DOAK TURNER

1950s-1970s

Doak was born in West Virginia and grew up in St. Albans, graduated St. Albans High School and inducted into the SAHS Hall of Fame in 2018.  Doak attended several concerts in the 70’s which stirred his passion for music and the music business.

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1980s

Highlights include radio sales and marketing 1982-1989 in Charleston, West Virginia, and Charlotte, North Carolina (moved to Charlotte 1987) where he was Salesman of the year 5 times. Some of Doak’s favorite clients included the concert and event promoters and the NWA wrestling, where he was a NWA ring announcer in the mid 80’s in West Virginia. Doak started writing songs in the summer of 1989 that led to his songwriting and music biz journey.

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1990s

Several business opportunities for marketing and the music biz – Sports Marketing – Arena Football League 1992 for Charlotte Rage, Tennis Marketing for the Davis Cup in Charlotte, North Carolina, founded the Lake Norman Tennis Association in the early 90’s (that still exists with 2,000+ members), Syndication of the radio network, and NASCAR Country (added 200 stations to the network in two years and major client sales including Chevrolet of $250,000+ to the network). Manufacturer’s rep in the lighting biz, also cellular and print sales.

Founded the Charlotte NSAI local workshop in 1996 and responsible for 5 additional workshops being started in the Carolina’s, West Virginia and Maryland. He ran the workshop till 2002.

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2000s

Songwriting business, promoted the biggest NSAI events outside of Nashville with the Music Row to Charlotte 2001 and 2002 events, with 200 attendees at the conferences. NSAI voted Doak the Ambassador of the year in 2012.

Doak moved to Nashville in the fall of 2002. Spring of 2003 was the beginning of the now legendary 3rd Sunday at 3:00 (112 consecutive months) of 100 songwriters each month showing up at Doak’s 701 Brook Hollow home to play songs, network, share food and build lasting memories and relationships within the music community. Doak also hosted 7 Guitar BQs that brought up to 600 people to the house for those events (between 2003 – 2009).  Hit #1, Hall of Fame songwriters, and up-and-coming songwriters and artists in the music industry attended these legendary events.

Doak founded the Nashville Muse in 2003, which grew from 30 to 3,500 weekly subscribers,  many of whom were already playing in the Nashville songwriting community. Nashville Muse was eventually merged into the Music Starts Here---the GPS of the Music Community---that Doak has been a co-owner of since 2010. Music Starts Here empowers, educates, and connects the music community with music industry's pros' advice, events, podcasts, and social media.

Doak has also hosted songwriter and music industry workshops with professionals in the music business in Nashville since his arrival in 2002.

Doak has had songs recorded by over 12 artists, along with songs on Sirius XM, local radio, and RFD network.

Additionally, Doak is the rep for OTTO PRINT---the company that founded the Backstage Security business---for laminates, lanyards, wristbands, backstage passes and also specialty products such as Coozies, flashlights and other items with various logos and names. OTTO Print also creates step and repeat banners for events. If you are interested, contact Doak for these items.

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