Alan Douches, West West Side Music
Alan Douches is a Grammy Award-winning Mastering engineer and has been in the professional audio business for 30+ years. He has worked on over 14,000 albums with various artists in almost every musical genre. He owns and operates a state-of-the-art Mastering and 24 track Analog/Digital recording & mixing facility, West West Side Music in NY. Alan has sat on many professional panels at music festivals and been hired to speak at various colleges like William Patterson and Johns Hopkins University. His passion for making audio sound its very best is at the core of everything he does.
Allan Tepper, The Tepper Music & Media Co.
Former Director of Publishing at Columbia Pictures Group, former VP at Warner/Chappell, a publishing company, worldwide member of the management team of Paul McCartney, founding partner of The Bicycle Music Co and is now the sole proprietor of The Tepper Music & Media Co. His company specializes in Music Marketing and Placement for commercials, film, television, records and new media, Writer and Literary Author Management Services, Music Artist Management, Editing, Digital Web Design, Business Writing, Proofreading, Strategic Marketing, Music Publishing, Songwriter Development, New Product Development, Catalogue Development.
Manages to consult relationships for clients in the music, media and advertising industries. Clients include: Soda Box Music Publishing, Music producer/songwriter/recording artist Frank Enea, Indie rock band Midnight Mob, Author Patricia Dunn, Elm City Music/EMI Universal, Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College, Alikai Press, Anthem/Bicycle Music Company, Crown Importers / Corona Beer, Wind-Up Records, New York Songwriters Circle, Inc., VerveLife Digital Media Agency, Canvas Records, Concrete Marketing, and Digital Kitchen Creative Agency and Productions.
Barry J. Heyman, Esq., Heyman Law
www.heylaw.com
Barry is the founder and principal attorney of Heyman Law. Barry has been practice music, entertainment, intellectual property (copyrights and trademarks), and new media law for over a decade. Barry began his career over 20 years ago in the Business Affairs department of PolyGram and Universal Records. He later became an attorney for Eagle Rock Entertainment (producer, publisher, and distributor of music programming for television and DVD, comprising live concerts and documentaries), and has consulted clients such as MTV and Razorfish. Barry is also the founding program chair of the music and entertainment business program at the Institute of Audio Research, the world’s oldest audio engineering school.
Ben Goldman, Ben Goldman Music & Media, LLC.
Ben is the former VP of A&R for Epic Records, former CEO of Blackledge Music and former president of Votiv Records, an independent record company with worldwide distribution. He has signed, recorded, and has developed artists, who collectively sold 18M+ records, while building entertainment brands into global success stories, yielding 7 Multi-Platinum Albums, 5 Gold Albums, and 11 Grammy Awards/Nominations. To name just a few of the artists; The Fray, Sara Barellies, Chevelle, Fuel, Ben Folds Five, Howie Day, Nine Days, Alpine, White Arrows, Young Buffalo and Young Empires.
Bill Caterini, Cathouse Sound, LLC
www.billcaterini.com
Bill won the 2016 Global Music Award for “We Can Do More” (Bill Caterini, Sara James), and 2017 Global Music Award for “Santa’s Coming” (Bill Caterini, Dawn Nardy Martin). He has also collaborated on recent projects from producers Kevin Mackie and Rupam Sarmah (Action Moves People United – “Count On You”; “Together In Peace”), and David Longoria (The Journey – “We Are One”). He is responsible for the recording, arranging and producing of “E is for Erik,” and “(Don’t Be a) Bully”, both released on his label, Cat. House Sound, LLC. www.eisforerikmusic.com – the official children’s album projects website. Bill holds a BA in Music, from Monmouth University (New Jersey), with a minor in Popular Music Business; he is also an entertainer (vocals and acoustic guitar), performing extensively in the southern New Jersey area, including Atlantic City, Wildwood, Cape May – also Philadelphia and NYC. Bill is a member of both the Recording Academy (NARAS – Philadelphia chapter, voting member) and the Audio Engineering Society (NYC chapter). He records many regional/national artist projects. Lastly, Bill is a NJ certified teacher (electronic music), and has written curriculum on recording/live sound studies – he also works at a local school district (Lower Cape May Regional School District, Cape May, NJ), and runs a TV/media/recording program for the middle school.
