Gerrie McDowell

Gerrieco Texas, Curb Records, Capitol Records

"I get records played," Gerrie McDowell says when asked what she does for a living. "I help make my clients' dreams come true, from Garth Brooks to Reckless Kelly."

A Texan, Gerrie began working at a radio station while still in high school. After a brief time in LA, she returned to Texas to work with Ernie Phillips in rock radio promotion. The first record she worked was "Jolene" by Dolly Parton. Her first record company job was at Mercury Records before being hired by United Artists (later Capitol Records), where she was made the first female promoter in the Central and Southwest United States. She worked there for 13 years. Capitol executive Lynn Shults brought her to Nashville, and she became the first female national promotion executive at a Nashville record label, where she helped launch the career of Garth Brooks, Dan Seals and others. She left Capitol for a similar spot at Curb Records; then segued to national VP for Curb/Universal where she garnered radio play for artists such as Lyle Lovett and Wynonna. She was the first vice president of promotion to ever hire an all female regional promotion staff.

In 2000 she struck out on her own and launched Gerrieco, a Texas music promotion and consulting company. During more than a decade as an independent promoter, Gerrie has promoted records for legends including Alan Jackson, Dwight Yoakam and George Jones as well as Los Lonely Boys, Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley. Because of the change in direction with a name change of Gerrieco Texas, the work in promotion was strictly Texas / Red Dirt acts.

"I grew up on Texas Red Dirt music. It connects so deeply with me. It represents heritage, community, and it never follows a trend. The people who started the movement in Texas still play, whether it's Guy Clark, Willie Nelson, Gary P. Nunn or Ray Wylie Hubbard."