We appreciate the tendencies of people to defend the efforts of the Music Commission aka Music Foundation for the past few years, but let’s be honest, the results are meager at best.
Today, The Commercial Appeal reported the worst-kept secret in Memphis – Commission president Rey Flemings has resigned. So, can we direct your attention back to our post of Wednesday asking for a new day for the organization supposedly entrusted with the leadership of our music business?
We’d like to suggest that rather than Commission members getting defensive (and claiming Court Square concerts as their grand contribution to the Memphis Music scene) and musicians attacking the every initiative of recent years, perhaps now’s the time to acknowledge that we have been largely adrift in the past 36 months or chasing supposed magic answers that tended to never materialize, and that now is the time for every one to join hands and together – this time – develop serious, musician-centered plans for the future.
We have a choice. We can engage in rancor, or we can take Mr. Flemings’ departure as the chance for a new beginning and the chance to create a new consensus for the future. Will the Music Commission step up to the plate and accept this responsibility?
