The 5th Annual International Soul Music Summit Announced for 2010

Feb. 8, 2010 - PRLog -- Atlanta, GA- The 5th Annual International Soul Music Summit was announced today for 2010. The Soul Summit or ISMS as it has become known, is the largest music conference in the world dedicated to the Independent Soul genre with an emphasis on culture, lifestyle and business networking. For details visit www.SoulMusicSummit.net

The 2010 International Soul Music Summit moves to the Hyatt Regency, Atlanta Aug 19th to 22nd and will be held in conjunction with the Peachtree Village International Film Festival (PVIFF) expanding the business networking opportunities for participants. Registrants for ISMS will be able to participate in PVIFF workshops providing direct contact with film and TV business leaders creating opportunities for original collaborations and music licensing. The 2009 PVIFF featured Malcolm Lee - Director, Roger Bobb - Executive Producer Tyler Perry Productions and Spike Lee Protégé, Jeff Byrd.

“We are very excited about our strategic alliance this year with the Peachtree Village International Film Festival.” said Terry Bello, ISMS Executive Producer and Creator. “We are confident that through this collaboration Soul Summit participants will develop strategic creative relationships that will impact the overall commercial viability for Soul Music, bringing a new level of awareness and attention to this community of artists who regularly lack this level of access.”


The International Soul Music Summit began in 2006 as The Soul Summit under the direction of veteran Radio Programmer/host Terry Bello with a volunteer staff and 500 participants.  Popularity and attendance has grown 50% annually to serve over 2500 in 2009. ISMS provides high-impact panels and workshops with mainstream, emerging and independent soul artist, retailers, tastemakers, executives and consumers. With global influence, past sponsor participants have included The Recording Academy, SoundExchange, HBO, The BBC, and The US Census Bureau.

Conceived as a globally influenced, urban focused music forum to showcase new and emerging Neo-Soul artists and discuss trends in Soul Music, the first conference was launched in only four weeks proving an existence of a pent up demand for a conference of this kind. . The marketplace had just begun to notice the shift of artists from Major record labels to Independent operations. Remaining an industry leader on this issue, ISMS has continued to be a platform to introduce artists to emerging methods and technologies that allow Independent artists to promote and market their music.

The edge on new marketing tactics and forward thinking concepts has drawn a wide variety of artists in various stages of their careers to the ISMS. One supporter since its inception, and 2009 ISMS Conference Headliner, Eric Roberson – universally acknowledged as the most successful Indie Soul artist in the USA - was nominated for a Grammy® Award in the Best Urban Alternative Performance category this past year. Other past participants who are Grammy® Award Nominees or Winners include Raphael Saadiq, Dionne Farris, The Tony Rich Project, Ann Nesby, Calvin Richardson, Van Hunt, Vikter Duplaix, Foreign Exchange, Wayna, Anthony David and  Jaguar Wright whose obscure debut album, Denials, Delusions and Decisions (2002) was crowned best CD of the Decade by Associated Press.

About ISMS Founder Terry Bello
Terry Bello, Executive Producer and Creator of the International Soul Music Summit is a veteran Radio Programmer and Host. He is the 2006 Billboard Music Director of the Year and the Executive Producer and Host of the syndicated radio show The Soul Lounge. A graduate of NYU in Mass Communications and a JD from Emory Law School (1996), Bello is an entrepreneur who creates value in the music community.

“Soul Music is a true labor of Love, but being “Broke is not Sexy.” If it doesn’t make dollars, then it doesn’t make sense. Stop the dividing and conquering and handle your Biz!” – Terry Bello

# # #

Fortress Marketing is a marketing company with a proven track record in the Entertainment Industry. Music, Movies, and Personalities have benefitted from The Six Channels(tm) marketing methodology. Over 40 years of combined Industry experience!