MAJOR ANNUAL SPONSORS

Leadership Giant

Leadership Anchors

LM@leadershipmusic.org
(615) 770-7090   
Fax (615) 770-7092
P.O. Box 158010
Nashville, TN  37215

LEADERSHIP MUSIC is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational organization established in 1989.

GOALS:

To provide a selection-based program designed to further communication among facets of the entertainment business and to assist established leaders in their roles as industry decision makers.

To facilitate the discussion of our community’s issues; after exposing each participant to areas of the business about which they are unfamiliar, expand the element of team work; to aid in the development of leaders within our industry; and to forge further connection between the broader community and our industry, as well as between our industry nationally and internationally.

IN SUMMARY:

• Leadership Music brings together an experienced group of passionate music business leaders in their respective fields who exchange ideas and viewpoints to further their understanding of current issues and future opportunities.
• We provide the infrastructure which, through education and networking initiatives, promote the health of our industry and inspire and motivate leaders to action.
• There is no other program like Leadership Music in the country; we recognize the community culture that is unique to Nashville and provide the forum for it to continue and flourish, and to advance the coalescence of leadership within our industry.

Leadership Music is honored to have as our current Program Facilitator renowned producer and respected non-profit leader Garth Fundis. Also owner of the studio Sound Emporium, Fundis has chaired the Board of Trustees for the Recording Academy and produced artists such as Trisha Yearwood, Keith Whitley, Sugarland, Terri Clark, Alabama, Waylon Jennings, Emmylou Harris and Townes Van Zandt. Filling in for Fundis periodically will be Bill Ivey, the former Chairman of the NEA and the director of the Curb Center for Art, Enterprise, and Public Policy at Vanderbilt University. Ivey also served as a member of the founding council when Leadership Music was formed in 1989 and served as the Program Facilitator from 2002 through 2007 when he took leave to finish his book. Arts Inc.: How Greed and Neglect Have Destroyed Our Cultural Rights.

Leadership Music Explores… how all elements of the industry operate, individually and cooperatively – new technology providers, record labels, artist management, studio recording, songwriting, music publishing, media, marketing and more.

Leadership Music Promotes… teamwork, camaraderie and dialogue among industry leaders; expanding the talent pool of leadership in the community; and exposing class participants to varying points of view and philosophies.

Each candidate chosen to participate in the Leadership Music Program is thought of as an established leader in their given profession, and as the top candidate(s) from their sector of the music industry. This distinction separates the selection-based program from other (tuition-based) leadership organizations nationally. Candidates come from very diverse professional and personal backgrounds and all genres of music within both the creative and business segments of the industry, as well as a few “community partners” from the non-profit, business, educational or legislative communities. Participants make an extensive time commitment: attendance by the 45 to 50 class members is mandatory for the nine-month program, which begins in the fall. The first and last meetings are weekend retreats, and between are six monthly meetings which average 12 hours each. Each day has a core topic and the participants make on-site visits to relevant locations around the community; they hear from numerous speakers and participate in hands-on exercises.

The education does not stop where Music Row ends. Fresh ideas meet experience: The graduating class plans and executes the Program Days for the next year’s class collaborating with many past alumni who serve on planning committees. This process provides continuity, as well as merging members of all graduating classes. Fundraising and educational event committees are made up entirely of alumni volunteers, leading to additional understanding and creating new relationships. The Leadership Partners program pairs Leadership Music alumni with Leadership Nashville alumni to facilitate growth and communication between the music industry and the greater Nashville business community. The Leadership Music Dale Franklin Award annually honors individual(s) who “exemplify the highest quality of leadership and leading by example.” The Leadership Music Digital Summit is an annual day-long conference which explores new technology opportunities, innovations, and challenges to foster a knowledgeable, issue-oriented, vibrant community of music industry professionals: www.nbnsummit.com.

After 19 years of the Program resulting in 720 alumni, Leadership Music continues to grow, adapting to the changing times and trends while always respecting the fundamental goals of the organization.