Music Jobs in Nashville? Moving to Nashville or Tampa.. (Central: sales, insurance)

[swilson]

Hi everyone,

I just came across this site the other day and it's so great! I have told all my friends about it!

My situation is I currently live in Los Angeles. I (like so many other LA people) would like to move east. I grew up in North Carolina and moved to Florida to get my college degree. A couple of years ago I moved to LA for a job (ironically working with Internet sites for a Nashville music company and Florida magazines). Working with this company and working part-time in country radio in LA (KZLA) I love working in country music. My father lives about an hour away from Nashville and the rest of my family lives in Central Florida.

I want to know how hard country music jobs are in Nashville to get? What's the job market there? I've applied to Nashville Convention Center, echo Music, and other organizations.

I'm having a rough time choosing between my love of country music or most of family and all of my friends in Central Florida (seems there are more jobs down here, but not really in country music).. Any help would be great!

If you need LA advice, let me know!

[insanesmooch]

You may also want to try Gaylord Resorts and Entertainment or what ever they actually changed their name to. You know, Opryland. You may be able to get a job at the Opry. I used to work at the Radisson Hotel they own across the street and I met some people in country music. Like that one guy, I think his name is Tony Brown. The one who fell and hit is head a couple of years ago. This was before the accident. He was a really nice guy then and when I asked him to speak with my co-worker who was also studing music, he did. She wasn't really into country music, but he talked business with her. Anyway, the point is in Nashville, there are opportunities to talk with and make connections with people in the business.
I'm not too sure it would be very easy to get into radio there. I guess it depends on what you do in radio. Sales jobs are easiest to come across. On air is hard to find because so much is done by computers. Most of the traffic and weather people cover multiple stations owned by the same companies.
You can try searching jobs here:
http://www.tabtn.org/
Look for job seekers down the left column. It's for all of TN. It also gives you a list of people in the associtation.
Also, try:
http://career.web.mtsu.edu/business.htm (broken link)
You will see a link to communications radio/tv. MTSU has a well known recording industry program with ties to the Nashville music business so a lot of jobs are probably posted there. I know the halls of the building always had advertisements up for jobs.
Hope that helps some.

[jmc]

You could always try doing some temp work in Nashville first, too, if you aren't able to get a job before moving there. It seems like there may be a temp agency that services Music Row. Temp jobs could lead to a full-time job. Just a thought. I know it's probably more ideal to have an actual job before moving there. Good luck!

[FL2Nash]

I live in Orlando (Florida all my life) and had the choice to move to Tampa, Nashville or Los Angeles for my job. I chose Nashville and moving in the next few months. Way cooler (Tampa is tacky, full of rednecks, seniors and people who seem to be stuck in the 1980's.) You're family is excluded from that of course .

Job market is definitely better in Nashville than Tampa. Salary may be a bit lower in Nashville, but cost of living is a bit lower, so evens out. Cost of living in LA was just too drastic of a change for me, being a homeowner for so long in Florida. I decided I didn't want to live in a mailbox in West Hollywood. I'll settle for annual visits.

I've seen my insurance rates triple in the last 2 years and housing costs increase 250% since the hurricanes, so unless your career in country music will pay you at least $60,000 - $70,000 in Florida, move to Nashville. Unfortunately, hip-hop is all the rage in Florida vs. country

[Jose]

nothing cool about Nashville, you'll hate it, I lived there since 1980 until 2006, the place sucks if you're a musician, no matter what kind of music. No night life, it's a giant Kindergarden. Stay in LA, there's live music in LA, not in Nashville. Cost of living is NOT lower in Nashville, sorry to burst your bubble, but SALES TAX is 9.25% and the politicians are ALWAYS saying that "they need money for EDUCATION", and they always increase the SALES TAX and PROPERTY TAX, and guess what? the money NEVER goes to education! Bunch of TAX HOGS in Nashville. (snort, snort)

Also, I disagree that "hip-hop is all the rage in Florida vs. country". Baloney... I turn the car radio and all I hear is COUNTRY, and there's a few hip-hop stations, and two Spanish/Salsa stations, and a few hard rock stations, and guess what?, THEY ALL SUCK! hahaaa! I listen to AM 810 Oldies. REAL MUSIC! Second to that, I listen to my 1980's Country music tapes, THAT'S when Country was cool!

To hell with it, the USA has gone sour, no matter where you live, it just plain sucks. You wanted REPUBLICANS?
You got Republicans, the bunch of corrupted crooks you voted for! YEEHAWWW~

Oh by the way, Opryland is slowly dying, no tourism in Nashville, everybody's gone to BRANSON, MO. hahah!!
Demonbreum Street is all SHUT DOWN! A dying city....

