Pictured (Back Row, L-R): Kenneth Gamble, Shannon Sanders, H. Beecher Hicks III, Jon Platt. (Front Row, L-R): Cathy Hughes, Dyana Williams, Leon Huff, Shirley Caesar,
Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for National Museum of African American Music
Warner/Chappell Music Chairman and CEO Jon Platt was honored in Nashville on Friday (May 6) at the National Museum of African American Music’s (NMAAM) Celebration of Legends.
Platt was joined at the Renaissance Hotel luncheon event by the following fellow honorees: Pastor Shirley Caesar; songwriting legends Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff; and TV One/Radio One, Chairman Cathy Hughes.
Shannon Sanders and Dyana Williams, Grammy chapter presidents of Nashville and Philadelphia, respectively, co-hosted the event and served as masters of ceremonies. They were joined by H. Beecher Hicks III, president and CEO of NMAAM.
Platt was named CEO of Warner/Chappell Music in November and added the Chairman title in May. Over the last six months, Platt and his team have achieved numerous milestones for the publishing company:
• Warner/Chappell achieved its highest-ever radio market share
• Warner/Chappell won ASCAP Pop Publisher of the Year (for the third time in the last five years), as well as Publisher of the Year at the ASCAP Latin and Country Awards (the latter of which has been won three years in a row)
• Signed an innovative direct deal with Pandora.
• He promoted Katie Vinten and Ryan Press to co-heads of A&R US (excluding Nashville)
• He hired veteran Paul Kahn as CFO
• He hired Chuck Gamble to look after Warner/Chappell’s catalog
• He named Mike Smith as Managing Director of Warner/Chappell UK
During his visit to Nashville, Platt also interviewed Gamble and Huff at the offices of Warner Music Nashville. He was introduced by Warner/Chappell Executive Vice President Ben Vaughn. Guests in attendance included Warner Music Nashville President/CEO John Esposito, BMI Sr. VP, Writer/Publisher Relations Phillip R. Graham, and musician John Oates.
Category: Featured, Publishing
