INSPIRATION HIGHLIGHT

Chris Swartz got his start as a DIY touring artist, promoter, and agent  in 2015 fresh out of high school. After successfully building Big Red  Booking into a respected DIY outfit in the DMV and touring for hundreds  of days across the US, Chris joined forces with Eva Alexiou-Reo at FATA  Booking Agency and has been with the company for 6 years. His roster  spans an incredibly wide range of genres and includes the likes of  Charles Esten, Mystery Skulls, Transviolet, Bit Brigade, LowDown Brass  Band, Kyle Sparkman and many others. Chris's work is highly informed by  his fundamental grassroots and DIY values and work ethic. Chris has been  a Philadelphia resident since 2019 and spends his free time  supporting the Philadelphia Union and enjoying the city's amazing  cuisine with his fiancé.

To learn more about FATA Booking Agency visit http://fatabooking.com/

Larry Gold is as much a part of the fabric of the  Philly music scene as Leon Huff, Kenny Gamble, Thom Bell, and The  Roots. He is revered among his peers as one of the top arrangers in the  music business.

Larry’s always in the mix of popular music, and the past couple of years have been no different. He’s done work with Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak for their superstar soul group, Silk Sonic, on the album including the smash hits “Leave The Door Open” and “Smokin Out The Window,” Lizzo, Halsey, Rosalía, The Teskey Brothers, and Paul Stanley.

One of his most well-known works appears on Kanye West‘s Graduation featuring his signature strings on the breakout track “Flashing Lights”. He also worked on Justin Timberlake’s monumental single “Cry Me A River,” Jennifer Lopez’s #1 single “If You Had My Love,” and The Roots’ Grammy-winning single “You Got Me (featuring Erykah Badu)”.

To learn more about Larry Gold visit www.jdmanagement.com/larrygold/.

Bill Johnson currently serves as general manager of WRTI,  Philadelphia’s classical music and jazz station.  Prior to that he was  station manager and comes from a fundraising background in higher  education.

He believes music is an excellent model for social change and has an  intense interest in exploring the complex issues associated with keeping  jazz and classical music financially viable, as well as present and  relevant in the lives of listeners daily. Bill currently serves on the  board of the International Society for Improvised Music (ISIM) which  promotes performance, education, and research in improvised music, and  explores connections between musical improvisation and creativity across  fields.  He is also a board member of Interdisciplinary Artists  Aggregation, and has served on the board of the African-American Jazz  Caucus.

Bill has played trumpet for over 40 years and currently performs with  Karlton Hester as part of the contemporary interdisciplinary  improvisational group Hesterian Musicism.

He holds a B.S. in Policy Analysis from Cornell University and  resides in Glen Mills, PA in a farmhouse with his wife, daughter, 2  dogs, 2 cats, and occasional raccoon.

WRTI Your Classical and Jazz Source

Studio Crash has been a top recording studio serving the Philadelphia area for over 25 years!

Originally created by musicians Ed Hamilton and Dave Falciani in the mid  90’s as a high-end studio for their personal recording needs, they  opened the studio to other musicians.  In 2000, Michael Harmon,  freelance engineer with multi-platinum selling and multi-Grammy winning  album credits, joined Studio Crash as chief engineer and later purchased  the studio in 2003. Fast forward to 2011, Studio Crash moved from its  humble 2nd floor space and purchased a 3,700 square foot commercial  property and designed and constructed a new recording studio.

To learn more about Michael Harmon and Studio Crash, visit www.studiocrash.com.

Jason Dunkerley has been involved in music in some form or another since the age of 3. He is an accomplished drummer, played in many local and signed bands over the years, and has added value to every project he’s been a part of. His producing and engineering journey began in 2002 when his then-band, asked him to build a recording / rehearsal studio in his new home in Abington, Pa. With the help of his peers, including Grammy-winning Mike Tarsia, and an endless supply of  passion for creating musical art, he has developed himself over the last  20-plus years as a staple in the Philadelphia recording studio scene. Helping countless bands and artists get their sound, Jason built Drowning Fish Studio truly from the ground up.

To learn more about Jason Dunkerley and Drowning Fish Studio, visit www.drowningfishstudio.com.

John Fisher, President of Winding Way Records - a Label and Publisher that works with a network of industry pros who share the goal of artist  advocacy. Winding Way signed Philly’s Huffamoose (Interscope) and  Sharon Little (CBS Records) and other indie artists in the area,  throughout the US, Canada, Europe, etc. but our vision is to help make  Philly a Music Capital.

