No examination of Nashville’s music identity is complete without discussion of the significance of Music Row (“the Row”), a presence largely responsible for shaping that identity. Located in a midtown Nashville neighborhood, the Row is a music business center comprised of a number of recording studios, major record and publishing companies, performance rights organizations (SESAC, BMI, ASCAP) and offices of the American Federation of Musicians -- all physically located within the same vicinity. The role of women on the Row is an important part of the story of the Nashville music industry. “Therefore, this paper explores that story for two groups of women: (a) women in music business (non-artistic) roles and (b) women of color on and off the Row. Specifically, the paper examines the impact of outsider influence, career strategies, and narrative on those populations.
