For immediate release

DATES ANNOUNCED FOR COUNTRY STAR U 2006!

April 12, 2006 (NASHVILLE) – Dates have been set and registration is now open for Country Star University 2006, an innovative and intense 2-day seminar for aspiring country artists, to be held on Monday October 9th & Tuesday October 10th in Nashville, TN. 

Following the success of the inaugural Country Star U event in 2005, Co-Founders Jeff Lysyczyn and Tammy Ragusa have put together another informative and entertaining schedule of events aimed at educating aspiring stars on what it really takes to prepare for and develop a career as a country entertainer.  They have also announced the addition of Event Director Ashlee Rodgers to the CSU staff.

This year’s class schedule will consist of panels including Management, Songwriting and Publishing, The Road, Marketing and Publicity, Making the Record, ScamBusters and What Do Record Labels Really Want?  Classes will be instructed by some of Nashville’s most prominent senior executives from companies including Sony/ATV Music, BMI, Universal Music Group, GAC, as well as many hit songwriters and major recording artists.  Panelists are being added daily.

“When we launched this event last year, our goal was to provide aspiring artists with a resource to help them guide their careers and avoid all the sharks that circle the waters of music row.  The feedback we’ve received has been overwhelming, and we’re certain that this year’s event will be even bigger and better,” says Jeff Lysyczyn, Co-founder of CSU. 

Co-founder Tammy Ragusa adds, “Our debut seminar was pretty magical in that the industry was as receptive and supportive as the student’s were eager and enthusiastic. It’s that type of energy that makes us feel confident that we’ll have another great and unique event this year.”

The seminar will be held at the Warner Bros. on Music Row, and evening events are scheduled to take place at Douglas Corner Café.  Classes run from approximately 8:30 am to 5:00 pm on both days, and evening events begin at 7:30 each night. 

In addition to the classroom learning the attendees of CSU will experience, they will also have the opportunity to work together in small groups during CSU Group Therapy, critique each others’ performers, and ultimately earn the opportunity to perform at CSU Live at Douglas Corner.  The performers chosen for CSU Live will be competing for a valuable prize package of instruments and studio equipment provided by CSU sponsors including Shure Microphones.

The event closes with CSU Hitmakers, a “VH1 Storytellers” style event, where artists and hit songwriters drop by Douglas Corner Café, share a few of their hits acoustically, tell their stories, and take questions from CSU attendees.  Some of the performers at last year’s event hosted by GAC host Storme Warren, included Brett James, T Graham Brown, Rachel Proctor, and Rick Carnes.

Those wishing to register for Country Star University can do so online with credit cards at www.CountryStarU.com or by calling (615) 340-0882.  Registration is limited to 200 attendees, and the cost of the event is $499.  A special CSU discount of $69.95/night is available at the Comfort Inn West End.

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