About The Writer's Share
Jen FosterT.J. Martell FoundationRichard MarxChuck CannonLari WhiteMike Reid
Your Host, Jen Foster
Jen Foster is an award-winning singer/songwriter who runs her independent record label, Fosterchild Records, in Nashville, TN. Influenced heavily by classic artists such as the Rolling Stones, U2, and Bob Dylan, Jen has recently spent time in a Nashville recording studio working on her upcoming third album, "Thirty-Nine". Along with her producer, Greg Droman, Jen put together an all-star group of musicians to perform on the tracks, including Peter Stroud (Sheryl Crow), Rami Jaffee (The Wallflowers), Sean Hurley (John Mayer, Vertical Horizon), and Fred Eltringham (The Wallflowers, Dixie Chicks, The Wreckers). The project embodies a blend of sounds which range from soft, lazy-day melodies to more raucous guitar-driven tracks.
Some of these new songs have already garnered Jen national attention: the single "Closer to Nowhere" was recently featured on MTV's wildly popular show, "The Hills", and it also won first place in the International Songwriting Competition (Triple A category). The accompanying music video for the song also hit #1 for several weeks on the LOGO network. In addition, Jen's original song, "Venice Beach", was recently a finalist in the 2008 John Lennon Songwriting Contest, as well as in the New York Songwriter's Circle. Previously, Jen has secured other impressive Film/TV placements, with songs placed in the popular television soap opera "All My Children" as well as a recent placement in an "American Pie" movie sequel.
When she's not busy recording or writing and co-writing songs in Nashville, Jen also tours nationally and has shared stages with Melissa Etheridge, John Mayer, Patty Griffin, and many others.
Jen's upcoming project, "Thirty-Nine", is due for release this summer (2009). Her music is currently available at iTunes, CD Baby, & Amazon.com, as well as on Bandbox at her newly-designed website - www.jenfoster.com.
About The T.J. Martell Foundation 
The T.J. Martell Foundation, the music industry's premier charity, funds innovative research into the treatments and cures of leukemia, cancer and AIDS. Founded 34 years ago by Sony Music senior executive Tony Martell following the death of his son, T.J., from leukemia, the Martell Foundation has raised more than $225 million and, more importantly, saved many lives. The Martell Foundation supports nine research facilities throughout the United States, including the Frances Williams Preston Laboratories at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.
Richard Marx
With his debut single "Don't Mean Nothing" and self-titled debut album, Richard Marx kicked off his career as a solo artist in 1987. Over the next three years, he became the first male solo artist to have his first 7 singles reach the top 5 on Billboard's singles chart, including the 1 hits "Hold On to the Nights," "Satisfied" and the worldwide classic, "Right Here Waiting." He remained a fixture on pop and adult contemporary radio for years, selling over 30 million records, even as he emerged as a top producer working with some of the biggest names in the music business. Among those artists, *NSYNC, Keith Urban, Barbra Streisand, Josh Groban, Vince Gill, Leann Rimes, 98°, Luther Vandross, Kenny Rogers, Sarah Brightman, Lara Fabian, Sister Hazel, The Tubes and SHeDAISY. More recently, he has written and produced records for Emerson Drive, Natalie Cole, Paulina Rubio, Kenny Loggins, Chris Botti, Michael Bolton, Chely Wright, Meredith Edwards, Hugh Jackman and Sissel.
In February 2004, Richard won the Song of the Year Grammy for "Dance With My Father," which he wrote with Luther Vandross. It was a big night for several reasons. "It was the award itself," says Richard. "For me and more importantly for Luther. I was proud."
More recently was "Better Life," a song written by Richard and Keith Urban which was included in Keith's last CD, the triple platinum "Be Here" and was also the biggest hit single from the CD, spending 6 consecutive weeks at 1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart.
As Richard readies his next CD, the follow up to 2004's "My Own Best Enemy" which contained the hits "When You're Gone" and "Ready To Fly," he's also been back on the road. He just concluded a tour of Australia, his first time there in 8 years, and plans many more tour dates around the globe in '08 and '09.
Chuck Cannon
Chuck grew up in the low country of South Carolina... a Southern boy generations deep. His music echoes the R&B, Folk Rock, Gospel, and Country he grew up listening to.
