Becoming a Music City

Jonathan McNary ('22)

Jonathan McNary ('22) did not initially intend to pursue music as a career.

He now will help lead the new Dallas Music Office, under the leadership of Visit Dallas, to cater to artists, venues and music enthusiasts through initiatives, education and partnerships. He previously worked as a producer and artist developer at The Creatives Factory, a music studio and venue, where he still works as a producer, engineer and partner.

Now, with the backing of Visit Dallas, an independent nonprofit and marketing organization created to promote Dallas, McNary and Kristina Kirknaer-Hart, director of cultural tourism and the Dallas Music Office, are on a mission to put Dallas on the map as a music city. The Dallas Music Office will strengthen Dallas' musical connections and create a supportive environment for local artists by fostering partnerships within the community.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing how Dallas evolves musically," McNary says. "I'm also incredibly excited that I get to impact artists, help them further their careers and feel support from their home city."

Finding the Right Note

Born and raised in New Orleans, McNary had a number of universities in mind to further his education. After visiting a friend at UNT as a senior in high school, McNary knew it was the perfect university for him. Even though he didn't plan to major in music, the Music Building caught his attention right away.

"As soon as I walked on campus and saw the Music Building, something in my gut told me this was the place I needed to be," McNary says. "I felt like I should go here and decided to follow that feeling, and I'm glad that I did."

McNary originally started in speech pathology and audiology, but became heavily involved in the Denton music scene and started networking and joining bands as a freshman. With a major in integrative studies, he combined communication, music and business programs to develop his own music business degree while also getting a marketing minor.

During his time at UNT, McNary found his footing within the local music industry. With experience playing the guitar since age 14 and the piano since age 4, he found the local music scene a perfect environment to hone his craft. He played in six different bands and did contract work as a guitarist throughout Dallas-Fort Worth while pursuing his degree and making important connections.

"I owe UNT a lot," McNary says. "It provided an environment to network and further fueled any passion I had to develop a career in music through classes that made me get out of my comfort zone. UNT surrounded me with people that opened doors and provided experiences in the music industry that I never would have imagined was possible, just because it is an artistically incredible school."

Amplifying Music

Even after graduating, the connections that McNary made at UNT laid the foundation for his career in the music industry.

"When I left my bands after college, I went to an open mic at The Creatives Factory, which I found through someone that I met while at UNT. There, I ran into Jonathan Camacho ('08) and Christian Chavarria," McNary says. "They trained me in music production, artist development and business, which gave me the tools I needed for this new position."

Now in his position at the Dallas Music Office, McNary and Kirknaer-Hart are working on building partnerships with KXT Radio, Dallas Love Field, Dallas Entertainment Awards, Downtown Dallas Inc. and DART. The office plans to host educational panels, workshops and town hall meetings among other events that will allow community members to voice their ideas.

"Dallas has a very big, spread-apart music industry," McNary says. "Our office is here to amplify and aggregate local music and local artists but also provide support and bring all of these areas of Dallas together."

The office is also working on a music directory that will provide a submission form that artists or music industry members can submit with information about their work. Access to the registry will be available to those needing to network, find a gig or hire talent.

"On top of the amount of incredible, world-renowned artists from here, there are also unbelievable local musicians and up-and-coming artists. Those are the people that we have to help and support," McNary says. "We want to be there for them, and we want them to be proud to be Dallas-based artists."