DRIPPING SPRINGS – The Dripping Springs Visitors Bureau is in the process of certifying Dripping Springs as a “Music Friendly Community” through the Texas Music Office, Office of the Governor. The Texas Music Office’s “Music Friendly Community” program provides Texas communities with a network for fostering music industry development, support for the next generation of Texas musicians and resources and infrastructure for attracting and developing music industry growth.

Dripping Springs completed the first step in becoming certified by hosting a Texas Music Office sponsored Music Friendly Community workshop on Oc.21.  Fourteen musicians, venue owners and music industry professionals attended the virtual meeting to learn about the designation and what it would mean for the music community in Dripping Springs.

“The Dripping Springs area is well known for fostering musical talent as shown by a multitude of venues promoting live music, several recording studios and our highly successful annual Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival. The Texas Music Office will give us a way to reach, assist and advocate for the great talent we have locally,” remarked Pam Owens, pPresident/CEO of the Dripping Springs Visitors Bureau.

Other steps in the designation process include establishing a music office/liaison within a division of city government that will be responsible for reports concerning the progress of local music industry development programs, registering with the Texas Music Office’s Texas Music Industry Directory as well as creating an advisory board made up of local music community industry stakeholders.

The Dripping Springs Visitors Bureau has created an advisory board that is a representative cross-section of the local music industry stakeholders.  The advisory board includes Ben Kweller, Alex Dormont, Mike Morgan, Ashton Teague, Laurie Smith, Scott Friedeck, Chad Hudson, Dave Niemeyer, Pam Owens, Hope Boatright, Amanda Rodriguez, Kim Fernea, Susan Kimball and Lisa Sullivan.

The core function of the Texas Music Office is to serve as a clearinghouse for Texas music industry information via the TMO’s Texas Music Industry Directory (a business referral network comprised of 15,000-plus Texas music businesses), serve as a liaison between music businesses and government offices and agencies, publicize significant developments within the industry, and to attract essential music industry to foster the economic development of Texas music businesses and musicians.