Events

Sardonyx Music Conference

Panelists

Don Grierson
This internationally acclaimed, legendary A&R executive came from down under where he got his start as a disc jockey at the age of 17 to prominence in the recording industry, discovering and working with many of the most notable artists of the late 20th Century, being involved promotionally with the launching of The Beatles label, Apple Records, and launching several labels.

He was singularly recognized with the only Golden Apple Award ever presented by the Beatles for "Outstanding promotion in launching Apple Records in the United States". Read more

Dan Kimpel
Acknowledged as one of the American media's foremost authorities on popular music and songwriters, Dan Kimpel contributes to a dizzying variety of print and electronic mediums: books, interactive CD's, magazines, web sites, videos and new media.

For the past six years, Dan has conducted audio interviews and voiced programs heard by 19 million monthly passengers on United Airlines flights worldwide. In addition, he has written, interviewed, produced and voiced segments for TED, Regal Cinemas, and the presidential and vice presidential planes, Air Force One and Two. Read more

John Latimer
John Latimer is the owner and founder of Latitunes Music Publishing. As a songwriter as well as music business professional, Latimer has over 25 years experience in booking and promoting entertainment, music events, working in artist development, management and publishing.

Latimer began promoting events and concerts while in high school. After graduating from the Ohio State University and brief stint at managing a band of friends, Latimer's first job was finding and promoting acts into the Pirates Cove Nightclub located in the Flats Entertainment District of Cleveland. Some of the acts promoted by Latimer included: Duran Duran, Steppenwolf, The Police, Bon Jovi, Cout Basie Orchestra, The Pyschedelic Furs, X, A Flock of Seagulls, Greg Allman & Dickey Betts, Levert, and Wendy O Williams. Read more

Kevin Amos
Kevin Amos is the Pittsburgh Area Coordinator for Soul-Patrol.com. He is also the producer and host of "One to One" on 88.3 WRCT-FM. His professional career spans nearly 30 years in the field of broadcasting.He has logged well over 30,000 hours on non-commercial radio as a voluntee and a independent radio producer since 1978! Kevin has produced programs for talk radio at WCXJ-AM, a top rated morning show at FM1047 the Beat (Clear Channel), and a live interactive sports show with the Champions Association. He is also the former program director/station manager of WYEP-FM(1978-1984). Kevin has recently left his position as Communications Director for the Thomas Merton Center to seek other pursuits. He was also formerly employed as Program Coordinator for the City of Pittsburgh at CITIPARKS in the Office of Special Events and Community Affairs. There he was part of a team that planned and coordinated events like the Great Race and Reservoir of Jazz. Read more

Brian Drusky
Brian Drusky started his career in the entertainment business in 1995 when he started Landslide Entertainment. For Landslide Entertainment. Drusky booked entertainment for colleges, booked regional tours for local acts and managed those same local acts. In 1997, when Drusky met Rich Engler of DiCesare Engler productions, Pittsburgh's largest promoter, Engler asked Drusky to join DiCesare Engler as an agent for the bands that were recently signed to DiCesare-Engler Management. DiCesare Engler management folded 6 months later, but at that point, the club buyer for DiCesare Engler had also recently quit and Engler asked Drusky to take that job. A year later, Dicesare Engler was sold to SFX, and of course years after that SFX changed into Clear Channel Entertainment, and now Live Nation. In his Tenure from 1997 to 2005 in all those configurations, Drusky booked events in sizes of Clubs to Arenas. In October of 2005, as Clear Channel Entertainment was turning into Live Nation, and there was another massive corporate layoff, Drusky was let go. November of 2005, Drusky started Drusky Entertainment to become an independent promoter and started booking many national acts on his own and now has done so successfully for 3 1/2 years.

Kellee Maize
Kellee is an accomplished emcee and singer who performs regularly and recently released an EP under Näkturnal Management and is currently working on a mixtape. As founder and partner of Näkturnal, Kellee focuses on the development of Nakturnal Natural, the "green" event and personal consulting arm of Nakturnal as well as creative development, recruitment, regional expansion, and is the public voice and visionary of Näkturnal.

