REBA RELATED
Tony Brown Receives Dale Franklin Leadership Award
Highly-Respected Producer/Executive Honored At Star-Studded Gala
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- While the Olympics were being staged in Athens, Greece Tuesday night (August 24th), close to 500 music industry artists and leaders gathered at Nashville's replica of the Parthenon to honor one of their elite, Tony Brown, with the first ever Dale Franklin Leadership Award. Established earlier this year by Leadership Music, a 15- year-old service and educational organization in Nashville, the Dale Franklin Leadership Award is intended to honor exemplary leadership and is named for the organization's first executive director, the late Dale Franklin.
The sold-out gala benefited Leadership Music, and was attended by a number of artists associated with Brown over his four-decade career as a musician, record company executive and award-winning producer. Guests included Vince Gill and Rodney Crowell, with whom Brown is currently reunited in the Notorious Cherry Bombs. Also in attendance were Lee Ann Womack, Gary Allan, Duane Allen of the Oak Ridge Boys, Donny Osmond, Elton John songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, Amy Grant, Ronnie Dunn, Jon Randall, and Alison Krauss, along with new artists such as Katrina Elam, Jessi Alexander, Holly Williams, and Matt Jenkins. Joining the festivities via pre-recorded tribute were Emmylou Harris, Reba McEntire, Steve Earle and Wynonna. Nashville radio personality Gerry House served as emcee of the event and provided a number of the evening's most light-hearted comments.
The Dale Franklin Leadership Award, which will be presented on an annual basis, was established to honor individuals who make extraordinary contributions to and are leaders in the music community. "It is fitting that Tony Brown be our first honoree," said Malcolm Mimms, president of Leadership Music. "His commitment to promoting better communication, interaction and debate among industry professionals parallels that of Leadership Music and its beloved founding executive director, Dale Franklin."
He continued, "This award's namesake, the late Dale Franklin, dedicated herself to the best leadership principles: communication, interaction and debate among professional peers. It is only fitting to honor Tony Brown for his accomplishments and his continuing commitment to leading by example."
Franklin, who had been assistant manager of the Grateful Dead as well as lodging director for Woodstock, was founding executive director for not only Leadership Music, but Leadership Nashville, as well. She lost a valiant battle with cancer in 1994.
For Tony Brown, music has been his passion through most of his life. He began playing piano in a family singing group led by his preacher father when he was only 13. He went on to perform with the legendary Stamps Quartet, as well as the equally noted Blackwoods and the Oak Ridge Boys. He advanced from playing piano for the Sweet Inspirations, backing megastar Elvis Presley, to playing for Presley himself, performing with The King from 1975-77 as his last piano player. After Presley's death, Brown toured as keyboardist in Emmylou Harris' legendary Hot Band. He began his career as a record company executive in the A&R department at RCA Records in the late 70s, signing the group Alabama and Vince Gill to the label.
Although he left RCA briefly to join the Cherry Bombs, Rodney Crowell and Rosanne Cash's revered band, he returned to the company in 1983, and began producing albums. He moved to MCA Records the following year, earning a reputation as the chief architect of the alt-country movement by signing artists such as Steve Earle, Lyle Lovett and Nanci Griffith. He also made highly-successful albums on superstars such as George Strait, Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood (whom he signed to MCA), Wynonna, Vince Gill, Jimmy Buffett and others. He worked with George Jones, the late Tammy Wynette and The Mavericks, as well as producing songs for major motion pictures such as Thelma and Louise, The Horse Whisperer, Honeymoon in Vegas and others.
Brown spent 18 years at MCA Records, the last seven as president of the label. The recipient of numerous industry awards for his artistry, including Grammys and CMA awards, Brown has made several appearances on Entertainment Weekly's 100 Most Influential People in Entertainment list, and he continues to be profiled in national magazines, including GQ. Just this year Brown was featured as a "Star Maker" in People magazine's 30th Anniversary Special Issue.
Brown is currently a senior partner at Universal South, the record company he started in 2002 with former Arista Nashville president Tim DuBois. A joint venture with Universal Records in New York, the label is dedicated to signing artists from any genre. Brown and DuBois hit an immediate home run with the platinum success of their flagship artist, Joe Nichols. The roster also includes award-winning Russian ensemble Bering Strait, and chart-topping Christian music artist Matthew West, among others.
"I have worked over the years with many people who have commented on the closeness and the spirit of cooperation that exists in the Nashville music business," Brown commented. "Leadership Music and the influence it has on its participants is directly responsible for creating and sustaining this attitude. It is an organization that is unique to the music business and to the Nashville community and should be considered a model for other facets of the entertainment industry. Dale Franklin's determination helped make it possible, and I am proud to be honored in this way. This award humbles me."
