Beville Dunkerly
Our annual list of trailblazing women are creating lasting legacies for themselves and for the city of Nashville. Now they’re sharing their stories, their triumphs, their setbacks, and their advice with us. Prepare to be inspired.
Early Aspirations
Home videos of me as a young child are embarrassing! I was constantly jumping in front of my brother to try to steal the spotlight. I was much more subdued (and seriously awkward) as a teenager, but I still craved both the spotlight and some sort of career that involved writing. My heroes were Diane Sawyer and Molly Shannon; I either wanted to be a TV news reporter or a sketch writer/actor on Saturday Night Live. I went the news route, working as a producer for NewsChannel 5 here in Nashville, and then as an on-air reporter for WSM and WWTN radio. It was at WSM, working with my new heroes Bill Whyte and Bill Cody, that I realized I really belong in the music industry.
Challenges Faced
Some of my biggest mentors and cheerleaders in this business have been men, but I did face my fair share
of sexism toward the beginning of my career, just like millions of women. There were men in my exact roles with higher salaries and even one former boss who told me he’d only hire men for on-air positions if he could get away with it. Thankfully, the music industry has improved by leaps and bounds since those days, at least for me. Today, my biggest challenge is balancing family and career. The former comes first, always!
Work Perks
I love meeting with artists right at the beginning of their careers, when they’re hungry to learn and aren’t yet jaded by this business. It’s incredibly fulfilling to help an artist and their team through whatever exposure I’m able to give them. I also really love our live concerts that broadcast on-air on SiriusXM. It takes me back to my news days with the rush of the on-air deadlines and the incredible sense of accomplishment when it’s all over.
Advice to Others
Network, network, network! I’ve never found a job online; it was all by word of mouth. The music industry is incredibly social, and there’s an underlying expectation to go to events and meet as many people as you can. It’s also an incredibly supportive industry, with people who will become your biggest support system—and who will gladly send out your résumé with wholehearted recommendations.
Meet Beville Dunkerly and other women in the local community who are the best in their fields at our annual Women in Business event.
>>> PURCHASE TICKETS
The mix and mingle reception will be held on August 24 from 5-7:30 p.m., to network with our Women in Business honorees plus 200 other local business professionals. Throughout the evening, we will be doing live Q and A sessions with each woman!
Guests will enjoy hors d'oeuvres from Virgin Hotels Nashville along with wine from Biltmore Winery and cocktails from Tito's Handmade Vodka. Beverages from a full bar will also be available for purchase (credit cards only).