Kenisell
Deanna Kenisell has spent more than 25 years living and breathing the music industry — not from the sidelines, but from the center of it. From managing backstage production on George Strait's sold-out tours to working alongside the Dixie Chicks at the height of their career, to raising over $20 million for charities through celebrity benefit concerts, Deanna has done the work, built the relationships, and earned the trust of the biggest names in Music City and beyond.
Now, she's bringing all of it to the next generation through Future Hitmakers Academy.
Her Story
There are people who talk about the music industry and then there are people who have lived it from the inside out. Deanna Kenisell is firmly in the second category.
A proud graduate of Middle Tennessee State University's Music Business program (one of the most respected in the country), Deanna began her career the way the best ones do, by jumping in headfirst. One of her first stop's, by means of Senior Management, was Sony Music Nashville, where she made such an impression that the company created and awarded her the very first "Intern of the Year" honor, a recognition she was told had never existed before Deanna earned it. It was an early signal of something that has defined her entire career: a drive not just to succeed, but to set a standard.
From that moment forward, one thread has run through everything Deanna has done, helping others achieve their dreams. Whether she was managing the careers of chart-topping artists, producing benefit concerts that changed lives, or building relationships across every corner of the music business, the mission has always been the same. Twenty-five years later, that mission now has a new name: Future Hitmakers Academy.
Deanna spent years at Senior Management/The Firm, one of Nashville's premier artist management companies, where she worked directly alongside the team guiding the The Chicks during one of the most explosive periods in country music history. She helped launch their award-winning "Fly" website, coordinated media with outlets like People Magazine, InStyle, and ABC's 20/20, and served as Personal Assistant to Natalie Maines, Martie Seidel, and Emily Erwin, later traveling with the group as their career reached the top of the charts, as the Tour Accountant.
Her next chapter took her to The Messina Group/AEG Live, where she served as Executive Assistant to Louis Messina — one of the most powerful concert promoters in the country. She helped promote landmark tours and shows including George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, The Chicks, Dierks Bentley and Gretchen Wilson, served as Tour Accountant for the George Strait Tour for seven consecutive years, and ran full backstage production, ensuring every detail of every show ran flawlessly. She played a key role in landmark events including Kenny Chesney's stadium show at Neyland Stadium and the legendary Jimmy Buffett/George Strait/Alan Jackson triple-headliner at Texas Stadium.
In 2008, Deanna founded Big Hearted Babes, a philanthropic event production company that has raised well over $20 million for charitable organizations across the country — featuring artists and personalities including Eric Church, Dierks Bentley, Thomas Rhett, Lady A, Randy Rogers Band, Kip Moore, Tony Hawk, and the cast of Sons of Anarchy and more.
In short: Deanna has worked at every level of this industry. She has sat in the room with the agents, the managers, the label executives, the promoters, and the artists themselves. She knows how deals are made, how careers get built, and what it takes to succeed in one of the most competitive industries in the world.
Why Trust Deanna With Your Student
As a parent herself, Deanna understands that sending your child away for a week, even for an extraordinary opportunity, requires trust. Future Hitmakers Academy was designed with that trust at the center of everything.
Beyond raising her own elementary aged son, Deanna has also opened her home as a foster mom to numerous children in need. Through that experience, she has developed a deep understanding that caring for kids is never one-size-fits-all. She believes that every child comes with their own story, their own needs, and their own pace. It's shaped the way she leads, the way she connects, and the way she ensures that every student feels seen, supported, and safe.
Every element of the program, from lodging and meals to evening events and daily schedules, is structured with student safety, supervision, and well-being as the top priority. Deanna brings the same meticulous attention to detail she applied running backstage production for national tours and managing high level charity events, because your student deserves nothing less.
But safety at Future Hitmakers Academy goes beyond the physical. A core part of the curriculum is preparing students for the realities of entering the music industry as newcomers. The music business is extraordinary — and it can also be unforgiving to those who don't know the rules. Students will learn how to safeguard their original music, understand the basics of contracts and rights, recognize situations and people that don't have their best interests at heart, and walk into any room in this industry with both confidence and their eyes wide open.
"Because the best thing we can give the next generation isn't just access, it's armor."