He is a multi-award winning songwriter who has had his songs recorded by an incredibly diverse array of mega-stars ranging from Paul Carrack (Mike & The Mechanics, Squeeze and Ace) to Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton and Toby Keith... to Euro-Pop super-group BoyZone and 80's rock superstar band NightRanger.
With numerous # 1 and top ten songs, he has logged over 16 million airplays with BMI...
His critically acclaimed solo projects, GOD SHAPED HOLE and LOVE AND MONEY reflect the depth of his art... the production is haunting with wide open spaces that support songs that are quite simply, stunning.
His live performance is riveting... no one interprets a song like the writer of the song and Chuck Cannon will leave you wanting more...
Chuck Cannon's music may be found on iTunes and CD Baby
Lari White
Lari White, hit songwriter, hit producer, Gold and Grammy recording artist, and actress, has established herself as an impactful artist, crossing musical and professional genres.
Lari earned three Grammy's for best Southern Gospel (The Apostle Soundtrack and Amazing Grace 1 and 2: A Country Tribute), and Gold Album "Wishes" on RCA Records. She recently made music history as the first female producer of a male superstar by producing Toby Keith’s platinum album "White Trash with Money."
As a songwriter, Lari's credits include Tammy Wynette, Toby Keith, Lonestar, and most recently Pat Green and Sarah Buxton. Her recent cds as a recording artist include the R&B flavored "Green Eyed Soul," hailed by the London Times as "...the best soul album this year," and "My First Affair," music from her 2007 cabaret show at the Oak Room. Her film credits include Cast Away with Tom Hanks (the "Girl at the Crossroads" in the final scene) and the Lifetime TV Movie No Regrets with Kate Jackson and Janine Turner.
Lari made her critically-acclaimed Broadway debut in "Ring Of Fire," (2006) and received rave reviews for her performances in the Marilyn and Alan Bergman Tribute with Michael Feinstein at Carnegie Hall, and in their Lincoln Center tribute. She's been a featured artist with Marvin Hamlisch and the NY Pops at Carnegie Hall, and has won critics and audiences alike with her cabaret shows at the famed Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel in New York City.
Lari is now writing and recording in her recording studio, The Holler, with her hit songwriter/artist husband, Chuck Cannon, collaborating with new artists as well as producing her own music.
Mike Reid
Mike Reid, former all-pro with footballs Cincinnati Bengals, is today one of America's most recorded and respected composers. For the last three decades, Mike Reid's songs have been recorded by such acclaimed popular performers as Tim McGraw ("Everywhere"), Bonnie Raitt and Prince ("I Can’t Make You Love Me"), Ronnie Milsap ("Stranger in My House" and "Lost in the Fifties Tonight"), Collin Raye and Bette Midler ("In This Life"), Anita Baker, Alabama, The Judds, and many others. He is a two-time Grammy Award winner, and has been named ASCAP's Writer of the Year. In 2005, Reid was inducted into the Nashville Sonwriters Hall of Fame.
In recent years, Mike Reid has turned to writing larger works that "represent a deeper place in the soul" such as the remarkable song-cycle Quilts for the Tennessee Dance Theatre, the musical The Ballad of Little Jo and Tales of Appalachia for the Kandinsky Trio. Quilts has been enthusiastically received at performances in Nashville, the SPOLETO Festival, and Symphony Space in New York City. The New York premiere of Quilts was covered by "ABC World News Tonight." The Ballad of Little Jo has been produced by The Steppenwolf Theater of Chicago as well as The Bridewell Theater in London and is slated for a workshop production in December at The Public Theater in New York City.
Also in 1994, Mike Reid was honored with a commission from a consortium of nine arts organizations along the Appalachia Mountain Range to write a quartet for the Kandinsky Trio and guest storyteller. Tales of Appalachia received its world premiere at the Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State in October of 1995 with the New York premiere at Miller Theatre of Columbia University. Twenty-five venues presented "Tales" during the 95-96 season, and hundreds more followed in succeeding seasons. More recent works include a one-act opera for Opera Memphis and New York's Metropolitan Opera, and a musical, In This House, which premiered at Playhouse West in SanFrancisco in February 2008. A second commission from the Kandinsky Trio resulted in "Eye of the Blackbird" for soprano and piano trio, premiered by the Kandinsky Trio and soprano Elizabeth Weigle at the Kennedy Center For The Performing Arts.
Currently, Reid is at work writing songs and composing the score for the musical "Casanova Returns," scheduled for a September workshop production in Australia in 2009.