Cris Lacy
Whether they’re working behind a desk, in the field, or on the road, trailblazing women are paving their own way in Music City. Now they’re taking a break from their busy schedules to share their success stories with us.
THE DAILY HUSTLE
I’m a country music superfan who believes my job is to elevate people who were given the gift to write, play, sing, and preach their personal gospel to the world. I co-lead a team of passionate people who are experts in creative, digital, radio, streaming, A&R, publicity, and more to help make that goal a reality.
EARLY ASPIRATIONS
I don’t remember a time that I didn’t listen to country music with my family. We played Glen Campbell on our 45s; my dad taught me to play guitar; I sang with my friends in the car and with my mom and grandparents on the front porch. I always wanted to move to Nashville and be a part of this business. As an only child, music was my confidante, my therapist, and my connection to other people’s viewpoints and lifestyles. [Later] I was a cocktail waitress at the Stagecoach Lounge on Murfreesboro Road. I waited tables at Ruby Tuesday. I played in a band on the weekends. I worked in publishing and A&R, but those first three roles taught me just as much about people and work ethic as any of the “industry” jobs. Somewhere in all of this I learned to rely on my intuition. I learned that it’s better to be wrong than to have no opinion at all. Water that doesn’t move gets stagnant. Just move the ball forward and make the next best decision from there. At the end of the day, I just didn’t quit.
CHALLENGES FACED
It was challenging to be in a room with people that I felt were more seasoned, smarter, or more connected. I often felt like an outsider. I’m naturally an introvert who operates as an extrovert in my job. I had to find my way to be part of the discussions in those rooms without taking on someone else’s persona. I had to have honest conversations with my colleagues about the unique perspective I brought to the table and how the company would get the best from me. When I first started in A&R, there were few spots for women on the A&R teams. Generally, if you were a female, there was one spot for you on an A&R team. We are turning the corner on that. There are multiple labels now with an equitable split or predominantly female A&R teams.
WORK PERKS
I love that I can be a part of artists and fans connecting. It might be in a stadium where Kenny Chesney is pouring love into the crowd, and they are sending love right back to him—that energy and excitement is truly special—or it might be that someone will DM Jordyn Shellhart because a song she played in a writer’s round gave them the courage to address a weight they’d been carrying for years and let it go. I love that our artists make people feel seen and understood, and in turn feel the same themselves. It’s an extraordinary business.
ADVICE TO OTHERS
The most important person for you to know in this town is yourself. The networking, the connections—they will all come. This business requires that you be unshakable in what you believe, what decisions you make, and what actions you take. That won’t happen if you’re a stranger to yourself.
Meet Cris Lacy 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 18 from 5-7:30 p.m., to network with our Women in Business honorees plus 300 other local business professionals. Throughout the evening, we will be doing live Q and A sessions with each woman!