Adam Gaynor, formerly of the Multi-Grammy nominated band Matchbox 20, is launching the Owensboro Music Business Expo (OMBE) to help aspiring artists and music industry professionals take their success to the next level. OMBE will debut on April 13-15, 2023, at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum.
“It will be super informative for anyone looking to break into the music business, develop improved marketing skills to build their brand, or even have their music evaluated by accomplished industry professionals,” Gaynor said. “In the ever-changing world of music, the expo will help increase their chances for overall success, while seriously enjoying the process. This is the real deal, and this is going to be a great deal of fun.”
Award-winning songwriters, composers, influencers, and other professionals will set up in Owensboro to share a one-of-a-kind experience with independent artists. Participants will experience innovative seminars, workshops, panels, showcases, and exhibits on the creative and business side of the music industry.
“The Owensboro Music Business Expo will combine the best of education and creativity,” said Francine Marseille, who co-founded OMBE alongside Gaynor. “It will provide the tools and resources needed to succeed while providing an epic experience in a more intimate setting than events such as South by Southwest or NAMM.”
Gaynor said he wanted to create the expo because of his own experience trying to make it as an artist. It took him 8 years of grinding in a studio to get discovered.
“I remember when I was younger and I was sitting at home in South Florida by myself, when I was in my teens to 20s,” Gaynor said. “I was trying to figure out ‘I love playing guitar, I love playing music, I love writing songs, but what am I supposed to do? Like where do I go for the next level?’ I just didn’t understand the concept of being a remotely talented person but having no real place to kind of put those talents.”
Marseille originally wanted to partner with Gaynor for some workshops, and he said they needed to turn that seed of an idea into a large-scale expo.
“I told her we need to do something big like an expo, something where we can bring in commerce for the city and the community, plus bring in tons of musicians from all genres everywhere,” Gaynor said. “We’re going to teach people things that they can do and learn that will help increase their statistical chances of being successful. It always comes down to having some talent, and then it comes down to having the right people surrounding you to mentor and nurture that talent. I hope that’s what this expo is going to be a part of.”
He added, “I don’t expect 100 or 200 or 300 people that come here to change their lives that day. I hope we can change one person’s life. If it changes 20 lives or 100 lives, then we did so much better than I ever could have anticipated, and that’s what the Owensboro Music Business Expo is about.”
Marseille said the seminars will be led by some of the industry’s best people.
“They’re the names that you might not know, but they have produced multiple hit songs in the industry. They might be here sitting on that stage, working one on one in a more intimate capacity … and helping producers, writers, composers, engineers, everyone in the industry to be able to come and learn something,” she said. “The labels are looking for artists and producers … that understand what the business of music is. They want to know if you know the business and you have a business plan, and these are things we’re going to assist with.”
The entire event will be hosted at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum.
“The Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame Museum & Museum is a nonprofit organization with a mission that is centered upon education. So we’re excited about being the host site for this event, especially one that includes seminars and workshops and panels and showcases and exhibits on the creative and business side of the music industry,” said Chris Joslin, executive director at the Hall of Fame. “I think there’s a market for this. You have enthusiasts who when they start learning to play music, they don’t just dream of strumming a guitar in their living room. They have a vision of being out and meeting other musicians and building a peer group. So I think there’s a lot of value in this.”
Mark Calitri, president and CEO of Visit Owensboro, said their organization is proud to promote and market OMBE.
“It’s going to be an incredible weekend,” he said. “There are a couple of reasons it’s so important. Number one, it helps us attract a broad new range of folks to Owensboro and Daviess County. Second of all, Adam has traveled all across the world with thousands of shows and millions of albums sold, and he chose Owensboro and Daviess County to host this event that he could have done anywhere. Owensboro is showing that we are a music Mecca.
The cost for attendees is $149, which covers all seminars for the entire 3-day event. Special hotel room rates will be available for attendees and exhibitors. Anyone interested can pre-register at ombeofficial.com to get on the mailing list for future information. Registration is expected to open in the next week or two.
