PANELISTS:  John Ozier, Brad Peterson, and Chip Petree
MODERATOR:  Tim Wipperman

John Ozier – As executive vp creative, Ozier oversees Reservoir’s Nashville operations, including signing and developing new talent. He joins Reservoir following a six-year stint at independent Canadian publisher olé that included marquee signings Jeff Trott, Tony Martin, Jordan Davis, Chris Janson, Adam Hambrick and Tyler Farr, along with the acquisitions of the Red Vinyl Music, Parallel Music, and Better Angels Music publishing catalogs.

Earlier on, Ozier looked after the careers of Tim McGraw, LeAnn Rimes, Wynonna Judd, Lee Brice and Rodney Atkins at Curb Records.

He is also a hit songwriter with cuts by Lee Brice, Tyler Farr, Kid Rock, Kellie Pickler, Charlie Worsham, Josh Thompson, American Young, Air Supply and others. He co-wrote Lee Brice’s multi-week No. 1 and multi-platinum single, “Hard to Love,” which won a BMI Award in 2013, as well as an NSAI Award for ‘Top 10 Songs I Wish I’d Written.’ John also co-wrote Tyler Farr’s #1 and Gold Single, “Whiskey In My Water,” which also won a BMI Award for one of the most played songs of the year.

John was also named to the Nashville Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40, as well as the University of Georgia’s Top 40 Under 40.

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Chip Petree – Chip Petree is managing partner for the Nashville office of New York-based firm Ritholz Levy Fields, an office he opened in June 2014 after a decade heading up his own law practice, Petree Law.  As a practitioner specializing in transactional work in the music and entertainment industries, Chip represents a diverse group of individuals and companies in all areas of the entertainment industry, including #1 songwriters, award-winning and chart-topping recording artists, record producers, independent music publishers, new media service providers, and on-air television talent. In addition to his own law practice, Chip also served as GM for Copyright Exchange throughout the company’s 10-years as a consulting and brokerage firm specializing in the market for musical copyright catalogs.  Chip has been lead counsel for  50+ catalog sales worth over $100 million – including the rights to such iconic songs as “When A Man Loves a Woman”, “Love Shack”, “Live Like You Were Dying” and “Jesus Take the Wheel” – and has established himself as a leader and authority on the catalog market.

Chip began his career as a lawyer in two boutique entertainment law practices in Nashville, and he also spent two years practicing technology law at a major international law firm in Silicon Valley.  Chip has also served in the in-house legal departments at the RIAA, BMG Entertainment and CBS Cable/MTV Networks, where he was primary counsel to CMT.

Chip is a 1993 graduate of Davidson College and a 1997 graduate of the Wake Forest University School of Law. He is a member of NARAS/The Recording Academy, Academy of Country Music, AIMP, Country Music Association, Copyright Society of the South, Nashville Bar Association, and Leadership Music.

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Brad Peterson – Brad has been in music and entertainment related banking for more than 2 decades, and is currently Vice President of Music & Entertainment for Regions Bank in Nashville.  He has a particular concentration in music publishing and royalty lending, along with various banking representation for songwriters, artists, business management firms, record labels, live events, media companies, and other businesses that contribute into the music industry.
Member and sponsor of the Nashville chapter of the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP), has been involved with the Music Business Pipeline Project at Belmont University, the Entertainment Business program at SAE Institute in Nashville, the Nashville Film Festival, and is a board member of the Nashville Filmmakers Guild.  Brad is also a member of the Leadership Music class of 2016.
Originally from the Midwest, he is a graduate of Washington & Lee University in Virginia, and has lived in Nashville for 23 years.  Brad has a 19-year old son, Brady, and a 16-year old stepdaughter, Lindsey.  He enjoys all things entertainment, family, cars, travel and football.

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Tim Wipperman – After graduating from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in Political Science, Tim made his way to Nashville and was hired by Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed to run Vector Music Publishing.  He then worked for Cedarwood Publishing as a songplugger, and at Combine Music pitching songs for writers such as Kris Kristofferson, until Warner Bros. Music asked him to build their Nashville office shortly after it opened.
He remained as the head of Warner Bros. Music (Warner Chappell) for 29 years. Some highlights from his tenure include:

• Founder and second chairman of the Copyright Society of the South
• Tim was the youngest publisher to receive the prestigious ASCAP Country Music Publisher of the Year; won BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC Publisher of the Year more than 10 times
• Signed Willie Nelson, Alan Jackson, Little Big Town, Jason Aldean, Trace Atkins, Restless Heart, David Alan Coe, and multiple Hall of Fame songwriters and producers . . .
• During his tenure at Warners, his operation won over 500 ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC awards, multiple Grammy Awards, CMA Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, and Songs of the Year
• Helped bring American Country Music to Brazil.
• Traveled to Russia, Guatemala, Cuba, and Israel several times playing with the Metro Big Band and orchestras for fun.

He  is currently CEO of Rezonant Music, home to Hillary Lindsey( ACM Songwriter of the Year, Lady Gaga “Memories”  Little Big Town “Girl Crush”, Keith Urban ”Blue”), Ross Copperman (BMI songwriter of the Year the last two years), Kevin Kadish, (wrote and produced Meghan Trainors’ “All About That Bass”) Trevor Rosen (Old Dominion), Scooter Carusoe (“Drunk Girl”, “When Was the Last Time”) Paul “Hot Sauce” Dawson  (Rhianna, Cardi B) among others.

****This is a private event for Society members and their guests.  If you are interested in becoming a member of the Copyright Society of the South, contact us today!***