Power On Music event to put STX on Texas music road map

Beyonce’s dad and one-time manager, Mathew Knowles, will headline the upcoming Power On Music conference Wednesday, Oct. 19 in Corpus Christi. The conference is the brainchild of State Representative Todd Hunter (R-Corpus Christi), who wants to put his hometown on the Texas Music Trail map. 
“Designating Corpus Christi as one of Texas’s Music Trails is a way of promoting economic development, but with a fun ethic,” said Hunter, who is a musician in his own right. Now an attorney, the Corpus Christi Republican used to play the trombone with local jazz groups.
The free conference will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The event ends with a 7 p.m.-midnight after-party and evening concert at the House of Rock. It is sponsored by the Texas Music Office, The Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and Del Mar College. 
 “I think there’s nothing more soothing and more uplifting than good Texas music,” Hunter said.
It’s also profitable to a region looking to fill hotels and restaurants with other music fans like Hunter. The success of the 2-year-old Fiesta de la Flor, a tribute to hometown celebrity Selena Quintanilla Perez, is a testament to that fact. Put on by the Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau, the festival is set each year for what would normally be a low-tourist weekend. Last year, Fiesta de la Flor brought $15 million into the local economy.
“Music is an important factor in our economy,” Hunter told Corpus Christi Business News. “The Selena tribute brings in huge crowds and has a huge economic impact. We have lots of concerts throughout the city. We are home to the official Texas Jazz Festival. Corpus Christi music provides an indirect strong economic impact to the whole Coastal Bend.”
Along with Knowles, other panelists expected include Brendon Anthony from the Texas Music Office in the Office of the Governor; Don Pitts, ATX Music and Entertainment Division for the city of Austin; music engineer Michael Seaman; musician Saul Paul; Dylan Ely from Loops Studio; musician Matt Perez; several elected officials; and professors from the music programs at Texas A&M University and Del Mar College.
Also attending will be Corpus Christi resident Dusty Oliveira, who was just nominated for a Latin Grammy for his song "Cumbia Anthem." The music video for the song was filmed entirely in Corpus Christi.
Panels topics include:
• I Never Thought of That: An Exploration of Careers in the Music Industry
• Forming Music Friendly Communities
• Making Money in the Digital Economy
• Music and Advocacy
• Live Music Economy
The event opens with mariachi music and continues with jazz for lunch. Evening entertainment will be announced soon as will a luncheon keynote speaker. 
Hunter said he’ll take his plan for designating Corpus Christi as the center of a South Texas Music Trail to the state legislature when it convenes in January 2017.
“What better location than the Coastal Bend to have a music trail to recognize our South Texas musicians?” Hunter asked. “Other areas of the states have it; we do not. We have Freddy Fender, The Galvan family, Selena and more. I would like to promote travel tourism in our area by adding South Texas to the list of Music Travel Trails.” 
To register to attend the free conference, visit poweron.tamucc.edu.