OUR MISSION
Our mission is to provide professional growth opportunities for the Michigan Music Community.
OUR VISION
Our vision is a vibrant Michigan music community where musicians thrive.
ABOUT US
The Michigan Music Alliance was created in 2019 as a direct response to the needs expressed by Michigan artists about what they needed to continue to build their music businesses into sustainable careers. Their feedback became the B-Side Sessions, a series of free music business education sessions focusing on specific topics anywhere from social media to publishing.
In addition to educational music business sessions and DIY resources, we are creating opportunities to help artists connect on a personal level. It is our hope these events will facilitate lasting collaborations and support systems leading to a sustainable music community that focuses on what we all have in common: the love of music.
We believe in "collaboration over competition" and the power of coming together. Diversity fuels the spirit of the Michigan Music Community and Michigan Music Alliance. Our commitment to inclusion across genre, race, gender, age, religion, identity and experience drives us forward every day. Our goal is to bridge the gaps and create a flow of community, opportunity and knowledge throughout the entire state. If you would like to get involved, please reach out to us at info@michiganmusicalliance.org.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Nicholas James Thomasma
Executive Director
Earthwork Music singer songwriter Nicholas James Thomasma has over 20 years of industry experience as a performer, organizer, promoter and radio DJ. A former board member at Folk Alliance Region Midwest, he is also the curator of the Songtellers, Stories and Songs songwriter series in Grand Rapids, MI and hosts several songwriting retreat weekends. Contact: director@michiganmusicalliance.org
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John Sinkevics
President
John Sinkevics is a lifelong journalist who started the Local Spins website covering West Michigan's music scene in 2012. After serving as a lead music critic and entertainment writer for The Grand Rapids Press for 10 years, he now serves as editor and publisher of Local Spins, providing news updates on Grand Rapids-area musical happenings, band features, photo galleries, concert and album reviews, podcasts and guest columns, as well as hosting the weekly Local Spins on WYCE radio show at 11 a.m. Fridays on WYCE (88.1 FM) spotlighting local and regional music and interviews with Michigan artists. He holds an honors degree in journalism from the University of Michigan and is co-founder of The Honeytones, once described as “the deans of Grand Rapids’ pop-rock scene” and a band that stages an annual Feedback concert to benefit Access of West Michigan’s food pantries for the needy -- an event that's featured dozens of other West Michigan artists for the past two decades.
Cindy McSurely
Vice President
Cindy McSurely is a passionate advocate for the arts with two decades of experience in the nonprofit sector. She specializes in fund development, governance, and leading practices as a consultant. Starting her career as Crooked Tree Arts Center’s development director, she led key events and campaigns. She then served as the executive director of Blissfest Music Organization, guiding it through pandemic challenges, cultivating leadership, and strengthening community connections. Cindy's efforts in securing substantial funding were crucial in overcoming two pandemic-induced cancellations, ultimately leading to the revival of its cherished music festival. She also serves as Co-President of the Kiwanis Club of Petoskey and is on the Steering Committee for Leadership Little Traverse. Her extensive nonprofit arts experience and dedication to community building make her a vital member of the Michigan Music Alliance board.
Christopher Newburg
Secretary
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.
Casey Rasmussen
Treasurer
Casey Ann is a talented singer-songwriter with a passion for music that runs deep. From a young age, Casey Ann has been captivating audiences with her soulful performances, showcasing her skills as a guitarist, keys player, and lead vocalist. With a voice that resonates with emotion and a knack for creating heart-wrenching lyrics, Casey Ann has the power to both break your heart and search your soul. In her day job, Casey Ann is a highly experienced finance professional with over 25 years of industry expertise. Throughout her career, she has excelled in various roles, focusing on cost control and implementing effective financial strategies. Casey's strong financial acumen and analytical skills have enabled her to drive business results and contribute to the growth and success of the organizations she has served.
Andrea Wallace
Music producer/DJ, entrepreneur and technologist, Andrea Wallace (best known as Dre) has passion for building business and empowering those who are part of the creative economy. Dre has invested in projects across industries, including music/entertainment, technology and most recently, consumer products. A west Michigan native, Dre has spent the last 13 years strategizing innovative technology solutions for some of the largest companies in the country, but what Dre is most known for is being "Super". Dre has been an accomplished music producer and DJ for nearly 15 years under the moniker SuperDre, performing at venues around the world and producing music for other artists, TV shows and documentaries. With that strong passion for music and technology, Dre founded Fourtifeye, a music-tech startup focused on using data to drive more meaningful connections between musicians, fans and brands. In 2021, Fourtifeye was acquired by another music-tech company called Opnr and Dre was appointed the new CEO of Opnr.
