The Paley Center for Media is turning up the volume in New York City.
Today, The Paley Center announced the launch of a new year-round music initiative that will bring artists, songwriters, music makers, and fans together at The Paley Museum through live performances, songwriter showcases, album release events, listening parties, DJ nights, workshops, master classes, and more.
The initiative expands on Paley’s longstanding connection to music, television, radio, and popular culture while putting a greater spotlight on the artists and creative voices shaping music today.
“We are thrilled to turn up the volume with this exciting new initiative,” said Maureen J. Reidy, President & CEO of The Paley Center for Media. “From songwriter showcases, album drops, and listening parties to unforgettable live performances, Paley is the destination for music’s most exciting artists and fans.”
And Paley is kicking things off by bringing a little bit of Nashville to New York.
Southern Rounds Brings Nashville’s Songwriter Tradition to NYC
The first major component of the initiative will be Southern Rounds: Bringing Nashville to New York!, a six-part event series presented by Southern Rounds that begins Thursday, September 24.
Instead of simply putting performers onstage, Southern Rounds is built around Nashville’s songwriter-round tradition: songwriters performing acoustically in an intimate environment while sharing the stories, inspiration, and creative decisions behind the music.
The format will effectively transform The Paley Museum into a Nashville-style listening room, giving New York audiences an opportunity to hear familiar songs directly from the people who created them.
“Some of our favorite musical performances were comprised of a group of writers sitting together, in an intimate setting, and having them do what they do best: tell stories that touch us in meaningful ways,” Southern Rounds Co-Founder Richard Blackstone of Blackstone Entertainment said in announcing the partnership.
Each event will combine an acoustic performance with a Songwriting Master Class exploring how ideas evolve into lyrics and melodies and how personal experiences can eventually become songs heard by millions.
James Otto, D. Vincent Williams and Kevin MaC Launch the Series
The inaugural September 24 event will feature three accomplished songwriters and performers.
James Otto, currently touring with The Mavericks, is known for his No. 1 hit “Just Got Started Lovin’ You.” D. Vincent Williams won the 2002 ACM Song of the Year award for “I’m Movin’ On,” recorded by Rascal Flatts. Kevin MaC is the writer behind “Easy Tonight” and “Granny Drinks Whiskey,” with the latter inspiring the creation of Elsie Marshall “Shotgun Granny” Whiskey.
The Songwriting Master Class begins at 5 p.m., followed by the live Southern Rounds performance at 8 p.m. VIP opportunities will also include a post-performance meet-and-greet with the artists.
Following the September premiere, Southern Rounds: Bringing Nashville to New York! is scheduled to continue October 29, November 11, December 11, January 28, 2027, and February 18, 2027.
Expanding Paley’s Connection to Music
The new initiative is broader than Southern Rounds.
The Paley Center says its year-round programming will encompass live performances, album releases, listening parties, DJ nights, workshops and other experiences connecting audiences directly with music creators.
Paley has also formed a partnership with youth development organization Notes for Notes, which provides high school students with hands-on opportunities to create and produce original music alongside music industry professionals.
The expansion feels like a natural progression for an institution that has spent decades preserving and celebrating the relationship between music and media.
Paley has previously honored or welcomed an extraordinary range of music figures, including Quincy Jones, Reba McEntire, Ringo Starr, Mariah Carey, Cher, John Legend, Dolly Parton, Pink, Barbra Streisand, Dionne Warwick, Wynton Marsalis, Justin Bieber, Nick Jonas, Trisha Yearwood, and many more.
Its recent programming also included an exhibition celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Latin GRAMMYs.
Music History Lives Inside the Paley Archive
The new initiative also has a connection to The Paley Archive and its Music Collection, which preserves significant musical performances and moments from television and radio history.
The collection includes rare appearances and pairings involving artists such as Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie, Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand, and Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra.
Visitors to The Paley Museum’s Archive Library can also experience major moments in music and television history, including Elvis Presley’s 1956 Stage Show appearance, The Beatles’ first Ed Sullivan Show performance in 1964, Michael Jackson’s first televised moonwalk during Motown 25, and Ricky Martin’s memorable performance at the 1999 GRAMMYs.
That history makes Paley’s latest move especially interesting. Rather than only preserving music’s relationship with media, this initiative creates a space for new musical moments to happen inside the museum itself.
And Southern Rounds seems like a fitting place to start.
Ticket Information
Tickets for the September 24 premiere of Southern Rounds: Bringing Nashville to New York! are currently available to Paley President’s Circle, Patron Circle, and Partner Members.
Paley Individual, Family, and Supporting Members will have access beginning Thursday, September 3 at noon ET, followed by the general public on Friday, September 4 at noon ET.
Additional information about Southern Rounds, Paley membership, and upcoming programming is available through The Paley Center for Media.
