Type Of Business:
Independent music label, songwriting producer, pet industry product creator.
Marketing Area:
International
Expertise:
Canine research; Songwriting and song pitching. Many personal songs have been covered by international and Grammy winning artists such as Melissa Manchester, Alannah Myles and Ricky Van Shelton.
Major Product/SVS:
Songs and CDs about dogs. Presently Musical Tails offers 108 songs about purebred dogs written specifically for the pet and dog show enthusiast. Each song has catchy music, memorable choruses and often the history of the dog and the country where it originated. All songs produced, written and performed by Nancy Simmonds. All available for downloads through iTunes, Amazon.com or through Nancy's personal site, Musical Tails. Individual song CDs can be ordered through this site as well. Occasionally Nancy has a booth at major dog shows in America.
Favorite Business Publication:
Sighthound Review, Poodle Review, Dog Fancy.
Hobbies/Sports:
Producing videos; Nancy has added many charming videos to her account at Musical Tails (musicaltails) on YouTube. Many dogs, horses and personal videos from her performing days in Canada.
Education Degrees:
High School Diploma, Graduate St. Godric's College, London England.
Affiliations Awards:
SOCAN, National Publishers Association, SODRAC.
Throughout the duration of your career, what was the one highlight that stood out the most?:
Having worked with Leonard Cohen briefly in Nashville in the early 70's and recording with his producer, Bob Johnson. As a performer she enjoyed opening concerts for such artists and J. J. Cale and Chris de Burg. Nancy had a long career as a performer in Toronto, Canada and loved her time with The Nancy Simmonds Band.
Charity:
Helping rescue organizations with CD donations for raffles and fund raising events. Performing at specialty clubs.
Number Of Years In Profession:
41
Number Of Years In Current Position:
11
What Does He/She Attribute Success To:
She attributes her success to her persistence. Seeing an opportunity in the pet industry and dog world to create individual songs about breeds. Nancy is the only company of her kind and enjoys sales of downloads around the world. Also as a professional songwriter and recording artist she is currently working on a CD about her life in California.
Why did you become involved in your profession or industry?:
She became involved in her profession through her love of music and songwriting. Nancy began in the music industry in the early 70's signing her first publishing contract in New York in 1972. In the early 80's she was the first female writer signed to Chappell Music Canada and has since run her own publishing company, Soap Opry Music, continuing to have songs recorded by other artists.
Extended Bio Profile:
NANCY SIMMONDS
WINNER OF 2010 USA SONGWRITING CONTEST WITH ALANNAH MYLES for "GIVE ME LOVE"
Born in London, Ontario, Nancy began pursuing her singer/songwriter career when she moved to Toronto in the early 70's. She worked briefly with Leonard Cohen in Nashville and then began performing at festivals and clubs throughout Ontario, opening concerts at Massey Hall for Chris de Burgh and J.J. Cale. She made appearances on many of the current days' TV shows, performed in the movie "Silent Partner" and eventually signed a publishing deal with Chappell Music Canada in the early 80's. Nancy was an original member of Prairie Oyster while continuing to maintain her performing act "The Nancy Simmonds Band". She left Canada in 1986 to live in Carpinteria, California for the next 16 years where she was involved in animal rescue as well as maintaining her writing and producing career. Her songs have been covered by Melissa Manchester, Ricky Van Shelton, Rosemary Butler, Alannah Myles, Christopher Ward, Joan Kennedy, Quartette, Adrian Zmed, Colleen Peterson and Veronique Believeau. She has received writing awards for the multi-million selling CD "Alannah Myles" and "Song Instead of a Kiss". In 2002 while performing at historic "Fiesta Days", she won the Santa Barbara Songwriting Contest. She is this year's winner of The USA Songwriting Contest along with Alannah Myles.
Between 2003 and 2004 she produced three CDs from the catalogue once known as All Breed Dog Songs and now release as Musical Tails, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Litters. There are now 108 dog breed songs available thruough iTunes for individual downloads.
In 2005 she co-produced the late Colleen Peterson's last CD with David Bradstreet called Postcards From California, a collection of songs written and recorded in her studio in California with Colleen and other Canadian writers Alannah Myles, Christopher Ward, Robert Priest and Cyril Rawson.
In 2007 she and David Bradstreet produced her first release, Debut, on Joe Tucker Records. In 2009 she completed the 10th "Litter", or CD, for Musical Tails with all songs written, performed, engineered and mixed by Nancy. "Cosmic Suicide" by The Nancy Simmonds Band was also released in 2009 and available through iTunes.
Nancy now resides in Nipomo California and is involved in launching Musical Tails to the pet industry.
www.musicaltails.com
www.nancysimmonds.ca
Position Responsibilities and Duties:
Writing and recording music; Managing the record label and its recording studio's day-to-day operations; Researching different breeds to add to the catalog. Mailing orders and answering all e-mails. Assisting rescue operations whenever possible.
Awards/Honors:
Grand Prize Winner, USA Songwriting Competition (2010); Winner, Santa Barbara Song Competition (2002). SOCAN songwriting award for Song Instead of a Kiss.
Where Will You Be In 5 Years:
In five years, Ms. Simmonds expects to continue writing songs and running her record label.