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Singer-Songwriter Andy Grammer Meets with Point Park Students During Pittsburgh Tour Stop Wednesday, February 23, 2022
Singer-songwriter Andy Grammer and his band met with Point Park University students before their performance at the Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall on Feb. 15, 2022. Grammer shared valuable advice about working in the live entertainment industry. Photo by Nicole Kapalko '22, broadcast reporting major.
"I am so grateful that the SAEM program provided me with this experience. After years of quarantining now, connecting with other members of the audience and the performers helped me remember why I fell in love with music and why I always wanted a career in music in the first place."
When Sports, Arts & Entertainment Management major Paige Moyer '22 met singer-songwriter Andy Grammer during an event at Point Park University in 2019, she was a sophomore and had just started her first internship in the music industry.
Now a senior, Moyer found even more inspiration and meaning in Grammer's advice as he met with Point Park students again during his latest Pittsburgh tour stop. Prior to his performance at the Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall on Feb. 15, 2022, Grammer shared his perspectives about working in the music industry.
"He has an extremely contagious positive energy and encouraged us to work towards our dreams," Moyer said. "He started out as a busker and now is a multi-platinum singer-songwriter. The majority of his team started out interning at small venues or working for small artists in their hometowns and have had such unique career paths that got them where they are today."
The visit was coordinated by Point Park's Public Relations Director Lou Corsaro. SAEM alumnus Adam Valen '15, who is the marketing manager for Pittsburgh concert promoter Drusky Entertainment, was also present for the event.
"I give a lot of credit toward my career from the truly unique opportunities Point Park provided, catered very creatively and suitably for live entertainment," Valen said. "I love seeing students in the same shoes I was in, and, given it's a very cutthroat industry at times, any opportunity to give students a leg up on advancing in this industry is incredibly meaningful."
In the Q&A below, hear more about Grammer's visit from Moyer and SAEM major Francesca Grignon '22.
Now a senior, Moyer found even more inspiration and meaning in Grammer's advice as he met with Point Park students again during his latest Pittsburgh tour stop. Prior to his performance at the Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall on Feb. 15, 2022, Grammer shared his perspectives about working in the music industry.
"He has an extremely contagious positive energy and encouraged us to work towards our dreams," Moyer said. "He started out as a busker and now is a multi-platinum singer-songwriter. The majority of his team started out interning at small venues or working for small artists in their hometowns and have had such unique career paths that got them where they are today."
The visit was coordinated by Point Park's Public Relations Director Lou Corsaro. SAEM alumnus Adam Valen '15, who is the marketing manager for Pittsburgh concert promoter Drusky Entertainment, was also present for the event.
"I give a lot of credit toward my career from the truly unique opportunities Point Park provided, catered very creatively and suitably for live entertainment," Valen said. "I love seeing students in the same shoes I was in, and, given it's a very cutthroat industry at times, any opportunity to give students a leg up on advancing in this industry is incredibly meaningful."
In the Q&A below, hear more about Grammer's visit from Moyer and SAEM major Francesca Grignon '22.
Paige Moyer '22 and Andy Grammer
Paige Moyer '22
Hometown: Erie, Pa.; Mercyhurst Preparatory School
Dream job: Tour manager for an international tour
What did you find compelling during the Q&A?
With graduation only two months away, Andy and his team really inspired me to believe in myself and take every opportunity I can get. He really stressed that it's OK to fail in the beginning, but what's important is that you get back up and keep going. Whether it's releasing music or finding a job in the music business, you need to have that drive and passion behind what you're doing.
As touring has typically been a male-dominated industry, the women in his crew talked about their career journeys, and the men on the crew said they actually prefer working with women over men. It was inspiring to hear the men say how impressed they were that a group of 15 female college students all have a dream to be tour managers.
As touring has typically been a male-dominated industry, the women in his crew talked about their career journeys, and the men on the crew said they actually prefer working with women over men. It was inspiring to hear the men say how impressed they were that a group of 15 female college students all have a dream to be tour managers.
What valuable career advice did Grammer offer?
Andy really stressed not to give up and that everyone can reach their goals if they work for them. His team emphasized that there's more than one way to get into the industry, and there are so many roles out there. They talked about moving around to different roles on different tours. One of the women on the crew used to be a tour manager and is now the merchandise manager for Andy. She expressed how important it is to understand the different roles, especially once you become a tour manager.
How do opportunities like this in the SAEM program enhance your education?
The SAEM department has given me more opportunities than I could have ever asked for. I learn from industry professionals in classes like my Production Tour Management class, where we have guest speakers weekly from a wide variety of managers and crew members for artists like Miranda Lambert, REO Speedwagon, Little Big Town and many more. But I'm also able to gain hands-on experience in the music industry by working all sorts of events around Pittsburgh, like being a production assistant at the recent Imagine Dragons and Journey shows at PPG Paints Arena.
The professors really want to see you succeed and connect you with whoever they can, to help you get unique opportunities so you can expand your skillset and continue to learn new things inside and outside of the classroom. I will never be able to thank Ed Traversari enough for all the connections he has introduced me to and career opportunities he has sent my way.
The professors really want to see you succeed and connect you with whoever they can, to help you get unique opportunities so you can expand your skillset and continue to learn new things inside and outside of the classroom. I will never be able to thank Ed Traversari enough for all the connections he has introduced me to and career opportunities he has sent my way.
Francesca Grignon '22
Hometown: Westlake, Ohio; Westlake High School
Dream job: Songwriter
What are some of the key messages you took away from the event?
Some of the most compelling advice that resonated with me was if you want to pursue a career in entertainment you have to push past the fear of looking stupid, create your own opportunities instead of banking on someone else to grant you one and you have to have persistence and drive. Andy also said the best advice for networking is to give before you take.
What do these experiences add to your education in the SAEM program?
As students, the lessons we carry with us throughout our lives are not the ones we read in books, but the experiences we had that resonated with us along the way. It is so valuable to hear from a person who has made it in entertainment because their advice is coming from how they built their success. It's so inspiring to feel like it is possible to attain your dream career. That inspiration is what I think will motivate me, as well as other students, to take what has been learned in school and put it into action.
I am so grateful that the SAEM program provided me with this experience. After years of quarantining now, connecting with other members of the audience and the performers helped me remember why I fell in love with music and why I always wanted a career in music in the first place. As Andy said, everything has to come from you to get what you want. I think that drive is the most important factor in going after that job that will put you on the path to a meaningful career.
I am so grateful that the SAEM program provided me with this experience. After years of quarantining now, connecting with other members of the audience and the performers helped me remember why I fell in love with music and why I always wanted a career in music in the first place. As Andy said, everything has to come from you to get what you want. I think that drive is the most important factor in going after that job that will put you on the path to a meaningful career.
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