Music Row Democrats Return with New Music and a Blog

NASHVILLE – Just in time for the upcoming midterm elections, MUSIC ROW DEMOCRATS (MRD) have returned to the political arena with a new campaign, new music, and the launch of two new websites.

The political organization was formed in 2004 by Nashville music industry leaders to counter the stereotype of country music as a Republican stronghold.  “We wanted to make sure that whenever Nashville music was brought up in a political discussion, all voices in our community were part of the conversation,” says producer/songwriter and MRD co-founder, Don Cook.

Since the 2004 election, MRD have been laying low and regrouping their efforts. “We really shot out of a cannon in 2004,” says co-founder and artist manager Bob Titley. “We hadn’t expected to accomplish so much, so fast. After the 2004 presidential election, we all needed to take some time off to really plot out MRD’s future direction.”

The result is a collection of new music and a focus on the use of the internet for political organization. “I attended YearlyKos,” adds Titley, “the first national convention for the political blogging community.  I believe the internet is in the early stages of transforming the political world in the same way it has transformed the world of the music business. So we have launched two new websites, a revamp of our home site, musicrowdemocrats.com, and a new community blog, mrdtalk.com.”

THE MUSIC
Musicrowdemocrats.com now offers streaming music by some of Nashville’s top songwriters and artists - including Nanci Griffith, Raul Malo and The Mavericks, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Bobby Braddock, Tim O’Brien, Darrell Scott and others. “Over the last couple of years it became apparent to us that some of the world’s finest songwriters were putting their politics down in the studio, but had no outlet for it,” says Titley. “So we are providing a platform for that unique political voice.” Collectively, these artists have won multiple Grammy and CMA Awards, enjoyed over 20 #1 hits, and more than 50 Top 10 hits.  This collection of songs is available for download to anyone donating $20 or more to the MRD PAC.

THE BLOG                               
In 2005, the group’s 1,500-plus members were surveyed. Overwhelmingly, MRD membership asked for more interactivity on the website, and MRDTalk was born. “Our community is concerned about issues that affect the working American families who are the audience for country music,” adds Cook. “MRDtalk.com is a platform to discuss those issues.”

THE MISSION
The Music Row Democrats’ core mission remains the same: To spread the message that Democrats are the true party of hard-working Americans. And with the organization’s vast experience producing music for those same working Americans, MRD is positioned to spread that message like no other group.
Accomplished artist/songwriter Rodney Crowell articulates: “I believe wholeheartedly that if any group in the South has a shot at impacting the lives of working class families in a positive way, it may well be Music Row Democrats.”

About MUSIC ROW DEMOCRATS:
MUSIC ROW DEMOCRATS (MRD) was formed in December 2003 by a group of Nashville music industry leaders who were fed up with feeling as if they had to apologize for being Democrats, particularly when they knew that Republican policies were negatively affecting the lives of the working class people who make up much of the audience for their music. The group rapidly grew to include more than 1,500 members who are collectively working to create an effective vehicle for the Democratic voice. 
MRD is comprised of volunteers who are the producers, songwriters, musicians, managers, agents, promoters, publicists, video directors and producers, editors, journalists, and countless others that built and maintained the careers of  some of Americas biggest stars including Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Brooks & Dunn, Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, The Dixie Chicks,  and basically the entire country music industry. 

MRD made national and international news in 2004 when it launched “Kerry-oke,” a unique series of fundraising events involving such prominent Nashville artists as Emmylou Harris, Nanci Griffith, Rodney Crowell and Kim Carnes. Prominent Democrats such as Vice President Al Gore and former Attorney General Janet Reno spoke to MRD membership. The group also produced and broadcast a series of television commercials promoting Democratic values that aired across Middle Tennessee, while MRD volunteers registered voters and went door-to-door around Nashville canvassing for Democratic candidates.