Shannon Sanders Joins BMI’s Nashville Creative Team as Executive Director
BMI announced today that veteran music industry executive Shannon Sanders will join the Nashville Creative team as an Executive Director. Sanders will be responsible for signing and developing top talent in the Nashville community and supporting BMI’s family of songwriters and publishers. He will report directly to BMI’s Vice President of Creative, Clay Bradley.
“Shannon has been an important source of advice and counsel for me since I joined BMI in March, and I’m thrilled that he will now be a key part of our Creative team,” said Bradley. “He is a Nashville native who has embraced all genres of music throughout his career and his accomplishments reflect the rich musical diversity of this city, which continues to grow and thrive. It is our job to represent the best talent Nashville has to offer, and Shannon’s voice and vision will be invaluable as we continue that mission.”
Said Sanders, “I am excited about my new role at BMI and am inspired by Clay and his vision. As part of this tremendous Creative team, I look forward to helping further the efforts of BMI in our songwriting community and beyond. Being a creator myself, I know the value of this organization. I’ve always been a champion for creators, and I consider it an honor to be able to offer support and facilitate opportunities for my fellow songwriters.”
As a 25-year music industry veteran, Sanders joins BMI as a two-time GRAMMY, two-time Emmy, and Dove Award winning songwriter/producer with an ear for current trends as well as an appreciation of legacy artists. He is the founder and original Program Director of Nashville’s 102.1 The VILLE, a classic soul and R&B radio station that is committed to playing local artists. Additionally, he has served as musical director to India.Arie for 20 years.
As a respected member of Nashville’s music industry, Sanders is a trusted advocate for music creators. He is involved in numerous organizations, including the Recording Academy (Trustee), NMAAM (National Museum of African American Music), Leadership Music, Nashville Ballet, AIMP (Association of Independent Music Publishers), Country Music Hall of Fame Education Committee, W.O. Smith, and NME (Nashville Music Equality). Sanders also serves as a City Tourism Commissioner for the NCVC (Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation) and was named as one of the 2016 Black Enterprise 100 Modern Men of Distinction.
Sanders is an alum of Tennessee State University and was recently recognized among the University’s Distinguished Alumni.
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