The University of Arkansas Department of Music is excited to announce a new online course in Contemporary Commercial Songwriting. The course is taught by U of A music faculty Jake Hertzog and was co-authored by and features multi-platinum songwriter Kenny Lamb, a music industry professional and former Warner/Chappell New York and Nashville staff songwriter with over 20 years of experience working with major artists in a wide range of genres.

"Songwriting remains at the foundation of the industry, but it is key to have a broader understanding of what it means to be a professional songwriter in a new and evolving market," Lamb said, when discussing the new offering. "This partnership connecting the U of A more directly to the professional songwriting world will encourage accelerated development and create more opportunities for aspiring talent. I'm excited to be working with the faculty and staff at the University of Arkansas to help develop this new component to their music program."

In the eight-week course, now open for registration for the fall 2019 second eight-week session, students will create a portfolio of original songs, explore the historical, commercial, and cultural aspects of successful songs and artists, and gain an understanding of aspects of the songwriting business. Other topics include music theory for songwriters, demo creation, marketing and networking.

This new offering marks the first in a series of music industry courses that the Department of Music is developing with the Global Campus. Other upcoming offerings include Music Entrepreneurship and Music Law. Each class features a unique partnership with high-level music industry professionals. Lamb has strong ties to Northwest Arkansas and in Spring 2019 began working with the Department of Music to offer career advising to music students. Branching out and partnering with music industry experts represents an innovative new approach to expanding curricular offerings in music industry topics.

"Kenny is the real deal, he's got the experience, credits and industry relationships that are meaningful for our students, on or off campus," Hertzog said. "He's a wonderful teacher who is excited to share his knowledge of the craft and business of songwriting. We are thrilled to have him working with us on this course."

Students can now enroll in the course through UA Connect. The course number is MUTH 477V-901 (13981). For questions related to the course or registration, please contact Hertzog at jhertzog@uark.edu.

About Kenny Lamb: Lamb is a multi-platinum songwriter, producer and artist manager with credits in many genres of music. He began his career as a Warner/Chappell Nashville and New York staff songwriter and producer. His songwriting credits, artist development and collaborations include 'N SYNC, Justin Timberlake, Rhett Akins, Building 429, Little Big Town, Take 5, Barrett Baber, Marc Collie, Ashley Monroe, Adam Cunningham, Across The Sky, and many others, with songs reaching #1 on the Billboard Charts and BMI Song of the Year.

Lamb's songs in film and television have been featured on NBC, HBO, ABC, FOX Sports, MLB, and commercial campaigns for major brands including Coca-Cola. In 2016, Kenny was the recipient of a Global Peace Song Award, an honor given to songwriters who are making a positive impact in the world through music. Kenny currently splits his time between Nashville and Rogers, focusing on artist development, artist management, and music publishing.