Spring Break Milestones

In March, 120 Berklee students boarded two buses in Boston to drive more than 1,000 miles to Nashville, TN, during the college’s spring break. While every year the students engage in some amazing activities in Music City, this year was truly special, in that it marked the 30th anniversary of the annual Nashville trip. Started by Pat Pattison and a handful of Berklee students three decades ago, the trip has grown to become a highly desirable spring break destination.

As students begin to think about their lives after Berklee, most think about relocating to New York City or Los Angeles. In recent years, however, more graduates have made the move to music-centric Nashville to start their careers in one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation. Through the years, the spring break trip organized by faculty members Pat Pattison, Stephen Webber, Mark Wessel, and Clare McLeod, has offered the students a valuable glimpse into the workings of the Nashville music industry. A typical trip itinerary includes visits to top recording studios to observe sessions as well as clinics given by top songwriters, performers, producers, and key music industry business people.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary this year, multiple appreciation awards were presented. At the alumni reception held at Soulshine Pizza Factory, Pat Pattison, Stephen Webber, and Mark Wessel were given tokens of appreciation to the applause of the students and alumni in the room who have benefited from their hard work and dedication to the Nashville trip. Roger Brown sent his congratulations to the faculty organizers and the Nashville community at large through a video message.

The following evening, students and Berklee staff members were treated to a night at the Grand Ole Opry. Students were welcomed behind the scenes and even backstage during the performance. Following the show, Berklee VP Jay Kennedy presented Jim Ed Norman, Pete Fisher, and Eddie Bayers with Berklee’s first American Masters Awards. Norman, Fisher, and Bayers, notable figures in the Nashville music scene, have been key supporters in the development of the annual spring break trip.

Further south, 20 other Berklee students enjoyed an introduction to the music industry scene in Atlanta, GA, during spring break week. Organized by Berklee’s own Prince Charles Alexander, Jason Stokes, Carl Beatty, and Karen Bell, the five-day trip included early mornings and late nights. The students attended panel discussions—one featuring pro background vocalist Chrissy Collins, guitarist Tomi Martin, and producers Jeffrey “J. Dub” Walker and Neal Pogue. Other highlights included a session at Tree Sound Studios with hip-hop producer Izze, and meetings with Michele Caplinger (an executive for NARAS), mastering engineer Alex Lowe ’92, and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas of the group TLC. The students also were treated to photo op with Georgia Governor Nathan Deal on the steps of the state house. The visit marked the fifth anniversary of the Atlanta trip.

Both groups of spring break sojourners returned to Boston tired but inspired about career possibilities in the South.