Alumni
Graduates from the Department of Recording Industry have become leaders in many facets of the music industry, from running record and publishing companies to producing superstar artists and writing hit songs.
Our alumni radar currently shows:
- We were well represented at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.
- Former commerical songwriting student, Hunter Wolkonowski (HunterGirl), has made it to the Hollywood round on American Idol and received Nashville's Platinum Ticket.
Our graduates include Brian Wright, executive vice president of A&R of Universal Music Group Nashville, as well as Academy of Country Music CEO Pete Fisher and recording artists Eric Paslay, Daisha McBride, PJ, Street Symphony, Brandon Heath and Mitchell Tenpenny. Erin Enderlin wrote one of her hits, Alan Jackson’s “Monday Morning Church" while a student at MTSU. Luke Laird is a Grammy-winning songwriter/producer whose has written more than 20 No. 1 songs for artists including Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town, Eric Church, Luke Bryan, Kacey Musgraves and many more.
Kent Earls is executive vice president/general manager of Universal Music Publishing Group, and his wife Martha Earls manages Kane Brown. Daniel Miller has managed artists including Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride and Cassadee Pope, while Melanie Wetherbee manages Jon Pardi. Billboard named Creative Artists Agency’s Aaron Tannenbaum one of “5 Up-and-Coming Young Music Power Players to Watch” and Abby Wells Baas is an agent at William Morris Endeavor, where she works with musical artists and comedians.
Alum Michael Knox is an award-winning producer who works with artists including Jason Aldean, Trace Adkins and Montgomery Gentry. F. Reid Shippen has produced/engineered artists such as Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Mercy Me, and fellow MTSU alums Brandon Heath and Eric Paslay. Engineer Clark Schleicher has worked with Lady Antebellum since he band's 2008 debut album, and songwriter/producer/arranger James Porte has worked with Michael Jackson and had songs recorded by Luther Vandross and other artists. Blake Chancey has been a record label executive and producer who has worked with the Dixie Chicks, The Allman Brothers, Little Big Town, Montgomery Gentry and others.
Alison Auerbach's publicity firm represents clients including Vince Gill and the Time Jumpers, while journalists Dave Paulson and Cindy Watts cover music for The Tennessean. Lauren Tingle writes for CMT.com and Jessica Robertson, who has worked for MTV, Rolling Stone, The Fader, is now with The Players’ Tribune.
Our production graduates have worked on gold- and platinum-selling recordings and Grammy award-winning productions. The long and impressive list of artists and producers our graduates have worked with include Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Kacey Musgraves, Luther Vandross, Josh Groban, Bruce Springsteen, The Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Alan Jackson, Michael Buble, Randy Travis, Diane Warren, Donna Summer, Alison Krauss, Richard Marx, Dolly Parton, John Mayer, Yo-Yo Ma, Michael McDonald, Natalie Merchant, Cher, Paul Anka, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, and a host of others.
Our music business graduates have worked for virtually every major record and publishing company, including Interscope, Virgin, Sony, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group and others. Many others run their own entertainment-related companies.
