Keel Named Chair of MTSU Recording Industry Dept.

Music journalist and former recording industry executive Beverly Keel has been named the Chair of Middle Tennessee State University’s Department of Recording Industry. Her role will be effective Aug. 1.

“I am honored to be named chair of the nation’s most prestigious recording industry program,” Keel said. “I am so excited to have the opportunity to work with the department’s talented and experienced faculty and staff who are dedicated to preparing students for the changing music industry environment. MTSU has played such an important role in my life, both as a student and professor, so it is extremely fulfilling to be able to work closely with students and give back to the university that has given me so much.”

Most recently, Keel was the Sr. VP of Media and Artist Relations at Universal Music Group Nashville, where she represented artists including Lionel Richie, Scotty McCreery, Sugarland, Jamey Johnson, Josh Turner, Kip Moore and others.

She spent 10 years as the Nashville correspondent for People magazine and served as the celebrity columnist at The Tennessean newspaper for two years, during which time she won the Charlie Lamb Award for Excellence in Country Music Journalism. She was an editor of American Profile magazine and also served as editor of CMT Life.

Her work has appeared in InStyle, New York, Oxford American, Weekly Standard, Rolling Stone, USA Today, Country Music, New Country, Country Music Today and MusicRow magazines.

Keel earned her bachelor’s degree from MTSU and her master’s degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.