DEBRA GUSSIN

BIO

As a former television producer, Debra Gussin knows what makes a great story. As a songwriter, these are the stories that make up the vibrant scenarios of her songs.

Upon graduating from Syracuse University, Debra enjoyed a successful TV career on programs such as ABC’s Wide World of Sports, Fox Sports News, Daytime Emmy Awards, Wolfgang Puck, and Dr. Phil.

While launching the National Geographic Channel, Debra’s colleague introduced her to multi-platinum lyricist, Marty Panzer. After enrolling in his Master Class at UCLA Extension, Debra won the first Concord Records & Barry Manilow Scholarship For Writing Lyrics That Succeed & Endure. Going on to win two more scholarships, she was then honored with a Lifetime Barry Manilow Scholarship Award.

Since taking a sabbatical from her television career, leaving the Dr. Phil show to focus on songwriting full time, Debra won both the Grand Prize and the Lennon Award in the John Lennon Song Contest (Country), the UK Song Contest (Pop & Adult Contemporary), Song Of The Year (Dance), SongDoor International (Country), Show Me The Music (Pop), and Unisong International (Broadway).

When UCLA Extension named THIS IS OUR TIME as its Official Graduation Song , the song received it's WORLD PREMIERE at Royce Hall in Los Angeles, performed by Erich Bergen (Jersey Boys), and was named a TOP 5 song by SONGWRITER UNIVERSE MAGAZINE. It went on to win the 2012 Great American Song Contest (AC).

Debra was commissioned by the Federal Trade Commission to write lyrics for their AnnualCreditReport . com commercials, which won the CINE GOLDEN EAGLE AWARD for Best Public Service Announcement. Her lyrics have been heard on NPR Radio, and quoted in numerous publications nationwide, including the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/03/your-money/credit-scores/03scores.html

TV placements soon followed as Debra's songs have recently been featured in the NBC primetime drama THE EVENT, E! Entertainment's KOURTNEY & KIM TAKE NEW YORK, the SPEED Network's NASCAR RACE HUB, and the UK's IT'S ONLY THE BEGINNING. http://www.nbc.com/the-event/video/for-the-good-of-our-country/1260201/

In addition to co-writing songs with actor/composer Don Grady for BOOMER: JazRokPop, Debra has written lyrics for THE DEPENDENTS, a short musical produced OFF-BROADWAY.

She is currently the lyricist of TURMOIL! A New Musical, and continues to focus on writing pop, Hot AC, dance, and country songs.