— All are invited to join-in as players and sponsors for the 27th annual AudioMasters tournament benefitting the Nashville Engineer Relief Fund —
Nashville, TN — Players and sponsors alike are gearing up for the 2025 AudioMasters Benefit Golf Tournament, set to celebrate its 27th year as the primary fundraising event for the Nashville Engineer Relief Fund (NERF). The DiGiCo AudioMasters Live Day of play on Thursday, May 15, and the API AudioMasters Studio Day on Friday, May 16, at Harpeth Hills Golf Course in Nashville both offer a full day of friendly competition, camaraderie and fun as Nashville audio pros rally for a beloved cause.
While the AudioMasters Tournament was created to help NERF fulfill its mission to provide financial assistance to members of the local audio community in times of crisis, it also serves as a time to honor living legends who have helped shape the Nashville audio industry, many of whom regularly attend and play active roles in the Tournament’s success.
Live Sound is the theme of the day on May 15, with returning title sponsor DiGiCo playing host to many top names in touring and live sound, along with the day’s special guest VIP engineer, John McBride, co-owner of Nashville’s Blackbird Studio and Institutional Director of The Blackbird Academy. John has spent his entire life in the pursuit of quality, professional sound. After getting his start in live sound by launching MD Systems Sound in his hometown of Wichita, KS, he and his wife, country superstar Martina McBride, came to Nashville in early 1990. He sold MD Systems to Clair Brothers Audio in 1997 and continues working with Clair Global. John fulfilled a lifelong dream when the McBrides opened Blackbird Studio in 2002 – which quickly became a favorite of artists, musicians, producers and engineers worldwide. A champion of analog recording, he has amassed one of the largest private collections of vintage and modern recording equipment on the planet, including a microphone collection amongst the finest on earth. In 2013, he opened The Blackbird Academy, dedicated to advancing the quality of audio and music production education through a hands-on, professional training curriculum, later expanded to include a live sound engineering program. In 2014, John received two Pensado Awards – the Educator Award and the Live/FOH Award. He also received a CMA award for Live/FOH for mixing Martina McBride. John and Martina are currently working on Inside Blackbird – a service that launched in 2023. Partners in life and business, they also have three daughters.
Studio Day, May 16, is being hosted by perennial hole sponsor, and first-time title sponsor, API Audio. This year’s Studio Day VIP will be broadcast music production pioneer Marc Repp, who is no stranger to the tournament and can often be found on the course enjoying camaraderie with players and sponsors alike. Marc has spent over 50 years in broadcast music production, working with some of the biggest names in the business, from Bob Hope to Baryshnikov, Roy Acuff to Taylor Swift. His many successful years in the industry have found him working in 18 countries, mixing over 250 major award shows and 400 music-variety specials, including 30 years as the primary audio mixer for the CMA Awards – a position which gave him the opportunity to generate the purportedly first ever all-digital mix of a live television broadcast in October of 1994. He has been nominated for multiple Emmy, TEC, and GRAMMY® Awards, in addition to taking home several of such coveted prizes. Marc is now semi-retired, though still an active and important part of the Nashville audio community.
Both days of play will take players on a tour of the various offerings from tournament sponsors, featuring contests, food, swag, experiences, showcases of audio gear and services, and a chance to meet face-to-face with some of the top names in audio. From breakfast at the driving range before the shotgun start to the “19th Hole” awards reception dinner, the AudioMasters Benefit Golf Tournament provides a relaxed yet engaging environment for networking with pro audio brand sponsors, production companies, studios, service providers, engineers, producers, musicians, and students from all facets of the industry.
Additional sponsors for this year’s tournaments include: Audio-Technica, Audiomovers, Autra, Blackbird Studios, Black River Entertainment, Clair Global, Clyne Media, Corky’s Ribs & BBQ Brentwood, Covered Bridge Recording, the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences (CRAS), CTS AVL, David Angress, Design Technik, Direct Out, DPA, Ergolab Stealth, Focusrite Group (Adam Audio, Focusrite, Martin Audio), Genelec, Gold Pacific Studios, Immersive Design Labs, L-Acoustics, Nashville Recording Supply, RCF, the Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing, the Recording Studio Insurance Program, Russ Berger Design Group (RBDG), Solotech, Sound Emporium, Sound Image, Spectrum Sound, Solid State Logic (SSL), Teegarden Audio, TransAudio Group, Trew Audio, VEVA Sound, Vision2 Marketing, Wave Distro, and Welcome to 1979 Studios.
Single-player and foursome registration is still available, along with a limited number of sponsorship opportunities.
About the AudioMasters Benefit Golf Tournament
The AudioMasters Benefit Golf Tournament is an annual fundraising event that supports the Nashville Engineer Relief Fund (NERF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing financial assistance to members of the local audio community in times of crisis. Hosted by the AES Nashville Section with event coordination by Karen Dunn of KMD Productions, the tournament has become an annual fixture in the professional audio industry, offering a unique mix of camaraderie, competition, and philanthropy.
For more details on registration and sponsorships, visit the AudioMasters Nashville Benefit Golf Tournament website or contact Karen Dunn at [email protected] or (925) 708-0307.
