RICHARD JAMES BURGESS PH.D.
CAREER PROFILE
Results oriented, deadline driven professional with more than fifty years experience covering most aspects of the music and recording industry. Comprehensive and diverse knowledge of music developed from success as a recording and touring musician, major label recording artist, multiplatinum producer, artist, and aficionado. Successful entrepreneur as producer manager, label, agency and management company owner. Established authority in field as multi-edition book author, published academic, speaker, researcher, and lecturer. Currently nonprofit Director of Marketing, Sales and Licensing and co-Director of Smithsonian Music, a pan Smithsonian Institution initiative. Extensive international network across the music industry, in museums, and academia. Is excited by new challenges.
AREAS OF STRENGTH
Music
Writing
Drums and Drumming
Music Production
Functionality and History of the Music and Recording Industries
Leadership
Conceptual Thinker
Results Oriented
Strategic Analysis and Planning
New Technologies and Business Models
Communications
Negotiations
Business, Marketing, Sales, and Licensing
Budgeting and Forecasting
Intellectual Property
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
SMITHSONIAN FOLKWAYS RECORDINGS, Washington DC 2001 to Present
Began as the head of marketing at the nonprofit record label of the National Museum, with one staff member, built sales department and was assigned customer service, fulfillment and licensing, growing revenues while the music industry’s declined by 55 percent. Simultaneously performed creative and curatorial roles. Previous experience as artist and producer manaager, music producer, recording artist, studio musician, and business owner (record labels, manamgement companies, publishing companies, and booking agencies).
Currently:
Associate Director for Business Strategies
Oversees all marketing, sales, customer service, fulfillment, internships, and licensing operations including managing the supervisors of these departments. Oversight of all graphic, written and video marketing materials
Transitioned the label successfully from a purely physical operation to now more than 50/50 digital/physical
Conceived and implemented:
o Inventory-free custom on-demand program selling direct to consumers and retail
o “Classic” series of recordings that features deep catalogue recordings—now at 22 volumes
o All year round internship program that powers our social media output among many other essential tasks
Project directed, coproduced, co-executive produced, and co-wrote the notes for: Jazz: The Smithsonian Anthology, a 111 track, 6 CD, 200 page book, boxed set history of more than a century of jazz
Recorded Serenata Guyanesa, traditional music from Venezuela, in Cuidad Bolivar
Executive Producer 123s and ABCs, Ella Jenkins’ new children’s album
Plans new recordings and initiatives balancing mission and financial imperatives of the label and museum
Other:
Academic Author and Researcher:
o The Art of Music Production: the Theory and Practice, 4th Ed. book pub. Oxford University Press
o The History of Music Production book pending for pub. Oxford University Press
Adjunct Professor: Omega Studios’ School of Applied Recording Arts & Sciences
Honorary positions/work:
Smithsonian Network Review Committee for the Smithsonian’s TV Channel
Joint Editor-In-Chief of the Journal on the Art of Record Production (London College of Music)
Recording Academy’s Producer and Engineers Wing national advisory board and steering committee member
Executive committee member, Association for the Study of the Art of Record Production
Board member, American Association for Independent Music (A2IM)
Invited Discussant on the future of jazz at the Future of Music Coalition 2013 conference
Presenter on The Art of Music Production: The Theory and Practice at the Art of Record Production conference Quebec City, Canada
Panelist: SXSW on The Evolution of the Record Producer with Tim Palmer, Hugh Padgham, Richard Gottehrer, and Matt Noveskey
Reviewer: reputational and factual for Smithsonian Channel scripts and programs
Prior Honorary positions
Vice President Board of Governors, Recording Academy, Washington DC Chapter
Co-chair, Producer Engineer Wing of the Recording Academy, National Producer and Engineer Compensation Committee
Co-chair, Producer Engineer Wing of the Recording Academy, Washington DC, Chapter
Strategic Advisory Committee Smithsonian Enterprises (the business division of Smithsonian)
BURGESS WORLD CO, London, U.K. and Mayo, MD 1995 – 2001
Artist Manager, Author, Producer
Responsible for signing artists to major label record deals and all touring, recording, marketing and creative activities including recruiting professional teams, musicians and tour crews
Simultaneously owned and ran Creative Booking International Inc., (artist booking agency) and Fowl Records Inc., (independent record label)
BURGESS WORLD CO., Los Angeles, CA, New York City, NY, London, U.K. 1985 – 1995
Music Producer and Producer Manager
Produced major label artists, managed careers of engineers and producers, owned a recording studio in London
LONGRALLY LTD., London, U.K. 1979 – 1985
Music Producer, Recording Artist, Composer, Author, Musician, Producer Manager, Independent Label Owner
FREELANCE STUDIO AND TOURING MUSICIAN, WELLINGTON, N.Z., AND London, U.K. 1971 – 1979
Recording Artist, Composer, Author, Musician, Independent Label Owner
Played on many hit records, composed music for successful recordings, and radio and television
EDUCATION
University of South Wales (formerly University of Glamorgan), U.K.—Ph.D., May 2010
Smithsonian Institution—Senior Leadership Development Program, May 2011
George Washington University, DC, USA—Project management certificate by ESI, 2006
Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, U.K., 1973-1976
Berklee College of Music, Boston, U.S.A., 1972
Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology—Electronics and Communications Engineering
COMPUTER SKILLS
MicroSoft office suite, recording and mastering software, computer technology and software experience since the seventies. Early adopter.
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