Bob Anderson, WPKN
www.wpkn.org
Former Senior Vice President of Sales of Sony/BMG, Musician, record guy, programmer and music industry consultant who loves family, friends, work, play and life. Bob joined WPKN in the fall of 2014 and is the host of the wildly popular show A Little Bit Of Everything where you never know what will be featured on the menu. Bob is also a member of the WPKN Board of Directors and co-owner of Krusty Tubs where you can find the finest vintage drums, idiophones and ephemera in the world. In his spare time, Bob likes to practice classic zydeco licks on the accordion.
Bob D’Aprile, CT Rocks!
www.mixcloud.com/ctrox or www.podomatic.com/ctroxradio
Bob D’Aprile hosts Connecticut Rocks! Radio on WPKN 89.5 FM (wpkn.org, 2009-present), WNHU 88.7 FM (wnhu.org, 2015-2016), and podcasts (mixcloud.com/ctrox). CT ROCKS! Features local music and live in studio guests.
Brian Cronin, Owner of Mirror Image Media, LLC; Publisher of THAT MAG!
www.newmirrorimage.com & www.thatmusicmag.com
Brian Cronin: Entrepreneur. Publisher. Self-starter. Music enthusiast. He’s a dedicated business mind, working unremittingly to develop and expand various projects that support local and regional artists, as well as professional businesses while connecting industry professionals through different networking events. In the past 12+ years, he has owned Mirror Image Media, the best source for creative and corporate material distribution as a one-stop source of media reproduction specializing in disc duplication, full design, printing, web development and promotional products. The Publisher of Philly’s top music blog and publication, THAT MAG (thatmusicmag.com) since 2007. In addition, he is an artist manager, events promoter, Ambassador to various networking groups, President of his BNI Chapter, a partner in Elm City Music Fest (CT), Liberty Music Fest (PA), launching Philadelphia Music Marathon in 2018 and is a good heart-ed family guy. When it comes to knowing the right person at the right time regardless of the industry, Cronin is the man to know. There is nothing more fulfilling to him than seeing the achievements of others through his many networking endeavors.
David Avery, Powederfinger Promotions
www.powderfingerpromo.com
David has promoted music to radio for 20 years. His background includes growing up with strong gospel and rock surroundings, a B.A. in music, a year of study at the University of Lancaster (England), a M.M. in musicology from New England Conservatory of Music, and two years of studies at the CUNY Doctoral Center. He was also a DJ for four years, a Music Editor at Schwann Publications for 18 months, and AAA Columnist for CMJ New Music Report for over 4 years. Powderfinger Promotions specializes in both National Radio and College Radio Campaigns as well as Publicity.
David Ivory – Ivory Productions, NARAS Philadelphia, FlexiTone Records
http://www.ivoryproductions.com
David Ivory is a producer as well as a GRAMMY-nominated and multi-platinum engineer. He currently serves as both a National Trustee and co-chair of their National Membership Committee for the Grammys in Los Angles as well as being the past president of the Philadelphia chapter. Among others, his gold and platinum RIAA awards include The Roots, Erykah Badu and Patti LaBelle. Ivory’s engineering skills landed him credit as one of the founders of the neo-soul sound in the early 90’s. Ivory’s producer credits include Patti LaBelle’s Timeless Journey (Island), Kindred’s Surrender To Love (Hidden Beach) as well as producing and developing Philadelphia’s own rock act Silvertide, resulting in their two releases American Excess and Show And Tell (J Records). Most recently Ivory produced the band’s long-awaited follow-up material at his studio, the first of which being their single “Try Try Try” released October 2014. Ivory is also credited with discovering and producing the GRAMMY-winning rock band Halestorm, which he helped sign to Atlantic Records in late 2005. He predicted their first release on Atlantic entitled One And Done. One of the singled from their LP Halestorm (“It’s Not You” — originally arranged and produced by Ivory) reached Top 20 status on the rock charts in 2011. As a writer Ivory co-wrote on both Silvertide and Halestorm releases, as well as two songs for the CBS TV series “Hack” and the Columbia release Lightning Strikes Twice by Molly Hatchet. Ivory also hosted a television series on Comcast On Demand entitled “David Ivory Presents”, featuring live performances and interviews with up-and-coming independent local and national talent. Currently, Ivory is writing and supervising the music for a documentary entitled Camden Love/Hate, a full-length film which depicts the day-to-day life of high-school seniors going to school in the most dangerous city in America. Filmed by the students themselves, Ivory creates raw and sublime musical landscapes to help illustrate the struggles and triumphs of these special kids growing up in a very difficult place. Ivory also owns and operates a record label, Flexitone Records, which releases over ten singles a year from regional, national and international artists. His in-house team secures radio play and helps with the group promotion of Flexitone’s talented roster. Academically Ivory is an adjunct professor at Montgomery County Community College as well as a guest speaker at both Drexel University and Millersville University. Ivory also belongs to the Communication Program Advisory Committee for MCCC and the Advisory Committee for the Community College of Philadelphia’s Music Industry department. Ivory’s Dylanava Studios is located in picturesque Gwynedd Valley, PA featuring a multi-room facility nestled in a country setting 30 minutes northwest of Philadelphia.
