VanCleave, Don

 

Don VanCleave left the industrial engineering business in Dallas in 1988 to open Magic Platter CD in Birmingham, AL. For 14 years, Magic Platter (and Birmingham) became known as a national starting point for many acts. Magic Platter received NARM’s Small Retailer of the Year in 1998 and 1999.

 

In 1995, VanCleave was a founding member of The Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS) and served as its President until 2008. CIMS, now in its 20th year, offers coordinated marketing for labels in nationally recognized indie stores. During his tenure, CIMS launched the Thinkindie distribution company, which specializes in bringing unique products to the independent store community. VanCleave is a co-founder of Record Store Day and helped organize the first celebration. RSD is now an international success story.

 

VanCleave left CIMS in 2008 to serve as COO at The Artist Organization, an LA based management company. At TAO, VanCleave ran point on artists such as Soundgarden, Chris Cornell, Lenny Kravitz and others.

 

In 2014, VanCleave joined FLO Thinkery and its subsidiary, Made In Network. VanCleave is responsible for recruiting and running You Tube channel strategies for such artists as Johnny Cash, BB King, Jake Owen. He also manages breaking acts Moon Taxi and Brent Cobb out of Nashville.

 

Solo Exhibits:

"Southernacana" November 2016 The Rymer Gallery Nashville TN