Nashville Music Equality holds panel tonight on moving Nashville forward

Tuesday, February 9, 2021 – Nashville Music Equality, which has been at the forefront of addressing racial issues in the Nashville music community, is sponsoring a virtual discussion on "Moving the Nashville Music Culture Forward..." tonight at 6:30 p.m.

Board members of Nashville Music Equality will talk about the best way to move the Nashville Music Culture forward and how participants can help create an anti-racist environment in Nashville.

Racial issues came to the fore again last week when the video showing country singer Morgan Wallen using the N-word outside of his Nashville-area home and Luke Combs appearing in a 2015 video for country rapper Ryan Upchurch with a Confederate flag decal on Combs' guitar and numerous Confederate flags depicted in the video.

Wallen, who apologized, was suspended by his label and radio play of his songs plummeted. Combs has issued no statement. Both Wallen and Combs have been the subject of much social media chatter since last week.

Participants in the panel include Alandis Brassell, an entertainment attorney; Cameo Carlson, president of mtheory Nashville, Tracy Gershon, an artist manager; Beverly Keel, dean of the Middle Tennessee State University College of Media and Entertainment; Gina Miller, senior vice president and general manger of Entertainment One; Shannon Sanders, executive directive, creative – BMI Nashville; Brain Sexton, founder of Creative Day.

Co-founder & Co-executive Director of the Equity Alliance Fund Charlane Oliver, NAACP Nashville President Sheryl Guinn, YWCA Nashville Executive Director of Amend Together & VP of External Affairs Shan Foster and YwCA President & CEO Sharon K. Robinson also will be on the panel.

NME has held several panel discussions since last year addressing a variety of racial issues from what it's like to be a Black fan of country music, the musicians behind the stars and the origins of Music City as Nashville is known.

Registration is open.