Ellyn Solis, Effective Immediately PR
www.effectiveimmediatelypr.com
Ellyn leads the team at EI-PR navigating to successful outcome, PR campaigns for the stable of young, developing and stellar clients under the EI umbrella. She brings her wealth of experience in the music industry to her team in creative ideas, strategy and PR best practices. Ellyn began her career at the storied Rogers and Cowan 20 + years ago, ascending to positions at Atlantic Records and then to Epic Records/SONY Music for more than a decade. While at Atlantic, Ellyn successfully worked legacy artists such as Robert Plant, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Skid Row and others. At Epic Records she was part of a winning team responsible for leading the PR for culturally relevant artists such as Pearl Jam and Rage Against the Machine, legacy artists such as Alice Cooper and Jack Bruce among many others. Within Sony she was an integral part of breaking artists such as Celine Dion, Des’ree and others. As an independent publicist leading her Vermillion Media agency she worked with developing artists, independent artists and legacy artists such as the Black Crowes, specializing in branding, PR strategy, media training and story development for her clients. She brings rich experience to the Gramophone team and a well deserved reputation for being able to navigate press campaigns, artists and managers to a successful outcome. She has built media relationships with national TV, late night Television and other high end outlets such as the Associated Press, Billboard, Rolling Stone, Baeble, and many others. “I am proud of the team at EI. They have boundless enthusiasm, passion and great ears for music. Add to that their natural instincts in finding great stories, the media welcomes pitches and ideas from them. In the last year, EI has honed their stellar reputation in the press and continues to amass amazing looks, stories and premieres for our roster. The sky is the limit with this team.
Holly Lane
www.hollylane.org
Holly Lane is an American entertainment executive and entrepreneur, who has served as the COO for six record labels, five of which were distributed and/or funded by the majors, and two of which were start-ups that she founded. For each record label she ran, she created a series of smaller imprints, each with a different musical and artistic focus, along with a separate distribution network, believing that the diversification of profit centers is a basic template for the protection of assets. Throughout her career she has worked for; Record City, All Points One Stop, Greenworld, Roadrunner, Next Plateau, Warner Bros., Blackhearts Records, Lethal One and the list goes on.
John Harris, John Harris Group
www.johnharris.com
John started and maintains the Millennium Music Conference in Harrisburg, PA since1996, Singer-Songwriter Cape May since 2007 and books concerts in Harrisburg and Hershey Park through Live Nation. He started the John Harris Group which is a Consultancy to the Entertainment, Sports and Hospitality Industry. They create, develop and maintain professional relationships while building market share for clients.
Event planning, management, production, marketing, promotions, and sponsorship are a primary focus. Strategic planning and new media technologies are the tools that we use for idea generation and implementation. They act as consultants and talent buyers for the government, corporations, schools, theaters, fairs, festivals, clubs, arts, and non-profits. Artist, venue, promoter and venue/property management and representation services are available.
Kevin McCove
Kevin McCove is a full-time musician who has performed opening shows for Drake, Billy Joel, Kid Rock, One Republic, Backstreet Boys among other major names. Kevin McCove also has various music placements in television networks such as CBS, Fox, MTV and Telemundo as well as advertising placements with Delta Airlines, Gannett, Toyota and more. Kevin has inked performance contracts with LiveNation, worked on songwriting teams with artists from Atlantic Records, UMG and RCA, and has spoken at over 10 different schools and universities about how to equip yourself to become a full-time musician.
