I have always loved music and people. My earliest beginning in music started with local club promotions and I was particularly partial to the urban music scene. As a member of this generation I connected with the often disconnected. I have always appreciated the importance of a synthesis between music and culture. Following my work with local club promotions, I was involved with Lawrence Welk’s record label, Heartland Music best known in the 80’s for being the largest music mail-order company worldwide. Shortly thereafter a critical growth opportunity emerged for me at the Recording Academy (GRAMMY Awards) where I was first introduced, at the time, as its youngest professional. I rapidly expanded my capabilities as the Special Projects Manager to encompass growth of membership through active recruitment and retention of members through original and compelling events such as In the Mix, An Evening with… and Up Close and Personal. In the Mix became a quarterly, invitation-only gathering of high-profile industry members in an effort to stimulate involvement and hegemony with members from diverse and varied backgrounds, cultures, generations, and interests. A vehicle used to help change the demographic of the organization and move away from the Caucasian male over fifty to a more diversified group under thirty. My personal drive was to recruit younger members who closely reflected urban music and trends and afforded a wider cross-section of membership, our society and music interests. Over a five year period, membership for the Los Angeles Chapter increased by two hundred and fifty percent. My day-to-day responsibilities also involved strategic planning and marketing for membership recruitment and retention. Monitoring local market trends to identify changes in program and chapter services was also a commonplace for my position. Selected artists’ work under consideration for a Grammy award underwent a complex development and review process before being selected for consideration. An artist’s increased record sales, promotions, outreach and exposure was vital. I remained directly involved in all facets of the development process for artists culminating in the Grammy Award Ceremony. This process involved being a reliable, highly capable and adaptive individual who could finesse discussions with artists, agents, producers, record labels and management. On occasion, I was even involved with very sensitive and personal matters where artists would have to be discreetly referred to treatment centers for alcohol and drug additions. Something I later became personally familiar with. As with all situations, I demonstrated compassion, grace, and skill in meeting project goals head-on and exceeding expectations. I was eager to fulfill responsibilities beyond my job description simply because I enjoyed being a part of a successful organization like the Recording Academy and a contributor to its growth and appeal. I have had the opportunity to evolve further in partnership with other dynamic companies such as Capitol Records, Concord Jazz, Hollywood Records Universal Music Group, Warner Bros. Records and having the privilege of working with Van Hunt, Angie Stone, Mystic, Damian Marley, Kelly Clarkson, Nick Lachey, Michael McDonald, Lindsay Lohan, Z-Trip, Joss Stone, Corinne Bailey Rae, Bonnie Raitt, Lisa Marie Presley, Paul McCartney, Coldplay, Talib Kweli, Kurt Elling, The Shins, White Stripes, Anthony Hamilton, India Arie, Amy Winehouse, Mica and the list goes on….though…I still believe no one does it the way Kim Hill does.
I have always loved music and people. My earliest beginning in music started with local club promotions and I was particularly partial to the urban music scene. As a member of this generation I connected with the often disconnected. I have always appreciated the importance of a synthesis between music and culture. Following my work with local club promotions, I was involved with Lawrence Welk’s record label, Heartland Music best known in the 80’s for being the largest music mail-order company worldwide. Shortly thereafter a critical growth opportunity emerged for me at the Recording Academy (GRAMMY Awards) where I was first introduced, at the time, as its youngest professional. I rapidly expanded my capabilities as the Special Projects Manager to encompass growth of membership through active recruitment and retention of members through original and compelling events such as In the Mix, An Evening with… and Up Close and Personal. In the Mix became a quarterly, invitation-only gathering of high-profile industry members in an effort to stimulate involvement and hegemony with members from diverse and varied backgrounds, cultures, generations, and interests. A vehicle used to help change the demographic of the organization and move away from the Caucasian male over fifty to a more diversified group under thirty. My personal drive was to recruit younger members who closely reflected urban music and trends and afforded a wider cross-section of membership, our society and music interests. Over a five year period, membership for the Los Angeles Chapter increased by two hundred and fifty percent. My day-to-day responsibilities also involved strategic planning and marketing for membership recruitment and retention. Monitoring local market trends to identify changes in program and chapter services was also a commonplace for my position. Selected artists’ work under consideration for a Grammy award underwent a complex development and review process before being selected for consideration. An artist’s increased record sales, promotions, outreach and exposure was vital. I remained directly involved in all facets of the development process for artists culminating in the Grammy Award Ceremony. This process involved being a reliable, highly capable and adaptive individual who could finesse discussions with artists, agents, producers, record labels and management. On occasion, I was even involved with very sensitive and personal matters where artists would have to be discreetly referred to treatment centers for alcohol and drug additions. Something I later became personally familiar with. As with all situations, I demonstrated compassion, grace, and skill in meeting project goals head-on and exceeding expectations. I was eager to fulfill responsibilities beyond my job description simply because I enjoyed being a part of a successful organization like the Recording Academy and a contributor to its growth and appeal. I have had the opportunity to evolve further in partnership with other dynamic companies such as Capitol Records, Concord Jazz, Hollywood Records Universal Music Group, Warner Bros. Records and having the privilege of working with Van Hunt, Angie Stone, Mystic, Damian Marley, Kelly Clarkson, Nick Lachey, Michael McDonald, Lindsay Lohan, Z-Trip, Joss Stone, Corinne Bailey Rae, Bonnie Raitt, Lisa Marie Presley, Paul McCartney, Coldplay, Talib Kweli, Kurt Elling, The Shins, White Stripes, Anthony Hamilton, India Arie, Amy Winehouse, Mica and the list goes on….though…I still believe no one does it the way Kim Hill does.
