MEM’s Music Industry Council is comprised of music industry professionals from outside the city – many of whom are Memphis expats or have some close tie to, or affinity for, the city – who provide advice to MEM staff and board, make connections to industry opportunities for our artists, and serve as our eyes and ears in key markets around the country. Keep scrolling to learn more about the industry pros helping to guide our work and build opportunity for Memphis artists.
MEM Music Industry Council
Pam Browne is a music, entertainment and sports attorney who was born and raised in Nashville. After graduating from Vanderbilt University School of Law, she was an associate at a Nashville music law firm that represented chart-topping country and Contemporary Christian artists. Ms. Browne left the law firm and started her own company where she managed or represented multi-platinum artists (r&b, hip-hop, pop, CCM and country) and represented professional football players as one of Tennessee’s first female NFL agents. She also served, for five years, as the head of the Mike Curb Music Business Program (now the Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business) at Belmont University. Ms. Browne’s achievements include co-producing an album with Mike Curb (Curb Records), by the renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers, which won a Dove Award and received a Grammy nomination. Ms. Browne has been a guest lecturer and panelist at many academic and industry conferences and her professional activities include being an alumna of Leadership Music and a former board member of the International Black Film Festival (both based in Nashville).
Ben Yonas is a Grammy and Latin Grammy-nominated music producer/engineer and artist manager. His credits include a diverse range of artists such as Mos Def, Estelle, TV On The Radio, Ledisi, Mickey Hart, Sammy Hagar, and Rubén Blades. He currently manages a roster of artists, including Grammy winner Rizo, Grammy-nominated violinist Jeremy Kittel, Grammy-nominated hip hop duo Los Rakas, and the Latin Grammy-nominated band Making Movies. Past management clients include Grateful Dead drummer, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Mickey Hart and Oakland Hip Hop duo Zion I. Over the past twenty years, Yonas has developed his production company, Yonas Media. The independent production company is dedicated to supporting artists and their recordings. Yonas Media’s goal is to be a cooperative launching pad for musicians who have an original approach to creating and performing music. Yonas recently moved to Atlanta from Memphis, where he was an Assistant Professor of Music Business at the University of Memphis and served on the Board of the Memphis Music Hall of Fame and the Memphis Rock n’ Soul Museum. Yonas holds a Bachelor of Science in economics and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in jazz piano from the University of Michigan, and an MBA from the University of Memphis.
Anna has extensive experience both onstage and behind the scenes. She was recently named Business Development Director at the International Bluegrass Music Association where she oversees sponsorships for their yearly conference and festival IBMA World of BluegrassR and assists with facilitating growth, programming, and partnerships. She came to IBMA with over 10 concentrated years as a full-time songwriter and musician, and close to 20 years of experience as a freelance writer and project coordinator in the culture and heritage tourism and music industries. Anna studied music business and mass media at the University of Memphis and went on to work for Southern soul label Malaco Records in Jackson, Mississippi, focusing on copyright and licensing for their famed collection of Southern soul, gospel, and blues publishing catalogs. Following her time at Malaco, Anna was a special projects officer at the Mississippi Development Authority, Division of Tourism and the Mississippi Film Office, wrote the content for the Mississippi Culinary Trail, shot and edited a short documentary food film, co-coordinated film industry workshops, spent time as a location scout, and organized the first Mississippi music showcase for SXSW. Anna continues to explore and celebrate the diversity of the Southern experience and proud to serve as a MEM Music Industry Council member. She lives outside of Lexington, Kentucky with her husband and songwriting partner, John Looney, where they regularly collaborate with artists and musicians in the region.
