Music Biz 2017 Speaker Spotlight: Derek Crownover, Dickinson Wright, PLLC
The Music Business Association is excited to welcome Derek Crownover, Entertainment Law Practice Leader at Dickinson Wright, PLLC for ‘Investing, Incubation & Funding for Music Startups‘ on Thursday, May 18 at 11 AM during the Music Biz 2017 convention in Nashville! Check out the fun Speaker Spotlight below to get to know Derek little more before his Music Biz panel!
How did you know you wanted to get into the music industry? Or maybe you didn’t?
Although I considered music my brother or sister growing up, I did not plan to be in the music business. I was an accountant turned sports lawyer for the first few years of my career, but the law firm in Nashville that hired me for peanuts had about 10 record and 30 publishing deals a year closing in the late 90’s. I was their corporate scrivener in the back office cranking out work. After putting some contracts and royalty statements together on a spreadsheet at that firm, I realized that NOTHING balanced and many artists and lawyers didn’t look at royalty statements. So…along with the love of lyrics and songwriters in general, this desire to find the truth in a contract and royalty statements lured me into the music business. Since then, I have made some incredible friends and have some even better clients that have made my music business life more fulfilling.
What song is currently stuck in your head? AND What is your “album of the year”?
“Back Dat Azz Up” by Juvenile and Mannie Fresh. Acoustic Dreams by Echosmith is my “Album of the Year.”
Who do you predict will be the biggest breakout artist in the next year or years ahead?
Kassi Ashton or Caitlyn Smith will be big.
What’s your favorite thing to do in Nashville — besides attend the Music Biz Convention?
Hot Chicken, please!
What can attendees expect from your panel at Music Biz 2017?
Expect to find out some of the new dirty little secrets about the music publishing game…
Music Biz 2017, the industry’s premier convention, is set to bring together 1,500+ music industry professionals from across the globe Monday, May 15 to Thursday, May 18 in Nashville at the Renaissance hotel. The “four most important days on the industry calendar” will include 100+ panels; workshops with Apple, Amazon, Google/YouTube, SoundCloud, Spotify, and Pandora; meetups; mixers;live music; awards honoring Reba McEntire, Adele, Lukas Graham, Maren Morris, Paula Abdul & more; keynotes from Spotify’s Troy Carter & Atlantic’s Julie Greenwald with Kelly Clarkson; and so much more.
Visit musicbiz2017.sched.com for the full schedule and musicbiz2017.eventbrite.com to register!
Questions? Reach out to Music Biz’s VP of Communications Nicole Hennessey at nicole.hennessey@musicbiz.org today!