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Highly-Respected Producer/Executive Honored At Star-Studded Gala
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- While the Olympics were being staged in Athens, Greece Tuesday night (August 24th), close to 500 music industry artists and leaders gathered at Nashville's replica of the Parthenon to honor one of their elite, Tony Brown, with the first ever Dale Franklin Leadership Award. Established earlier this year by Leadership Music, a 15- year-old service and educational organization in Nashville, the Dale Franklin Leadership Award is intended to honor exemplary leadership and is named for the organization's first executive director, the late Dale Franklin.
The sold-out gala benefited Leadership Music, and was attended by a number of artists associated with Brown over his four-decade career as a musician, record company executive and award-winning producer. Guests included Vince Gill and Rodney Crowell, with whom Brown is currently reunited in the Notorious Cherry Bombs. Also in attendance were Lee Ann Womack, Gary Allan, Duane Allen of the Oak Ridge Boys, Donny Osmond, Elton John songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, Amy Grant, Ronnie Dunn, Jon Randall, and Alison Krauss, along with new artists such as Katrina Elam, Jessi Alexander, Holly Williams, and Matt Jenkins. Joining the festivities via pre-recorded tribute were Emmylou Harris, Reba McEntire, Steve Earle and Wynonna. Nashville radio personality Gerry House served as emcee of the event and provided a number of the evening's most light-hearted comments.
The Dale Franklin Leadership Award, which will be presented on an annual basis, was established to honor individuals who make extraordinary contributions to and are leaders in the music community. "It is fitting that Tony Brown be our first honoree," said Malcolm Mimms, president of Leadership Music. "His commitment to promoting better communication, interaction and debate among industry professionals parallels that of Leadership Music and its beloved founding executive director, Dale Franklin."
He continued, "This award's namesake, the late Dale Franklin, dedicated herself to the best leadership principles: communication, interaction and debate among professional peers. It is only fitting to honor Tony Brown for his accomplishments and his continuing commitment to leading by example."
Franklin, who had been assistant manager of the Grateful Dead as well as lodging director for Woodstock, was founding executive director for not only Leadership Music, but Leadership Nashville, as well. She lost a valiant battle with cancer in 1994.
For Tony Brown, music has been his passion through most of his life. He began playing piano in a family singing group led by his preacher father when he was only 13. He went on to perform with the legendary Stamps Quartet, as well as the equally noted Blackwoods and the Oak Ridge Boys. He advanced from playing piano for the Sweet Inspirations, backing megastar Elvis Presley, to playing for Presley himself, performing with The King from 1975-77 as his last piano player. After Presley's death, Brown toured as keyboardist in Emmylou Harris' legendary Hot Band. He began his career as a record company executive in the A&R department at RCA Records in the late 70s, signing the group Alabama and Vince Gill to the label.
Although he left RCA briefly to join the Cherry Bombs, Rodney Crowell and Rosanne Cash's revered band, he returned to the company in 1983, and began producing albums. He moved to MCA Records the following year, earning a reputation as the chief architect of the alt-country movement by signing artists such as Steve Earle, Lyle Lovett and Nanci Griffith. He also made highly-successful albums on superstars such as George Strait, Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood (whom he signed to MCA), Wynonna, Vince Gill, Jimmy Buffett and others. He worked with George Jones, the late Tammy Wynette and The Mavericks, as well as producing songs for major motion pictures such as Thelma and Louise, The Horse Whisperer, Honeymoon in Vegas and others.
Brown spent 18 years at MCA Records, the last seven as president of the label. The recipient of numerous industry awards for his artistry, including Grammys and CMA awards, Brown has made several appearances on Entertainment Weekly's 100 Most Influential People in Entertainment list, and he continues to be profiled in national magazines, including GQ. Just this year Brown was featured as a "Star Maker" in People magazine's 30th Anniversary Special Issue.
Brown is currently a senior partner at Universal South, the record company he started in 2002 with former Arista Nashville president Tim DuBois. A joint venture with Universal Records in New York, the label is dedicated to signing artists from any genre. Brown and DuBois hit an immediate home run with the platinum success of their flagship artist, Joe Nichols. The roster also includes award-winning Russian ensemble Bering Strait, and chart-topping Christian music artist Matthew West, among others.
"I have worked over the years with many people who have commented on the closeness and the spirit of cooperation that exists in the Nashville music business," Brown commented. "Leadership Music and the influence it has on its participants is directly responsible for creating and sustaining this attitude. It is an organization that is unique to the music business and to the Nashville community and should be considered a model for other facets of the entertainment industry. Dale Franklin's determination helped make it possible, and I am proud to be honored in this way. This award humbles me."
CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
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