2026 Distinguished Alumna Award Recipient: Alison Smith '79

As Alison Smith '79 walked on stage in New York City to accept an award for her extraordinary contributions to the music business industry — just one moment in a career marked by unforgettable people and achievements — she found herself thinking back on Tim McGraw’s words:

“When those dreams you're dreamin' come to you
When the work you put in is realized
Let yourself feel the pride but
Always stay humble and kind.”

For nearly 40 years, Ms. Smith has done exactly that. In her own words, she "WOBO" (worked her butt off) to achieve her dreams, rising from a temporary position in the mailroom to a corner office as the executive vice president of distribution, publisher relations and administration services at Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), where she worked to protect the rights of songwriters and composers, ensuring they are fairly and promptly compensated for their work. 

In her career, she has amassed an impressive roster of collaborators from Taylor Swift and Dolly Parton to Lady Gaga and John Williams. Yet, from her days at Harpeth Hall to her leadership at BMI, she has tried to remain “humble and kind.”

In recognition of her work, Ms. Smith received Harpeth Hall's 2026 Distinguished Alumna Award, which celebrates alumnae who have achieved professional excellence and leadership, and who are trailblazers, displaying extraordinary leadership and organizational skills, making significant contributions to health, welfare, cultural, or civic affairs, and serving as exemplary figures for other women.

Returning to campus this week to accept the honor, Ms. Smith shared her insight with students at an all-school assembly. Harpeth Hall seniors Ava Ericson and Violet Wolter  — both accomplished singer-songwriters themselves — interviewed Ms. Smith on stage about her career journey, how AI could affect the music industry, the qualities of a leader, and how she defines success.

Throughout her career, Ms. Smith’s leadership has been honored multiple times as one of Billboard's top "Women in Music" and "Power Players." She also received the Nashville Business Journal's “Women in Music City Award.” Ms. Smith retired from BMI in 2025. 

During the conversation, Ms. Smith reflected on the impact of her work at BMI. When asked what her greatest contribution was to the music industry, she could have pointed to her role as a trailblazing woman leader or the millions in royalty fees she has secured for songwriters, but something else stands out to her more.

“I tell you what,” Ms. Smith said. “I think if I had a legacy to leave at BMI, which I hope I did, it was that I cared. Each and every day that I went to the office, each and every trip that I went on was just a different day where you worked hard as you could work, and you always remembered who you were doing it for.”

This is an oft-repeated theme of Ms. Smith’s career. She worked hard for her artists, for her colleagues, for the team she managed. 

When the COVID-19 shutdowns brought the music industry to a halt and performance opportunities for singers and songwriters vanished overnight, Ms. Smith’s commitment became even more important. For weeks and months, her team and colleagues worked harder than they had before to make sure that when the shutdown ended, the company was  able to accelerate royalty distribution “so that the people who were out there and not being able to perform as they normally would, they got [royalties] in their pockets a little bit earlier, hoping that that would help.”

Despite her busy workload and the importance of each of her decisions, Ms. Smith told Harpeth Hall students that she tries to remain present as a leader, always learning from those she leads.

“I'm still working on it,” Ms. Smith said. “Be present in every conversation and enjoy the people you're around because they're going to give you something if you just listen. Trust your team and trust the people that work with you. …You pass that along and hope that the next generation will care as much, will listen, and will learn from each other.”

Ms. Smith leaves behind a legacy of success that will serve to inspire women in music for many generations to come. She left students with one final message as she accepted the Distinguished Alumna award from Head of School Jess Hill.

“One of you in this room is going to be standing here some day, so don't think it's not something that can't happen to you. It can happen to you.”