{"id":7654,"date":"2014-04-08T12:31:38","date_gmt":"2014-04-08T17:31:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/college.unc.edu\/?p=7654"},"modified":"2024-07-02T14:37:06","modified_gmt":"2024-07-02T14:37:06","slug":"kenweiss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/collegearchive.unc.edu\/?p=7654","title":{"rendered":"Music industry entrepreneur Ken Weiss encourages students\u2019 passion for the arts"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"From<\/a>
From left, Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Ken Weiss, Graham Nash and Mark Katz at Crosby Stills & Nash’s spring show at the Durham Performing Arts Center. (photo by Beth Lawrence)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When Los Angeles-based music industry entrepreneur Ken Weiss<\/a> first moved to Chapel Hill in 2007, he had no idea he\u2019d be co-teaching the University\u2019s first course in artistic entrepreneurship just three years later.<\/p>\n

An article in The New York Times <\/i>that quoted music department chair Mark Katz on digital music piqued Weiss\u2019 interest. He sent Katz an email, they had coffee and some good conversation, and after months of planning, they were teaching their first class in the College of Arts and Sciences\u2019 minor in entrepreneurship.<\/a> The artistic track is one of five areas of focus in the minor; the others include social, sport, scientific and commercial.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo put it into a music context, we were writing brand new songs, and we didn\u2019t have the hits to fall back on,\u201d said Weiss, an entrepreneur-in-residence who has worked with some of the biggest names in popular music. \u201cWe didn\u2019t have a safety net, but we used our respective skills and strengths to pull it off. The class has evolved over the years, and it continues to evolve as the industry changes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Weiss has had a musical publishing and production career that has crossed genres, from his initial start at Warner Brothers Music at age 20 to forming his first company shortly thereafter with Chris Hillman of The Byrds, then creating Gold Hill Music with Stephen Stills of Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Young). Gold Hill Music had sales of tens of millions of recordings with CS&N and other artists, including Fleetwood Mac, Aretha Franklin, Bob Seger, Joe Cocker and more. Weiss has been awarded 20 gold and platinum records.<\/p>\n

\"Weiss<\/a>
Weiss (left) with Joe Cocker at an ABC-TV special for a segment he produced with him.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When Crosby, Stills & Nash were in town for a sold-out March 24 show at the Durham Performing Arts Center, Weiss and Katz teamed up to award the trio a proclamation from the department of music honoring their more than four decades of contributions to music, songwriting, their unique vocal harmonies, and their efforts to use music as an effective tool for promoting progressive environmental, political and social change.<\/p>\n

\u201cCrosby, Stills & Nash were able to use their name recognition to gather people together,\u201d Weiss recalled. \u201cFor example, in 1979, we did a series of shows at Madison Square Garden called No Nukes, [advocating against the use of nuclear energy], and Graham Nash was one of its most significant players.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the music industry has evolved, so has Weiss\u2019 career. He said he doesn\u2019t want to be defined by any one thing, and his many musical interests bear that out. Weiss is also a television and feature film music supervisor, and he created a company called Bronx Flash Music when he signed famed Broadway songwriter Frank Wildhorn to an exclusive music publishing deal. Wildhorn\u2019s Tony-Award-nominated Broadway composing credits include the musicals \u201cJekyll & Hyde,\u201d \u201cThe Scarlet Pimpernel,\u201d \u201cDracula\u201d and \u201cBonnie & Clyde.\u201d<\/p>\n

Weiss said he loves working with undergraduate students. He\u2019s also a guest lecturer in the large introduction to entrepreneurship class. He said he tries to communicate that having an entrepreneurial career in the arts is not about the money.<\/p>\n

\"Weiss<\/a>
Weiss (left) with Robert Downey Jr. at the premiere of “The Singing Detective,” a feature film in which Downey starred and for which Weiss was the music supervisor. The movie was produced by Mel Gibson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a way of thinking. In the arts, we are driven by our passion,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have to have a sense of structure; that\u2019s important. But if I can successfully communicate to students that having a passion for something they believe in is very powerful, then I will have done my job.\u201d<\/p>\n

Weiss continues to work on new projects all the time. \u201cWith my own company, I can do business from anywhere,\u201d he said. He is the production manager and music supervisor for a June TV project, a special featuring a comedian called Earthquake. It will be filmed at the Carolina Theatre in Durham.<\/p>\n

In the UNC music department, Weiss likes to say that his work fills the gulf \u201cbetween Mozart and Jay Z.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s something about this University and this music department that is very vital, and I\u2019m honored to be a part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

[ By Kim Weaver Spur \u201988 ]<\/p>\n

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When Los Angeles-based music industry entrepreneur Ken Weiss first moved to Chapel Hill in 2007, he had no idea he\u2019d be co-teaching the University\u2019s first course in artistic entrepreneurship just three years 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