Building the Sound of Nashville: Shannon Sanders in Conversation

Where creativity meets commerce, the most powerful careers in music are built. In this episode of Taking Care of Your Music Business, Jamie Dominguez of The MLC sits down with Shannon Sanders — three-time Grammy winner, three-time Emmy winner, and Dove Award winner, who serves as Executive Director of Creative at BMI's Nashville office. With more than 25 years across soul, R&B, gospel, and roots music, and collaborations with John Legend, Chris Stapleton, and many more, Shannon brings a rare dual perspective as both a celebrated creator and a music executive.  Shannon and Jamie dig into what it really means to think like a business owner while staying true to your craft, why understanding your rights and royalties is essential, and how BMI often serves as a creator's first relationship in the industry. They also tackle AI's growing impact on ownership and intellectual property—and why claiming your work and keeping your metadata accurate matters more than ever. Whether you're a songwriter, performer, or producer, you'll come away with practical wisdom to protect your work and build a lasting career. Listen now. Watch all our full episodes on YouTube here and learn more about The MLC and our mission to ensure songwriters and music publishers receive their mechanical royalties from streaming and download services in the U.S. accurately and on time here.