Tim has been recording and documenting artists since the early age of 16, when he became interested in ethnomusicology. After earning a BA from Friends World College and MA from the Curriculum in Folklore at the UNC, Tim and his wife Denise founded Music Maker in 1994 to assist traditional musicians in need. Tim works very closely with partner artists on a daily basis while also overseeing program operations. For his work with Music Maker, Tim was recognized by ABC Evening News as the “Person of the Week” in April 2004 and was voted Living Blues Producer of the Year in 1999. Tim has also received honors from National Resophonic Guitars and the NC Folklore Society. Since Music Maker’s founding he has produced more than 151 albums, produced two films, and has presented dozens of traditional Southern musicians at prestigious venues around the world.

Denise has a BA from Hampshire College and joined husband Tim in managing Music Maker after leaving a successful career in the fashion industry. Denise’s business experience is invaluable to Music Maker as she wears many hats within the organization – she is responsible for operations, financial management, government compliance, and strategic planning. Denise finds bringing people of diverse backgrounds together in musical celebration the most rewarding aspect of her work at Music Maker. She finds inspiration in these bold senior artists launching new careers and blazing new trails around the globe. She and Tim have two children.

Gabi received her B.A. in Film and Media Studies from Tufts University. The breadth of curriculum in her program included music history and music sociology courses that shifted her perspective and her approach to past roles at visual arts and music organizations. Gabi’s passion for storytelling and her drive to learn about  the roots of the music she loves brought her to Music Maker in January 2021. Gabi works to grow Music Maker’s resource base, ensuring our partner artists continue to receive the support they need.

Brittany has a BA in Human Services & Sociology from Elon University and a Masters of Social Work from UNC-Chapel Hill. Brittany has been working in the social work field since 2007 and has a passion in advocating for underrepresented and underserved communities.  Brittany became our inaugural Social Worker in 2018 and has returned due to her love of working with our artist and the deep need of helping connect them with the various resources in their communities that they were unaware of. Brittany finds fulfillment in assisting artist obtain a higher quality of life while they are able to bring their art to the masses.

With 3 decades as drummer, musical directer and award winning producer for the Music Maker Relief Foundation, this veteran has performed the most prestigious venues around the globe proving ‘the more you give, the more you get!’