FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE SPRINGBOARD MUSIC PODCAST LAUNCHES TO MAKE MUSIC BIZ DREAMS COME TRUE
Helmed by Rachael Hession, program debuts at No.12 in Apple Podcasts Music Interviews category; first four episodes are available now
Rachael Hession
NASHVILLE, TN.... FEBRUARY 8, 2023 - The Springboard Music Podcast, helmed by Rachael Hession, who most recently served as Manager of National Promotion at Capitol Christian Music Group, has launched with its first four episodes. Peaking at No. 12 in Apple Music Podcast's Music Interviews category in its first 24 hours, Chartable also has the program ahead of “Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast," “David Guetta The Podcast,” “The New Music Business with Ari Herstand,” and “Exit 209 with Storme Warren - SiriusXM” upon it's debut.
Featuring Morgan Evan's bass player Andrew Brown, Director of Digital Partnerships and Revenue at Universal Music Group's Shannon Woodworth, and Concord + Chromatic Music Publishing songwriter Lauren Hungate (parts 1 + 2), the debut features went live Feburary 7th, with new episodes releasing every other Tuesday.
"I knew from an early age that I wanted to be involved in the Music Industry," says Hession, describing why she started the podcast. "I just always thought you had to be an artist or songwriter, and those were your only two options. After watching an episode of American Idol, I looked up what Simon Cowell’s path was to his career—he did radio promotion, as well as A&R. I immediately thought radio promotion would be cool, but didn’t think it was something you could just jump into, so I pursued A&R. I couldn’t afford to go to a school that had a music business program, so I went to a small private school with the intention of graduating as quickly as I could to move down to Nashville. I studied Marketing, thinking it was “similar” to A&R (branding). During that time, I had no one on campus who understood what I was trying to do with my life, and no one in my family had ever considered a career like the one I was striving for. I wished so badly there was someone young, who had recently broken into the industry, who didn’t have it all handed to them, that wasn’t an artist, that could tell me their story. Thus, The Springboard Music Podcast."
Hosting a variety of interviews with music industry professionals that listeners can look up to, pick their brain, etc., the podcast breaks down the elusive persona of the Music Industry and is geared toward an audience whose always dreamt of working in music, but don't know where to start. While each episode reveals no direct path to a dream job, each guest provides insight on how to gain experience while in high school or college, what type of person would be a good fit for the job, and whether or not they consider themselves as “living the dream.”
The Springboard Music Podcast will help listeners realize there is space for them at the "music industry table," no matter what their skills or passions are.
"You can be a photographer, and work in the Music Industry. You can be an accountant, and work in the music industry. You can be in IT Security, and work in the music industry," continues Hession. "I hope young professionals won’t feel so alone and lost in their dreams after listening, that they will reach out to the guests, and take steps to gaining experience now to heart. I also hope that in 10 years, I run into them and hear about their successful careers, making it happen, and still doing what they love."
The Springboard Music Podcast Season 1 Guests and Topics:
Lauren Hungate
Lauren Hungate – signed songwriter to Concord + Chromatic Music Publishing
When Hungate fell into songwriting, it wasn't until she already had held two jobs in the music industry (one at Red Light Management and another at Capitol Christian Music Group). In this ep she shares how she discovered her love for songwriting, how she made the decision to leave her salaried job, and eventually, how she entered a song contest and got signed to a publisher.
Cassie Petrey
Cassie Petrey – Co-Founder of Crowd Surf
Petrey and Hession get into digital marketing trends, the difference between being an “influencer” and a “helper” to your audience, and what is an underutilized social media platform.
Aaron Tochini
Aaron Tochini – Director of Events at Music Business Association
Originally pursuing a career in music, Tochini found himself working in catering + events at the Omni hotel in Nashville. Little did he know that he made an impression with the Music Business Association and later became a member of their staff. He has now run over 80 events for MBA and they have a great time discussing what goes into making an event amazing.
Shannon Woodworth
Shannon Woodworth – Director of Digital Partnerships and Revenue at Universal Music Group (Nashville)
Shannon has done it all—been on American Idol, started a blog, is a successful influencer, is a mom and a wife, an author, and also works full time at UMG Nashville. She discusses how she "does it all," what the process was for Jordan Davis and Luke Bryan’s song, “Buy Dirt,” to go viral on Tik Tok, and how she started UMG Nashville’s first ever philanthropic venture called Parade of Trees.
Andrew Brown
Andrew Brown – Bass player for Morgan Evans
Brown and Hession chat about his transitioning from an existing career to pursue a career in music, soundcheck etiquette, what it’s like entering into an existing band, and advice for touring the world while having a life partner back at home.
Alex Quattlebaum
Alex Quattlebaum – Senior Manager of Touring at futureshirts
This episode covers the difference between VIP and Merch teams, the importance of hiring merch reps that fit your brand, and at what point an artist should considering making and selling merch.
LB Cantrell
LB Cantrell – Director of Operations and Content at Music Row Magazine
In this episode, we discuss transferring from one out of station school to another to pursue music, going straight to the person in charge asking for opportunities, and how to dream bigger within the job you currently have.
Ryan Byrd
Ryan Byrd – American Music Awards nominated Video Producerfor Ashley McBryde and Carly Pearce's “Never Wanted To Be That Girl," Anne Wilson's “Hey Girl” and Tauren Well's “Joy In The Morning.”
This episode marks the season finale in three parts. They discuss attending Belmont, not for music, but for film—how to gain experience, finding common threads through her upbringing that were foreshadows to her career path, what the term “producer” really entails, and why she wouldn’t consider herself living the dream.
ABOUT RACHAEL HESSION:
Hession knew she wanted to be in Music Business, but couldn’t afford a college with a Music Business program and so went to college to get a business degree in Marketing in Upland, Indiana—a town with only two blinking yellow stoplights and cornfields. Itching to leave Indiana and make her way to Nashville, she graduated in three years, and then spent her last semester studying at the Contemporary Music Center in Nashville, TN—a program for college students to gain hands on learning experience in the music industry.
After applying for a Commercial Partnerships internship at Capitol Christian Music Group and then awarded the position with only Ace Hardware on her resume, it wasn't long before she applied for a Sales and Services Representative position at the label and was hired. Four weeks into the job, HR called asking if she would consider applying for the open position as Administrator on the National Promotion team. Not wanting to be “that millennial” that jumped ship when the next opportunity came, it took several conversations and much support from her executives before making the switch to the radio team October 2017.
In December 2019, Hession was promoted to Manager of National Promotion at just 24 years old. During her time at Capitol, the team brought in 25 #1 records and broke new artists such as Anne Wilson and We The Kingdom.
Springboard Music Contact:
Rachael Hession
rachael@thespringboardmusic.com
Production Team for Springboard Music:
Alex Moock – Video Editor
Caroline Smith – Audio Engineer
Caitlin Sell – Graphic Designer
Media Collective Contact:
Velvet Kelm
the media collective
velvet@themcollective.com
(615) 591-7989
www.themcollective.com
