The ETSU Research Corporation recently founded the Northeast Tennessee Music Initiative in order to positively impact our region through the power of music.

“I’ve been at East Tennessee State University since 2013. Most people know me as a professor in media and brand strategy here. Most people don’t know that I’ve played music since I was 15-years-old,” says Chief Marketing Officer for ETSU’s Research Corporation, Stephen Marshall. “I have a real empathy for those folks that are trying to make a living playing music.”

According to the ETSU Research Corporation website, “The Northeast Tennessee Music Initiative is a community-led initiative organized to gain a better understanding of the current strengths, opportunities and needs of the Northeast Tennessee music community.”

This movement was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and was launched by the Tennessee Entertainment Commission. The initiative looks at designating music communities within the state in order to support local musicians and elevate music education. It also intends to play a hand in the economic strength and tourism of the region. The Northeast region serves as a pilot for this movement.

Photo of the audience at the Northeast Tennessee Music Initiative. (Contributed/ETSU Research Corporation)

When asked about how this initiative would impact the ETSU community, Marshall responded, “It involves music in a sense of marching band, it also involves music in a sense of a singer songwriter, and it involves audio production and video production and social media and storytelling and even health. . . Anyone who knows me knows that I am passionate about getting students involved in the industry and I just see this as a real connector to lots and lots of different industries that connect to music.”

The kickoff press conference was recently held, which featured American Idol winner Lee DeWyze accompanied by Grammy-nominated Dave Eggar on cello, and Blake Collins playing the mandolin. This conference introduced the key steps within the initiative which include the collection of community partners and the importance of the Sound Music Cities’ Census that will allow them to collect the necessary data to build their strategy in broadening this music region’s impact.

“I’m very supportive of us identifying opportunities to support the arts and arts education because it is a quality of life, you know. . . for Northeast Tennessee,” says Marshall.

From now through May 1, those who wish to become a community partner can do so by visiting anytnmusic.com. Community partners will then be contacted to share their voice through the music census survey.