Louis Anthony deLise, D.M.A.
www.bocagemusic.com
Louis Anthony deLise is a composer, record producer, and arranger. He has written for Grammy-winners, Peter Nero, Patti LaBelle and Halestorm and hit recording songwriters, William DeVaughn (“Be Thankful for What You Got” and “Figures Can’t Calculate”) and Robert Hazard (“Girls Just Want to Have Fun”). He composes chamber music that is published by Alry Publishing (Seattle, Washington), Print Music Source (San Antonio) and Metropolis Music Publishers (Antwerp, Belgium). He holds an earned Doctorate in Composition and has served on the faculties of several universities.
deLise is a voting member of the Recording Academy, a former Governor of the Recording Academy, Philadelphia Chapter and a member of the Philadelphia Music Industry Task Force.
Lou Plaia, ReverbNation
http://www.ReverbNation.com/
Lou Plaia is the Co-Founder / EVP Music Industry & Artist Relations of ReverbNation. Since 2006, ReverbNation has helped millions of emerging Artists build their careers. We’ve connected Artists to venues, festivals, brands, publishers, labels, and the fans themselves. ReverbNation’s mission puts Artists First. Our powerful career management and online marketing tools, combined with rapidly growing A&R capabilities and broad industry relationships offer emerging Artists from around the world access to the global music industry. The company operates worldwide with customers on every continent and more than 10 million unique visitors come to ReverbNation.com every month. Prior to ReverbNation, Plaia worked 16 years at Atlantic Records of which the last 4 years were with Atlantic imprint Lava Records as the Head of Marketing & Artist Development, where he worked with Kid Rock, O.A.R., Simple Plan, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Matchbox 20, Unwritten Law, George Carlin, Mike Stern and many others. Plaia was also responsible for negotiating partnerships with Nascar, Schick and Disney.
Mark Zaretsky, New Haven Register
www.nhregister.com
A Chicago native who is an award-winning long-time journalist and music writer for the New Haven Register who also has been the harmonica player and frontman for New Haven’s The Cobalt Rhythm Kings for 21 years. He also is one of two front men for a second blues band, 2017 Connecticut Blues Challenge finalist Black Snake Boots and is an occasional performer with Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Mark Naftalin, keyboard player for the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Zaretsky’s interest in the blues began as a teen in the Chicago area, following around Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Koko Taylor, James Cotton, Otis Rush, Mighty Joe Young, Fenton Robinson, Lefty Dizz, Buddy Guy & Junior Wells and others. Zaretsky teaches harmonica and has performed with many blues luminaries, including former Muddy Waters Band members Pinetop Perkins, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith and Bob Margolin; Lurrie Bell; Dave Specter; Debbie Davies; Tommy Castro; Mississippi Johnny Rawls; the late Phil Guy, and Lazer Lloyd.
Michael Caplan, Record Rabbi
www.recordrabbi.com
Michael is a music executive, who has worked for Sony Music Entertainment, Elm City Music Records, Or Music and the sole proprietor of Record Rabbi. He has signed and developed such artists as Living Colour, Joe Bonamassa, Matisyahu, The Allman Brothers Band, Ginuwine, Los Lonely Boys and Keb’ Mo’. He attended Clark University and graduated in 1978 with a degree in Psychology. He started his career working for Morris Levy, and then spent over 25 years at Sony, ending as a Senior Vice President of A&R. His artists have sold over 30 million records combined.
Rick Eberle, The Rick Eberle Agency
www.rickeberleagency.com/
Rick Eberle (Richard Keif Eberle born January 18, 1976 on Long Island in New York, USA) is an American Publicist, Talent Agent, Artist Manager, Musician, Songwriter, Singer, Guitarist and TV/Radio Personality. Rick’s band Iridesense (1993 – present, which also includes Tara Eberle-Drouin on Vocals/Bass, Rich Drouin on Drums, Rob Viccari on Guitar), where he is a founding member and co-lead singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist, has toured the US opening for major acts such as Gin Blossoms, Spin Doctors and Sugar Ray and placed songs on the Nickelodeon Network shows Drake & Josh, Zoey 101 and iCarly. The band has several independent label releases – Cool Dream Tomorrow (1997), Iridesense (2001), A Trip Called Life (2007), Secret Constellation (2011) and Thought Parade (2015).
Rick music business career began in New Media where he spent time working on online initiatives for Pink, Usher, Outkast, Dido and others at Arista Records in NYC (1999-2002). He left Manhattan to begin work in venue management, booking and promotions for The Downtown Concert Venue (2002-2005) – with artists like Jewel, Fall Out Boy, Maroon 5 and Gavin Degraw – and handled PR and assisted with bookings for The Crazy Donkey Concert Venue (2005-2010) – for acts like Bowling for Soup, LMFAO, Cinderella and Cobra Starship – while both venues were open and thriving on the Long Island music scene.
