Fighting Okra Talent Agency (F.O.T.A.), a new student-run talent agency at Delta State University, has been created to book Delta Music Institute student artists at venues in the Mississippi Delta and surrounding areas.<\/p>\n
Harrison Downs Wood, a senior entertainment industry studies student, will launch\u00a0F.O.T.A. and oversee all operations.<\/p>\n
The agency\u2019s first venture will be DMI Music Mondays, a lunchtime music series featuring F.O.T.A.\u00a0artists performing in the H.L. Nowell Student Union on Delta State’s\u00a0campus. The series will begin Oct.\u00a013 and run until Dec.\u00a01.<\/p>\n
The creation of the agency is in partial fulfillment of Wood\u2019s senior project requirement for the DMI entertainment industry studies degree. This unique project will involve a collaborative effort throughout the DMI. Student Katie Locke will serve as the booking assistant for the DMI student artists.<\/p>\n
The F.O.T.A. roster includes: Jarrick Finkley, a soulful singer-songwriter from Vicksburg; Jessica Faith, a singer-songwriter from Monticello, Ark.; and LockeStation, a country Americana duet that consists of Justin Boatman of\u00a0Eupora and Katie Locke from Vicksburg.<\/p>\n
The mission statement of the new agency is to provide the\u00a0student roster with professional quality music and entertainment industry services, as well as provide\u00a0venues in the Delta region and surrounding regions with quality entertainment in an effort to expose artists to the broadest possible audience.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am working to develop scenarios for myself and the student artists to apply what we are learning in the classroom,\u201d saidWood. \u201cHandling the planning, development and execution of an actual agency really accelerates that learning. After having the opportunity to intern in Nashville this past summer at Paradigm Talent Agency, I believe that I am well prepared to tackle this project.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tricia Walker, director of the DMI is looking forward to future developments.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m excited about this additional opportunity for DMI students to have a hands-on learning experience as it relates to the live event sector of the entertainment industry,\u201d said Walker. \u201cThe student artists on the Fighting Okra Talent Agency roster are talented and deserve to be seen and heard.\u201d<\/p>\n