MTSU Students Pitch Songs to Publishers, Film at Bonnaroo

Middle Tennessee State University’s student songwriters had a chance recently to showcase their music at a private event hosted by ASCAP for Nashville music publishers. Student writers Nick Carpenter, Zach Russell, Kyle Crownover, and the group Maybe April performed for publishing reps from Sony/ATV, Warner Chappell, BMG, Sea Gayle Music, Creative Nation, and Round Hill Music.

Pictured (L-R): Top row- Nick Carpenter, Kyle Crownover, ASCAP VP LeAnn Phelan, Zach Russell, MTSU Songwriting Concentration Coordinator Odie Blackmon; Bottom row- Maybe April’s Alaina Stacey, Kristen Castro, and Katy Bishop

In other MTSU news, the university partnered with Bonnaroo for the second year and debuted “The Truck,” a $1.7 million video production and editing facility on-site that was run completely by students. Forty mass communications students produced multimedia content from this year’s four-day event and got a taste of the fast-paced world of live music coverage thanks to the partnership Dean of Mass Communication Ken Paulson brokered with the annual festival.

“Bringing MTSU students to work at Bonnaroo reflects the full range of media and entertainment you’ll find in our college,” said Paulson. “They are getting their first taste of what’s it’s like to cover a world-class music festival.”

Ken Paulson at Bonnaroo.

• Author
• Recent Posts

Lorie Hollabaugh

Hollabaugh, a staff writer at MusicRow magazine, has over 20 years of music business experience and has written for publications including American Profile, CMA Close Up, Nashville Arts And Entertainment, The Boot and Country Weekly. She has a Broadcast Journalism and Speech Communication degree from Texas Christian University, (go Horned Frogs), and welcomes your feedback or story ideas at lhollabaugh@musicrow.com.

Latest posts by Lorie Hollabaugh (see all)

• LOCASH Plots ‘LET THE COUNTRY MUSIC PLAY TOUR’ - July 21, 2026
• Whitefish Songwriter Festival Returns To Montana For Sixth Year - July 21, 2026
• Ryan Bingham & The Texas Gentlemen Extend ‘Still Gettin’ Away With It Tour’ - July 21, 2026