ABC Nashville

As a shareholder at the Nashville office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC, Kelly Frey’s time as a corporate attorney with media and entertainment experience is in high demand. However, many of Kelly’s colleagues know that he also wear a creative hat outside the office as a local novelist and screenwriter. Over the last two years Kelly has blended his professional and creative talents as a dedicated volunteer for the Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts, a program of the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville. By volunteering with the VLPA, Kelly found a wide variety of corporate work, but more importantly worked on interesting issues from the creative community across the state of Tennessee on a pro bono basis.

Recently, Kelly donated more than 60 hours of pro bono services to help April, an author based in Memphis, who was in an intense stalemate with an out-of-state publisher. As an artist, Kelly could uniquely identify with April’s frustrations; as an attorney, he could guider her through the complicated legal issues she was facing. On a cold day in December, April reached a point where she was unsure she should continue to fight to regain her rights as an author. Kelly recalled, “[a]t that point I talked to her as an artist and said ‘I don’t think you have an option. You are a writer. That’s part of your character so I don’t think [giving up is] an option for you. Let’s talk about what other options you have fro a legal and business perspective so that you can exploit your creative capacity.’” By using his skill set as an attorney and an artist Kelly successfully negotiated with April’s publisher, while also assisting April in developing her vision for her brand as an author. “I was really at a point of giving up on my dream and without [Kelly’s] help I think I would have done just that,” April said. Although Kelly and April have yet to meet in person Kelly says they’re “good friends!”

While Kelly recognizes the professional and ethical commitment to pro bono services, for him the work goes deeper. “[Pro bono work is] the passion part about what lawyers do. To work on a case like April’s is really the goal we all saw when we were in law school—to help someone on a personal level. [To] assist an individual who’s struggling and see them be successful, that’s part of our aspirations.”

(CMR Nashville Radio)
05/18/2010
The Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville and the Americana Music Association have combined their efforts to present “Raising the Bar”, one of the most exciting Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs available to attorneys. The slate of panels on music and entertainment topics will take place during the Americana Music Festival and Conference, September 8-11, 2010 at the Downtown Nashville Sheraton Hotel in the heart of the city.

In its fifth year and titled “Raising the Bar”, the CLE program provides attorneys with the ability to obtain 10 – 12 hours of CLE credit for the jointly created panels and workshops. The Americana Music Association is offering attorneys an incredible discounted conference member rate of $300 (a $250 savings off the walk up price) through May 31st. This rate includes not only the CLE panels, but also a priority admission badge to attend the evening Music Festival showcases and a ticket to the critically acclaimed Americana Honors & Awards show at the historic Ryman Auditorium on Thursday, September 9, 2010.

“ABC is truly delighted to announce this partnership with the Americana Music Association which will allow us to offer our family of attorneys an excellent opportunity to earn all of their CLE credit for the year by attending interesting, world-class panels,” said Arts & Business Council President & CEO Connie Valentine. She adds that “This program is an exciting expansion of the CLE programs offered by the ABC year-round.”

“Partnering with the ABC on this legal symposium makes perfect sense” said Jed Hilly, Executive Director of the Americana Music Association. “We share a common mission in supporting the businesses that support the arts.” Hilly added, “I am thrilled that these attorneys will have the chance to receive credit while experiencing Nashville’s premier musical event.”

A significant portion of the proceeds will go to benefit the Arts and Business Council’s Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts program which provides pro bono legal assistance and eduction to low-income artists of all disciplines, as well as legal and business services to emerging non-profit arts organizations. With a roster of nearly 200 generous volunteer lawyers & professionals, this program has provided an estimated $650,000 worth of pro bono services to the Nashville arts and entertainment communities in just over three years.

The Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville drives collaboration between Arts and Business that contributes to the economic and cultural vitality of Greater Nashville. Other events and programs of the ABC include the Bowtie Awards, ArtWorks, and the Music City Corporate Band Challenge.

The Americana Music Association is a professional non-profit trade organization whose mission is to promote awareness, provide a forum, and advocate for the creative and economic vitality of the Americana music genre. The Association produces events throughout the year including the annual Americana Music Festival and Conference which will take place September 8-11, 2010 in Nashville, TN, widely recognized as one of the premier events in the music industry. The Americana autumn event features educational music related panels by day and a stacked schedule of musical showcases throughout the city by night, the week’s capstone is the critically acclaimed Americana Honors and Awards show at the historic Ryman Auditorium, recognizing both annual and lifetime achievements in the Americana music world.

This special CLE Festival and Conference Registrations are now available for attorneys by calling the Americana Music Association office at (615) 386-6936. Visit www.americanamusic.org for more information.

(The Tennessean)
by Bonna Johnson
02/21/2010

There’s an old joke in Nashville that asks: How do you get the attention of a singer-songwriter?

The answer: Just yell, “Waiter!”

As it turns out, singer-songwriters are bankers, lawyers and computer geeks, too.

And, at a time of layoffs and salary freezes in the workplace, an unconventional way to boost morale, have fun and get the mailroom clerk singing harmony with the CEO has emerged: Put a company band together.

Do it in Nashville, and be prepared to be blown away by the level of musicianship, said Rod Essig, who books the likes of Tim McGraw, Reba McEntire and other country music elite as lead agent at Creative Artists Agency in Nashville.

For the second year, he’ll be one of the judges for the Music City Corporate Band Challenge, which will hold preliminary rounds at Music Row-area bars next week. The winner, to be named during the finals on March 14, will get to perform at the CMA Music Festival this June.

“If somebody stood out, I would pursue them and a record company would pursue them,” Essig said. “You’re always looking for the next person to be the next big star,

wherever they come from.”