John has 30+ years of entrepreneurship experience as founder and operator of an international electrical engineering firm (Unidec). His past clients have included AMS-Neve, Bose, Marshall Amps, Mesa  Boogie, Peavey, Soundcraft and Sony Music NYC to name a few. He brings his experience at strategy, business development, distribution, marketing, social media networking, planning, project management, PR and promotions to the label.

John is  also a musician (drums/percussion), studio and live musician and has worked on many original projects over the years. John handles  A&R, contracts, operations, promotions, software engineering, business strategy, and internal audio engineering and video production.

John earned a Masters Degree in Management from The University of  Pennsylvania – The Wharton School of Business and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. His undergraduate degree is in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Villanova University.

To learn more about John Fisher's record label, Winding Way Records, visit www.windingwayrecords.com.

Anthony Obas has always seen the bigger picture. That bigger picture is communicated in his work successfully curating live events such as “This is Upstate,” where six artists from the upstate New York area, (three from the city of Syracuse and three from the city Utica) competed for bragging rights for their respective area. Obas’ series of rants, appropriately titled, “#Obasrants”, helped him to communicate his vision with the masses. From the development of local artists to not having hot water in his apartment, Obas has found a way to keep a smile on his face while ranting about what matters to him. Born and raised the youngest of three in Harlem, New York, Obas had an enchanting childhood. This all came together in his high school years as he attended Xavier High School where he was focused on getting the right mentality. Obas’ is currently moving his first publication,  Shifting Your Music Into a Career Volume 1, around the states as he continues to keep the picture big as he continues to become a man of many traits and search for his passion within the music industry.

- Nate Spurlin, founder of OLDMLK.COM

To learn more and follow Anthony Obas visit www.guidedbyobas.net.

Callum  Toner, better known as Cal, is a rising artist from Ocean City, MD.  Breaking into the music industry with her new hit single 'If I could'  along with many others including 'Testing my patience', she is a  brilliant young mind, with extraordinary musical versatility.

While  proving her dedication with multiple showcases weekly, she ignites the  audiences energy in every room. Whether it be on on their feet dancing  and shouting back lyrics or a soft smooth rhythm, Cal never disappoints.  While performing solo, or correlating with a band she always delivers a  top notch performance.

Providing sonics from classic rock to modern pop, Cal is perfect for your next event. With many professional experiences on large  stages, she exudes a very comfortable and at ease energy in front of  all audiences. Along with her down to earth personality, and charm she  makes the perfect persona for intimate occasions as well.

To learn more and follow Cal visit www.caltonermusic.com.

SHOUTOUT TO THE ALIENS BEHIND THE TECHNOLOGY THAT HELPS US ACHIEVE CREATIVE FREEDOM 👽👆🏼

Christine Abraham & Jessica Hartman you won a random drawing. DM me what merch you want!

KEEP GROWING!!!

#inspirationhighlight #MUSICISOURHERO

"I began my music production journey in 1996. In an evolving industry, my passion to learn has kept me actively creative for over 20 years. I have worked with respected labels such as Metalheadz, 31 Records, Hospital, Critical and Renegade Hardware.

My music spans through the realms of drum & bass, dubstep, hip-hop/trap.

Over the years I have passed on my knowledge and experience to the next generation of producers. My mission is to demystify music production so that anyone can succeed. 

I have enjoyed playing DJ sets across various cities in Canada, U.S., Europe and Asia. Finally I founded a label called Deviant Audio with some exciting projects in 2021."

To learn more and follow STRANJAH visit stranjah.com.

Connor Kirk is a Philly based artist known for his electric stage  performances, his singular devotion to the craft of songwriting, and his  unique ability to synthesize concepts from the literary and visual arts  into a pop-music framework. Fusing elements of dance and punk music,  his vision is as compelling as it is novel. He has honed his craft  through years of intensive songwriting and performing, even opened for  such acts as Ceramic Animal and Young the Giant. His single “Take You  Home” has been featured in publications such as Pop Passion and After  Midnight and has been described as a “vibrant exploration of sexuality  and mass media as thought-provoking as it is danceable.” His latest  release, "Dancing With The Dogs" further explores the the dystopian  themes established in his previous single "Hunger City."

To learn more and follow Connor Kirk visit connorkirkmusic.com.