John Bommarito
John Bommarito’s adventure in the music industry began in 1985 as the first ever paid employee of an independent record store in East Detroit (now Eastpointe), MI called Record Time. After nearly 10 years serving as the store’s manager and head buyer, John moved to Miami to be the head buyer for a supplier of import CDs that sold to stores across the USA. An opportunity arose to run a company doing the same thing, but specializing only in CDs manufactured in Canada. John did that for five years until the bottom fell out on the independent record stores (in many ways due to Napster changing how music buyers no longer valued owning the music legally). All of this exposure to music came in handy when he stumbled into the opportunity to do something he wanted to do since 10th grade – be on the radio! WHFR in Dearborn at Henry Ford College was the real start of John’s radio career back in 2002, where he began serving as the station’s Folk Music Director and remained in that position for nearly ten years. In 2005, John had the opportunity to join the staff at ann arbor’s 107one (WQKL-FM), where he remained for nearly 15 years. While there, he got to host a Sunday morning show called Acoustic Brunch (which later became the Sunday Brunch). It was heard both in Ann Arbor and, for a period of time before the pandemic, Grand Rapids on WKQL-FM. During his time with WQKL, John got to interview artists ranging from up and coming local artists to future stars like Ed Sheeran. In 2021, John returned to WHFR to serve as the station’s Operations Manager until the opportunity to join the staff at WEMU arose. John loves live music in listening rooms like The Ark, Trinity House, 20 Front Street and house concerts and cherishes his CD collection. After watching the demise of vinyl when he worked in record retail, he can’t wait for the big CD revival to take place. Otherwise, he’s got a room full of music that has no value to anyone but him.
Lori Stratton
Lori Stratton is a music journalist, artist champion and live music aficionado based in Whitmore Lake, Michigan. Her musical journey started while working as a corporate communications writer by day and attending live shows at night and on weekends. That growing love of music later blossomed into The Stratton Setlist, a music blog that spotlights independent artists and musicians inside and outside of Michigan. Lori also writes about local music and artists for Current Magazine, Local Spins and the Ann Arbor District Library’s Pulp blog. Today, Lori volunteers as a communications coordinator for Ypsilanti’s Grove Studios, hosts The Stratton Setlist podcast and works as a library technician – writer/editor for the Ann Arbor District Library.
History of the Michigan Music Alliance
Founded in 2019, the Michigan Music Alliance (MMA) was formed in direct response to the articulated needs of artists from West Michigan. The genesis of MMA was marked by a pivotal event in July 2019, when founding executive director Elle Lively organized a Music Business Roundtable at Third Coast Recording Co. in Grand Haven, Michigan. This gathering drew an enthusiastic crowd of over 200 local artists, engineers, promoters, booking agents, venue owners, and other industry stakeholders. The roundtable facilitated an open dialogue, where artists communicated their aspirations and challenges in building sustainable careers in the music industry.
The B-Side Sessions, an innovative series of free music business education workshops, emerged from these discussions. These sessions focus on industry-specific topics ranging from social media strategies to music publishing. Initially hosted in local studios and venues across West Michigan, the B-Side Sessions transitioned to a virtual format in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This shift not only sustained the continuity of the program but also expanded its reach to a broader array of Michigan artists.
Responding swiftly to the economic impact of the pandemic, MMA launched the Michigan Artist Relief Fund in March 2020. As the second COVID-19 response fund in the nation, specifically for self-employed artists, it was crucial in providing financial support to artists affected by event cancellations. The fund's success was propelled by the Spread the Music Festival, a four-day virtual music festival that raised $40,000. The funds were distributed to qualifying Michigan artists, with the fund reopening for applications in May 2021 following the second annual festival.
The MMA ethos is rooted in "collaboration over competition," with a commitment to diversity and inclusion across all facets of the music industry. By embracing artists from various genres, races, genders, ages, religions, identities, and experiences, MMA strives to bridge gaps and foster a dynamic music community across Michigan.
