

April 11, 2026
Location:
Bamboo GR | Start Garden
2 Fulton St, Grand Rapids, MI
SPONSORS
Schedule

Music Econ Summit 2026
Host: Michigan Music Alliance
Date: Saturday, April 11
Time: 9:00 am–4:30 pm
Location: Bamboo | Start Garden, Grand Rapids
What It Is
The 3rd Annual Music Econ Summit is a one-day conference focused on the business side of the music industry.
-
100+ Michigan musicians expected
-
36 industry professionals
-
12 workshops, panels, and breakout sessions
-
7 Vendors
Keynote
OPENING KEYNOTE
9:45am
Location:
Theater

Making Your Mark in the Media Amid the Music World's Mayhem & AI Madness
John Sinkevics
Local Spins Editor and Publisher
Musicians and songwriters face overwhelming obstacles and daunting challenges in reaching their audiences in a highly competitive industry that's not only flooded with releases by millions of artists every year, but now, with 50,000-plus AI-generated tracks added to streaming services every day. But nothing replaces the basics when it comes to marketing your music and getting the right information to publications, media outlets, radio stations, venues, agencies and others who can help spread the word about your band and your music. Every musician, songwriter and band needs to have a tool kit and an organized approach to "selling" their art in a professional manner so they don't get overlooked -- or have their correspondence ignored and sent to the trash bin. Bio: John Sinkevics is a career journalist and musician who started the Local Spins website in 2012 after spending the previous 12 years as a music critic and entertainment writer for The Grand Rapids Press. Local Spins -- the state's fastest-growing music website -- covers Michigan's music scene via feature stories, concert and album reviews, artist spotlights, breaking music news, photos, concert listings, podcasts & videos. Sinkevics hosts the weekly Michigan Music Showcase radio show on WYCE (GR) and on Interlochen Public Radio (3 N. Michigan stations). He's past president of the Michigan Music Alliance, a member of the Ferris State University Music & Entertainment Business advisory board and co-founder of the band The Honeytones.
Headshots
headshots

by Chelsea Whitaker Photography
INCLUDED FOR ALL ATTENDEES OF THE MUSIC ECON SUMMIT
Stop by and see Chelsea Whitaker Photography for your new headshot! The cost of the headshots is included in the admission price for the weekend. No additional purchase is necessary.
Location:
Start Garden
conference Room
CHeck out the PHOTOS from 2025!
Workshops
Release Strategy
10:30 AM

Kyle Jekleiek
Lutely
Location:
Gallery
Kyle Jekielek is the co-founder and CEO of Lutely, a new music platform combining post-creative AI tools with direct-to-fan distribution. Lutely enables artists and record labels to generate release-ready assets instantly and monetize their work directly, without relying solely on traditional streaming platforms. He is focused on building the next generation of music infrastructure, giving creators more control, speed, and ownership over how their music is released and experienced.
Thing You Don't Know
(You need to know)
1:00 PM
%20-%20Chris%20Simpson.jpg)
Chris Simpson
Catch and play Songs
Location:
Vault
Chris Simpson is a music and music business professional based in Detroit, Michigan. He specializes in music marketing, music entrepreneurship, and music performance. Chris is the founder of Catch & Play Songs, a Michigan-based music company focused on artist development, music marketing, and community building. Chris serves on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Music Alliance, is Detroit Community Curator for The Digilogue and serves on advisory and alumni councils at Wayne State University.
Art of Songwriting
2:30 PM
Steven Malcolm
Recording artist
Location:
Theater
In The Art of Songwriting, Steven Malcolm breaks down his personal creative process and shares real-world gems from his journey as a professional recording artist. From crafting concepts and hooks to building verses that hit emotionally and commercially, this workshop dives into the mindset, structure, and discipline behind impactful songs. Bio: Steven Malcolm makes faith-driven hip-hop that's a s unique a s his multicultural background. It’s a sound rooted in raps rhythmic delivery, pop's modern melodies, and God's Word, glued together by an artist whose music has earned seven Dove Award nominations and more than 140 million streams
LUNCH
lunch is INCLUDED
Provided by
11:45 AM
Location:
Theater Cafe
Taste Buds- Catering is led by our "Taste Buds" Chefs with over 50 years of combined experience. Choose from our general menus or let us assist in crafting a unique menu to fit your budget and event needs. We specialize in contract food services, corporate catering, lunches, dinners, weddings and private events, delivering throughout West Michigan. Taste Buds also has our restaurant space to host private parties and fundraisers in the heart of the city. Taste Buds- Kitchen Connects, LLC owns and operates The Brunch Lounge, Taste Buds Catering and Pressed In Time- Food Truck providing quality products and services to the community. Our mission of supporting local non- profits through business focuses on social enterprising, daily meal contract services, "The Brunch Lounge" restaurant, Taste Buds- Catering, Pressed In Time- Food Truck, Home of The Grand Rapids Food Truck Association, Servsafe Certification Training, collaborating with Community Transition Students with Autism and offering fundraising/ private event space.
Panel Discussions
Help Us Help You
10:30 AM
Location:
Vault
PANEL HOST

