Dunham Music Group

CEO & Manager: Betty L. Bass

Affiliation: SESAC™

Biography

For over a quarter-century, Dunham Music Group—the creative powerhouse formed by multi-instrumentalist/guitarist Billy Dunham and writer/producer Betty L. Bass—has been crafting timeless, genre-blending original music.

The Origin

The duo’s story began in the mid-1970s at The Star-Box in Saginaw, Michigan. Betty first witnessed Billy’s breath-taking guitar work while he was touring with the band Ebony & The Greek. Though life took them on separate paths—Betty off to college in Sacramento in 1979—their shared musical connection remained unfulfilled for two decades.

In February 2000, a chance reunion in New York City rekindled their creative spark. The two immediately pledged to write, compose, and build a musical legacy together.

Grassroots Grit to Digital Mastery

Starting out in Atlanta, Georgia, with secondhand gear sourced from pawnshops, Dunham and Bass embraced an independent, self-funded ethos. By the fall of 2000, they relocated to Emeryville in the San Francisco Bay Area to refine their sound.

Their turning point arrived in 2003 through "Grammy in the Streets," a series of industry seminars hosted by the Recording Academy's San Francisco office. Guided by industry leaders like Merl Saunders and iconic vocal artist Ledisi, they gained deep insights into digital recording specifications, music law, and voting membership requirements for the Recording Academy.

Inspired to take full ownership of their art, Bass and Dunham invested everything into building a state-of-the-art, in-house digital studio. By late 2009, they had transitioned to a 100% digital production pipeline, laying the groundwork for their independent record label, Jazmae Music Label, and publishing entity, Jazmae Music Publishing (SESAC).

Discography & Breakthroughs

• 2012: Released their debut album, Red Strings, highlighting signature tracks like "Shy Guy."

• 2015: Released the hit EP I Wanna Dance, expanding their reach across instrumental, jazz, and dance charts.

Chart Achievements

Dunham Music Group has built a strong charting footprint across independent music platforms:

• ReverbNation (Nashville): Top placement on both the Instrumental and Jazz charts.

• NumberOneMusic (N1M Top 100):

  • "Move That Body" – #12 (Dance, US/TN)

  • "Here and Right Now" – #13 (Dance, US/TN)

  • "Sag-Nasty" – #14 (Funk, US/TN)

Driven by independent passion, technical mastery, and authentic roots, Dunham Music Group continues to compose, record, and release music that moves audiences nationwide.

Connect & Listen

• Official Website: dunhammusicgroup.com

• ReverbNation: reverbnation.com/dunhammusicgroup

• Email: B.Bass@dunhammusicgroup.com