BMI LA Launches New ‘Industry Insider’ Panel Series

Posted in News on February 7, 2006

BMI is proud to announce the rollout of a new bi-monthly music industry workshop and panel series for 2006. Produced in conjunction with Gibson Guitar and Billboard magazine, the first "Industry Insider" panel will focus on the A&R process and will be held on Wednesday, February 15 from 7pm to 8:30pm at the Gibson Guitar showroom in Beverly Hills (9350 Civic Center Drive). The series is free and open to songwriters, musicians and individuals pursuing a career in the music industry. However, due to limited seating, participants must RSVP to gain admittance. Please email your name and contact information to LARSVP@bmi.com.

The workshop and panel series will launch with several established A&R panelists sharing their viewpoints on a number of industry topics in a Q&A format, moderated by Melinda Newman, West Coast Bureau Chief and Music Editor for Billboard. Panelists include Brian Postel, VP, A&R, Virgin Records (urban); Tobin Watkinson, GM, New Armada/Warner Bros. (rock); and Ken Blaustein, Director, A&R, Virgin Records (rock).

Other topics slated for the year include publishing, management/ attorney representation and songwriting, with emphasis on the pop, rock and urban genres. There are a total of six panels scheduled for this calendar year.

Created together with Gibson Guitar by BMI's LA Writer/Publisher Relations staff, this program provides BMI affiliates in the Los Angeles community with "industry insider" resources essential for success. The series, which will be moderated by a rotating group of professionals from BMI, Gibson and Billboard, will take an in-depth look at several core areas that are integral to career growth and success. The panels and workshops will provide a formative knowledge base and networking platform to all BMI affiliates in the Los Angeles area.

Offering a direct link to the inner-workings of the music business from the perspective of established music professionals, the seminar series will provide songwriters with a wealth of information at no charge. Educational support for the songwriting community is the cornerstone of BMI's songwriter outreach programs. Through such programs, BMI hopes to help build networking and career-developing skills and talents.

Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins and banjos. Gibson's digital guitar represents the biggest advance in electric guitar design in more than 70 years. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo, Mich., and headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.'s family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro, Valley Arts, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Slingerland, Maestro, Baldwin, Hamilton, Chickering and Wurlitzer. For more information on Gibson Guitar please visit www.gibson.com.

Now in its 111th year, Billboard is the world's premier weekly music, video and digital entertainment publication and a diverse digital, events and brand, content and data licensing platform. Billboard publishes the most trusted charts and offers unrivaled reporting about the latest music, video, gaming, media, digital and mobile entertainment issues and trends. Billboard is the flagship property for the Billboard Information Group, which also includes Billboard.biz, Billboard.com, Billboard Chart Alert, Billboard Information Network (BIN), Billboard Directories, Billboard Books, Billboard Licensing & Events and Billboard Radio Monitor.

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