The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.

Lydia Schultz Cahill is Senior Director of Creative Services at SESAC PRO, where she oversees the country genre in Nashville. She supports songwriter and publisher affiliates, recruits new talent and collaborates with artists like Blanco Brown, Jon Nite, Allison Veltz Cruz, Dillon Carmichael and Jenny Tolman. Cahill also produces SESAC-sponsored events, including Tin Pan South, SESAC Presents at the Bluebird and songwriter showcases across the Southeast.

Before joining SESAC in 2016, Cahill was Creative Director at Magic Mustang Music, where she worked with acclaimed songwriters Steve Bogard, Kristian Bush, Rob Hatch and Justin Lantz. She began her career as an assistant to Grammy-winning songwriter JD Souther and later held roles in the Legal and Finance Department at Broken Bow Records. A Wisconsin native, Cahill graduated from Belmont University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from its Music Business program. In 2024, she completed her master’s degree in social work from the University of Tennessee.

Cahill will be honored as part of MusicRow‘s Rising Women on the Row class of 2025 on March 20 at the Omni Nashville Hotel. Read more about the event here.

MusicRow: Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a town called Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. It’s about 45 minutes north of Madison.

Tell me about that. What was childhood like?

People from the Midwest always know it because it’s the water park capital of America. Whenever I say I’m from Wisconsin Dells, people are like, “Oh my gosh, we went on vacation there.” It’s a small town with a beautiful river, known for having tons of water parks. People are always surprised that you can actually live there. It’s a sister city to Gatlinburg—similar, but on a river instead of a mountain.

My mom was in nursing, and my dad is a farmer. I grew up on a farm just outside of town, so my upbringing was more rural.

How did music come into your life?

My mom’s mom always had music on. She had a radio and later got a CD player. No one in my family was particularly musical—my grandpa played guitar, but it wasn’t a big thing. We sang in church, but mostly it was country music.

We didn’t have many TV channels growing up—we had something called “The Farmer Five,” which was about five channels and none of them were that interesting to me as a kid. So, we just played outside a lot.

After high school, did you know you wanted to do this?

No. I had a guidance counselor meeting where they asked if I was going to college. I didn’t really have a plan, just figured I’d go because my friends were going. I remember telling my dad, “I think I want to go to college,” and he said, “Does your mom know?” [Laughs] It just wasn’t something we talked about much.

A friend who was a songwriter went to Belmont and told me about the music business major. I was in Wisconsin for two and a half years, just partying and having fun, then transferred to Belmont because I loved music and figured I could get paid to sing songs.

I didn’t know artists like Reba McEntire didn’t write all her songs. I didn’t even know what a songwriter was. Belmont opened my eyes to the industry—publishing, song pluggers, the whole ecosystem supporting creative people.

Tell me about Belmont.

I went from a public party school to a private liberal arts school, and it was a shock to my system. Wisconsinites just like to have a good time—beer, football—then I came to Belmont, and it was a totally different vibe.

I was a student loan kid, and when I got to Belmont, none of my friends had loans. That was eye-opening. It was an educational experience in every way—catching up academically but also realizing how much was on the line. My parents helped, but I was paying for it, and at one point, my loan doubled in a semester. I had to take it seriously.

Did you intern anywhere?

I did the BMI Catalog Cast internship, where we worked with publishers and learned about song plugging. It was an amazing way to understand publishing and the industry. I remember playing songs for Taylor Lindsey and Sara Knabe.

I also interned with Kelly King, which was incredible. She included me in everything, and it was inspiring to see her champion artists like Brothers Osborne.

Sounds like you were pretty set on publishing at that point.

Yes! I’ve always loved creativity, and once I realized that the songs I loved weren’t necessarily written by the singers, I became fascinated by songwriters. They were the ones who made these songs happen, the ones who gave me something to connect to as a rural kid.

What happened after graduation?

I wanted to work in publishing so badly. I worked as an assistant to JD Souther for a few months, which was wild. He had high expectations.

Then I interviewed for a song plugging job at Broken Bow, but Benny Brown noticed on my resume that I had taken copyright law, and made up a job for me in legal and finance instead. I worked in QuickBooks for a while and even wondered if I should be an accountant. Eventually, I moved into a song plugging role and did that for about three years and it was wonderful.

I loved working with songwriters, but I also wanted to engage with other sectors of the industry. When ET Brown at SESAC told me they were expanding the creative department, I jumped at the opportunity. It made so much sense to me—I could still work with songwriters, which is my absolute favorite population, as well as other sectors of the industry.

