Industry Ink: Avenue Bank, PLA Media, SESAC

(L-R): Cooper Samuels, Asst. VP/Music & Entertainment Private Client Banker, Avenue Bank; April Britt, Sr. VP/Chief People Officer, Avenue Bank; Ron Cox, Sr. VP/Dir. of the Music & Entertainment Division, Avenue Bank; Judi Turner, Communications & Events Manager, Leadership Music; Sarah Cates, Sr. Dir.of Curb College Initiatives, Belmont University; Debbie Schwartz Linn, Executive Director, Leadership Music; Andy Moats, EVP/Chief Credit Officer and General Bank Group Director, Avenue Bank.

Avenue Bank’s Ron Cox, Sr. VP/Dir. of the Music & Entertainment Division, presented a check to Leadership Music’s Executive Director, Debbie Schwartz Linn for $4,000 yesterday (July 29) in support of the educational organization.

Cox, who serves as the adjunct professor, joined other Avenue Bank team members to write, develop and teach the curriculum for a 15-week class offered to Belmont students called, “Personal Finance and Banking in the Music Industry.” Fees required to be paid by Belmont to the adjunct professor of record were accumulated and gifted back to the industry with this donation to Leadership Music.

Cox shared, “With Belmont’s presence and impact in the music industry through the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, we found a unique way to pool our synergies together. We continually receive very positive reviews from the class because we cover a wide variety of subject matter from personal budgeting, saving and investing, buying a home, starting a business, entrepreneurship, touring, publishing and many other relevant topics associated with personal and business finance within the music industry. We are proud of our partnership with both Belmont and Leadership Music, and it how this class is a picture of the true community spirit within our music industry.”

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Al Brake

PLA Media has added Country artist Al Brake to its roster. “Being a rock and roll devotee, I love his spin on Country music with rock infusion. PLA is poised to take Al’s success in the Canadian marketplace worldwide,” says Pam Lewis, President PLA Media.

The Canadian singer-songwriter earned two honors from Indie Music Channel in 2013 for Best Country Producer and Best Country Recording. He recently released the single, “Hot Pink Lady” to radio. Brake began playing guitar at age 8, and later added bass, mandolin and drums to his repertoire. When he isn’t touring or recording, he is with his wife and four children at their home in Canada.

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SESAC’s Ellen Truley and husband, actor Todd Truley welcomed New York City entrepreneur and City Winery CEO Michael Dorf to Nashville during a reception held at the event space in advance of the establishment’s opening. City Winery, located at 609 LaFayette Street, is set to open in a 30,000-square-foot space on Oct. 1. It will also be the site of the Americana Music Association’s Honors & Awards VIP After Party on Sept. 17. City Winery also has locations in New York, Chicago, and Napa Valley, Calif.

Pictured (L-R): City Winery’s Michael Dorf, SESAC’s Ellen Truley and actor Todd Truley.