LOS ANGELES — The new dean of Middle Tennessee State University’s College of Media and Entertainment kicked off this year’s Americana Music Association pre-Grammy tribute to music legend Willie Nelson at the Troubadour Saturday night, Jan. 25.

Beverly Keel took the reins of the MTSU college on Jan. 1. As former chair of MTSU’s Department of Recording Industry , Keel is leveraging her music connections to further bolster the university’s world-class standing.

“This is our favorite event of the year, because it is an oasis in a crazy, crazy week,” Keel said of all the pre-Grammy festivities. “This is where music really matters.”

Beverly Keel, new dean of the MTSU College of Media and Entertainment, speaks to the crowd Saturday night, Jan. 25, at the Americana Music Association pre-Grammy tribute to music legend Willie Nelson at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. The concert was held in advance of the 62nd annual Grammy Awards, set for Sunday, Jan. 26, at theStaples Center. (MTSU photo by Andrew Oppmann)

She added, “We love to partner with the Americana Music Association, because you do what we want to instill in our students, which is celebrate excellent in music; honor the pioneers who paved the way, like Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson; honor the people who make the music that our students will study 100 years from now.”

The West Hollywood venue helped launch the careers of rock and folk legends, including the Eagles, James Taylor and Elton John. An array of artists, highlighted by John Prine, celebrated and performed Nelson’s music.

“We are thrilled to support the work of MTSU’s dean of media and Eentertainment, Beverly Keel, and the dedicated professors at MTSU as they educate the next generation of artists and music industry professionals,” said Jed Hilly, the association’s executive director.

The sign outside the legendary Troubadour in Los Angeles promotes the Americana Music Association’s pre-Grammy tribute concert to music legend Willie Nelson held Saturday night, Jan. 25. MTSU’s College of Media and Entertainment faculty and staff and other university leaders attended as part of its seventh outreach trip in advance of the 62nd annual Grammy Awards, set for Sunday, Jan. 26, at the Staples Center. (MTSU photo by Andrew Oppmann)

Nine university alumni are nominated for Grammys in songwriting, production, mastering and engineering this year in pop, country, roots gospel, children’s album, film score and historic album categories.

Dr. Sidney A. McPhee

Dr. Mark Byrnes

On Friday, President Sidney A. McPhee and Provost Mark Byrnes joined students and faculty from the College of Media and Entertainment for MTSU’s seventh outreach trip to music’s biggest event.

MTSU honored its Grammys nominees at a brunch Saturday afternoon in downtown Los Angeles that attracted about 100 industry leaders, alumni and supporters of the university.

McPhee and Byrnes also used the event to celebrate Keel’s appointment as dean.

“Today was a perfect example of why MTSU travels every year to the Grammys,” McPhee said. “We connect our students with leaders in their chosen discipline and recognize the careers and accomplishments of alumni.”

On Friday, about 50 MTSU graduates from across Southern California, representing a broad range of careers including and in addition to recording industry, joined McPhee and Byrnes for the university’s annual alumni reception.

And, before Friday’s event, six students and two faculty members toured the Staples Center, site of the national telecast Sunday night, Jan. 26, of the 62nd annual Grammy Awards, and met with Grammy-winning producers and artist managers.

“This trip for me is an experience of a lifetime,” said Jordyn Stoddard, a music business senior from Jacksonville Beach, Fla. “I would have never imagined being in rooms with some of the people we have gotten to meet.

“Spending time in LA has allowed me to see a whole other side to the industry that I did not know existed and make some excited about my future.”

Senior Angele Latham, a journalism major from Hickman, Tennessee, covered the students’ Grammy experience on assignment for Sidelines, MTSU’s student newspaper, which she serves as editor-in-chief.

“It’s so amazing being able to cover this trip for MTSU,” she said. “LA has a pulse of its own and a music scene that can’t be beat, so being a part of it with all of these talented students is a once-in-a-lifetime chance.”

On Sunday, just before the Grammy Awards telecast, MTSU co-sponsored a reception for Leadership Music at a restaurant just steps away from Staples Center.

The event attracted several graduates from the Nashville-based leadership program for music industry leaders, including Keel, who completed the program in 2001.

— Andrew Oppmann (Andrew.Oppmann@mtsu.edu)