Sony Music Nashville chairman — and MTSU alumnus — Gary Overton will speak at MTSU on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 5 p.m. in Room 221 of the McWherter Learning Resources Center.

Gary Overton

Overton, a 1984 graduate of the Department of Recording Industry in MTSU’s College of Mass Communication, is the first speaker in the Recording Industry Department’s new Chair’s Speakers Series. He also was one of the 2013 inductees to the MTSU Mass Communication Wall of Fame.

Overton is the chairman and chief executive officer of Sony Music Nashville, home of country superstars Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood.

He joined Sony Nashville in 2010 after 15 years as executive vice president and general manager of EMI Music Publishing’s Nashville division, where he oversaw day-to-day operations, including copyrights, catalog acquisitions, signing writers and artists and securing record deals. During his tenure, the company earned a dozen Publisher of the Year honors from ASCAP, BMI and/or SESAC performing rights organizations.

Before joining EMI, Overton was personal manager for superstar Alan Jackson and also worked as head of A&R for BNA Entertainment and vice president of Warner/Chappell Music.

For more information on MTSU’s recording industry program, visit http://recordingindustry.mtsu.edu or contact Department Chair Beverly Keel at beverly.keel@mtsu.edu or 615-898-5150.

You can find MTSU building and parking information at http://tinyurl.com/MTSUParkingMap13-14.