Trini by Birth, Memphis by Fate, Nashville by choice and on fire for what comes next. For the last 20 years, Wayne Leeloy has lived at the intersection of brands, experiences and entertainment. He cut his teeth in Memphis as the front man for pop/world-music project - Native Son and built a successful business with Foundation Music Group - a versatile entertainment consultancy that he ran from 1998 to 2008 working with clients like the Grammys, Gibson Guitars, Sync Up Music Conference, SXSW, AmericanaFest, Folk Alliance and many more. He was the Memphis Music Commission’s VP of Business Development & Community Relations from its inception and an invited contributor to Richard Florida’s “Memphis Manifesto” project which helped to define and implement the foundational elements of a “Community of Ideas” and draft the working plan of action for creative cities around the world. He was a Memphis Business Journal Top 40 under 40 and a frequent contributor to Live From Memphis and MyMemphis.TV Topspin recruited Leeloy to launch their Nashville office where he was responsible for business development, client services and industry relations & education. He spent the next 4 years developing curriculums, producing panels, keynotes and thought leadership content for himself and Topspin execs like Ian Rogers, Bob Moczydlowsky, Nicole St Jean and Parker Brooks at SXSW, Canadian Music Week, Sync Up, Grammy GPS, Billboard Music Summit and many more. Leeloy joined Warner Music in 2014 to lead their digital marketing and shared services team for WMN (Country) and Word Records & Events (CCM). During his tenure at Warner, he oversaw the social, creative, design, community, digital and strategic marketing divisions working directly with Blake Shelton, Sheryl Crow, Brett Eldredge, Hunter Hayes, Randy Travis, Cole Swindell, Switchfoot, Francisca Batestelli and many more. Upon leaving WMN, he joined G7 Entertainment Marketing - a full-service entertainment marketing agency under the project: worldwide umbrella - to lead Strategy & Innovation and develop a music strategy for Ram Trucks. Over the next 7 years, his role evolved; ultimately landing him as the head of Music & Marketing Strategy for the entire practice. He designed and executed the Acura Festival Village program as part of the Sundance Film Festival and launched a custom music house and branded content studio which developed narrative content for clients like Ram, Acura, Yeti Coolers, Gibson Guitar, White Claw, Robert Hall Wines, Fireball Whiskey and more. When COVID hit and the entertainment world came crashing down, Leeloy pivoted to launch CANVAS {strategy & talent}; a full-service consultancy focused on entertainment strategy and talent. He spent the next 3 years working with brands and agencies like VMLY&R, The Martin Agency, Tractor Supply Co, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Clean Cause, Cracker Barrel, Spotify, UPS, Koji, Igloo Coolers, VistaPrint and more to develop comprehensive marketing campaigns and initiatives that leveraged the power of entertainment to move hearts and minds; pairing music, sports, comedy, celebrity and influencer talent with global brands. In December ’22, Leeloy joined the Global Strategy team at Freeman Co; leading Experience and Creative Strategy for the $1.2B live events in-house agency division. His clients are major players in the technology, healthcare and consumer goods verticals, but his sights are set on growing the automotive, lifestyle, outdoor and entertainment verticals for the practice. He believes “All Roads lead to Memphis” and couldn’t be more honored or proud to serve on the MEM Industry Council.
Harold brings the following experience to the MIC. • The talents of the music industry, sports, and celebrity management and marketing. • He developed artist’s records and the distribution of their music. • Harold has also engineered albums and negotiated recording contracts for artists with various music labels. • He is an amazing leader and touches every aspect of the entertainment and professional athletics profession. • Harold attended the University of Memphis with majors in Business Administration and Marketing. Where he also lettered in football Harold has over 10 years of cannabis industry experience and 8 years of cannabis growing experience. Harold is active in Boys Club of America, Jr. Executive Member of Tower Club, Ft Lauderdale, FL
Tim Regan is a music industry veteran and a partner at Nine Mile, which includes Nine Mile Management, Nine Mile Records, Nine Mile Touring, and Nine Mile Publicity. For 20+ years, Tim has handled marketing, strategy, sales, management, and communications for some of the most respected artists and bands in the country. With a demonstrated history of entrepreneurship and unending curiosity, Tim combines his lifelong passion for creating with a proven ability to bring leading-edge ideas to life. As a musician, he has toured internationally and recorded over 40 albums with Snowglobe, Spiral Stairs, Sparklehorse, Solid Lines, Texas Never Whispers, Amy Lavere, Antenna Shoes, and many others.
Carnomas Manning is a serial entrepreneur in America's top leading industries. Chief executive officer of J.O. Commodities Incorporated, chief executive officer of record label and publishing company Narcissistic Group LLC, and president of the Metaverse's first alkaline water company Meta H2O LLC. With her diverse portfolio she has risen to the top of several corporate ladders and built a rapport with other trailblazers in these prominent need based industries. Her skill sets expand into talent acquisition, brand consulting and angel investor deals. Her outgoing charisma is the epitome of the heartbeat in the music, entertainment and commodities industries. Not one you can place in any particular lane but a leader in all avenues that lead to the success of not only her business but the empires of others.
Alandis Brassel is an entertainment attorney with a passion for helping creatives build sustainable careers. He represents recording artists, songwriters, producers, and other music business professionals in matters including contract negotiations, IP rights, royalty recovery, and legacy planning (estate planning and administration). He sits on the board of directors for Worldwide Stages, a state-of-the-art soundstage and production campus for music, TV, film, and virtual production in Spring Hill, Tennessee. Alandis is an advocate for equity and education in the music industry. He is a volunteer attorney with the Volunteer Lawyers and Professionals for the Arts and serves as a board member for Nashville Music Equality. Formerly an Assistant Professor of Music Business at The University of Memphis Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music, Alandis has also taught as adjunct faculty at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and Belmont University’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business. A member of the Recording Academy, immediate past chair of the Tennessee Bar Association Entertainment and Sports Law Section, and frequent lecturer and panelist, Alandis has recently been recognized as a Billboard Magazine 2023 Top Music Lawyer and Super Lawyers Rising Star in Entertainment Law for the past three years.