About The Black American Music Association:

The Black American Music Association is a non-profit 501(c)(6) trade association founded in 2017 by Michael Mauldin and Demmette Guidry. The organization is comprised of executives and creators from music, and other entertainment related industries along with corporate and community leaders. The BAM organization was created to preserve, protect, and promote the legacy and future of authentic Black American Music, its culture, community, and creatives. It champions the influence, positioning and understanding of the narrative b y supporting young innovative talent, creators, and executives, while leading us into the future of this valuable indigenous art form.

About Founder Michael Mauldin:

Michael T. Mauldin has made an indelible mark on the music industry for nearly 5 decades. He has been instrumental in discovering, shaping and directing the careers of some of the most successful music artists and prolific performers ever to appear on stage. Mauldin first began his career as band roadie, stage manager, production manager and tour manager. From there he became an artist manager, producer of live shows then on to become President of Columbia Records Black Music. Mauldin has always been a leader, helping to lift the Black Community & Culture. Currently Michael T Mauldin is CEO of Mauldin Brand Inc., Chairman of the Black American Music Association and Co-Founder of the Black American Music Foundation.  He is also the Co-Founder of the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.  In 2018, Mauldin was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Living Legends Foundation. In 2021, Mauldin was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.

About UMG General Council & Executive VP Business and Legal Affairs Jeffrey Harleston:

Jeffrey Harleston is General Counsel and Executive Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs for Santa
Monica, California-based Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment
with operations in more than 60 countries. UMG’s labels include Capitol, Interscope, Republic, Motown,
Island, Def Jam, Decca and Verve, as well as a leading global music publishing company, Universal Music
Publishing and the industry’s leading merchandising company, Bravado.

Harleston is a member of UMG’s executive management board, and he is responsible for overseeing all
business transactions, contracts, and litigation for UMG’s operations worldwide. In addition, he is also
responsible for the company’s government relations, trade and anti-piracy activities. Harleston is also a
Co-Founder of the UMG Task Force For Meaningful Change, an organization formed within UMG in the
summer of 2020 to identify, coordinate and implement social change initiatives specifically directed at
the Black and Latino communities.

During a 30-year career with UMG, Harleston has held a variety of senior executive positions including
Interim Chairman of Def Jam Records, Executive Vice President/Head of Operations for Geffen Records
and Senior Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs for MCA Records. Before joining UMG, Harleston
was Associate Independent Counsel during the investigation and prosecution of the Iran/Contra scandal.
He also worked as a litigation associate at the firm of Covington & Burling in Washington D.C. and,
before law school, as an Account Executive for Saatchi & Saatchi Compton Advertising in New York.
Throughout his career, Harleston has been recognized for his many achievements including receiving
The Recording Academy’s 2020 Entertainment Law Initiative Service Award, Billboard’s 2018 “Lawyer of
the Year,” the 2018 Diversity Award from the Association of Corporate Counsel for Southern California.
In 2017, Harleston was named one of Ebony magazine’s “Power 100” and he is annually recognized by
Billboard on the magazine’s “Power 100” list of the most powerful executives in the music industry.
Harleston is a Member of the Board of Trustees of Williams College and the Board of Harvard-Westlake
School. He also serves on the boards of the Recording Industry Association of America the TJ Martell
Foundation, MusiCares and the Motown Museum. Harleston is proud to be a Founder of the
Universal/Motown Fund, an endowment dedicated to providing financial assistance for artists from the
50’s, 60’s and 70’s.