When did you start at SESAC?

2016. I started as a country rep, getting familiar with our roster and building relationships. In 2020, I was promoted to senior director, which was a lot of the same work but at a higher level. It was a huge shift, but COVID actually made it more manageable—I could handle everything without constantly being in person. It gave me time to adjust.

What’s your favorite part of what you do now?

The one-on-one time with songwriters. Supporting them, giving them space to reflect—it’s an honor to be someone they trust to bounce ideas off of.

What is something you’re most proud of?

So much of what I do at SESAC is making sure our songwriters are happy and truly taking care of them. Getting to be a part of their wins has always been really exciting. I’m proud of signing Chris LaCorte and Jon Nite—having people trust you and your company is truly humbling.

Something else I’m proud of is that I got my masters degree in mental health during the pandemic and have been working as a therapist on the side. I’ve really enjoyed getting to be a resource for other people, especially in the music industry.

Who have been your mentors along the way?

With the exception of JD, I have almost always worked for a woman. Kelly King was so amazing. Melissa Kramer at Broken Bow and Juli Griffith at Magic Mustang took great care of me. Shannan Hatch is far too young to be a mother figure to me, but she has nurtured me so much.

What would you say is the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten?

Nobody is thinking about you as much as you’re thinking about you. It’s not that people don’t care about you, because people care about you. But you need to do what is best for you.

You will be honored next month at our Rising Women on the Row breakfast. In a few words, can you share about what your experience as a woman in the music industry has been like?

It’s so interesting because the gender disparity became so much more clear after I got married. Watching my husband’s work experience versus my work experience–specifically around finances—is very different. He might ask for something and just get it, whereas I’ve always felt like I needed to make a case for the things that I wanted to have financially.

In the songwriting community, unfortunately, there are a lot fewer women. I work with so many men, just because there are more of them, so I really make an effort to prioritize working with other women.

What would you say to a college student reading this that wants to do what you do one day?

I would honestly tell her she’ll probably be my boss someday. Young people are so smart, and they have access to so much more information than we ever did. Statistically, I don’t think I should have made it to where I am–to be the first in my family to go to a four-year school and then be as successful as I’ve been. The cards were not in my favor, so I would tell her to work really hard and enjoy it.

The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.

Ward Guenther is the Founder of Whiskey Jam, a Nashville-based live music series that has hosted over 1,000 shows and provided a platform for thousands of artists. Since its genesis in January of 2011, Whiskey Jam has become known for its dynamic blend of emerging talent and household names, and is a celebrated staple of Nashville’s vibrant music scene. Guenther is also the host of Country Risers Radio and The Ward Guenther Show on Apple Music. He sits on the ACM Board of Directors.

MusicRow: Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. I was born in Mississippi, but moved there when I was two years old, so my upbringing was in Memphis.

What were you into as a kid?

I was just a regular, active kid—riding bikes and playing sports. I didn’t get into music until later in high school, and it just kind of took over from there.

I found a guitar while working at a summer camp in North Carolina. We were getting ready for the campers to come one year, and someone had a guitar just sitting in one of the cabins. I picked it up and started playing with it. At the end of high school and going into college, I got the bug. I did anything I could do to be around it.

How did you make it to Nashville?

I went to college at UT Knoxville and majored in Advertising, which came in handy later on. I made the move to Nashville to write songs, sing and do the whole thing. I worked in and around the business for quite a while, while doing tons of cover gigs and writer’s nights. I got a job selling t-shirts on the road with Billy Currington for a couple of years. I also had a gig with David Nail, singing backup and playing guitar on radio tours.

Early on, in my first five or six years in Nashville, I saw the whole country either from a tour bus or riding around in a radio rep’s car. I got to see the business from the smallest club in a strip mall in Georgia to arenas with Brad Paisley when we opened for him. It was a great education—seeing where country music can take you and what it actually is when you get there.

How did Whiskey Jam get started?

When I was out with Billy, I realized I could work for someone else doing this, or I could head back home, get a job and try to do my own music. So, that’s what I did. By then, I’d played so many writer’s rounds and got to the point where I thought, “Let’s do something of our own.”

The one thing missing from those experiences was a fun, loose environment. That’s where Whiskey Jam was born. We decided to get our friends together and play songs we’d been working on—sometimes ones we wrote that day. We wanted it to be more full and fun, with a band in a bar and not as subdued as a listening club.

It worked out great. It immediately filled a void in the scene, acting as an intermediary between writer’s rounds and proper showcases. Showcases often felt commercial and staged, like someone was trying to push music on you. With Whiskey Jam, it was a natural setting where we featured artists we knew and liked.

