66. What is a Musical Director? Everything You Need to Know

Episode 66: Musical Director Week! If you’ve ever wondered what a musical director is, what they actually do, or how to become one—this episode is for you. MDs are one of the most important (and underrated) pieces of the live music puzzle, running the show behind the scenes for some of the biggest artists in the world. I’ve been a musical director myself for years before starting Jammcard and this podcast, so I’m breaking it all down—what an MD does, why they matter, and how to be a great one. Plus, we've brought in some of the top MDs in the game to share their experiences on the pod: Adam Blackstone (Eminem, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna) Kris Pooley (Katy Perry, American Idol) Michael Bearden (Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga) Rance Dopson (Beyoncé, Jay-Z) Teddy Campbell (Britney Spears) This is a must-listen for anyone who wants to step into the world of musical direction or just understand how live shows really come together. Drop any questions you have or personal stories in the comments! ‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights. (00:00) INTRO (01:43) WHAT IS A MUSIC DIRECTOR? - ELMO LOVANO (02:45) ADAM BLACKSTONE - MD'ING EMINEM (06:05) MICHAEL BEARDEN - MD'ING FOR LADY GAGA (13:32) TEDDY CAMPBELL - MD'ING FOR BRITNEY SPEARS (14:25) WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT AS AN MD? - ELMO LOVANO (15:18) KRIS POOLEY - MD'ING AMERICAN IDOL (19:44) HOW DOES MUSIC DIRECTING WORK? - ELMO LOVANO (23:23) RANCE DOPSON - MD'ING BEYONCÉ BE A PROBLEM SOLVER (25:27) HOW TO BECOME A MUSIC DIRECTOR - ELMO LOVANO (29:27) HOW ADAM BLACKSTONE BECAME A MUSIC DIRECTOR (37:56) CLOSING THOUGHTS Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated! Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow the guests from this episode: https://www.instagram.com/adamblackstone https://www.instagram.com/krispooley https://www.instagram.com/michaelbearden https://www.instagram.com/rance1500 https://www.instagram.com/teddycampbellband Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices