Don Was, legendary Detroit-born producer and label executive who has worked with the likes of Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones, has been named to the Detroit Institute of Music Education’s board of directors. He will join DIME’s founders Kevin Nixon and Sarah Clayman, as well as the senior managing director of venture capital firm Beringea, Charlie Rothstein.
In the brief amount of time since they opened in 2014, DIME has collaborated with the Metropolitan State University of Denver, launched its own record label, Original 1265 Recordings, and hosted visits from various renowned artists. No stranger to Detroit’s unique music culture, Was organizes the annual Detroit All-Star Revue as part of the Concert of Colors and has served as president of Blue Note Records, a label featuring various prominent jazz musicians from Detroit, since 2012. By joining the DIME team, Was introduces an element of musical and industry experience that will be incredibly beneficial to the organization and the students it supports.
According to a statement from Was, “DIME is a world-class facility that will play a big role in attracting musicians from all over the country and developing the next generation of musicians right here in Detroit. I’m thrilled to contribute in any way I can to this exciting new effort in our city.” With Was at the helm, we can expect to see big things from DIME in the coming months.