Live. Connect. Create.
Connecting artists, industry professionals, and music fans through stories, experiences, performances, and opportunities in Nashville and beyond.
ABOUT LITTLE HOMETOWN JAM
Little Hometown Jam is a Nashville-based platform dedicated to connecting artists, industry professionals, music fans, and aspiring creators through authentic experiences, meaningful conversations, and real opportunities.
Built on the belief that every song has a story and every artist has a journey, Little Hometown Jam brings people together through interviews, live performances, educational experiences, community resources, and industry connections.
Whether someone is exploring a career in music, relocating to Nashville, searching for creative opportunities, or simply wanting to learn more about the industry, Little Hometown Jam provides a place to connect, learn, and grow.
Our programs include:
Jam Notes – Conversations with artists, songwriters, producers, studio owners, managers, and industry professionals sharing the stories behind the music.
Artist Experience – An immersive opportunity for aspiring artists and creators to experience Nashville’s music community, build connections, and gain firsthand insight into life in Music City.
Music Community – A growing resource connecting artists with venues, studios, industry professionals, services, and opportunities throughout Nashville and beyond.
Bandstand – Live performances featuring artists sharing their music and stories with audiences both in person and online.
At its core, Little Hometown Jam exists to help people discover opportunities, build relationships, and better understand the people, places, and stories that make Nashville one of the world’s most influential music communities.
Our Mission
To tell the stories behind the music, create opportunities for artists, build meaningful connections, and help people discover their place within Nashville’s creative community.
MEET THE FOUNDER
Music has been part of Brad Hays’ life for more than five decades.
At 10 years old, he joined his school’s fifth-grade band and chose the drums as his instrument, following in the footsteps of his father, a professional percussionist. What started as a school activity quickly became a lifelong passion.
Through the years following school, Brad performed in local bands, festivals, weddings, private events, and venues throughout Chicagoland. One of his favorite projects was a band called Unit 431, named after the school district where he and some of its members attended. More than fifty years later, he still actively plays the drums today.
In 2010, Brad built a full bandstand stage in the basement of his home. Friends, family, neighbors, and local musicians regularly gathered there for birthdays, New Year’s Eve celebrations, and nights of music and friendship. It was there that the name Little Hometown Jam was born.
While music remained a constant, Brad built a successful career helping people and businesses grow. Since 1975, he has developed training programs and led workshops, seminars, and events for organizations across the United States, often featuring live interviews with respected industry leaders.
His passion for storytelling later led to the creation of Backstory Studio, where he interviewed business owners and entrepreneurs about their journeys and experiences. He eventually expanded into broadcast media as a talk radio host on Chicago’s AM560 The Answer, interviewing local, state, and national figures on business, leadership, and current events.
As an entrepreneur, Brad has founded, acquired, operated, and sold multiple businesses, including building a Chicago-area property management company from zero clients into a portfolio of more than 1,500 properties.
Looking back, Brad realized that every chapter of his life shared common themes: music, storytelling, education, entrepreneurship, and community.
Little Hometown Jam was created by bringing all of those passions together.
Today, Brad combines his love of music, interviewing, business development, hospitality, and community building to create opportunities for artists and help others better understand the realities of pursuing a creative career.
What began with a ten-year-old drummer has evolved into a mission focused on helping artists, sharing stories, building connections, and giving people a place to belong within Nashville’s music community.
Live. Connect. Create.
Intentionally curated.
Professionally operated.
Built to scale.
Official Hospitality Partner : Bedmore