Song Suffragettes’ 3rd educational Summit featured GRAMMY® winner Naomi Judd and renowned music industry professionals exclusively curated for Nashville’s largest collective of female singer-songwriters
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Last Tuesday at the Wellspire Center, Nashville’s all-female, singer-songwriter collective Song Suffragettes held its third-ever Song Suffragettes Summit with the theme “Your Music, Your Business.” Three panels exclusively curated for Song Suffragettes featured renowned music industry professionals sharing business tenets and stories to help educate a packed room of singer-songwriters from the Song Suffragettes collective.
The first panel titled “Building the Perfect Team” featured artist manager Bob Doyle, attorney Linda Edell Howard, wealth advisor Eden Lopez and business manager Mike Vaden. Moderated by the Music Business Association’s Portia Sabin, the panel covered the various roles of core team members over the course of an artist’s or songwriter’s career path. With stories about the discovery of Garth Brooks, the progression of Lady A’s career and what it’s like telling an artist “no,” the panel closed out with insightful questions from the singer-songwriters in the audience.
Panel two titled “Start Earning Now” covered the “must have” services and understanding a singer-songwriter must possess once they start releasing music. Covering digital distribution, SoundExchange, the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) and performing rights organizations (PROs), the panel featured Kris Ahred from the Mechanical Licensing Collective, Lauren Kasper from The Orchard and Leslie Roberts from BMI. Alex Heiche from Sound Royalties moderated the panel which uncovered all of the possible revenue streams that result from releasing music.
To cap off the panels, GRAMMY® winner and new inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Naomi Judd wowed the audience with stories about her career and advice on following your heart and your gut as you build a career as a female creative in music. “A Conversation with Naomi Judd” was moderated by Apple Music Country’s Hunter Kelly who facilitated many stories including the fascinating tale behind Naomi writing The Judd’s hit “Love Can Build A Bridge.” Afterwards, Naomi stuck around during the cocktail hour to speak individually with many of the women singer-songwriters.
Sponsored by Sound Royalties, the Song Suffragettes Summit closed with a cocktail reception that allowed panelists and Song Suffragettes to meet and exchange. Parting gifts were provided by Sound Royalties and The Change Agent·cy.
While Song Suffragettes’ primary operation is the production of their weekly all-female singer-songwriter show at The Listening Room Café on Monday nights, the organization periodically produces Summits to help educate its collective of talented females. The Summits are free to all Song Suffragettes who attended. Said founder Todd Cassetty during his opening remarks, “Our primary mission at Song Suffragettes is to propel the voices and potential of female singer-songwriters. These Summits are another way for us to help move careers and artistry forward. I could not be more excited for today since this is our most ambitious Song Suffragettes Summit yet.”
Full list of panelists/moderators here:
· Kris Ahred – CEO, Mechanical Licensing Collective
· Bob Doyle – President, Bob Doyle & Associates, Major Bob Music, Rio Bravo Music
· Linda Edell Howard – President, Kerry Gordy & Assoc.
· Alex Heiche – CEO, Sound Royalties
· Naomi Judd – Six-time GRAMMY®, nine-time CMA and seven-time ACM Award-winner
· Lauren Kasper – Vice President of Nashville, The Orchard
· Hunter Kelly – Host, Apple Music Country
· Eden Lopez – Managing Director, The LSS Group/RBC Wealth Management
· Leslie Roberts – Assistant Vice President, BMI
· Portia Sabin – President, Music Business Association
· Mike Vaden – Principal, Elliott Davis/The Vaden Group
For more information, visit www.SongSuffragettes.com and follow @SongSuffragettes on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.