Nashville: Not Missing a Beat

This special section of BMI.com is intended as a resource for information on the devastating flood that Nashville has suffered, and that has impacted so many in our music community. We are committed to supporting the recovery effort for our employees, our songwriters, business customers and our colleagues across the music community as Nashville rises again.

We begin with a brief narrative of what it looked like and felt like from our perspective on Music Row.

Raindrops Swamp Music Community

The first raindrops started falling shortly before midnight on the last night of April. Weather forecasters had predicted a wet weekend, with the possibility of severe storms, but that’s not unusual for springtime in middle Tennessee.

After all, April showers may bring May flowers, don’t they? During the next 48 hours, some Nashvillians wondered if the rain would never stop.

Most of Nashville’s TV stations went to continual weather forecasts during the weekend, and radar images morphed into a blur of thick rain echoes and rotating winds all day and night. Families retreated to upper floors. Some could not get out of their houses, and others could not get home.

Across Tennessee, 20 people lost their lives in the swirling water, most of them in the Nashville area. Ditches turned into creeks, rivers into lakes, pavement washed away, and bridges became unsafe or collapsed. Two of the interstate highways serving the city became impassable. Nashville’s mayor has since estimated property damage at more than $1.5 billion, not including road infrastructure.

The music community was especially hard-hit. Many songwriters, recording artists, musicians and music industry professionals lost part or all of their homes and belongings. The Grand Ole Opry stage went…

Singing for Relief

10-year-old Connor Smith writes songs. “I’ve been writing songs for two or three years,” the Nashville native says simply, seemingly unaware that knocking out melodies and rhymes at age 7 is rare—even for a budding journeyman. “I’m more into writing songs [than performing],” he says, smiling, before clarifying, “I like both. I just have a passion for songwriting.” In the midst of endless commentary bemoaning the youngest…

BMI Partners with Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee to Create BMI Flood Relief Fund

BMI to match donations up to $50,000, contributes additional $50,000 to recovery efforts BMI has announced the creation of a two-part campaign designed to help fuel rebuilding efforts after the historic flood that devastated Middle Tennessee last month. The initiative was unveiled by BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville Jody Williams during Tim McGraw and

BMI Employees Encouraged to Volunteer in Recovery Efforts

BMI has announced that employees who wish to volunteer in flood recovery efforts will be paid for a day’s work while they get out and get their hands dirty. Over the next two months, staffers are being encouraged to help BMI co-workers, neighbors and the city by taking one work day to assist individuals who have been hit hard by this month’s devastating floods in Middle Tennessee. BMI is also…

Support Victims of the Tennessee Floods

To learn more about the myriad ways the music community is coming together to support the victims of the Tennessee floods and to find out more about what you can do to help, visit the online homes of the organizations listed below. MusiCares MusiCares is the Recording Academy's organization that provides critical assistance for the music community in times of need. Through the MusiCares Nashville Flood Relief Fund,…

BMI Nashville Office: Back to Normal

BMI’s Nashville office is back open, with all employees returning to the building for business as usual. While BMI’s vital systems remained fully operational in the midst of Middle Tennessee’s devastating floods, the six-story building experienced a lack of water pressure and air conditioning, prompting most of the Nashville office’s 400 employees to work remotely. “We’re all relieved to be getting back to normal,” says Jody Williams, BMI Vice President,…