What do you remember about the very first one?

The first one was at Winner’s and it was incredibly busy. It was before social media was much of a thing. We sent out a message saying, “Come to the first-ever Whiskey Jam.” I texted everyone in my phone book.

The first few Whiskey Jams had a great mix of writers, like me, who didn’t have much going on, and established artists like Chris Young and Love and Theft. It started as a loose jam but quickly became clear that we needed to schedule it like a show. That evolved into what it is now—booking bands, promoting the shows and throwing that same party every couple of days.

Was there ever a time in the beginning when you faced doubts or challenges?

I thought we had something special from the start, but I doubted it myself at times. I kept records of who played when, but three or four months in, I stopped. Looking back, I think I thought, “This is just a fun night. It’s never going to last.” I started keeping record again, though.

I’ve always been Whiskey Jam’s biggest doubter—wondering how long the scene would support what we do or how long people would want to see the same show. But Nashville’s nature brings new people to town all the time. Someone moves here this week, and they might play next week. That’s kept it fresh for hundreds of weeks now.

Many people have either been discovered at Whiskey Jam or made important connections. Who stands out from the early days as someone for whom that happened in a big way?

In the early days, we were still building the mystery of Whiskey Jam, trying to keep it secretive and underground. A lot of artists established the foundation. I started Whiskey Jam with a guy named Josh Hoge, who had a lot of contacts in the pop music world. He brought in The Fray, OneRepublic and some songwriting buddies like David Hodges. That led to Chris DeStefano playing.

They were established, but many went on to become massive songwriters and artists. Members of Lady A would pop in occasionally. Charles Kelley even sat in on drums a few times.

Cole Swindell started playing Whiskey Jam as a songwriter and evolved into a star right before our eyes. Chris Young and Brett Eldredge were in that first “class” of Whiskey Jam graduates. By 2015, Maren Morris played a few times and was off to the races. Luke Combs came through in 2015-2016, Morgan Wallen in 2016-2017 and Lainey Wilson not long after that. Every few years, someone comes through, and it recharges me, the brand and the scene. It reminds people that stars are still emerging out of Nashville. Zach Top is one to watch in the next couple of years. Megan Moroney and Ella Langley are also bubbling up. It just happens naturally as time passes.

I meet a lot of newcomers and some tell me playing Whiskey Jam is one of their goals.

I’m really proud of that. It’s not necessarily a means to an end—it’s not like playing Whiskey Jam will immediately get you a publishing deal—but it’s a great way to showcase your skills in a low-risk setting. If you bomb at Whiskey Jam, it’s not the end of the world. There are artists whose first Whiskey Jam shows weren’t great. Now, looking at where they are, you’d never guess. Everyone has to cut their teeth somewhere.

When did you start adding people to your team?

In 2015, I took over full-time when Josh Hoge went into songwriting. For a couple of years, I refined things, which was great because I could focus. Around that same time, my wife and I had our twins in 2016. Bartending, running Whiskey Jam and having four kids was overwhelming.

In 2017, my friend Ryan O’Nan came in as a managing partner. He used his business and management experience to help me focus on the creative side, which allowed for much healthier growth. Since then, it’s been mostly Ryan and me running it, with occasional office assistants or coordinators helping with small tasks. We like being hands-on and keeping things in-house, because we know the language, mission and voice better than anyone else.

What has the brand grown into now?

We still do two shows a week—Mondays and Thursdays—but there’s so much more. We have merchandise that ships worldwide. We’ve done pop-up shows on Luke Combs’ stadium tours as a tailgate party and opened for Old Dominion on tour.

We’ve hosted stages at festivals like Voices of America in Ohio. These events amplify Whiskey Jam, showcasing artists we believe in and giving them a bigger platform. Some artists from these shows move on to the main stage the following year. For example, the first tailgate we did with Luke Combs featured Megan Moroney and Bailey Zimmerman, introducing them to a crowd of strangers in Denver. It’s exciting to trust our gut and see these artists take off.

You recently had your 1,000th show celebration. What was that like?

It was crazy. We had a mix of up-and-coming artists and established names. Getting Dierks Bentley to play was a huge deal—he’s supported us for years. It was incredible to watch him play in a small bar and connect with the crowd. Afterward, he texted me, asking when he could do it again.

We’ve done big celebrations, like our 10th anniversary at the Ryman, but this one felt more personal. It was small, acoustic and up close. I think we’ll look back on it as a special night.

