American Songwriter to Launch Inaugural Songwriting Camp, Between the Lines in April 2025

American Songwriter is launching its inaugural songwriting camp, Between the Lines, in 2025. The fully immersive three-day retreat, which will run April 25-28 at the Emerson Resort & Spa in the Catskill Mountains in Hudson Valley, New York, is targeted to intermediate-level songwriters, producers, and lyricists and will feature top songwriters as mentors.

Between the Lines will help attendees develop their craft during collaborative songwriting sessions, performances of their songs, guest songwriter Q & A sessions, and two masterclasses, “Writing A Memorable Melody,” and “Writing Effective Lyrics,” during the weekend, hosted by SongWriterCamps founders and hit songwriters Pam Sheyne and Richard Harris.

New Zealand-born Sheyne started her career as a backing vocalist and session singer for dozens of artists, including Elton John, Celine Dion, Cyndi Lauper, Bryan Adams, Dave Stewart, Daryl Hall, Pet Shop Boys, and more. Sheyne also co-wrote Christina Aguilera’s 1999 No. 1 hit “Genie in a Bottle,” Jessica Simpson’s Top 20 hit “Irresistible” from 2001, and has had her songs covered by Sinead O’Connor, Seal, Demi Lovato, and the Backstreet Boys, among others.

British songwriter and producer Harris has composed hundreds of songs for film, and television. His music has been featured on hit TV shows, including Nashville, Empire, and Vanderpump Rules, and in the films Single Moms Club and This Means War. He has also written for eBay, HBO, and AT&T commercials, and other spots.

“In essence, it is our first camp, but I want it to feel like we’ve been doing this for 40 years,” says Shane Whalen, Director of Community at American Songwriter. “It’s a 40-year-old brand. I want the public to know that even though it’s our first camp, we’re incorporating 40 years of experience, putting it all together in a room, learning from people who are monster writers in the industry, who have written monster songs.”

The camp fee of $2,995 for a single accompanying room and board and $2,495 for a double, includes songwriting classes and activities, accommodations with an ensuite bathroom, and three full meals per day (with non-alcoholic beverages); it does not include travel expenses to the camp destination.

Applicants must fill out a songwriting application to be considered for the camp, including three songs they’ve written or co-written. All submissions will be reviewed by a panel of songwriting professionals who will inform applicants within seven to 14 business days if they have secured a spot in the camp.

Though the first camp is catered to intermediate writers, who have already composed and produced their music, additional camps for Beginners and Advanced songwriters are also in development. The camp is just the beginning of more opportunities being structured to support songwriters in the new year, according to Whalen, who said the company is also exploring multiple camps per year, along with digital songwriting camp opportunities.

“American Songwriter is going to be creating more and more opportunities for songwriters in the new year,” he says. “In addition to this camp, we’re going to have publishing opportunities, sync opportunities, performance opportunities, and more.

He adds, “I want there to be a world like no matter where you are in your songwriting journey, the day you find out about songwriter, you can plug and play. And depending on your talent and your goals, we have opportunities for everybody.”

For more information and to apply for the inaugural Between the Lines Songwriting Camp, go here.