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Arts & Entertainment

Nashville Dreams for Holmdel's Jon D'Agostino

The singer/songwriter/music producer's latest song is a Top 10 Finalist in CMT's Listener's Choice Award contest. Listeners can cast votes until Feb. 28.

Jon D'Agostino has a very supportive wife. Jade D'Agostino has agreed to move their family to Nashville, TN if -- or at this rate, when -- one of her husband's original songs breaks into the Top 10 on the Billboard Country Music Charts. For D'Agostino, that day may arrive sooner than expected. 

One of his latest songs, "I Try To Let Go," has been announced as a finalist in this year's Country Music Television/Nashville Songwriters Association International song contest. Out of nearly 3,000 songs submitted this year to CMT/NSAI, D'Agostino's song not only made it into the final Top 10, he's the only 2012 finalist who was also a finalist in 2011 as well.

“It feels awesome knowing my song went through so many elimination rounds along with almost 3000 other songs from around the world,” he said, clearly elated. “It felt surreal to get to the top 10 two years in a row!”

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And, he and his co-writer, Chris Corley, of Middletown, are the only finalists from the NY/NJ area.

As one of the Top 10 finalists, “I Try to Let Go” is eligible for CMT/NSAI's Listener's Choice Award. Country music fans, friends, and supporters can listen to all of this year's nominees, including D'Agostino's, and vote for their favorite song online at www.nsai.cmt.com.

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The deadline for voting is February 28, 2012, and D'Agostino is hoping that some hometown help will put him over the top this time.

The winning song will be announced in the spring, and the top spot comes with a long list of serious prizes for aspiring music professionals, including a mentoring session with a major music publisher, exposure to music industry executives through a winner's compilation CD for a year, and more.

“The most important thing for me is the validation as a serious songwriter,” said D'Agostino.

“Next is the opportunity to put this song and other songs in the hands of major music publishers in Nashville. The dream is to get a major artist to record the song or get it placed in a major film or TV show.”  

An attorney with a successful New York practice, D'Agostino's lifelong passion for writing and producing music has already met with success. His songs have been signed by over a dozen publishers, and have been placed on independent artist projects, international artist projects and recently in several independent and major films, he says. "A Christmas Kiss" was a winner in the 2010 NSAI Christmas in July contest. Last June, he even recorded a holiday song with his daughter Jess and her friends.

D'Agostino spends four to five days a month in Nashville, writing, networking, pitching his songs, and attending performances. Inspiration finds him anywhere.

“I Try to Let Go” started with a melody I had in my head,” he mused. “I sang it to Chris who started strumming it on his guitar. Once we worked out the music, I just kind of let it speak to me, a song of longing for a lost love.”

 

 

 

The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) is the world’s largest not-for-profit songwriters trade association. Established in 1967, the membership of more than 5,000 active and pro members spans the United States and six other countries. NSAI is dedicated to protecting the rights of and serving aspiring and professional songwriters in all genres of music.

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