In addition to leading Whiskey Jam, you’ve also become a big presence at Apple Music. Tell me about that.

Apple came around in 2019. They were looking at Nashville and vetting people they wanted to work with. I had no idea at the time, but they’d been coming to shows and observing what we do. I think they wanted to involve people deeply ingrained in the culture—real people with authentic experience, not just the most experienced DJs or broadcasters. They wanted someone with Nashville in their blood.

We’re now approaching 1,000 shows there as well. It’s been a great partnership. I meet artists early in their careers—sometimes at their first shows in town—and then see them graduate to being featured on Apple Music playlists or exclusive sessions. My work with Apple validates what we do at Whiskey Jam, and Whiskey Jam gives me credibility with artists. It’s a great synergy.

Was it a natural fit for you to start doing?

There was definitely a learning curve—being behind a microphone isn’t just about talking. You have to learn how to craft your breaks and present new music in an engaging way.

Apple has been great with coaching and providing resources. Now, it’s second nature to present new music in this format. It’s unique because, unlike traditional radio where you might hear one new song every few hours, we’re introducing multiple new artists in a single show. It’s a dream to have a worldwide platform to spotlight artists like Laci Kaye Booth and say, “Look at this artist for one second. Listen to this and tell me it’s not amazing.” Apple gives us the freedom to truly play what we believe in, which is revolutionary in the radio world.

What’s a typical week like for you with everything you have going on?

It’s pretty routine most of the time, but it can get crazy. For instance, we once had a weekend with Old Dominion while also being on the road with Luke Combs, running a festival in Ohio, and hosting a show in Nashville—all in the same week.

Usually, I take my kids to school in the morning, then head to the office to handle Whiskey Jam tasks like merchandise and orders. In the early afternoon, I go to Apple for my show. Twice a week, I host the live Whiskey Jam events. Balancing it all has been a process, but I think I’ve found a good rhythm. My priorities are providing for my kids while being present at their baseball games and gymnastics practices.

Who have been some of your mentors?

That’s an area where I wish I’d done better. I’ve learned a lot from bar owners like Jason Sheer from Tin Roof and Steve Ford at Winners and Losers. They taught me how bars operate and how much bigger their world is outside of our little event.

For what we specifically do, it’s been a lot of trial and error—figuring it out as we go. When we hit 1,000 shows, I looked at what else in Nashville had lasted this long, and the list is short.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

Someone once told us not to open a bar. In Nashville, it’s tempting to take something cool and capitalize on it, but they said, “You don’t want all the extra responsibilities that come with that.”

That advice stuck with me. It’s not about chasing commercial opportunities—it’s about doing things with purpose. If we ever do open a bar, it’ll be because it serves our community and aligns with our mission.

What are you looking forward to? What’s next?

I’m looking forward to growing outside of our routine events. Personally, I want to find someone to help carry the torch for the next thousand Whiskey Jams. I’ve been hosting and organizing them for years, and I know I won’t be doing it forever.

I’d also like to spread the word about Whiskey Jam through media extensions. We’re working on ways to contribute meaningfully to the media space, helping artists beyond their time on stage. It’s about finding the right medium to connect artists with fans who’ll appreciate them.

I’m intrigued by larger events, like festivals. We’ve done tailgates and outdoor shows, and they’re so much fun. I also think about having a home base—our own space where we can serve the performer and audience community seven days a week.

We always think big. For years, “Whiskey Jam Airlines” has been a joke on our whiteboard. It’s about dreaming beyond the obvious. Could there be Whiskey Jam liquor store? A movie? Nothing is off-limits. At the end of the day, I care more about raising everyone up and keeping the community strong than about finding the next big thing.

The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.

Originally from Nashville, Chris Lisle has over 31 years of experience in the entertainment industry. He has worked in a variety of roles including Production Designer, Lighting Designer, Production Manager and Show Producer.

Some of Lisle’s present and past clients include: Alice Cooper, Robert Plant, Brooks and Dunn, Jason Aldean, Jake Owen, Parker McCollum, Judah and the Lion, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, The NFL Draft, Miranda Lambert, One Republic, Dave Koz, Danny Gokey, Sugarland, Billy Currington, Peter Frampton, Nick Carter, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Chris Young, Jennifer Nettles, Lee Brice, Kip Moore, Chase Rice, Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, IEBA, Sara Evans, Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes, Lee Ann Womack, Phil Vassar, The Recording Academy and many others.

