Grammy-winning singer/songwriter and author Dan Hill is returning to the Comox Valley.

In addition to being a panelist and performer at this year鈥檚 fourth Annual Vancouver Island Music Business Conference (VIMBC), Hill will also co-host a songwriter鈥檚 retreat at Crown Isle Resort.

Hill has returned to the Comox Valley several times to participate in Highland Music and Multimedia events as a conference panelist, author, performer and as a performance mentor to the final contestants of the 2010 Valley Idol.

He is probably most well-known for his iconic songs Sometimes When We Touch and Can鈥檛 We Try. His songwriting career has celebrated four number one hits, two gold albums, four platinum albums, a Grammy award, and five Juno awards.

Less well-known is that Dan Hill has written songs for some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Celine Dion (Seduces Me), The Backstreet Boys (I Promise You), 98 Degrees (I Do), Michael W. Smith (The Human Spark), and Britney Spears (When I Found You).

Hill will co-host a two-day songwriter鈥檚 retreat June 19 and 20, along with Ralph Murphy and Steve Wilkinson. These three platinum award-winning songwriters will give tips and share insights on how to craft a great song, from what makes a song memorable to what makes it marketable.

Murphy, author of Murphy鈥檚 Law of Songwriting, is the president of ASCAP Nashville. Murphy has had a long career as a producer and songwriter, producing April Wine's first two albums and writing songs that have been recorded by Crystal Gayle, Ronnie Milsap, Cliff Richard, Randy Travis, Little Texas, Kathy Mattea, Shania Twain and many other artists.

Wilkinson is producer and songwriter for the platinum-selling country band The Wilkinsons, with his daughter Amanda and son Tyler. They had a huge American hit with 26 cents, and were featured in a reality TV series The Wilkinsons on CMT.

This team of songwriters has decades of music industry experience with plenty of insight to offer, including anecdotal wisdom to impart from their own songwriting successes and mishaps.

Spaces for the songwriting retreat are limited, so book your space now,

This songwriting retreat is a great 鈥減re-amp鈥� to the Vancouver Island Music Business Conference June 22 to 26, an annual event that brings emerging artists and music industry professionals together.

The lineup of panelists and entertainment continues to expand each year as producers, promoters, songwriters, performers and publishers from across North America come here to participate in informational seminars, workshops, social events, and performance opportunities.

More information is available online at www.vimbc.com.

鈥� Vancouver Island Music Business Conference