Thomas W. Hutchison received his Ph.D. in Marketing/Mass Communication from Florida State University. His expertise is in the areas of entertainment marketing, consumer behavior, Internet marketing and market research. Hutchison teaches in the Department of Recording Industry at Middle Tennessee State University where he is the coordinator of the music business program. His industry activities include: member of the 2004 National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) Convention Committee, member of the Americana Music Association (AMA) research committee, panelist and moderator of the Internet Marketing Panel at the 2003 AMA Convention, former member of the NARM Retail Certification Committee and is the coordinator of the NARM Educator's Outreach Committee.
Hutchison received the 2003 MTSU Outstanding Achievement in Instructional Technology award. He is very involved in distance learning and teaches two Internet-based classes. One of the classes, Inside the Recording Industry , was created in conjunction with Universal Music Group and Inside Sessions and features music celebrities such as Sheryl Crow, Elton John, Fred Durst, Jimmy Iovine and Sting.
Hutchison has conducted focus group research on many artists for Sony, RCA, MCA/Universal and Giant/WB Records. He has conducted other marketing research and consumer research projects for Geffen Records, DreamWorks, Warner Music Group, MCA, RCA Label Group and Polydor. He has worked with a wide range of popular artists, including Faith Hill, Toby Keith,Travis Tritt, The Dixie Chicks, Ricochet, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Sons of the Desert, Toby Keith, Gillian Welsh, White Zombie, Sonic Youth, Rufus Wainwright, Beck, Weezer and many others.
His industry wide research includes studies for NARM, Music Video Association, No Depression Magazine and ongoing research for the Country Music Association (CMA) on Fan Fair/CMA Music Festival fans. Hutchison has also implemented consulting/marketing projects for record labels RCA, EMI Christian, Columbia, Epic, Pioneer, Magnatone, Virgin, Sparrow, Compass, Mercury, Provident, Compendia, Universal Records and Lucky Dog.
Hutchison announces the new release of the book Web Marketing for the Music Business --- A must for all indie musicians. In 2005, Hutchison, with colleagues Amy Macy and Paul Allen, wrote the textbook entitled Record Label Marketing.
www.tomhutchison.com ..