Lisle is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Touring Career Workshop, a nonprofit that serves as “human resources for touring production professionals.” Lisle is a former adjunct instructor at Belmont University, teaching classes on Production Design and Tour/Production Management.

Lisle is a 2016 graduate of Leadership Music, and is a member of the CMA, ACM and the ESA (Event Safety Alliance). He currently serves as a board member for both the CMA and ACM and serves as Vice-Chair of the ACM Events Committee.

MusicRow: Where did you grow up?

I’m a fifth-generation Nashvillian. I grew up right here at Harding and Nolensville Road. My dad still lives in the house I grew up in.

Were you into music growing up?

I was a music fan, but I didn’t perform. It’s one of my regrets. I wish I’d tried playing guitar or something growing up, but no, I discovered music on my own and was a fan of it. Then I just kind of fell into the industry as I got out of high school.

What did you think you were going to do when you were a kid?

I don’t know that I had a definitive answer in high school. I went to MTSU for a very brief stint, planning to major in advertising. My college career at MTSU lasted three and a half months, and we were rowdy. Then I kicked off my career in this industry.

How did that happen?

I dropped out of college quickly. I found fraternities far more interesting than going to class. At the same time, I was working for a company in town called Steak Out. It was like a pizza delivery company, but they delivered steaks and cheeseburgers. I was working there, and two other delivery drivers were musicians.

Through hanging out with them, I started getting to know people in the live music scene here in town, and eventually started running lights at some of these clubs that don’t even exist anymore, like the 328 Performance Hall. One of the guys put together a little band and asked me to go on the road to do lights. So I hit the road in spring of 1991 and didn’t look back.

How did you learn how to do lights on the fly?

At that time, there wasn’t really a school or class you could take. Lighting is an art form, as cheesy as that sounds, because you’re trying to paint this picture behind an artist’s performance. I found a local lighting company, Delta Stage Lighting, and spent time in their shop working for free. It was like my college—learning what fixtures did what, why colors work for some songs and ultimately learning timing and keeping up with the tempo and beat of a song. It was a lot of hands-on, getting your hands dirty and doing some really crappy, low-paying gigs early in my career.

It was definitely intimidating coming up because it was all overwhelming. I came into the industry during a technology shift where we were coming out of ’70s and ’80s touring, which was very much conventional light sources. Suddenly, there were moving lights and things that were computer-controlled. It was intimidating because I was trying to learn both the old-school methodology and the new technology at the same time. The first few years were tough.

Was there anybody that helped you in the beginning?

Mentors are a big part of my story. The owner of Delta Stage Lighting, Tim Ransom, took me under his wing and taught me. I met some lighting designers like Jim Bauman, who was Alan Jackson‘s LD, who he helped me understand programming skills. Beyond that, there were mentors from the business side who taught me about tour etiquette, presenting yourself well, how to handle road life and treating yourself as a business.

What are some of your first memories of shows you worked on?

My first foray into lighting was with small bands that are all special to me because those moments defined what would become my career. I did some shows as a crew person with artists like Delbert McClinton and Louise Mandrell in the early ’90s.

In 1995, I caught a big break and went on the “Walmart Country Music Tour.” That tour was amazing because every Monday, two new bands came out—typically baby acts. We played Walmart parking lots seven days a week, I did 181 shows in a row. Some bands on the tour included Kenny Chesney, Brian White, Charlie Daniels, Joe Diffie and Mark Chesnutt. It was a great opportunity for networking, and I met key people on their teams.

That’s an amazing idea for a tour.

Yeah, it was unique. It was one of the easiest things I’ve done in my career in some ways, but tough because it was seven days a week. It was a very routine-driven tour, which taught me about touring logistics and networking in the business side of the industry.

What was next for you?

I did the Walmart tour for a few years, then I worked for a production company here in town for a guy named Will Bird, who was the production manager for what was then called Fan Fair [now CMA Fest] at the Fairgrounds. He also produced TV shows, radio shows and live events. I joined as a production assistant and started learning about putting the whole show together. I realized I liked doing both touring and production management. I stayed with Will until early 2001, when I got an opportunity to tour with Lee Ann Womack. I drove the box truck, handled lights at first, and then became her production manager and lighting designer in 2002.

In 2003, I toured with LeAnn Rimes as her lighting designer. When we went to Australia, Keith Urban was her opening act, so I connected with his team. Later that year, I became Keith’s lighting designer where I stayed until early 2007. That was such a great time. During that time, I learned the importance of taking care of the opening acts because you never know who’s going to make it big next. I made connections with people like Miranda Lambert and Little Big Town. When Miranda broke out with “Kerosene,” I got the call to be her designer. It was this snowball affect where I kept getting calls to do design work.