Rick has also has a long radio career in the Long Island, NY market which includes time in marketing/promotion at 92.7 WLIR FM (2002), and his weekly emerging artists show “Unlabeled” with Rob Rush (92.7 WLIR, 94.3 FM) as co host on 94.3 WMJC FM (2007-2010), and then as promotions director at 94X FM (2011-2012). He is most widely known in radio for his time at 94.3 The Shark FM (2012-2013) where he was instrumental in the initial branding and launch of the station as promotion director and sometime overnight host and on site correspondent for online content. He also hosted “Uncharted” a podcast for emerging artists. Currently, he hosts Rising Stars Radio Monday nights at 10pm EST on 90.3 WHPC FM (NY).
In Television, Rick began his “Rick’s Rising Stars” TV show (which is produced by My Long Island TV for Verizon Fios1 News) in NY in 2010 and has aired over 200 episodes so far. He has also been a music and entertainment on site correspondent at Bonko TV, IndiMusic TV and InRavio.com.
The Rick Eberle Agency was founded in 2013 after being merged from Rick’s music company PopCore Entertainment (1997 – 2012). Handling label services, publicity, social media, and some talent and management agency duties for venues, festivals, conventions, TV and radio stations, bands, artists, actors, authors, chefs and other companies of all sorts he has successfully produced and promoted events with Lem Payne Jr., Chrisette Michelle, Forever in your Mind, Zak Starkey (The Who/Oasis/The Beatles), Trey Songz, Peter Tosh Estate, John Coltrane Home, Uncle Frank (Fun Lovin Criminals), Eddie Money, Ryan Leslie, Ninedays, Push Play, Ed Burns, Hugh Grant, Daniel Baldwin, Brian Dennehy, Paul Sorvino, Susie Essman, Phylicia Rashad, Baz Luhrmann and others
Vic Steffens, Horizon Music Group/Elm City Music Fest
www.facebook.com/vicsteffens
Last year was productive for Vic Steffens and the crew at Horizon Music Group. The New England Music Awards voted Steffens 2016
Producer of The Year” largely for his work on Frank Viele’s “Fall Your Way” CD, voted “Album of The Year”, by “Artist of the Year” Frank Viele. Add that to the “Alternative Album of the Year” award for Me Like Many’s “In The Moment” CD from The International Music and Entertainment Association, and it was a great year. Steffens currently heads Horizon Music Group, which is comprised of Horizon Recording Studios two rooms and HMG Recordings, distributed by SelectoHits. Current and recent projects include Viele’s follow up release, Chemical Z, Demkovic, Charlie Karp & The Name Droppers and Nick Depuy..
Past projects include The Saturday Night Live Band’s Christine Ohlman’s The Deep End CD featuring guests Ian Hunter, Levon Helm, Marshal Crenshaw and Dion DiMucci) , Harry Connick Jr’s “Love Wins” (a number 0ne hit on the iTunes Jazz chart), R and B newcomer Arika Kane, and releases from Seth Adam, Marc Douglas Berardo, and literally hundreds of others in almost every genre.
Steffens also co-created the Elm City Music Fest in New Haven, Ct. an Annual 3 day fall music festival and conference to educate musicians via panels and workshops, and showcase new music.
A veteran of forty years in professional music, Steffens signed his first record deal at age 16 as drummer in Connecticut’s The Wrongh Black Bag (yes, that was the spelling), recording at New York’s legendary A and R recording with Bob Shad and Phil Ramone. After years of participating in touring bands as drummer and sometimes keyboardist, Steffens left the touring life to produce and engineer music at Paul Leka’s Connecticut recordings. After some time Steffens decided to open his own facility as a partner in Horizon Music Group, originally located in Ace Frehley of Kiss’ former house in Wilton, CT, where he hosted sessions for producer Mike Chapman and engineered a string of recordings for funk icon Sly Stone. Steffens later moved Horizon to its current West Haven location, where it has been a lynchpin of the Connecticut recording scene for 27 years. During this time Steffens has recorded many well known releases, including J.J. Hairston and Youthful Praise, Deon Kipping, Mighty Purple, Gargantua Soul, Joe, Jeff Pitchell, Matt “Guitar Murphy, SWV, The East Coast Regional Mass choir, and many others.
Steffens is always interested in new artists and projects.