Nashville Mayor Karl Dean Honored By CMA

Nashville Mayor Karl Dean (center) receives the CMA Founding President’s Award from Ed Hardy, CMA Board President (l), and Troy Tomlinson, CMA Board Chairman and President/CEO of Sony/ATV Music Publishing, during the CMA Board of Directors meetings today in Nashville. Photo Credit: Christian Bottorff / CMA

Nashville Mayor Karl Dean’s many contributions to the music industry in Music City were recognized during the CMA Board of Directors meetings in Nashville today (Nov. 20) when Dean was presented the CMA Founding President’s Award by CMA Board President Ed Hardy.

“Mayor Dean has been a constant and ardent supporter of CMA and the music industry,” said Hardy. “Music is a powerful tool and under his leadership, the Music City brand has achieved new heights as a positive, differentiating identity for our community. The CMA Board of Directors values our relationship with the Mayor, as well as his commitment to make Nashville a better place to live and do business.”

The Founding President’s Award was established by the Board of Directors in 1963 in honor of CMA’s first Board President Connie B. Gay. The Award is given in recognition of that person (or persons) who is not currently serving as a Director of the Association, and who in the Board’s opinion has rendered the most outstanding service to the Country Music Association in the current year

At the Board meeting, Hardy praised Mayor Dean’s leadership and passion for Country Music, and tireless efforts on behalf of the format in Nashville, including formation in 2009 of the Music City Music Council, which focuses on economic development by working to recruit entertainment companies and visitors to Nashville; contributing to the success of CMA Music Festival with the opening this year of the Music City Center; and his ongoing support of Music Makes Us and CMA’s Keep the Music Playing, which has donated more than $7.1 million to support music education programs in Metro Nashville Public Schools.