The Country Boot joins Ozstar Music to congratulate Natalie Howard on being selected as a Finalist in the prestigious USA International Songwriting Competition Country Category with her song 'The Long Night'.

Co-written by Natalie with noted Nashville writers Terry McBride and Tommy Lee James 'The Long Night' is from her debut album 'Yesterday's Makeup'.

An ISC spokesperson said - "Being selected an ISC finalist is an accomplishment that acknowledges true songwriting talent. Only 1.4% of the almost 15,000 entrants became finalists, which is an extraordinary achievement on your part, and we are very pleased to congratulate you."

As a finalist 'The Long Night' is eligible for the People's Voice - an online voting contest that allows the public to listen to and vote during February. All category winners will be announced in March. To vote visit: www.songwritingcompetition.com/pvwelcome_2005.htm

A duet with Kentucky born and Nashville based artist/songwriter James Dean Hicks ,'The Long Night'is a former #1 video clip on the Country Music Channel, Country Track Top 15 and #2 Top 100 Country Hit. With its modern blend of mandolin, fiddle and steel, this passionate duet captures the haunting feeling of two people who share the same loneliness and deep longing for each other from a distance.

Natalie has a new radio single 'Is It Just Me' out now on NFS #102. A great summer song that opens with sliding pedal steel hook, fusing guitars and a spunky beat. It is modern country mixed with pop and rock styles.

As part of CMB's committment to supporting up-and-coming country artists, they assist performers with a wide range of subsidised production services. This includes full music video production such as the clip below by country music artist Ruby Rose Taylor, or the more traditional on-location approach taken in Dave C. Cawthorn's "When Will It Rain?" filmclip. In the digital era, country music artists require more than just demo sound recordings.

The "demo" music video clip has become an important promotional tool and a means of reaching thousands of country music fans worldwide via services such as YouTube®, MySpace®, Facebook® and many other internet based video sharing or social networking websites.