Indeed, last year’s winner, a band called Transit made up of Metro Transit Authority employees, ended up recording two songs produced by rocker Jack White and released them on his Third Man Records label.

“We are Music City, and we have a higher level of talent here,” said Connie Valentine, CEO of the Arts and Business Council of Greater Nashville, which is sponsoring the 2-year-old contest, though she does stress the fun aspect of the band challenge over the competition.

In another corporate band contest last year, this one put on by Fortune magazine, a band from Franklin-based Healthways took top honors at the national level, beating out bands from Iowa, Utah, Mississippi and California, as well as a band from St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Memphis.

“There are so many talented people in this town,” said Tammy Genovese, former CEO of the Country Music Association and a judge for Music City Corporate Band Challenge last year. “They’re working day jobs, but their heart and soul is in music. They came here wanting to be singers and songwriters and musicians.”

Some have worked professionally on Music Row. Others have classical music training. Still others came to Nashville in search of stardom.

“The level of musicianship makes it uniquely Nashville,” Essig said. “There is not this depth of musicianship in other cities. It doesn’t exist.”

Only in Nashville could you join a garage band and end up playing with Barbara Mandrell’s steel guitar player.

“I’m kind of pumped to be onstage with him,” said Chad Grant, a system engineer with MacAuthority. He’s the leader of the company band Full Tilt Mac, which includes Mike Jones, who started working in sales and service at the computer store in 1997 after playing 23 years for the singer.

Executives rock

Avenue Bank’s corporate band, The Hummingbirds, placed second place in last year’s inaugural contest and is competing again this year.

Among members are guitar-wielding company CEO Ron Samuels and a chief financial officer, Barb Zipperian, who sings. Also in the band is bass player Holli Ewing, who works in private banking services, and with her sisters performs as part of the Sullivan Sisters, a band that has served as one of the rotating house bands at the Wildhorse Saloon and won the local Nashville Colgate Country Showdown contest.

“What’s cool is not just the camaraderie and fun of it, but we have literally found an identity in our own style,” said band leader Ron Cox, senior vice president and head of the bank’s entertainment division. Cox is also a professional musician who played banjo for Conway Twitty, Mandrell and others and was a staff writer at Curb Publishing.

Christen Wright, 23, has dreamed of breaking into the music business and, as one of the vocalists for her law firm’s band, is thrilled she’ll get to sing in front of some Music Row bigwigs.

“I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t singing or playing the piano,” said Wright, a human resources assistant at Bradley Arant Boult Cummings.

The band, called 1600 Division in a nod to the firm’s location, includes the law firm’s managing partner Robert Wood, a few other lawyers and administrative staffers. “When we’re all singing and playing music together, there is no totem pole or hierarchy,” Wright said.

“You have all these serious people, and you’re jamming out with them and seeing them outside of a business suit,” Wright said. “Even if it goes nowhere, it’s been a lot of fun to play with other musicians and see another side of these corporate attorneys.”

Contact Bonna Johnson at 615-726-5990 or bjohnson@tennessean.com.

Getting there

The Music City Corporate Band Challenge includes 11 entries in its second year. All bands must include at least one member from management. Bands can include a few members from outside the company, but no member can currently earn his or her full-time living by playing music. Each band performs two songs.

A $5 donation to the Arts and Business Council of Greater Nashville is suggested at the preliminary venues:

Tuesday: Red Rooster, 1530 Demonbreun Street, 7 p.m.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings “1600 Division”; 7:30 p.m. Avenue Bank “The Hummingbirds”; 8 p.m. Beaman Automotive “Pushing Metal”; 8:30 p.m. Allstate Insurance “The Good Hands Band”

Wednesday: Dan McGuinness Pub, 1538 Demonbreun Street

7 p.m. First Tennessee Bank “Three Day Weekend”; 7:30 p.m. MacAuthority “Full Tilt Mac”; 8 p.m. BMI “Royal Tea$e”; 8:30 p.m. The Nashville Symphony Association “Phil & the Harmonics”

Thursday: The Tin Roof, 1516 Demonbreun Street

7 p.m. Comcast “Toby Steele Band”; 7:30 p.m. Loeb & Loeb “Legal Trouble”; 8 p.m. CIGNA Government Services “The Other Brian Setzer Orchestra”

Finals: March 14, 6 p.m. at the Massey Performing Arts Center, Belmont University; tickets, $21.

(Nashville Lifestyles)
9/2009
The Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville brought together the creative and commercial spheres of Nashville on August 27 for a special Arts Build Community event at the Sommet Center from 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. Featuring renowned artist, Myles Maillie, in collaboration with local author/creativity expert, Whitney Ferré, the event brought local business and community leaders together for an evening of creativity and business ingenuity working in concert to capture the power of arts in building community. Showcasing Myles Maillie’s unique style of “Stack Box Painting,” local business leaders joined Mayor Karl Dean and other celebrities to add paint and color to various boxes. Throughout the course of the night, the boxes were assembled to create a monumental box sculpture measuring 40’ x 18’. Afterward, a photograph of the finished piece will be displayed on a large billboard inside the Sommet Center, so Nashville’s residents and visitors can see the inherent creativity in the city’s organizations and communities. In addition to the interactive artistry, the night also featured ”colorful cocktails and creative hors d’ouevres by Levy’s Restaurants and a one-of-a-kind silent auction showcasing original works of art from some of Nashville’s most-prized visual artists. Tickets for Arts Build Community were $100 for “Paintbrush” tickets, which included the opportunity to paint and keep a box; and $25 to participate in the reception only. The event was chaired by Laura Heatherly and presenting sponsor for Arts Build Community was the Sommet Group.