Troy Tomlinson (born January 18, 1964) is an American music executive and the Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group Nashville. Upon assuming the role on July 1, 2019, Tomlinson became the first Chairman and CEO to run a major music publishing company in Nashville.
Tomlinson was born and raised in Portland, Tennessee, the son of Ella and Vernon Tomlinson. He graduated from Portland High School in 1982. Tomlinson is married, with two children and three grandchildren.
Career
After high school, Tomlinson pursued what he thought was his lifelong vocation as a machinist. His first job following graduation was an apprenticeship position at a plastics company in Portland. While working there, he received second and third degree burns on both hands. At the time, a new acquaintance of his, Cliff Williamson, was searching for a trainee song-plugger at a newly formed publishing company, Multimedia Entertainment in Nashville. In 1983 Williamson hired Tomlinson.
After Multimedia was sold, one of Tomlinson's songwriters, Don King, asked Tomlinson to help him start his own company. Not long after, Muscle Shoals studio mogul Rick Hall tapped Tomlinson to run the Nashville division of Hall's publishing company, Fame Music Group.[1][2]
The unprecedented accomplishment of 2005 was again attained by Sony/ATV Music Publishing in 2012, making Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville the only Country publisher to have ever captured "Publisher of the Year" at all three PROs in a single year. Additionally, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville was named BMI's Publisher of the Year for an unprecedented 16 consecutive years, as well as Billboard's Country Publisher of the Year for the same time period.
In October 2014, Tomlinson was presented with the Keystone Award by the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation for his extraordinary efforts in bringing together Nashville's Business and Creative communities to create the first permanent home for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
In April 2016, he was honored with Belmont University's 2016 Robert E. Mulloy Award of Excellence for his outstanding three decade career on Nashville's Music Row.
In October 2017, Tomlinson was presented with the Nashville Inspiration Award for his lifetime commitment to serving others.
In April 2024, Tomlinson was honored with the Country Music Association's Songwriter Advocate Award, recognizing him as an individual who has dedicated his life to supporting and advancing the art of songwriting and careers of songwriters.
Activities
Tennessee Entertainment Commission - Past Chairman
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References
1 2 3 Dionne, Penny & McConnell, Troy, Songplugger: The Cuts and The Bruises (2008), Nakita’s Trail Publishing
1 2 Daley, Dan, Nashville’s Unwritten Rules (1998), The Overlook Press, Peter Mayer Publishers, Inc.
1 2 Kosser, Michael, How Nashville Became Music City, U.S.A. (2006), Hal Leonard Corp.
↑ Foehr, Stephen, Waking Up In Nashville (2002), Sanctuary Publishing Limited
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