Featured Image by Andrew Oppmann
Story by Stephanie Hall
Every year, a select group of students from MTSU’s recording industry majors are chosen to fly out to LA for Grammy weekend. This year, six students were chosen by their professors to attend.
Lead by Odie Blackmon, an associate professor in the Department of Recording Industry, and Dr. Denise Shackleford, an assistant professor in the Department of Recording Industry, took the students all over LA to learn about the recording industry.
The students flew out early Thursday morning, landing in LAX before noon. Immediately hitting the ground running, the group had lunch and headed to EA Sports headquarters afterwards. There, they met with the EA Music department, who spoke about how EA goes about creating original music and finding music for their games.
After a small break at the hotel, they headed up to Griffith Observatory for a view of LA at night, then drove down to Whiskey a Go Go. The historic bar has hosted many famous acts, including Alice Cooper, The Doors and Fleetwood Mac.
Friday morning started with a tour of United Recording, given by Booking Manager Victor Janacua. The students learned a ton from the historic studio.
A quick trip down Hollywood Boulevard to see the iconic Chinese Theatre and Star Walk of Fame, the students changed and headed to Musicares Person of the Year ceremony. President McPhee was there, and they got to have a quick chat on the red carpet.
The students worked as volunteers, welcoming guests in and getting them checked in. For McPhee, having students out in LA, going to events such as Musicares, is a big deal.
“I think it distinguishes us from other universities. We are a world-class institution. But by being able to give students this kind of exposure that they do get anywhere else, not only in the United States, but in the world. We’re the only university that is actively engaged with the Grammy’s and it provides a leg-up for our students across the board,” McPhee said.
Saturday started out with a trip out to the famous Venice beach, taking a small dip into the Pacific Ocean. After a quick shower and change, they traveled to Mama Shelter. There, alumni and professors hung out, ate some great food and honored Brandon Bell for his Grammy nominations.
For students such as Tyra Akoto, a Music Business major, getting to make connections with people at the alumni brunch was incredibly special
“The trip to LA was one of the most eye-opening experiences I’ve had as an undergraduate student. The most valuable part was getting to connect with alumni who genuinely want to see us succeed,” Akoto said.
After this, the students headed to the Grammy Musuem, home to every winner and nominee the Grammy’s have had in their 64-year history.
The students then headed out to Daniel Rowland’s house, who is a MTSU Recording Industry professor. He lives out in LA and works as a music engineer/CEO. He welcomed the students into his home and spoke to them about the industry.
On Sunday, the students went out to Shelly Peiken’s home. Peiken is an adjunct professor for MTSU who has written No. 1 hits such as “What a Girl Wants” and “Come On Over Baby” by Christina Aguilera. They also met with members of the Songwriters of North America, such as Jared Brenner, Adam Gorgoni and Sonja Midtune. The students were able to speak to people who are in the industry.
“My favorite part of the trip was making new connections with the LA music industry, MTSU alumni and the awesome group of peers I traveled with,” Emily O’Neal, a Songwriting major said.
For their last night in LA, after a quick Pre-Grammy party with alumni and Grammy nominees at Lucky Strike, the students stopped by Amoeba Records and dinner at El Coyote.
The trip is an incredible honor for the students, as they are chosen by their professors. Each student was chosen because they were the type of people that MTSU wants to send out to LA.
“People who are serious about their careers, who know would get a lot out of this, who we know will succeed in the future,” College of Media and Entertainment Dean Beverly Keel said.
The trip was a jam-packed, educational experience that none of the students will ever forget.
Stephanie Hall is the Assistant Lifestyles Editor for MTSU Sidelines.
To contact Lifestyles Editor Destiny Mizell, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com.For more news, visit www.mtsusidelines.com, or follow us on Facebook at MTSU Sidelines or on Twitter at @Sidelines_News.
