Singer-songwriter Anders Osborne joins Tulane as summer faculty

Multi-hyphenate New Orleans musician, songwriter and philanthropist Anders Osborne joins Tulane University’s School of Liberal Arts for its Summer 2023 “Maymester” session, where he’ll teach a two-week Intro to Music Business course with Creative Industries Director and Professor of Practice Bill Taylor.

Osborne’s six-string virtuosity, inventive musicality, and poetic songcraft underpin an ever-expanding three-decade catalog celebrated by fans and critics alike. As a sought-after studio talent, his writing resounds through Keb Mo’s Grammy Award-winning Slow Down, Tim McGraw’s No. 1 “Watch The Wind Blow By,” and covers by Brad Paisley, Jonny Lang, Edwin McCain, Aaron Neville, and more. His output live and in the studio spans working with everyone from Eric Church, Toots and the Maytals, and John Scofield to The Meters, North Mississippi Allstars, and Galactic.

Osborne and Taylor co-founded the Send Me A Friend program—a part of the national non-profit organization The Phoenix—which supports musicians struggling to find sobriety. Together, their roots in the music business and culture of New Orleans date back decades, and this class offers a rare chance to learn from their lived experiences.

“How do you combine the art and the commerce? I am here to speak from 35 years of experience and help students sort that out.”

New Orleans musician Anders Osborne

After decades in the music business, Osborne will pass on his wisdom—the challenges and successes alike—to students for a real-world view of how the industry operates.

“It took me several decades before I understood what I really wanted from my music career and how to navigate this business,” Osborne said. “How do you combine the art and the commerce? I am here to speak from 35 years of experience and help students sort that out.”

Taylor is a music industry veteran, with decades of involvement in New Orleans’ creative communities, from time with iconic music venue Tipitina’s to co-founding and directing The Trombone Shorty Foundation. He also produced the Fats Domino tribute recording “Goin’ Home” and co-authored the Caldecott-winning Trombone Shorty children's picture book, which also received the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Book Award. A graduate of Princeton University, Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and an honorary member of the Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame, Taylor is a cultural leader in the New Orleans music scene.

“Tulane’s School of Liberal Arts is offering a rare opportunity for those interested in pursuing a career in music or other creative industries to build a solid business foundation—from analytics and legal to marketing and networking,” Taylor said. “Having Anders join and share insights and perspectives on a career in this industry will provide students with a genuinely unique experience. “

The 3-credit class will focus on the history of the music business, the development of leadership skills and a working understanding of the diverse professional pathways available to those pursuing a career in music—with a particular focus on New Orleans. Students will hear anecdotal support from special in-class guests who are also in the industry. Classes take place Monday, May 15 through Friday, May 26, from 9:30am to 1:00pm each day.

The Creative Industries program is open to undergraduates and post-graduates—whether enrolled at Tulane or not—interested in the pathways into creative economy careers. Courses are offered in an online or hybrid format and run May through August. Registration opens today, Monday, April 10, for all students.

For more information on all of the School of Liberal Arts 2023 Summer Courses, including those in the Creative Industries, visit summerprograms.tulane.edu.