By 2007, my son was born, and I wanted to pull back from the road, so I focused more on touring design work. I still did gigs with artists like Peter Frampton, Robert Plant, Babyface, Quincy Jones and Sara Evans. In the meantime, I got to know the people at the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp and they brought me on to production manage the July 4th celebration.

What was next?

In 2014, my son was seven, and I decided it was time to come off the road. I was touring with Robert Plant and thought, “Who better to end my touring career with?” My last show as a touring LD was with Robert Plant at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley in 2014. From then to 2017, I did a lot of design work for artists like OneRepublic, Miranda Lambert, Chris Young, Jason Aldean and Sugarland. At the same time we launched Nashville’s New Year’s Eve show. My company started growing, and we began hiring employees.

In 2017 or 2018, I started working in the festival world. I really enjoyed it, because I was missing traveling. Festivals have become a large part of my work, both in the design side and production management. I recently took over the downtown side of CMA Fest. Coming out of the pandemic, these have been the busiest years of my career. I don’t do as much touring work as I used to, but I’ve [recently worked with] Parker McCollum, Chris Young, Brooks & Dunn and Sara Evans. The festivals keep me busy.

Do you have shows, tours or festivals that you’re most proud of?

There are several that stand out. Miranda’s “Platinum Tour” was special because it was a big moment in both of our lives, and it was very collaborative. Jason Aldean’s tours hit me during a time I needed a boost. Lighting the portion of the inauguration that I did will always be special to me. I’m not a political guy, but it was my first gig coming out of the pandemic and it was special.

You started the Touring Career Workshop over a decade ago to bring touring personnel together. Tell me about that.

Touring Career Workshop (TCW) is something I’m really proud of and will probably be my legacy more than anything I’ve done production-wise. We started it in 2011, and this is our 13th year. Erik Parker, a former student of mine at Belmont, has this huge heart for serving others. We saw a need in our community for information on basic human resource topics. People were constantly asking about things like quarterly tax filings, retirement and health insurance. Eric and I brainstormed the idea of a mini-workshop with guest speakers on these topics.

We did the first TCW in the fall of 2011 at Belmont with about 50 attendees, and it was clear we had something special. Over the next year, we created an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit, began soliciting sponsorships and brought the event over to Soundcheck Annex.

Now, we draw 350-400 attendees each year. It’s free, with amazing sponsors. Every year we do programs on setting up your business/tax planning, retirement planning and health insurance—those are the big three—but we also dig into how to make your relationship work on the road, how to stay mentally balanced while touring, how to buy your first home and all these other topics that touch us as gig workers.

In 2014, we launched the All Access Program, which pays for four counseling sessions per year for people in live entertainment, as well as their spouses and partners. Last year, we started All Access On Site where we bring counselors on-site to festivals. This year saw us at nine different festivals and a golf tournament, and we will be at the CMA Awards in a few weeks. That program has taken off to the point where the mental health side of what we do has taken the forefront to anything else.

It seems like you really value networking and community. Why is that important to you?

Because I wouldn’t be sitting here without it. I have a paper resume, but almost everything in my career came through relationships and networking. Growing up in Nashville, my friends are here, but the people I’ve spent time on a tour bus or show site with are the ones I love the most. We become like a family. It’s a close-knit community, and we network to know who needs a tour manager, production manager or fill-in. Early in my career, I learned it’s a small industry and word gets around. I’d much rather be known as a lighthearted, easygoing person than someone difficult to work with.

What is a moment that you’ve had where your teenage self would think is so cool?

Touring with Robert Plant was a highlight. We did the “Band of Joy” tour with Buddy Miller, Patty Griffin and Darrell Scott, and he performed Zeppelin songs in an Americana style. I traveled all over the world with him—South America, Russia, Europe, Australia, Singapore—and he treated me so well.

Another highlight is working on the Nashville July 4th event. I’ve done it for 15 or 16 years now. My dad took me to see the fireworks downtown as a kid, and now I’m the production manager for the event, so it’s very special to me. My youngest even works on the beverage crew delivering ice and water, so it’s special to have him there, too.

What would you tell a student or someone dreaming of working on the road? How can they get started?

This can be one of the most rewarding careers. It’s not for everybody—there’s a lot of sacrifice. You’ll miss countless birthdays, weddings, funerals and graduations. But you’ll get paid to see the world, and you’ll work with amazing people who become like family.