[MomsTn]

My goodness, are we out of sorts today?
Take a few deep breaths.
I hope the rest of your day goes better.

Originally Posted by Jose

nothing cool about Nashville, you'll hate it, I lived there since 1980 until 2006, the place sucks if you're a musician, no matter what kind of music. No night life, it's a giant Kindergarden. Stay in LA, there's live music in LA, not in Nashville. Cost of living is NOT lower in Nashville, sorry to burst your bubble, but SALES TAX is 9.25% and the politicians are ALWAYS saying that "they need money for EDUCATION", and they always increase the SALES TAX and PROPERTY TAX, and guess what? the money NEVER goes to education! Bunch of TAX HOGS in Nashville. (snort, snort)

Also, I disagree that "hip-hop is all the rage in Florida vs. country". Baloney... I turn the car radio and all I hear is COUNTRY, and there's a few hip-hop stations, and two Spanish/Salsa stations, and a few hard rock stations, and guess what?, THEY ALL SUCK! hahaaa! I listen to AM 810 Oldies. REAL MUSIC! Second to that, I listen to my 1980's Country music tapes, THAT'S when Country was cool!

To hell with it, the USA has gone sour, no matter where you live, it just plain sucks. You wanted REPUBLICANS?
You got Republicans, the bunch of corrupted crooks you voted for! YEEHAWWW~

Oh by the way, Opryland is slowly dying, no tourism in Nashville, everybody's gone to BRANSON, MO. hahah!!
Demonbreum Street is all SHUT DOWN! A dying city....

[akm4]

Nothing cool in Nashville?
Not cheaper to live in Nash than LA?
Demonbreun is dying?

Exactly how much crack are you ON?

LA probably does have better rehab........best wishes.

[kar]

Originally Posted by Jose

nothing cool about Nashville, you'll hate it, I lived there since 1980 until 2006, the place sucks if you're a musician, no matter what kind of music. No night life, it's a giant Kindergarden. Stay in LA, there's live music in LA, not in Nashville. Cost of living is NOT lower in Nashville, sorry to burst your bubble, but SALES TAX is 9.25% and the politicians are ALWAYS saying that "they need money for EDUCATION", and they always increase the SALES TAX and PROPERTY TAX, and guess what? the money NEVER goes to education! Bunch of TAX HOGS in Nashville. (snort, snort)

Also, I disagree that "hip-hop is all the rage in Florida vs. country". Baloney... I turn the car radio and all I hear is COUNTRY, and there's a few hip-hop stations, and two Spanish/Salsa stations, and a few hard rock stations, and guess what?, THEY ALL SUCK! hahaaa! I listen to AM 810 Oldies. REAL MUSIC! Second to that, I listen to my 1980's Country music tapes, THAT'S when Country was cool!

To hell with it, the USA has gone sour, no matter where you live, it just plain sucks. You wanted REPUBLICANS?
You got Republicans, the bunch of corrupted crooks you voted for! YEEHAWWW~

Oh by the way, Opryland is slowly dying, no tourism in Nashville, everybody's gone to BRANSON, MO. hahah!!
Demonbreum Street is all SHUT DOWN! A dying city....

What in the world are you talking about? Nashville has no live music?.....LOL. We have a Democratic governor by the way and he is doing a pretty good job. Tennessee has never been in better shape than it is now. We have a great economy in the Nashville area. Have a nice day

[alleycat]

Originally Posted by Jose

Oh by the way, Opryland is slowly dying, no tourism in Nashville, everybody's gone to BRANSON, MO. hahah!!
Demonbreum Street is all SHUT DOWN! A dying city....

Really? I guess they're really foolish then since they're just begun . . . a $350 million expansion.

You were right about one thing. Demonbreum Street was shut down for awhile. They were building a new bridge. It's been reopen for months. Looks pretty nice.

You sort of remind me of one of those American Idol people who gets rejected. "What? They're crazy! Don't they see my amazing talent?"

Well, whatever. I hope you enjoy wherever you are now.

[swilson]

These threads are so amazing to me. I do want to say thank you to everyone who has suggested things on here. There are good and bad things to every city. In response to my first email that was written last year, I am talking to CMT so I'm hoping something will work out professionally. Nashville does seem like a hard job market to me. I have family near there so the move will be easy. I also have some family and friends in Florida, so I'm just trying to weigh my best options, professionally and personally. I'm really over Los Angeles though. Job market is okay, but it's a tough city to live in by yourself. At least it has been for me.

Thanks for everything!