MUSIC BIZ 2019 SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT — Deborah Mannis-Gardner, DMG Clearances, Inc.

Music Biz is excited to welcome Deborah Mannis-Gardner, Owner and President of DMG Clearances, Inc., to the Music Biz 2019 Program! She will be speaking on the panel “Remixing the Concept of Music Creator,” set for Wednesday, May 8 at 12 noon. Check out the Speaker Spotlight profile below to learn more about Deborah before her panel in May! You can also keep tabs on the latest featured speakers on our Speaker Spotlight Portal.

What do you foresee being the most impactful trend for the industry in the coming year?
With Hip-Hop and R&B exploding right now, it’s got to be the continuation and growth of not just sampling but also the incorporation of pre-existing music or beats into new works. And yes, this should still be considered new music and not theft.

What music-focused app or tech could you not live without?
Shazam. I use it wherever I am – in a movie, watching TV, in a cab, in a restaurant, at a party, in a mall.

What are your Album of the Year and Song of the Year?
I was a huge fan of the soundtrack to Black Panther; Kendrick Lamar is a genius. I also had the honor of working on Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” and Drake’s Scorpion album, so those are definitely up there too.

How do you discover new music?
Nothing special unfortunately. I use the internet just like everybody else, particularly social media. My friends have great taste!

What was your first concert OR the best concert you’ve ever attended? What about the show sticks with you the most?
My very first concert was Tom Petty with Stevie Nicks. It was around the time that “Stop Dragging My Heart Around” came out, so seeing them duet live was life-changing. It led to shows from The Who to The Clash, Santana, David Bowie, J Geils Band, and Foreigner. And it never stopped! My last show was Gorillaz in October.

Music Biz 2019, the industry’s premier business-focused event, takes place Sunday, May 5 through Wednesday, May 8 at the JW Marriott Nashville. Attendees can look forward to keynote presentations from influential industry trailblazers including Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Capitol Records’ Amber Grimes, RIAA Chairman and CEO Mitch Glazier, and CEO of Def Jam Recordings Paul Rosenberg. The event will also feature our Awards & Hall of Fame Dinner, a celebration of artistic & executive achievement sponsored by BuzzAngle Music, City National Bank, Cracker Barrel, Jammber, and TiVo. Announced thus far, Bebe Rexha and Kane Brown will receive Breakthrough Artist Awards; Darius Rucker will accept the Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award; Sony Music Nashville Chairman and CEO Randy Goodman will receive the Presidential Award for Outstanding Executive Achievement; Record Archive owners Richard Storms and Alayna Alderman will accept the Independent Spirit Award; and The Orchard Co-Founder Richard Gottehrer will receive the Outstanding Achievement Award. This year’s ceremony will also see the induction of the late Sir George Martin into the Music Business Hall of Fame by his son Giles Martin, along with 12 other notable industry executives, record labels, landmarks and media outlets.

More programming and awards announcements will be made in the coming weeks. Visit musicbiz2019.com for an up-to-date Program Schedule and to register today!