NASHVILLE – The city’s diverse culture is highlighted in a new marketing video produced by the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and set to “We Are Music City,” a song written and performed by Nashville native SHANNON SANDERS, a GRAMMY-, Emmy- and Dove-Award winning singer, songwriter, and producer. Sanders is also a member of the Metro Tourism and Convention Commission.
The video spotlights the city’s historically black colleges and universities, including Tennessee State University, Fisk University, Meharry Medical College and American Baptist College. It features Jefferson Street and several minority-owned eateries, including Swett’s Restaurant, Slim & Husky’s, Prince’s Hot Chicken, Bolton’s Spicy Chicken & Fish and The Cupcake Collection, as well as the soon-to-open National Museum of African American Music. In addition to Sanders, the video also features footage of performances by CeCe Winans at the NFL Draft, Damien Horne, Bizz & Everyday People, and Kirk Whalum.
“When we heard Shannon’s ‘We Are Music City,’ it was immediately apparent that we had found the perfect song for a new promotional video that would help us showcase our city’s rich cultural heritage to convention planners, visitors and even Nashvillians,” said Marie Sueing, Vice President of Multicultural Community Relations at the NCVC. “To quote the song, ‘Something beautiful is going on here,’ and we are thrilled to now have this new marketing tool written and produced by one of Nashville’s own to tell our story in a creative and engaging way.”
“We Are Music City” includes musical elements that pull from multiple genres being created and performed in Nashville, including hip hop, R&B, country, pop and gospel. Sanders performed “We Are Music City” at the 2018 Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th event. Watch the video: visitmusiccity.com/we-are-music-city
“We (Nashville) are so much more diverse than most are aware of,” Sanders said. “I’m proud to be part of such a ground-breaking presentation of our community. With this video, the NCVC has created a portal for the world to see what we see every day: That ‘We Are Music City’ and so much more.”
Multicultural organizations asked the NCVC for a marketing tool like the “We Are Music City” video for them to use as they make decisions about where to book upcoming conventions and to help get their members excited about attending once Nashville gets booked.
This past summer, Nashville welcomed Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (AKA) Leadership Conference, the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International (FGBCF) and The Links, Incorporated Central Area Region for conventions. All attracted large numbers of attendees with AKA Leadership Conference being a record breaker.
The important role of the city’s diverse musical heritage is a vital component of what makes Nashville “Music City.” The NCVC has been the catalyst to ensure the Fisk Jubilee Singers® get credit for helping create the Music City brand. The historic local musical ensemble performed locally and on foreign soil long before the existence of the country music industry.
“It’s encouraging to know that Nashville’s tourism leaders appreciate and support the city’s rich and diverse musical heritage by attracting visitors to Music City from around the world,” said Dr. Paul T. Kwami, Musical Director of the Fisk Jubilee Singers®. “The Fisk Jubilee Singers are an iconic part of Nashville’s history and culture, and we’re proud to play a role in our community’s current success. This is possible because of our collaboration with NCVC.”
The NCVC is actively involved in the development of the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) slated to open next year. Sueing and NCVC President and CEO Butch Spyridon serve on NMAAM’s board of directors, and support fundraising efforts for the museum.
The NCVC also often serves as a conduit to help minority businesses take advantage of Nashville’s tourism boom. For example, leading up to the recent NFL Draft the NCVC helped multicultural business entities learn about the bidding process for NFL vendor contracts. More than a dozen organizations were involved in a “Business Connect” workshop, including the Urban League of Middle Tennessee, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the LGBT Chamber of Commerce to name a few.
The NCVC works to help organize and promote multicultural initiatives throughout the city. Among the many multicultural initiatives and activities, the organization also helps to support the JUMP Jefferson Street Jazz and Blues Festival, the International Black Film Festival, the Native American Indian Association of Tennessee’s annual Pow Wow, the LGBT community’s Pride Festival and Taste events, and the annual John Merritt Classic football matchup. The organization also supported the NAACP’s Renaissance 100 event on Aug. 24 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the organization’s Nashville branch.
###
The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp
The mission of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp is to maximize the economic contribution of the convention and tourism industry to the community by developing and marketing Nashville as a premier destination. Visit the NCVC’s website at www.visitmusiccity.com and follow us on social media:
