FRANKLIN, TN (PassAlong Networks) -- PassAlong Networks' Jozef Nuyens, co-founder and senior vice president of worldwide relations, recently received awards from two major music organizations, BMI and ASCAP. Nuyens' publishing company, Tower One Music, is the publisher of
Little Big Town's hit song "Boondocks."
BMI and ASCAP are the leading U.S. performing rights organizations. Together they represent more than half a million songwriters, composers and music publishers in all genres of music.
Little Big Town has been together for seven years, but members Kimberly Roads, Karen Fairchild, Jimi Westbrook and Phillip Sweet each contributed a significant amount of time to other musical endeavors before meeting and forming the group. A series of personal and professional setbacks threatened to break-up the band, but hard work and determination led to "Boondocks" and the subsequent BMI and ASCAP awards.
"Working with Little Big Town on 'Boondocks' was an incredibly rewarding experience," said Nuyens. "Here's a band that persevered through years of rejection and hardship, only to emerge as a top-selling group with a huge following. I want to make the path to success easier for the next Little Big Town, and here at PassAlong we are constantly working on ways to empower and mentor emerging artists."
A case in point is Speakerheart, a soon-to-be-available service from PassAlong Networks that will help emerging artists, bands and songwriters promote and sell their own music. According to Nuyens, the service offers artists empowerment through convenience, e-commerce, and marketing in an industry that often places the artist at the will of multiple bureaucracies.
"There are so few opportunities for artists and bands to break into the industry," said Nuyens. "Speakerheart will provide an excellent means through which individuals and groups can take control of their musical destiny and make it happen."
Interested artists, bands, managers and labels can visit Speakerheart.com to take advantage of a limited time offer to reserve a free year of service and receive notification when the site launches in early 2007.
Nuyens has extensive experience working with established and emerging bands alike. Prior to founding PassAlong Networks, Nuyens spent 20 years as founder and owner of one of the most successful recording complexes in the Southeast, The Castle, recording projects by more than 300 Gold and Platinum artists from around the world. A three-time Grammy-nominated producer, Nuyens founded Castle Productions, Castle Publishing, Castle Recording Studios and Tower Publishing, a joint venture with Warner-Chappell Publishing. Nuyens' expertise ranges from independent artist strategies to artist development and production to international music business and licensing.
