Yes, I've had other cuts, mostly in Europe.

BTW, that first cut didn't happen, but it opened the door so that people were willing to listen.

Yes, a writer's best defense is to write a great song. (It helps also to have a great production. Many people listen to the production first, the song second. If they don't hear the sound they're looking for, they stop listening.)

I remember meeting with a rep from Zomba. His take was that if you're writing competitive material, somebody, somewhere is going to notice. If you can't find anyone in the industry who thinks you've got what it takes, maybe you should reevaluate the product you're trying to sell.