Gammage, Troupe Earnest, 1944-

Troupe Earnest Gammage, III, was born into a business family in Brownwood, Texas, in 1944. He earned a BBA in Finance and Insurance from the University of Texas at Austin (UT) in 1967 and subsequently attended one year of Law School at UT. He began singing in a choir at age eight, performing music throughout his career and eventually becoming lead singer for the band Ernie Sky and the K-Tels. Gammage served as President of the Austin Music Industry Council and of the Texas Music Association as well as Chairman of the Austin Music Advisory Committee and of the City of Austin Music District Committee. Furthermore, he participated in various other organizations, including Leadership Austin. Cognizant of the revenue loss incurred by the city of Austin as a result the departure of Austin music acts, who tended to leave the city once they became famous, Gammage worked, through the many organizations with which he was associated, to facilitate the establishment of music business infrastructure and support. Gammage believed that efforts to make Austin an attractive place for musicians to develop careers would result in not only direct financial benefit to Austin as a city, but would also provide the music community with increased opportunities to pursue successful careers.

His efforts were primarily devoted to promoting cooperation between the Austin music industry, the financial and business communities, the offices of the city of Austin, and the national music industry. Gammage’s efforts in this area began to show results as early as 1987. He was involved in creating and promoting various types of seminars to provide musicians and the music community with business skills. These seminars covered such topics as banking, taxes, legal issues, and marketing. Conversely, Gammage worked with the financial community to identify investment opportunities in the Austin music community.

From the guide to the Gammage, Troupe Earnest, III, papers 2006-285; 2011-247; 2011-265; 2011-276; 2011-330; 2012-134., 1981-1998, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)

Troupe Earnest Gammage, III, was born into a business family in Brownwood, Texas, in 1944.

He earned a BBA in Finance and Insurance from the University of Texas at Austin (UT) in 1967 and subsequently attended one year of Law School at UT. He began singing in a choir at age eight, performing music throughout his career and eventually becoming lead singer for the band Ernie Sky and the K-Tels. Gammage served as President of the Austin Music Industry Council and of the Texas Music Association as well as Chairman of the Austin Music Advisory Committee and of the City of Austin Music District Committee. Furthermore, he participated in various other organizations, including Leadership Austin. Cognizant of the revenue loss incurred by the city of Austin as a result the departure of Austin music acts, who tended to leave the city once they became famous, Gammage worked, through the many organizations with which he was associated, to facilitate the establishment of music business infrastructure and support. Gammage believed that efforts to make Austin an attractive place for musicians to develop careers would result in not only direct financial benefit to Austin as a city, but would also provide the music community with increased opportunities to pursue successful careers.

His efforts were primarily devoted to promoting cooperation between the Austin music industry, the financial and business communities, the offices of the city of Austin, and the national music industry.

Gammage's efforts in this area began to show results as early as 1987. He was involved in creating and promoting various types of seminars to provide musicians and the music community with business skills. These seminars covered such topics as banking, taxes, legal issues, and marketing. Conversely, Gammage worked with the financial community to identify investment opportunities in the Austin music community.

From the description of Gammage, Troupe Earnest, III, papers, 1981-1998 (University of Texas Libraries). WorldCat record id: 697871598