SESAC and Country Music Association (CMA)

The next stop includes two very important organizations for music rights and for country music in general. Welcome to the home offices of SESAC and the Country Music Association!

In 1931, Paul Heinecke established The Society of European Stage Authors and Composers, now known as SESAC. His core purpose in founding such an organization was to recognize that music is a universal language that supersedes language barriers. Initially, SESAC only represented European artists but eventually expanded to include American artists across all genres, including music for television and film. SESAC started in New York, but in 1964 they expanded to Nashville, and in 1985, Nashville became the home of its international headquarters. 

The first SESAC building in Nashville was located on 55 Music Square East along with additional office space on 66 Music Square West. In 2015, the offices on 66 Music Square West were torn down and SESAC moved to their current building located at 35 Music Square East. Today, SESAC operates as a performing rights organization that represents 30,000 affiliated songwriters, composers, and music publishers. They also support music in television and film. 

Some of the most famous members include Bob Dylan, The Avett Brothers, Neil Diamond, RUSH, and Mumford & Sons. The TV shows they represent include Grey’s Anatomy, Dateline NBC, Dr. Phil, How I Met Your Mother, and many others. Unlike ASCAP, SESAC is an invitation-only organization. Their song repository contains over one million songs among their thousands of affiliates. 

This building is also the home office of the Country Music Association, better known as CMA. Founded in 1958, the organization was first headed by Wesley Rose, president of Acuff-Rose Publishing. It began in an effort to promote country music and its artists during the transition from old country and new country, which incorporated elements of rock ‘n roll. In 1967, the first CMA Awards ceremony was held, and the female vocalist of the year award went to none other than Loretta Lynn. The annual CMA Awards remains a major media and music event televised live each year from Nashville. 

Another major event that CMA hosts and promotes is the annual fan festival—known as CMA Fest. CMA Fest began at the state fairground in 1972 and provided fans an opportunity to see or meet their favorite country stars and listen to performances. Today’s CMA Fest is a four-day extravaganza, featuring over 300 artists, approximately 100,000 country music lovers, and concerts running each day on several downtown stages—including Nissan Stadium where the Tennessee Titans play. According to the organization, “CMA Fest is a one-of-a-kind festival with artists donating their time to perform so ticket proceeds can directly benefit high-quality music programs across the country through the CMA Foundation.”

CMA’s new office here on Music Row employs over fifty staff members, and the organization also manages several other ventures includes CMA Christmas, CMA Songwriters Series, and CMA Foundation. 

Continue walking north on Music Square East. Stop just before you reach Roy Acuff Place to view the former home of Decca Records.