The Paley Museum and Southern Rounds showcased the first event of their new six-part songwriter series partnership
Photo courtesy of The Paley Museum
The Paley Museum and Southern Rounds, a Nashville-based music series, showcased the first event of their new six-part songwriter series partnership on Thursday, Sept. 24. The event, titled “Southern Rounds: Bringing Nashville to New York!” featured three acclaimed country artists at the Paley Museum.
Renowned country artists Hannah Dasher, Kevin MaC, and D. Vincent Williams kicked off the first event of this year-long music initiative. The event began with a songwriting masterclass workshop led by MaC and Williams and a red carpet moment before sharing their stories and inspirations at the Bennack Theater stage.
Along with the special performances, Williams debuted his new song “Country Boy,” and Dasher dedicated a song to the late Dolly Parton. Accompanist Bobby Hawk and Blackstone Entertainment CEO and Founder Richard Blackstone were also present at the event.
The Paley Museum and Southern Rounds showcased the first event of their new six-part songwriter series partnershipPhoto courtesy of The Paley Museum
Williams spoke of the boom in songwriting across the country and songwriters’ shared goal of making a connection with their audience through music.
“There is something special about direct source, the creator to the consumer with nothing in between,” Williams said. “So often, I’ll be singing songs and I see the crowd and you can see them going,’Oh my god, that’s me. That’s me.’ And that’s what you want.”
The Paley Museum began this new initiative to give audiences experiences that connect them to the artists and voices that are shaping music today. The year-long initiative was announced on Sept. 1 of this year and will run until February with five more events.
“Music is a huge part of media and it’s been a huge part of Paley’s programming for decades,” said Maureen J. Reidy, President & CEO of The Paley Center for Media.
Reidy said that along with the center’s commitment to music, the Paley archive is home to many rare programs, historical music and iconic moments in the music industry.
The Paley Museum and Southern Rounds showcased the first event of their new six-part songwriter series partnershipPhoto courtesy of The Paley Museum
Every Southern Round event will include a master class with renowned songwriters from Nashville, giving aspiring musicians the opportunity to get industry insights from experienced professionals.
This initiative is one among a few partnerships the Paley Museum has taken part in this year. They also launched a partnership with youth development organization Notes for Notes, which teaches original songwriting and music creation for high school students.
Southern Rounds, which has been going on since 2019, was founded by Blackstone Entertainment to create more avenues of opportunity for Nashville artists.
“We tried to create a new revenue source for them where they could then go out rather than just rely on songwriting and having somebody record their song and potentially reap the rewards of that,” said Blackstone. “We wanted them to go out themselves and be able to complement their income through other means. And that’s what Southern Rounds became.”
“It’s a very exciting time whether you’re a musical artist, an aspiring songwriter, or just a music enthusiast to come and experience what’s happening here at the Paley Museum,” said Reidy.
The Paley Museum and Southern Rounds showcased the first event of their new six-part songwriter series partnershipPhoto courtesy of The Paley Museum