The event, presented by executive search firm MusicRowSearch and the College of Media and Entertainment at Middle Tennessee State University, is a unique opportunity for attendees to network and learn from entertainment's most innovative minds, while also enjoying live music and giveaways throughout the evening.
Tickets to this must-attend industry event will sellout fast. $10 early bird tickets are on sale now: clickHERE. Tickets will be $15 beginning June 29and $20 at the door.
“I’m excited about the diverse and accomplished slate of speakers represented in what will be our 10th WHO KNEW,” said Tom Truitt, WHO KNEW creator and CEO of entertainment executive search firm MusicRowSearch. “The lineup of speakers, networking opportunities and the entertainment value of the event make WHO KNEW a don’t-miss evening for those in the industry.”
The “Who’s in Charge” panel will include the following influential executives:
Kevin Griffin, lead vocalist and guitarist for Better Than Ezra and partner of the Pilgrimage Music Festival: Griffin made his professional debut in 1995 as the singer and songwriter for New Orleans-based band Better Than Ezra. He has also produced, written, and co-written albums and songs for artists such as Taylor Swift, Train, Sugarland, Barenaked Ladies, Christina Perri and James Blunt. Songs in his catalog of work have sold in excess of 30 million copies. In addition to songwriting and performing, Griffin is involved in artist management and lectures on the subject of creativity. He is also a partner in the Pilgrimage Music Festival that takes place in Franklin, Tenn.
Dr. E. Michael Harrington, Harrington serves as a Music Business Program faculty chair at SAE Nashville. He has created and taught courses at SAE, the Berklee College of Music, Belmont University, University of Alabama Birmingham and William Paterson University. He also frequently teaches training sessions at Harvard Law School. Harrington has worked as a consultant and expert witness in hundreds of music copyright/IP matters. He has also been involved in copyright matters involving the Dixie Chicks, Adele, Steven Spielberg, Steve Perry, Lady Gaga, Samsung, HBO, U.S. Postal Service and others.
Craig Havighurst, Craig Havighurst is a writer, filmmaker, radio producer and broadcaster. His book, Air Castle of the South: WSM and the Making of Music City, tells the story of how Nashville was transformed by one of the nation’s greatest radio stations. He has written for NPR, WPLN-FM, The Wall Street Journal, Texas Monthly and other magazines. He was also a staff writer at The Tennessean from 2001-2004.
Jed Hilly, executive producer of the Americana Music Association: Jed Hilly leads all aspects of the not-for-profit artist advocacy group Americana Music Association. Hilly is executive producer of the Americana Music Festival & Conference. He is also producer of the two-time Regional Emmy Award-winning Americana Honors & Awards show, which has been broadcast on AXS TV, PBS, NPR, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, WSM radio and CMC in Australia. Hilly also co-produced the Grammy and regional Emmy Award-winning album and PBS special, Levon Helm: Ramble at the Ryman. Hilly's 25-year career includes tenures as head of Orbison Records in Nashville and Sony Music Entertainment in New York, where he worked on campaigns for Michael Jackson, Pearl Jam, Rage Against the Machine and Gloria Estefan.
Steve Keller, CEO iV: Steve Keller is recognized as one of the world’s leading experts in the field of audio branding, channeling his passion for art and science into award-winning strategy and creative for a long list of global agencies and brands. He has grown iV, an audio brand consultancy based in Nashville, beyond the confines of the United States and into Europe with the opening iV2 in Frankfurt, Germany, in 2009. Keller also has over 25 years of experience in the music industry as a producer, remixer, composer, independent label executive, music publisher and manager.
Sarah Trahern, CEO of the Country Music Association: Sarah Trahern has more than 29 years of experience in the television business, including 21 years producing or overseeing country music programming. She was appointed CEO of the Country Music Association in 2014. Her many industry honors include being named one of 30 “Woman Power Players” in the music business by Billboard in 2010. In 2011, she was honored by the Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. In the past two years alone, Trahern was recognized by Billboard Magazine’s Top 50 Nashville Power Players list and Nashville Business Journal’s 2015 Women in Music City Awards and was included in Billboard’s 2016 Power 100 List.
The WHO KNEW after-party will kick-off at 8:30 pmwith indie-folk artist Caroline Glaser followed by headliners, Chicago blues rock band, The Nick Moss Band.
WHO KNEW is presented by the College of Media and Entertainment at Middle Tennessee State University and MusicRowSearch, with support from Dell Nashville, Stites & Harbison, Uncle Classic Barber Shop, Four Roses Bourbon, The Caldwell Business, The Nashville Sign, Southwest Airlines, Jammber Music, Anacrusis, Do615, Lightning 100, Cohesion Arts, Jive! Printing, Signs First, Elite Multimedia and Kaleidoscope Media.
Past sold-out WHO KNEW events have hosted some of the most innovative minds and top executives in the music industry. Speakers have included A&R legends like Tom Zutaut and Scott Hendricks; elite music supervisors such as Anastasia Brown and Steve Schnur; artists like Matthew Perryman Jones, Gabe Dixon and Alanna Royale; and a host of entrepreneurs and representatives from some of the biggest players in the industry including Warner Music Group, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Pandora, AEG Live, Country Music Television (CMT) and Spotify.
About MusicRowSearch:
MusicRowSearch is the preeminent executive search firm specializing in the entertainment industry. We are committed to serving our clients’ needs by identifying and securing top-quality executive talent for the global, entertainment business. To learn more, visitwww.musicrowsearch.com.
