6 December 14, 2005 - WCC Campus Voice
From WCC to Nashville: Songplugger Sherrill Blackman
“...There are certain steps a person must take to
pursue a dream. That’s where most folks fail. They
don’t plan or prepare properly.”
- Sherrill Blackman
Photo courtesy of Goldsboro News-Argus
Blackman is pictured in front of Nashville’s skyline.
Shemll Blackman is one of
Nashville’s top independent
songpluggers, owns three
music publishing companies
and often rubs shoulders with
some of the biggest names in
country music. He’s in demand
across the country as a
speaker, and he’s a Wayne
Community College graduate.
Lawrence Gerald, co-editor
of the Campus Voice, had a
chance to interview the Dudley
native. Here’s what he learned;
Q: What year were you born
and how old are you?
A: I was born Nov. 14, 1957,
so I am 48.
Q: What high school did you
attend?
A: I graduated in 1976 from
Southern Wayne High School.
Q: Can you tell me what was
it like at Wayne Community
back in the day?
A: When I was at WCC, the
campus was located on
Highway 70 across from the
Pizza Iim. Since most of the
buildings were fairly close
together, it gave students a
chance to get to know each
other. The student center was
in the middle of the campus
and was the main hang out
between and after classes. I
remember the faculty as being
extremely knowledgeable and
dedicated. There were a lot of
Ufe lessons learned during that
time that I still apply to this
day.
Q: What was your major at
WCC?
A: My first major at WCC was
the College Transfer Program.
My intention was to take all
the core undergraduate classes
there and then transfer to East
Carolina. However, midway
through my first quarter, for
whatever reason, I decided that
wasn’t what I really wanted to
do. The next quarter I switched
over to Business
Administration and got my
A.A. degree in 1979. As I was
preparing for graduation, I
found out about Belmont
College and its music business
degree programs. It was at that
point that I knew I wanted to
be in the music business and in
Nashville. I spent the next year
working and taking more
classes as I readied myself for
the move in August 1980.
Q: After you graduated f^om
WCC, were you ready for the
bigworid?
A; When you’re young and
semi-educated, you feel like
you’re ready for anything. The
real education doesn’t start
until you get out in the world.
Even now, with two degrees
and years of experience, I
leam something new every
day.
Q: Could you tell us more
about what you do?
A: Basically, I am the middle
person between the songwriter
and the recording artists. I use
my connections and
experience to try to place
songs and get them recorded.
So, on any given day, I may
play songs directly for artists,
their managers, their
producers, or their record
companies. My hope is that the
song or songs I have are what
they are looking for ... I hear
“no” a lot more than I hear
“yes.” There are hundreds of
people here doing what I do,
so it gets pretty competitive.
Fortunately, I’ve had enough
success through the years to
keep me in business.
Q: Have you met anybody
famous?
A: Due tp the pature of my
business, I meet stars and
celebrities all the time.
Q: If so, who did you meet?
Were they nice?
A: Through the years. I’ve
been fortunate enough to meet
and get to know people Uke
Garth Brooks, George Jones,
LeAnn Rimes, Trace Adkins,
Kenny Rogers, Tanya Tucker,
etc. Basically, all the country
music stars, a few soap opera
stars and some movie and TV
stars. They’re all just people,
nice and down to earth.
Q: Do you wake up thinking
that you have an incredible
job?
A: Every once in a while I stop
and remind myself how
fortunate and blessed I am to
be doing something I
absolutely love. Usually, when
I wake up in the morning, my.
first thought is to see how I
can make a difference in the
world and in business that day.
Q: Would you recommend your
job to any young people who
may want to get into the
profession?
A: I always tell people that if
they have a dream, no matter
how wild or crazy it may seem,
follow it. Now, of course, with
that said, there are certain
steps a person must take to
pursue a dream. That’s where
most folks fail. They don’t plan
or prepare properly. With my
job, you have to be in a major
music center. You have to have
a passion for music. You also
have to be a people person.
And you have to be ready to
work for free or basically
nothing until you get your foot
in the door.
Q: What’s your favorite meal?
A: One of the main things I
miss about Goldsboro and
Wayne County is the great
barbeque and seafood. It’s the
best in the world.
Q; What’s your favorite TV
show?
A: My favorite current TV
show is “Lost.” For all time, it
would have to be either “The
Andy Griffith Show” or “The
Beverly Hillbillies.”
Q: Which celebrity, living or
dead, would you want to date?
A: This is going to sound
strange, but if she were alive, I
think I’d like to go out with
Jackie Kermedy Onasis. I’d
love to ask her questions
about John Kennedy’s
assassination. As for a hving
person. I’ve always thought
Jamie Lee Curtis was attractive.
Q: Is there anything else you
would like us to know?
A: We’ve just about covered it.
Each day is a new experience
and effort to get songs
recorded. To me, it’s all about a
great song. That’s what makes
the world go round.
'Wayne Cfirtstian ScfiooC
Grades K4 through 12
1201 Patetown Road, Goldsboro, N.C.
(Conveniently located near WCC!)
Phone: (919) 735-5605
Visit our Website:
www.waynechristianschool.edu
Lynn Mooring, Principal