We’ve all had that sentimental moment when a piece of music rushes from the speakers on the dashboard or through our headphones and connects with us as if it were being written for that moment. Now imagine chasing that moment down, getting to the heart of what makes that song move you, channeling that feeling and then writing your own song that sings to the rest of world. This is what the Gordie Sampson Songcamp is all about.

Every year some of the Maritimes’ most promising songwriters are hand-picked to take part in an intensive writing weekend conducted by award winning Canadian songwriter, Gordie Sampson. Sampson, along with musical heavy weights Steve MacDougall (Slowcoaster) and Carleton Stone as they apply equal parts good-times and pencil-grinding to help new writers discover the limits of their talents. And the proof of the camp’s success is in its history. Over the past four years the camp has grown from 10 songs and a handful of students to an all-out powerhouse weekend yielding over 100 tunes among 24 writers.

Some of the songs have already found homes on albums made by the participants while others were sketched out on work-tapes and demos during camp.

We’re looking forward to sharing The Gordie Sampson Songcamp compilation CD with you all very soon! Stay tuned for a release date in November 2013.