“You’re in NOCCA. People love you.”

Entertainment attorney Ashlye Keaton reminded performing arts students at NOCCA of this fact Wednesday as part of Grammy Career Day, where she sat on a panel with musician Delfeayo Marsalis, Basin Street Records’ Mark Samuels and the Music Shed’s Chris Finney. The session gave students practical insight into how to do business and get their creativity into the marketplace, and all agreed with Keaton: Make where you are work for you. Samuels remembered going to Ben Franklin High School as part of a class that included Wendell Pierce, Lolis Eric Elie, Wynton Marsalis and Delfeayo Marsalis, and the amount of business he has conducted through those connections.

Angelique Montes, Dominic, NOCCA principal Kyle Wedberg, Raymond Weber, Jr, and Greg Morrow, Jr. Photo by L. Kasimu Harris.

“You need to stay in touch with other,” Keaton said.

According to moderator David Sears representing the Grammy Foundation, “You don’t know that the person on your left and on your right might be…,” remembering when he missed a chance to connect to a young Billy Preston.

“The single most important thing is networking,” Marsalis agreed.

The event also provided an opportunity for Sears to recognize NOCCA as one of the recipients of the Grammy Signature School Enterprise Award. There are more the 20,000 high schools in America, Sears observed, and NOCCA was one of the 27 to receive the recognition and $5,500 award.

Beyond stressing the importance of starting to network early, the panel emphasized commitment. “The thing you do the most, you’ll likely continue doing it,” Marsalis said.

Chris Finney said that applies to the business as well as the art. “No one cleans the toilet better than the GM,” he said. And business can’t be seen as something distasteful. “The Entergy guy doesn’t care that I make good records,” he said. “He wants a check.”