Kellee was the Events and Promotions Director of Pittsburgh's leading arts and entertainment newsweekly, Pittsburgh City Paper where she still consults occasionally. She also volunteers for various community organizations, including the League of Young Voters and Gather The Women. She is driven by the need to create meaningful change and unite women in the hopes of creating a spiritual revolution. Read more

Leon Bass
Entertainment attorney Leon Bass has been involved in the music industry for about 20 years, ten as an attorney. He represents national, local and regional artists, bands, record labels, publishing companies, promoters, concert venues, producers, studios, writers, film makers, songwriters, booking agencies, and various other business. Some clients have included Quiet Riot, Dark Star Orchestra, Fatty Koo (Sony/Cherry Lane), All Good Festival, Walther Productions, Inc., Legend Valley (fka Buckeye Lake Music Center), Slaughter, the Azoic, Rock Never Stops Tour, Ashley Talent International, Niliahah Records, Homegrown Music Network/Harmonized Records, and John Mullins of Ekoostik Hookah. Prior to becoming an attorney, Leon worked at a major label (Rhino Records), a major publishing company (Famous Music Publishing Companies), as a promoter, personal manager and business manager. Leon is a regular speaker/panelist at national music conferences, showcases, universities and law schools. He is a founder of the Greater Columbus Local Music Awards, Columbus' Music in the Round, and Lee Bass Entertainment Ltd. He is also the President of the Capitol Square Rotary Club and a member of the Columbus Comfest Entertainment Selection Committee, a former member of the Advisory board for the Hocking College Music program. He also plays mandolin and guitar in several bands and is an amateur underwater photographer. He is currently of counsel to the law firm of Chester Willcox & Saxbe, LLP in Columbus, Ohio. Read More

Nancy Deckant
Nancy Deckant, is coordinator of Pittsburgh Songwriters Network the local chapter of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI). NSAI provides songwriting workshops that focus on the craft of songwriting and helps songwriters learn about the music business.

Nancy Deckant is a singer/songwriter and co-founder of SpookyAnna Music Publishing. Her promising catalog of songs speak from her authentic self. Nancy makes it work with songs that connect with her audience and stick with you. Her performance career spans indie to jam band. She has played mandolin for indie band, The Faders; currently fronts the alt-pop band Red Moon Run and is lead vocalist for pop-rock jam band, The Rhythm Shakers.

Ron "Hookstown" Brown
Ron is coordinator of Pittsburgh Songwriters Network the local chapter of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI). NSAI provides songwriting workshops that focus on the craft of songwriting and helps songwriters learn about the music business.

A native of Pittsburgh, PA, Ron is a performing songwriter, music composer, studio engineer and a music producer. Ron earned his first Nashville publishing deal in 2007 and most recently had two songs recorded and released by a promising young artist in Michigan. Ron believes that drive, desire and determination are the key ingredients to finding success. He will tell you: "Nobody ever failed; they just gave up too soon." Read More

Jim Pitulski
Jim is now the Managing Director for North American operations of Blistering Records, with artists Glenn Hughes, Joe Lynn Turner, Lillian Axe and Mandrake Project. He supervised all label functions for Inside Out Music America where he worked with such acts as Asia, Steve Howe, Kings X and many others. As President of Roundtable Entertainment in New York, he managed such acts as Dream Theater and Fish. At Polygram label group, he was the Director of Product Marketing and worked with Emerson, Lake and Palmer, The Meat Puppets, House of Lords and L.A. Guns. He was also the Manager of Artist Development, Columbia Records/Sony Music in NY, and worked with Judas Priest, Warrant, Fishbone and Alice in Chains, to name a few. As Director of Marketing at MCA/Mechanic Records in NY, he was responsible for retail marketing for Dream Theater, Bang Tango and Trixter.

Jeff Blue
Jeff Blue is a music producer, A&R executive, songwriter, musician, and attorney who is currently Artists and Repertoire for Sony/BMG/Jive Records. He has worked as Sr. VP A&R/Staff Producer for Warner California, Interscope Records, Virgin/Capitol Music Group, and RCA/J Records. He is responsible for recruiting new unsigned artists and is most notably known for "discovering" and signing Linkin Park, Macy Gray, and The Last Goodnight.

Jason Myers
Jason is the A&R for Cleopatra Records, L.A.-based indie record label. He was founding member/bassist /manager for traditional metal band, Icarus Witch. He has worked for Century Media Records, Los Angeles & Blistering Records, Pittsburgh as a publicist and was a booking agent for Fantasma Productions in West Palm Beach, FL, one of the country's oldest & largest concert promoters and been an agent/production manager for Long Distance Entertainment, a Fort Lauderdale, Fl based agency that booked the regions largest night clubs.