To be in the music industry you have to know and contribute to it.
Books
6 Steps to Songwriting Success: The Comprehensive Guide to Writing and Marketing Hit Songs by Jason Blume
All You Need To Know About The Music Business by Donald S. Passman
The DIY Music Manual by Randy Chertkow & Jason Feehan
Music Business 101: For Aspiring Producers, Writers, Musicians, Singer, and Future Recording Moguls by Brian Wesley Peters
Derek Sivers is a mastermind in the “out of the box” world. Here is a list of books he has read and recommends sivers.org/book
Check out this site that gives a lot of great songwriting tips AS WELL AS music songwriting book reviews! songwritingbooks.com
__________________________________________________
Computer Needs
Legendary Computers: (Franklin, TN) Legendary believes in the power of people and investing in the community – they are committed to keeping your computer life healthy.
__________________________________________________
Creative Minds
Hakim Bellamy – Check out his blog for cool quotes, writing techniques and to learn about the interesting world of Slam Poetry.
Derek Sivers – Derek Sivers is best known as the founder of CD Baby. Follow his blog to learn how is is still changing the face of music and creativity.
__________________________________________________
Demo Services
Nashville Song Demo: specializing in good quality, reasonably priced recordings
__________________________________________________
Music Business Radio
The Music Row Show: The show is for songwriters, recording artists, musicians, publishers and others out there trying to find your path to success in Music City.
__________________________________________________
Online Tools
Lead Sheet Station: Your one-stop express for quality lead sheets
__________________________________________________
Photography
Scott Klarkowski Photography: Photo sessions are relaxed, professional, and individualized
__________________________________________________
Style
Harlow Salon: Located on Historic Music Row in fabulous Nashville, TN. Harlow Salon specializes in many different hair and makeup services.
__________________________________________________
Vocal Coach
The Singing Studio: is a fun, private environment and Jessica Ford’s approach to teaching her students is above the rest. Jessica is Nashville’s #1 Vocal Coach.
__________________________________________________
Websites/Communities
Academy of Country Music: As country music continues to reach an increasingly wider audience, the Academy of Country Music also continues its mission to promote and support the industry and engage country music fans not just in the western states, but from coast to coast.
All About Country: Connecting country radio and music professionals
All Access Music Group: An online daily source of news, new music, artist information, radio programming tips, show prep, and related music and radio links.
ASCAP – American Society of Composers, Authors, & Publishers: ASCAP is a membership association of more than 350,000 U.S. composers, songwriters, lyricists, and music publishers of every kind of music.
Americana Music Association: The Americana Music Association is a professional trade organization whose mission is to provide a forum for the advocacy of Americana music and to promote public awareness of the genre to support the creative and economic viability of professionals in this field.
ArtistHouseMusic: Helping musicians and music entrepreneurs create sustainable careers.
Backpage: The music classified section of the Nashville Scene. Great for advertising your services or locating the services of others
BMI – Broadcast Music Inc.: Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed.
CMA – Country Music Association: CMA is dedicated to bringing the poetry and emotion of Country Music to the world.
Country Air Check: Online newsletter packed with industry news and highlights you can subscribe to on a weekly basis.
Country Weekly: The World’s No. 1-selling country music magazine, bringing you the latest news about the lives of country’s hottest stars.
Demosinger.com: Demosinger.com is a free site to post your vocal demo services or as a songwriter/publisher search and hire your singer.
Electronic Musician: Electronic Musician is the #1 magazine in the U.S. for musicians who record and produce music in a home or personal studio environment.
Grammy: The GRAMMY Foundation was established in 1989 to cultivate the understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contribution of recorded music to American culture…
IndieGuide: The Indie Band Survival Guide is the brain child of two bandmates, Randy Chertkow and Jason Feehan. Check it out for amazing tips on how to maintain your grassroots musical efforts.
International Country Music Database: ICMDb is an entertainment and information source for country music fans. Our goal is that ICMDb will be your one-stop source for country music. We provide basic artist information, country music news, tour information, awards artists have won, new release information, artist photos, and other features.
NAMM: More than a century later, that mission has attracted a growing, thriving worldwide community of thousands of deeply passionate, talented companies that make, buy and sell the instruments that allow millions of people to make music. That community is called NAMM, the trade association of the international music products industry.
The Nashville Music Guide: The Magazine is the#1 Read Music Magazine in Nashville and is a FREE bi-monthly “news print” publication that is dedicated to promoting the performing artist, musician and songwriter.
Nashville Music Pros: Nashville Music Pros is an online network made up of Writers, Musicians, Engineers, Publishers, Singers, any professional who makes their living in the Nashville music business community. Here you will find a place to connect, exchange ideas, learn, and share.
Nashville Scene: Free Nashville newspaper dedicated to the unique heartbeat of Music City. A great place to look for live music events.
NSAI – Nashville Songwriters Association International: The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) consists on a body of creative minds, including songwriters from all genres of music, professional and amateur, whoa re committed to protecting the rights and future of the profession of songwriting, and to educate, elevate and celebrate the songwriter and to act as a unifying force within the music community and the community at large.
SESAC – Society of European Stage Authors and Composers: SESAC, Inc. is a performing rights organization with headquarters in Nashville, and offices in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami and London.
STRUM: It is geared to be for the entire family. We write about all genres of music, movie and music reviews, art, theater, charity events, etc…
Today’s Country Magazine: Today’s Country Magazine was founded on the principle of bringing the readers closer to their favorite mainstream country artists and to also bring that same attention to local country, rockabilly, Americana, and bluegrass artists.
That’s Country: A site where the North meets the South
Nashville Music Buzz 
I love your website!! Very helpful and informative! If you’d like to add another category to your resources I’d like to suggest a “beauty” section. My salon, Harlow…A Salon On Music Row specializes in hair and makeup for musicians. We do many photo shoots, video shoots, styling for shows and much more! Our stylists are specially trained to work with the artists and their needs. Let me know if you need more information! Keep up the good work!
Very good to know! Thanks for finding me! I will look for your website to link to
Jimmy Webb’s book, Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting, is a very worthwhile read, and I highly recommend it. Thanks for the good weblog. . . . Justin Stark