Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1523410
June/July 2024 | maconmagazine.com 83 became a tangible, lasting impact on Macon and the university." Another initiative that gives him pride in his team has been the creation of the Center for Collaborative Journalism, a unique partnership between Mercer University, The Telegraph, Georgia Public Broadcasting, and WMAZ-TV, where students, faculty, and veteran journalists work together in a joint newsroom, engaging students to connect with the community and leave with a portfolio of published work, strengthening the future of news in Central Georgia and beyond. "I could not have envisioned the kinds of things that I've gotten to work on at Mercer over the last 18 years. There are basic elements of the job that you'd predict an administrator would do, but what's been really invigorating about the job over these years is to be able to work on projects that have made Macon better," Brumley said. While he was incredibly reticent to speak of his own achievements, when asked what a "hero" was, he responded, "I've never really contemplated that question. I would say 'someone who does extraordinary things for the benefit of others.'" Without realizing it, Brumley had defined himself. In Brumley's words You call yourself "just a bureaucrat." Yet, you're an Emmy-winning rock-and-roll producer. How does that work? To be nominated was such a surprise, but to actually win was even more flooring. I have produced music programs for public television before, both at Mercer and the previous institution where I worked, and it just so happened that Robert McDuffie, the founder of our [Center for] strings program, approached me during the pandemic about recording this concert that they [Mike Mills, Chuck Leavell, and more] had been doing on tour, and they wanted to record it at The Grand Opera House for public television. So, I talked with the leadership of Georgia Public Broadcasting, and they said, "Absolutely. We want to distribute it nationally." So, we produced a television show around that concert, and it ended up winning a Southeast Emmy Award. I'm not a musician, but I have such an appreciation for all kinds of music. My daughter is a violinist. But I am – I'm just a bureaucrat who sees the opportunity that music can present for the enjoyment of the people and for economic development. It sounds like there's a need for a very organized someone with an administrative mindset to work with groups of creatives. How has that been for you? Well, my wife asked me that question while I was working on "A Night of Georgia Music". What does an executive producer really do? It's making sure the money is there, keeping the project in budget, handling the legal aspects of rights and clearances, and basically refereeing — getting everybody to move along toward the same goal of producing a great program. So, it's a lot of laborious, complicated details. It's not a creative role; it's allowing the creatives to do their best work and present it in a way that results in joy for the audiences. I started out as a journalist with a daily newspaper, and I still see what I do as storytelling – but now, what I get to do is provide the structure that allows storytelling to happen. And what about at Capricorn? What was your role in that project, and your biggest challenge? More of the same, really – legal, financial, personnel management. The heart of the museum at Capricorn is the digital kiosks, with listening stations where you can sample the entire Capricorn catalog. Dealing with the rights issues on all of that was extremely time consuming and complicated. And why do you go through all of those minutiae? What's the reward for you? It's about the end product. Knowing that despite the frustrations, the result will be worth it. And it's been worth it? Without a doubt. Why? Well, Capricorn has been brought back to life, and it has brought artists from all over the world to come in and record there. So far, people from 22 countries have visited the museum – and all of these musicians and visitors spend money in local restaurants and hotels. The music incubator has provided a space for local musicians to hone their craft and to collaborate. And then there's the professional development component. In the past 15 months, Capricorn has presented programs to benefit the music community, such as at the Music Business Summit, which taught a certificate course on studio recording. Our seminar on entertainment law helped people new to the music industry understand all the different legal aspects of the music business. And "A Night of Georgia Music", what did that accomplish for our community? It reached millions of television viewers. It showcased Georgia's music, including some that was born here in Macon. [The program includes Otis Redding, Ray Charles, the Allman Brothers Band, R.E.M., Outkast, and the B-52s, and elements from the Mills-composed Concerto for Violin, Rock Band and String Orchestra.] It also showcased I started out as a journalist with a daily newspaper, and I still see what I do as storytelling – but now, what I get to do is provide the structure that allows storytelling to happen.