Dre Wallace


Yessina Gomez


Andrea Caralis


Brandon McCall

Building a Music Community
2:30 PM
Location:
Gallery
PANEL HOST

Lori Stratton


Lady Ace Boogie


Jen Hudson Prenkert
%20(3.jpg)
%20-%20Nicole%20LaRae%20(1).jpg)
Nicole Larae


Brandon Copeland

CONTENT CREATIOn
2:30 PM
Location:
Vault

.jpeg)
.jpg)

Robby Fischer

Ryan Malott

Jeff Wood

Wayne Lewis

Nicholas Bozzo

Mentor Sessions
Mentor Sessions
Sign up coming Soon!
Mentors


Nicholas Bozzo
Crack House Studio
Robby Fisher
Dogtown Studio
Steven Malcolm
Recording artist
Cracka Lack is a creative entrepreneur, content strategist, and founder of Crack House Studios, a full-service media company based in Lansing, Michigan. With over 20 years in the music and content industry, he has built a career helping artists, creators, and businesses grow through strategic content and branding. He is the host of the “Free Game with Crack” podcast and focuses on turning attention into income through content, systems, and consistency. His work bridges the gap between creativity and business, helping others build sustainable brands.
Robby Fischer is a musician and video creator. He is the owner of Dogtown Studio, a hyper-functional studio in Grand Rapids, MI, where he helps musicians record live session videos, known as "Dogtown Sessions." He started doing Dogtown Sessions in 2018 with his best friend, Tito, as a way to spend more of the hours of their lives creating with friends. 7 years and 400+ sessions later, Dogtown has grown into a business that offers high-quality video and audio recording to bands, and has become a staple of the Michigan music scene.
Steven Malcolm makes faith-driven hip-hop that's a s unique as his multicultural background. It’s a sound rooted in raps rhythmic delivery, pop's modern melodies, and God's Word, glued together by an artist whose music has earned seven Dove Award nominations and more than 140 million streams



Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert
Sounds of the Zoo
Lady Ace Boogie
Lady Ace Boogie Presents
Wayne Lewis
Carbon Stories
Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert is a dynamic and influential festival director renowned for her exceptional skills in orchestrating high-profile events. With over 25 years of extensive experience in the entertainment industry, she has evolved from a professional dancer to an innovative choreographer, a sought-after booking agent, and a visionary creative director. Jennifer's profound dedication to music and community building is the cornerstone of her career. She is not just a dreamer but a doer, fiercely committed to fostering a robust and supportive community that champions change and empowers artists within the music industry. Her ambitious project, Sounds of the Zoo, is a testament to her leadership and collaborative spirit. Originating from a long-held vision, this festival is now a celebrated reality in Kalamazoo, MI, symbolizing Jennifer's remarkable ability to transform dreams into impactful, community-driven successes.
Lady Ace Boogie is a hip-hop artist, creative director, and community strategist whose work centers on cultural preservation, artist development, and experience curation. She is known for building elevated, inclusive spaces that amplify independent voices and redefine what hip-hop looks like in institutional settings.
Project manager of a content creation agency that focuses on consistent and intentional storytelling. Director of partnerships at Camp Teo, an event focused organization that curates party and concert experiences.