This is also a great time to enter the industry because artists need touring to make money now more than ever. Great shows require talented people behind the scenes, and there’s still a need for people, especially since we haven’t caught up with the workforce we lost during the pandemic. But they have to understand it’s often 18-hour days, two or three in a row, with bad catering and cold showers. It’s either in your blood or it’s not—and that’s okay.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

Reprimand in private, praise in public. I try to follow that in my leadership.

Another was to be diligent and see things through. When I taught at Belmont, I left my students with an acronym I loved: A-C-E-D. A is for attitude: maintain a great attitude, even on hard days, because people remember it. C is communication: respond and provide information in a timely manner. E is experience: never think you know everything; always gain experience. D is diligence: see each project through to completion.

The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.

Emily Stephenson serves as Downtown Music’s President of Publishing, overseeing all publishing efforts under the division, including Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust and Sheer. Collectively, Downtown Music Publishing services over 360,000 songwriters and manages nearly five million copyrights globally.

Prior to her current role, Stephenson served as Downtown Music Publishing’s Vice President of Business Operations and, during her 12+ year tenure at the company, has been at some point responsible for each aspect of publishing administration and client services for Downtown’s songwriter and publishing clients, including Spirit Music Group, Ryan Tedder, Big Yellow Dog and the John Lennon Estate. Since her appointment as President in 2023, Stephenson has been instrumental in leading all publishing efforts, resulting in key signings including Grammy-nominated songwriter and award-winning artist, Raja Kumari, Laurie Anderson, Josh Ramsay and notable indie rock band The National.

MusicRow: Where did you grow up?

I grew up just south of town in Franklin. My parents both graduated from Vanderbilt and never left. They were both athletes at Vanderbilt—my dad played football and my mom played tennis—and then dad became a physical therapist and mom was a math teacher. I had a wonderful childhood. Franklin was an amazing place to grow up. I’m the oldest of four siblings, so our house was always full of life.

How did music become part of your story?

There’s no real musicality in our family, but growing up in the area, I was around it. Our community was full of songwriters and musicians, so I was hyperaware of the creativity that was and is so core to Nashville.

What was college like?

I went to Auburn University and studied Communications with a minor in Spanish. I started as a Math Education major because I wanted to do what my mom did, but that was very hard. [Laughs] I switched to Communications and I loved it. During my time at Auburn, I was an athletic tutor for the public speaking course that everyone had to take, which was fun.

As part of the Communications program, you had to do a full semester internship. I knew I wanted to go into music—at that point I had started getting my hands on demos that were being passed around had become obsessed with music discovery. Since there were no music internships in Auburn, Alabama, I came back to Nashville during my last semester of college and did an internship at an artist management company.

What was that internship like?

I already had a feeling I wanted to go into publishing—I wanted to support songwriters and their work. But looking back, the artist management firm was a great overview into the full picture of the music industry. I got a glimpse into what it takes to make and release an album, prepare for a tour, write a treatment for a music video, and all the in-betweens.

What happened next?

After graduation, I moved home to Nashville and waited tables at the J. Alexander’s in Cool Springs for a few months while I was job hunting, and then got a call one day from Bluewater Music Group because I had been recommended for a position. I went there and worked for Jessica Myers, who taught me so much. Something that makes Bluewater really unique is their global collection strategy. Bluewater was a really great way for me to understand and make connections with international collection societies and learn the landscape in different territories. I was there for about a year.

Then what happened?

That first year out of college in Nashville was a blast. I was in a group of friends who were all getting our feet wet in the industry. Many of us are still working in publishing and the songwriters have gone on to have really successful careers.

Although I loved my friends and family in Nashville, I knew I wanted to move to New York. I was starting to look for jobs in the city and found Downtown Music. I really liked their roster and how they were approaching publishing. I applied for open role in publishing administration, specifically for international collections. I knew I was qualified because of my work at Bluewater, but I wasn’t hearing back from Downtown.

One day I was so deep down the research rabbit hole of this company that I found the then-President, Justin Kalifowitz’s, personal website. He had his personal email address on his website, so I emailed him. I said something to the effect of, “I want to work for your company and I think what you guys are doing is amazing. I’ve applied for this job and I haven’t heard back, but next time you’re in Nashville, let me know. I would love to take you out for coffee.” He replied, “I’ll be in Nashville next week. Let’s get coffee.”

We met a few times over the course of the next several months. One day he called me and said he was in town and had a job he wanted to talk to me about. We went to lunch and about two weeks later, I moved to New York. That was 12 and a half years ago.

