News – News
Texas Music License Plate Sales Hit All Time High
With our fiscal year closing at the end of August, the TMO is proud to announce that our Texas Music specialty license plate sales are at an all-time high after the office revamped the plate's design and increased its marketing efforts. Based on sales reports from Texas Department of Transportation, revenue has doubled since the redesign of the plate.
Hurricane Harvey Benefit Concerts all around the state
We heard from hundreds upon hundreds of acts that have volunteered to perform at various Hurricane Harvey Benefit Concerts around the state. We are now circulating that spreadsheet of acts to Texas venues and event promoters. Likewise, we heard from multiple event promoters, bands, and folks from towns big and small that wanted to help their fellow Texans by putting together a benefit concert.
TMO & Recording Academy Honor Rupert Neve On His 91st Birthday
Texas Music Office Director Brendon Anthony joined the Texas Chapter of the Recording Academy to honor audio engineering pioneer (and Wimberley resident) Rupert Neve, celebrating his 91st birthday, and his incredibly influential contributions to the recording industry.
Texas Music Trail presentation
The Texas Music Office participated in the 9th annual Texas Plains Trail Region Tourism and Preservation Roundup, where TMO Programs Manager Steve Ray delivered the lunchtime keynote “A Music Trail For Texas” highlighting the Texas Music History Trail recently created by the Texas Legislature, and signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott.
TMO Launches First Music Friendly Communities Workshop
On Thursday, July 20, TMO Director Brendon Anthony presented the first “Music Friendly Communities” workshop in Fort Worth, with the assistance of the Fort Worth Convention and Visitor's Bureau. More than 50 music business professionals from the Fort Worth community turned out to learn about the new Texas Music Office program that seeks to foster music business economic development in Texas cities and communities, as well as to develop the interconnection of these communities.
Young Masters Program Accepting Applications
Do you know a talented, deserving Texas-based 8th-11th grade artist who you think could be part of the Texas Cultural Trust's 2018 Young Masters class? The Texas Young Masters Program is a joint initiative between the Texas Cultural Trust and the Texas Commission on the Arts, recognizing student's excellence in music and other artistic disciplines. The program awards scholarship grants of $5,000 per year, for two years, nurturing our rising stars to become the Texas legends of tomorrow.
A Victory for Texas Music
Last week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a new anti-counterfeiting bill (SB 1343) into law that strengthens protections against physical music piracy and provides law enforcement representatives and prosecutors with clear and efficient legal tools that can be used to protect the Texas music industry.