Charlie Dahan is a professor in the Department of Recording Industry and director of the Center for Popular Music at Middle Tennessee State University. A public historian and music industry veteran, he connects the business and creative practices of recording with the preservation of America’s musical heritage.

His research examines how communities preserve historic recording studios and record companies and interpret their cultural significance. His book, Don’t Lose Your Good Thing: Rescuing America’s Music Landmarks (SUNY Press), explores these preservation efforts. He co-authored Gennett Records and Starr Piano (Arcadia Press) and the complete Gennett discography for UCSB’s Discography of American Historical Recordings. He also co-authored successful National Register of Historic Places nominations for FAME Studios, Hank Snow’s Rainbow Ranch, and the King Records buildings.

At the Center for Popular Music, Dahan connects archival preservation with teaching, research, and public programming. He teaches History of the Recording Industry, Survey of the Recording Industry, History of Country Music, and Living in James Brown’s America. His courses explore music, business, race, and American culture while engaging students in public history. The student-developed exhibit Mr. Dynamite: The Legacy of James Brown, created through his James Brown course, received the Tennessee Association of Museums award for Best Temporary Exhibit.

Before entering academia, Dahan served as A&R director at Shanachie Records, working with artists including the Skatalites, Rufus Thomas, Lester Bowie, Duke Robillard, Anders Osborne, and Sue Foley. He produced or oversaw more than 100 commercially released albums, including two Grammy-nominated Skatalites recordings. As a talent agent with the Roots Agency, he booked tours for the Chieftains, Richie Havens, Arlo Guthrie, Carlene Carter, and Ronnie Spector. He also co-founded Larchmont Recordings.

His professional service includes work on the boards / committees of the King Records Legacy Foundation, the Starr-Gennett Foundation, Historic Nashville, and Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. He received MTSU’s Foundation Award for Outstanding Achievement in Instructional Technology in 2016 and previously taught music business at SUNY Oneonta.

Dahan wrote and edited several chapters in the David Baskerville text Music Business Handbook and Career Guide and dozens of reviews and featured articles for AllAboutJazz. He was an Assistant Professor in the Music Business department at the State University of New York at Oneonta from 2001 through 2007. From 2002-2007, he was the sound and scoreboard operator for the Oneonta Tigers, a Single A Affiliate of the Detroit Tigers.

Dahan holds a Ph.D. in Public History from MTSU, a Master of Music from SUNY Purchase, and a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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Exhibits and Performances

Dahan, C. B., "Mr Dynamite: The Legacy of James Brown," Center for Popular Music, Murfreesboro, TN. (November 14, 2024 - December 15, 2025). RIM 3250. Winner of Tennessee Association of Museum Commedation for "Best Temporary Exhibit."

Dahan, C. B., "Henry Glover: Breaking Barrier and Making Hits," Walker Library, Murfreesboro, TN. (April 16, 2025 - August 16, 2025). RIM 3000 - Honors. 

Presentations

Dahan, C. B., Blues Hall of Fame, "Blues Hall of Fame Inductions Speech for Syd Nathan," Blues Foundation, Cannon Center for the Arts, Memphis, TN. (May 2026).

Dahan, C. B., International Country Music Conference, "“I Am Resolved”: The Long Road to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum," Belmont University, Nashville, TN, United States of America. (May 29, 2026).

Dahan, C. B., “Preserve the Past, Build for the Future” webinar series, "Preserving America’s Historic Music Venues," Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), Zoom, Washington, DC, United States of America. (February 25, 2026).

Dahan, C. B., Starr Gennett Walk of Fame, "Charley Patton and Gennett Records," Starr Gennett Foundation, Gennett Logo Building, Richmond, IN. (September 10, 2025).

Dahan, C. B., International Country Music Conference, "Treated Wrong Blues: Preserving the Gennett Records / Starr Piano Industrial Complex in Richmond, Indiana.," Belmont University, Nashville, TN, United States of America. (May 30, 2025).

Dahan, C. B., Riley, H. B., VFP - Documentary Film Making, "“Write this Down”: A Contextual History of George Strait and Country Music," Middle Tennessee State University, Bragg 103, Murfreesboro, TN, United States of America. (February 7, 2025).

Dahan, C. B., History 6020 - Historical Research Methods Class, "Popular Music and Historic Preservation Research," Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, United States of America. (February 4, 2025).

Dahan, C. B., Ohio Valley History Conference, "“Picking Up the Pieces: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Stax Records in South Memphis (Soulsville), TN,”," Austin Peay University, Clarksville, TN, United States of America. (October 5, 2024).

Dahan, C. B., Gennett Walk of Fame Celebration, "100th Anniversary of Bix Beiderbecke's First Recordings," Starr Gennett Foundation, Starr Piano Logo Building, Richmond, IN. (September 14, 2024).

Dahan, C. B., Gennett Records Walk of Fame Celebration, "30 Year Anniversary of Rick Kennedy's "Jelly Roll, Bix, and Hoagy"," Starr Gennett Foundation, Starr Piano Logo Building, Richmond, IN. (September 14, 2024).

Dahan, C. B., Kiwanis Club Monthly Meeting, "The Legacy of Gennett Records," Kiwanis Club Richmond, IN, Richmond, IN. (September 13, 2024).

Dahan, C. B., Richardson, C. (Co-Presenter), International Country Music Conference, ""Henry Glover: The Musical Alchemist of King Records"," International Country Music Conference, Belmont University, Nashville, TN. (May 31, 2024).

Dahan, C. B., Bix Beiderbecke Centennial Celebration, ""Bix Beiderbecke and Gennett Records"," Bix Beiderbecke Museum, Bix Beiderbecke Museum, Davenport, IA. (March 9, 2024).

Dahan, C. B., Ohio Valley History Conference, ""Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved: Saving the King Records Buildings"," Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY. (October 2023).

Dahan, C. B., International Country Music Conference, ""Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved: Saving the King Records Buildings"," International Country Music Conference, Belmont University, Nashville, TN. (June 2, 2023).

Dahan, C. B., ""The Gennett's on Record: The First Family of the Record Business' Phono-Album"," Wayne County Historical Museum, Wayne County Historical Museum, Richmond, IN. (April 22, 2023).

Dahan, C. B., Starr Gennett Special Exhibition Opening Celebration, "Gennett Records: the Birthplace of American Popular Music," Wayne County Historical Museum, Wayne County Historical Museum, Richmond, IN. (July 2022).

Dahan, C. B., Birthplace of Country Music Museum Virtual Speaker Series, "Henry Glover - King Records Unsung Hero of Country and R&B Productions," Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Bristol, VA. (August 3, 2021).

Dahan, C. B., Butts, K., Ruther, E., Bronsink, T., Iyer, V., The Oliveros Response Project - King Records, "The Oliveros Response Project - King Records," The Response Project and the King Records Legacy Committee, Cincinnati, OH. (January 21, 2021).

Dahan, C. B., "History Happy Hour: On the Record with Starr-Gennett Studios," Indiana Historical Society, Indiana Historical Society / Zoom, Indianapolis, IN. (May 28, 2020).

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