentored well over 2,000 artists across genres. She is a master storyteller whose songs balance heart, grit and craft – an inspiring teacher who helps writers sharpen their voice and elevate their work.

“Ultimately it’s rare to find an artist so willing to invest her psyche so fully into her songs, but the return on Cattaneo’s commitment also makes for a compelling set of songs.” – American Songwriter

Link to Video: In the Grooves

Carolann Solebello, performing songwriter and founding member of beloved harmony trio Red Molly, has had top songwriting placements at the Susquehanna Music & Arts Festival, SolarFest, Musicians on a Mission, and the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest, as well as official showcase artist slots at Folk Alliance International and regional conferences. With five solo albums to her credit (and a sixth coming soon), she has been on the folk scene for decades and is a longtime active member of the Jack Hardy Songwriters Exchange. Carolann is a sought-after contest and festival judge who can help you discover deep craft insight and add creative spark to your songs.

“I think of Carolann Solebello as a painter with words. An illustrator could have a field day with the imaginative storytelling [in this] book of tales…  Whether it’s divine aid or some other muse, she shows off some major chops with Shiver.”
~ Richard Cuccaro, Acoustic Live in NYC

Link to Video: Hiram

Mark Aaron James, is a NY based award-winning songwriter, performer, musical theater writer is known for his inventive pop-folk-rock songs, sharp lyrical wit and deeply human storytelling. He is a beautiful musical theatre writer and composer whose musical, Peripheral, was selected for the Newport NewWorks Festival in 2025 and is slated for upcoming readings in New York City with NEWPORT NEWWORKS – AT Roundabout Underground. His work: HERO: An Origin Story was selected for the New York Musical Festival and later became a semi-finalist at the prestigious O’Neill National Music Theater Conference.  He is also a Kerrville Folk Festival judge.  His early albums earned him back-to-back wins as “Best Local Songwriter” and “Best Up-and-Coming Band” in The Nashville Scene reader’s poll, topping names like John Hiatt and Lucinda Williams. Mark brings a unique blend of craft, curiosity, and joy to teaching -helping songwriters sharpen their voice, elevate their songs, and tell stories that truly land.

Link to Video: Make Bad Decisions with Me

SCHEDULE:

• 9:00 – 9:35 AM: Registration/Sign in
• 9:35 – 9:45 AM: Welcome and Introduction
• 9:45 – 11:00 AM: Workshop 1
• 11:00 – 11:10 AM: Break
• 11:10 – 12:25 PM: Workshop 2
• 12:25 – 1:30 PM: Lunch
• 1:30 – 3:00 PM: Workshop 3 (Choice of 3 workshops)
• 3:00 – 3:10 PM: Break
• 3:10 – 4:40 PM: Workshop 4 (Choice of 3 workshops)
• 4:45 – 5:45 PM: Song Sharing Session
• 5:45 – 6:45 PM: Dinner
• 7:30 – 10:00 PM: Evening Concert

7:30-7:45: 2 song contest winners doing one song each,

7:45-10:00: Amy Speace and Susan Cattaneo in Concert (Open to the public)

Enter the Songwriting Contest for a chance to play your song to open the evening concert – This is optional.  First, Register for the workshops and then send an mp3 and lyrics for one song to [email protected] with the subject line: NJ Songwriters’ Summit Song Contest Entry.  The deadline for entries: Sun, March 1, 11:59PM.

Workshop Topics

Digging Up the Truth

In this workshop, Amy Speace leads participants through a powerful group exercise drawn directly from the method she uses with her online students. Designed to help songwriters move past surface ideas, and into emotional truth, this process encourages honest, exploration, unexpected connections, and lyric discovery. Whether you arrive with a fragment, a feeling, or nothing at all, you’ll be guided step-by-step through a method that helps uncover the heart of a song and translate it into compelling language.

Getting Unstuck

Every Songwriter hits creative walls. This workshop is designed to help you climb over them. Amy will offer a series of thoughtfully crafted prompts that invite momentum, curiosity, and risk, creating a supportive space to write without overthinking. Come prepared to write, experiment, and surprise yourself. This session is ideal for Songwriter, who feel stalled, over-edited, or unsure of their next move, and are ready to reconnect with the joy and flow of creation.

The Master Toolkit:  Overcoming creative paralysis in your Songwriting.

Struck by an unstoppable urge to write a song?  Maybe you have a melody, chord progression, or a snippet of lyric, but then something happens, and you just can’t write past it? And your inner critic is whispering to give up and try something much more fun like…accounting? Don’t lose hope.  Susan says there is help is on the way.. This master class focuses on practical tools and tips that will help writers get and stay inspired.  Great song ideas are all around you. Let me help you find and finish them! Come prepared to write.

The Devil’s in The Details…and so is a great song! 

How often are you stuck with lyrics that feel “generic” and uninteresting?  Join Susan as you as we explore ways to generate sense-bound imagery for your songs! I’ll start the clinic by showing you some in-class writing techniques to get you thinking about ways to “show not tell” your story. Some of the writing prompts we’ll learn about are focused writing, object writing, and writing through the power of metaphor and how it can transform any song into magic.

Exploring Outside the Comfort Zone

What’s your habitual writing process like? Do you write lyrics or melodies first? Do you begin with voice or instrument? Whatever your personal comfort zone, if you’re brave enough to step outside of it ON PURPOSE, then this is the workshop for you. Change your point of view and find new creative avenues to explore. Carolann uses prompts to begin, then follows the muse wherever she leads.

Writing a Five-O’Clock Special:  What if you HAD to? 

Can you write a song in an afternoon? Or better yet, in an hour? What if you HAD to? Carolann offers practical strategies to knock down psychological roadblocks and get to the good stuff on a tight deadline, self-imposed or otherwise.

The Craft of Re-Writing

Rewriting is where good songs become great, and where many writers get stuck. In this workshop, Mark Aaron James offers clear, practical ways to look at what isn’t working in a song and why. Through guided examples and discussion, he’ll share approaches for strengthening lines, sharpening focus, and turning an “okay“ moment into something exceptional, all while learning how to get out of your own way as a writer. Participants are welcome to bring a work in progress, but it’s not required; this session is equally valuable for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of revision and creative decision-making.

Brain Tricks That Make People Like a Song

Why do some songs lodge themselves in our heads and hearts so effortlessly? In this workshop, Mark Aaron James explores the subtle but powerful tools songwriters use to create connection and memorability. Through examples and hands-on exploration, he will examine techniques such as alliteration, repetition, internal rhyme, and other pattern-based devices that engage a listener‘s brain without feeling forced or gimmicky. This session is ideal for songwriters who want to better understand why certain songs resonate, and how to apply those ideas intentionally in their own writing.