Memphis - GRAMMY Career Day 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010 was an inspiring day for many Memphis Area high school students as they attended GRAMMY Career Day. The event began with 400 students filing into the Overton High School auditorium to register for a day of educational insight into today’s music industry.
The day’s event consisted of two expert music panels. Artists performed with student musicians from surrounding schools. American Idol finalist and Overton High School graduate, Alexis Grace, jumpstarted the event by performing The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” with the Overton High School Jazz Choir. The first panel, “Experts in Music,” was moderated by Producer/Composer/Arranger, Kurt Clayton. Students were allowed to ask questions to these local experts regarding their careers in music and how they obtained their positions in the music business today. This panel served to demystify some of these occupations and show students that these careers are attainable. The panelists included, Graphic Designer, Brandon Seavers; Producer/Engineer, Jeff Powell; Marketing Director for KXHT FM/Hot 107.1, Maurice “Mo Better” Rivera; GRAMMY nominated Gospel artist, Sheri Jones-Moffett; Entertainment Attorney, Tonya Butler; Recording Artist/Songwriter, Susan Marshall and Executive Director of Memphis & Shelby County Music Commission, Johnnie Walker.
Lucia Kaminsky, Project Coordinator for the Memphis Chapter of The Recording Academy moderated the second panel, “Dream it? Do it now!” This panel explored career prep options that students can work on today outside of school, not just in the future. Participants on this panel included Writer/Producer/Recording Artist, Al Kapone; Recording Artist, Young AJ; American Idol Finalist, Alexis Grace; Film Composer/Producer/Engineer, Scott Bomar; Artist Manager, Dion Moffett and Founder/President of Visible School in Memphis, Ken Steorts.
The closing performances inspired the students as they watched GRAMMY nominee, Sheri-Jones Moffett perform with the Overton High School Gospel Choir. Al Kapone performed with his son, Young AJ, and the Overton High School Orchestra. The Overton percussion ensemble performed a Stomp-like segment on trashcans and buckets. As the students watched their peers performing with these well-known artists, they felt a true sense of what GRAMMY Career Day is about. Students went home with a renewed sense of confidence and drive to succeed, which is the motivation behind GRAMMY Career Day.
