Tattoo your soul with Rock n Roll: Celebrating 35 years of Recording Industry Alumni at MTSU

March 30, 2012 - PRLog -- In 1977, the handful of faculty and students that began the Recording Industry Management program at Middle Tennessee State University could only imagine what the future held for the alumni it began to nurture.  With concentrations in Audio Production and Technology, Music Business, and now Commercial Songwriting, the RIM program at MTSU has proudly produced over 5,000 alumni and has more than 1,200 current students.  The major continues to sprinkle the music industry with Grammy award winners, hit songwriters, innovative entrepreneurs, top notch musicians, game changers, and high level industry executives all over the country.

Now, 35 years later, the Recording Industry Management department will be hosting the first All-Class RIM Alumni Reunion Event during the MTSU Spring weekend Friday April 13 & Saturday April 14, 2012. Traveling all the way from LA to Atlanta, from Broadway to Music Row, alumni will be gathering in Murfreesboro, TN for two days to network, celebrate, kickback, and share the extraordinary talents and achievements of our peers and colleagues.  Nancy Rosenblatt of Trail of Crumbs Music and Virginia Brick of VPB Entertainment have partnered up with MTSU Alumni Association and RIM faculty to plan a reunion that's well-worth your time and your $20.   Together, we have created a fun, entertaining, and eventful weekend for you - we like to think of it as the start of our own little SXSW in the 'boro.   "Tattoo your soul with rock n roll" is this year's mantra, going along with our Lucky 13 (Friday the 13th) theme.   Music obviously plays a huge part in all of our lives, it's made such a deep impact on our souls that it's led us to our chosen career path in the music industry.  You've got to be a little crazy and a bit of a gambler to get involved with this business, so we hope 2012 is a lucky year for you!  You are welcome to join us for just the select events you can make it out for, and bring your friends too.   Help us make this reunion a success so we can grow it up even more in years to come.   Interactive industry panels, mix critiques, songwriter showcases, Lucky 13 Casino and Bingo games, BBQ Mixer, and Saturday night finale concert will be some of the events you can participate in during the weekend.   And don't worry, you won't be losing any money at the gaming table, but you can win fabulous door prizes that have been donated by our alumni!

Alumni and current students are encouraged to attend the alumni industry panels located in the Mass Communications Building Friday April 13 from 12:30- 3:30pm.  We have two panels packed with all-star alumni experts, a keynote address by Randy Wachtler, and we'll be opening up Studio B for mix critiques.


12:30 pm - 1:30 pm  Mass Comm Room 103
Panel #1 is entitled, "Getting from A to J: Building your story".  Discussion topics include new business models, DIY artists, grassroots efforts, and entrepreneurial thinking.  Get advice on how to get noticed and position yourself for success, as an aspiring artist or a business entrepreneur.

• Craig Cambell – President of Campbell Entertainment Group
• Wes Harvey – President of Precedent Entertainment
• Christina Sheer W. – Owner of Music Biz Takeout
• Hannah Alderidge – Indie Americana Artist
• Zac Litwack – Co-Owner of ReadySetRecord / "The Stu" Recording Studio  
• Jim Scherer – Whizbang Inc.
• Richard Williams – Co-Founder of Spongebath Records  
• Kelly Darlin – Founder of Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp and Bassist for Those Darlins  


1:00 – 3:00 pm
Mix Critiques in Studio Lab B
Award Winning Alumni Producers & Engineers will be critiquing demos.  Bring your mixes!


1:45 pm - 2:45 pm  Mass Comm Building Room 104
Panel #2, Reaching Into the Music: Decades in the Making.  RIM Alumni from the past 35 years join on this panel to share their journeys and careers within the music industry. Panelists will also discuss the challenges each face in today’s market and how they push through those barriers.

• Seth Wilson – Intellectual Property & Entertainment Law Attorney at King & Ballow  
• Blake Chancey – Producer / Chief Creative Officer and Partner at RPM Music Group
• Pam Russell – VP Sales & Field Marketing at Universal Music Group Nashville
 Jeff Lysyczyn – Co-Founder of Big Show Music Co.
• Heath Baumhor – Booking Agent at Agency of the Performing Arts
• Jon Romero – Digital Marketing Manager at Vector Management
• Dale Bobo – President of Dale Bobo Music Direction
• Leslie Salzillo – President of Salzillo Songs & Swell Kid Music / Visual Artist


3:00 pm  - 3:30 pm  Mass Comm Room 103
Encouraging Innovation & Empowering Entrepreneurs
Industry Expert Keynote Speaker:  Randy Wachtler – Founder of 615 Music


Join Alumni for a Happy Hour “Meet & Greet” at 3 Brothers Deli & Brewhouse located 223 West Main Street Murfreesboro, TN from 4-7pm where alumni talents John Salaway, Nick Sharp, Morgan Bracy, Kyle Cruz, and folk group Mountains Like Wax will grace the stage during these networking hours.

On Saturday, come on back to 3 Brothers Deli & Brewhouse from 1 - 3:00pm for the Writers-in-the-round Alumni Spotlight, where Rich Karg, Jason Duke and Treva Blomquist will showcase their songwriting talents.  They'll also be taking songwriting questions from the audience and from our host, Brooke Arrington, Creative Director at Big Yellow Dog Music Publishing.

RIM Alumni will enjoy a BBQ Mixer & Music with performances by indie pop songstress, Rachel Pearl, and Americana darling, Hannah Aldridge, located at the MTSU Foundation Reception House on Thompson Lane beside Miller Coliseum from 5-7pm.  Cost for this is $20.  We're also going to take a few minutes during the BBQ to open the mic up to toasts, in an effort to honor our mentors, first bosses, professors - the ones who have supported and inspired us to stick with this tricky business of music.

The finale for the RIM Alumni Reunion will conclude with the indie pop rock music of Charlie Hardin Band (of Murphey), the Pink Floyd tribute band, 2nd and Vine, and the R&B/funk/pop soulful tunes of The Judd Hall Band.

During the BBQ and Finale Concert, we'll have a "VIP Players Lounge" of casino games, as well as a silent auction going on.  At the end of the night, we'll be handing out prizes for our high rollers, Lucky 13 Bingo challenge winners, and cornhole toss champs.  (Please note the prizes are donated items and not cash prizes.)

We have extended the registration deadline to April 11, 2012, and you can register by emailing nancy@trailofcrumbsmusic.com, through the MTSU Alumni Office http://www.mtalumni.com or call (615) 898-2922.   Find us on twitter @RIMReunion2012 or at http://facebook.com/MTSURIMAlumni for updates about the event.