the Wond'ry

To schedule a meeting with Jeremy Burchard, or any of our excellent mentors, please fill out this interest form.

Jeremy is an award-winning songwriter and the blonde half of country music duo Moonlight Social. He’s also the senior music writer for Wide Open Country and a feature contributor at Texas Music magazine. As a co-founder of Nashville music company RootNote, Jeremy joins his older brother Jason in helping grow the music industry by building, supporting, and investing in musician-owned companies. A multi-instrumentalist, touring musician, and active member of The Recording Academy and the Country Music Association, Burchard has spent the last decade working on his personal mission of making the world a more musical place.

Q. What excites you most about the Wond’ry?

A. For starters, the people. Everybody I’ve met through the Wond’ry has been of exceptional quality. But the overall mission of the Wond’ry and the environment it creates is really special. Developing an ecosystem out of the already amazing resources from Vanderbilt and connecting the larger Nashville community just makes so much sense.

Q. What do you feel are the most important skills you have to offer in your role as a mentor?

A. As Liam Neeson says, I have a very specific set of skills. (Bad joke). But my years of experience in journalism combined with my intimate knowledge of the inner workings of the music industry (and practical experience as a touring musician and business owner) give me a well-rounded view of a booming — but still somehow mystifying — industry.

Q. What has been your proudest moment in your career?

A. My first magazine cover story (a long read profile piece of a popular independent country artist) was a pretty amazing feeling. But also, as a touring musician, playing large festival stages and growing a fan base throughout our region. As a member of RootNote, I’m exceedingly proud of our innovative model and how quickly we’ve assembled and excited members of the Nashville music industry.

Q. What has surprised you most about your job?

A. That it can be this much fun and still be called a job.

Q. If you could do everything over again, would you make the same career choices?

A. I probably wouldn’t have hired a few people along the way, but other than that, it’s all about the journey.

Q. In your opinion, what is the most important quality for success?

A. The right balance between humility and ego. The humility to know you never stop learning and surrounding yourself with talented people, and the ego to know you’re also one of those talented people others seek to surround themselves with.

Q. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A. A musician!