Tell me about your time in New York.

I was in New York 2012 to 2018. I was hired in under our Songtrust division, which had just recently launched. Songtrust is a publishing offering where anybody can sign up. When I joined, we could only administer catalogs in Canada, the U.K. and the U.S., so I came in and did several society affiliations, a couple of sub-publishing deals and just really expanded the territory of our offering. It was a really small shop at the time, so I was doing royalty processing, copyright registrations, label copy, client services, finance and tax forms and more. At the time we hadn’t built the technology we have now, so everything was done manually and I learned how to do so much.

Songtrust grew substantially and we had a lot more volume, so I grew that operations team. About three years into it, the leadership team approached me about doing global expansion for the Downtown Music Publishing catalog.

What did that entail?

It wasn’t exactly the same because they already had a relationships in place. It really was more about overseeing international relationships, so I moved over to Downtown and led what we called International Administration. It was a great way for me to get to know the clients and get to know the catalog.

At the time, Downtown was aggressively buying catalogs and signing deals. The Downtown office in New York had one of the top studios in Manhattan in the back, and so you might ride the elevator up with A-List, Grammy winning artists or run into current chart toppers in the kitchen. It was really fun. We were building something exciting and everyone was invested, engaged and happy.

What else sticks out from that time?

I came in at such early stages of Songtrust, and even when I moved over to Downtown, I realized I could change the way things are done in a really positive way. The leadership was so open to that, so I wanted to seize that moment. I did a lot to take establish trust within Downtown. I was responsive on email, I was showing up early and staying late—I wasn’t overworking myself, I was just excited. I realized I was at this company that was going to go on to do great things and I was in early.

What was next for you?

Downtown wanted to start a Client Services department so that songwriters could reach someone who is not A&R or their creative contact, but can talk royalty, copyright, deal and licensing matters. I was well positioned given my history to do that, so we created that department and brought on a co-head to lead it with me. I was talking to our clients every day and creating a really good rapport with them.

In 2018, I moved back to Nashville because I had my first baby. Being in our Nashville office was so awesome because I was back to hearing songs being written on the other side of the wall and seeing writers come in and out every day. It was a jolt back to the basics.

Then in 2022, my role changed again to a Business Operations role, which was a launching pad to take a larger leadership role at the company. That’s how I got integrated into how management worked—finance, HR, legal, etc.

How did you become President of the company?

I was nine months pregnant with my third baby and our CEO Andrew Bergman was visiting Nashville. We went to dinner and he said, “We want you to take your maternity leave and enjoy your time off, but when you come back, we want you to run the publishing company.” I was dumbfounded. I came back from maternity leave in January of 2023 in this new role. It’s been a lot of work, but so much fun.

What were your goals when you started out?

At the time we had sold our owned assets and were shifting focus to an admin-only business. My main goal was to figure out how to make this company successful and compelling for rights-owners on an administration margin. I also did a lot of work initially to assess how we’re structured, who we have doing what and what types of deals we’re going after, and fully committing to us being an admin business. Our staff, clients and prospective clients needed to understand what it is that we can do for them and how that’s unique. One big initial task was to put Downtown Music Publishing and Songtrust to sit under one management.

I do feel like we accomplished the goals that we set out to do early on, and did it pretty quickly and aggressively. I also wanted to be transparent with our team. I host quarterly town hall meetings with the company where I share financials, business plans, our yearly goals and objectives and how we’re thinking about things because I want people to come to work and feel like they’re connected to the work they’re doing and the vision of the company.

What would you say is your favorite part of your job?

The people. Over half of our management team has worked together for over a decade. When I was coming into the role as President, I was really nervous because there were so many people that I had worked with for so long. My colleagues have put a lot of trust in me. The people I get to work with every day are wildly smart and creative.

Our clients are the exact same way. Getting to work the clients we support is so rewarding. Not only do they have incredible catalogs – they’re just good people.

Who have been some of your mentors?

The leadership at Downtown has been so good to me over the years. Justin thinks about music in a way that’s so out of the box, and through all of his successes has always remained accessible. Andrew finds the perfect balance between challenging me but also respecting when I push back. Generally the leadership at Downtown has always been really good to me.

What moment have you had that your teenage self would think is so cool?

I just told this story to someone. We signed Colbie Caillat at the end of 2022. She was my ringback tone in high school. Her music has meant so much to me through different seasons in my life, and years later I was sitting in a room with her signing a deal. I feel like it’s important to not stop getting starstruck. There’s nothing wrong with being a fan.