2015 Mayoral Music Industry Forum Showcases Candidates

Ken Paulson (far left) moderates the Nashville Mayoral Forum with candidates Linda Eskind Rebrovick, Jeremy Kane, Charles Robert Bone, Howard Gentry, Megan Barry, David Fox, and Bill Freeman at the CMA Theater. Photo: Frederick Breedon for WireImage

Ken Paulson (far left) moderates the Nashville Mayoral Forum with candidates Linda Eskind Rebrovick, Jeremy Kane, Charles Robert Bone, Howard Gentry, Megan Barry, David Fox, and Bill Freeman at the CMA Theater. Photo: Frederick Breedon for WireImage

The 2015 Mayoral Music Industry Forum was held last Thursday (5/28) at the CMA Theater for music industry members and guests to hear directly from the seven candidates running for Nashville mayor. The Forum was a collaborative project presented by CMA, Leadership Music, the Music City Music Council, and The Recording Academy (Nashville Chapter) as a benefit for their Nashville-based members.

The roundtable discussion featured mayoral candidates Megan Barry, Charles Robert Bone, David Fox, Bill Freeman, Howard Gentry, Jeremy Kane and Linda Eskind Rebrovick and was moderated by Ken Paulson.

Paulson posed a series of nine questions during the evening with each candidate allowed up to ninety seconds for their response. While the topics were not centered solely on the music industry, the forum did allow the approximately 300 industry members in attendance the opportunity to learn more about the candidates’ positions on topics such as historical preservation, transportation issues, music education in public schools and the increasing cost of housing in Nashville.

All the candidates were well prepared to discuss these topics. The evening didn’t include any stabs or measured dissension among the candidates, reminding guests that politics, at least in Nashville, can at times be very civil.

After the forum, a reception offering an open bar and hors d’oeuvres was held for attendees to meet with the candidates.

The 2015 Nashville mayoral election will take place on August 6, 2015. The election is officially nonpartisan and the Nashville charter requires a candidate to receive a majority, or 50 percent plus 1, to win. In the likely event no candidate wins a majority of the vote, a runoff will be held on September 10, 2015 between the two candidates who received the highest number of votes.

(L-R): David Fox, moderator Ken Paulson, Howard Gentry, Alicia Warwick (The Recording Academy), Charles Robert Bone, Linda Eskind Rebrovick, Sarah Trahern (CMA), Bill Freeman, Megan Barry, Ed Hardy (Music City Music Council), Debbie Linn (Leadership Music), and Jeremy Kane. Photo: Dusty Draper/CMA

(L-R): David Fox, moderator Ken Paulson, Howard Gentry, Alicia Warwick (The Recording Academy), Charles Robert Bone, Linda Eskind Rebrovick, Sarah Trahern (CMA), Bill Freeman, Megan Barry, Ed Hardy (Music City Music Council), Debbie Linn (Leadership Music), and Jeremy Kane. Photo: Dusty Draper/CMA

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Sherod Robertson is President and Owner of MusicRow Enterprises. He oversees all operations and develops strategic initiatives for MusicRow magazine, RowFax, and MusicRow's CountryBreakout chart. Robertson previously served as Director of Finance of Arista Records after beginning his career as Vice President of Finance and CFO at Reunion Records.

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