From Couches to Concerts: Davidson Alumni Illuminate the Path to Music Industry Success
On April 25th, Davidson alumni and music industry leaders Russel Carter’75, Bertis Downs’78, and John Huie’78 came to Union to talk with interested students and faculty one day before the Indigo Girl’s comeback performance at Davidson College–the first time since 1993. Russel Carter is the manager for the Indigo Girls, Bertis Down is manager for REM, and John Huie is a talent agent. The three men were clearly already good friends and at the beginning of their talk they reminisced on their time at Davidson, specifically working on the union board concert committee. Huie remarked that he used to say his major was “Union Board” to his peers when they asked. It is clear that Davidson was formative to their development personally and professionally. Downs and Carter are lawyers along with managers, while Huie is a talent agent. The men discussed things like the people they’ve managed, scouting a new star, their hardships, and their highlights working in their unique profession. At the end they answered audience questions, which were posed by students and faculty alike.
All the men agreed that working in their industry and in their position is a gamble. As managers and agents they are betting on an artist when they decide to work with them, and only choosing based on intuition and their sense of musical stardom/potential. There is clearly a lot of risk involved in pursuing the music industry from the beginning. Carter noted that a lot of his early career in his 20s was sleeping on couches, working for artists for free, and traveling around constantly, all while broke. He told one specific story about how when he was starting out he would manage bands for free, bands that also were starting out and had no money. This created a somewhat productive system where both parties would help bolster each other’s careers. The challenge is building yourself from basically nothing and figuring out how to be seen, heard, and successful in the music industry. The fact that these men have gotten this far in such a brutal field is a testament to their talent and wisdom.
A big part of their jobs is making the best of bad situations for the artists they manage. For example, when a large technical issue at a show happens, like the electricity unexpectedly cutting out, Huie says that his job is to workshop the unforeseen circumstances and “make it work.” He must think on his feet for a solution so the artist still gets paid for the show and he gets his cut as well. This exact situation happened to Huie with one of Brandy Carlile’s shows. Huie suggested that instead of canceling the whole performance, she do an acoustic show and ask the audience to hold up their phone flashlights. This idea ended up being incredibly successful, making the experience fun, interactive, and intimate for the audience, while also allowing Carlile to perform. She sat at the edge of the stage with her guitar and played her normal setlist.
In the question portion, some students wanted advice on their personal music career. A senior asked for advice about pursuing music full time and flying to Nashville, despite her parent’s pushback. The men all agreed that the only way to succeed is fully put yourself out there and talk to everyone possible and reach out to random bands and push yourself out of your comfort zone. This was very inspiring for me personally because I’ve always been taught that success comes from a very methodically crafted string of steps that you must follow to be “accomplished.” But there is definitely merit in doing the complete opposite; embracing the unknown and unplanned until you strike gold. Another sophomore student who leads the Walt Radio Show asked how to improve the music scene and get bands from out of town, and the men said similar things. Downs told him to “treat the radio show like a business, and run it like a business.” This goes along with their constantly repeated “fake it till you make it” attitude that they used to get through the tougher times in their career. Downs continued telling him to make a schedule, reach out to people constantly, be consistent with work, and put everything into it. I was very inspired by how confident they sounded in every single student’s ability to be successful. They recognize and share how difficult it was, but also show that if you put in the genuine effort and stay consistent and passionate, anything is possible.
This visit was more than just a nostalgic reunion; it was a profound sharing of insights from seasoned professionals in the music industry. These Davidson alumni underscored the importance of dedication, resilience, and creativity in their challenging field. Their advice to students was clear: success in music, as in any field, demands a proactive attitude and a readiness to innovate in the face of challenges. This talk not only enlightened students and faculty about the intricacies of the music industry but also inspired them to pursue their passions with vigor and an entrepreneurial spirit. In the end, the event reaffirmed Davidson College’s role in shaping individuals who are prepared to take bold steps and make significant impacts in their chosen fields.
Pledged.