%20-%20Chris%20Simpson.jpg)

Julie Kastelan
Music Therapist
Chris Simpson
Catch & Play Songs
Chris Newberg
Kuiper Kraemer, P.C.
Julie is a Board-Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC) with experience across the full continuum of mental health care. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music Therapy from Eastern Michigan University and completed her clinical internship at MusicWorx & Resounding Joy Inc., a community-based nonprofit in San Diego. Julie served as the first music therapist at a psychiatric inpatient hospital, where she developed and implemented music therapy programming across the facility. She later worked for the State of Michigan at the Center for Forensic Psychiatry, facilitating music therapy interventions in a maximum-security forensic psychiatric hospital. Currently, Julie is the Community Outreach Liaison and Music Therapist at a mental health Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient Program clinic in Metro Detroit, facilitating music therapy groups while building community partnerships to understand local needs, reduce barriers to care, and strengthen access to equitable, high-quality mental health treatment.
Chris Simpson is a music and music business professional based in Detroit, Michigan. He specializes in music marketing, music entrepreneurship, and music performance. Chris is the founder of Catch & Play Songs, a Michigan-based music company focused on artist development, music marketing, and community building. Chris serves on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Music Alliance, is Detroit Community Curator for The Digilogue and serves on advisory and alumni councils at Wayne State University.
Chris Newberg is an attorney and partner at Rodenhouse Law Group. He helps individuals and businesses in civil litigation, business, cannabis, intellectual property, and entertainment matters. While much of his litigation experience comes from working on large-scale, complex lawsuits, there is no case too big or too small for Chris as he takes a great deal of pride in providing his services to individuals and businesses traditionally underserved by the legal community. Chris is one of Michigan’s few entertainment attorneys with actual, first-hand experience in the entertainment industry. Chris knows that to properly represent entertainers, you must not only know the law, but also the business. That’s where he starts to separate from the pack. For over the past decade, Chris has traveled the country as the lead guitarist for Gunnar & the Grizzly Boys, which has given him invaluable perspective and experience concerning the operations of all sides of the music industry. Whether it’s helping a new artist get started in business, working through complex intellectual property licensing issues, or negotiating publishing and record deals, Chris is more than qualified to help. Chris grew up in Rockford, Michigan, and is now raising a family with his wife on the west side of Grand Rapids. He is a graduate and devoted fan of Michigan State University. After attending MSU, he received his law degree from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School. When he’s not working, Chris enjoys playing music, playing with his rambunctious little boys, traveling, fishing, and enjoying the outdoors.

Ralston Bowles
Earthwork Music
Born into a lineage of Appalachian music, Ralston Bowles began his professional career at sixteen, crafting "story songs" that define the Midwest experience. His debut album, Carwreck Conversations, produced by Marvin Etzioni, earned triple Jammy Awards and a release via Judy Collins’ Wildflower Records. A Kerrville New Folk finalist, Bowles has shared stages with icons like Shawn Colvin and Arlo Guthrie. His latest work, Little Miracles, was remarkably recorded during his battle with colon cancer. Now in remission, the Earthwork Music artist continues to captivate audiences with his insightful songwriting and a voice that bridges folk tradition with contemporary grit.
VENDORS






GRAPHIC DESIGN BY
_edited_edited.png)
2025 Music econ summit PHOTO RECAP by
CHELSEA WHITAKEr Photography
Check out the 2025 Music Econ Summit video







































