In recent years, both local and national outlets have finally started paying more and better attention to Black musicians from Nashville, from rappers and producers to Black country artists and beyond. A decade ago, Averianna the Personality was already holding the banner high for Black music and musicians in her hometown, as a radio and TV host and event curator and organizer.
“I just felt like the hip-hop scene didn't have a voice at the time, when I was growing up, and it wasn't getting, like, any coverage — I mean, none,” recalls the Nashville native born Averianna Patton. “I'm a solidified journalist, and I'm like, ‘OK, well, if we can't get the news to cover, I'll just start my own platform.’”
A graduate of Nashville School of the Arts and Middle Tennessee State University — where she excelled after teachers and classmates encouraged her to get in front of the camera — Patton moved to Los Angeles armed with a thorough knowledge of TV production. She dove headfirst into both TV and radio broadcasting, and worked as a production assistant on nationally syndicated programs like The Dr. Phil Show. When Patton returned to Nashville a few years later, those kinds of jobs were much harder to find, but she became a personal assistant to country music star Kellie Pickler and Ben Aaron, Pickler’s co-host on the Pickler & Ben talk show. Through that gig, Patton became a pro at navigating major live broadcast productions like the CMA Awards.
Her skills and experience, along with her understanding of how difficult it has historically been for Black artists to gain traction in Nashville, planted a seed. With the support of longtime DJ Dolewite at Nashville commercial hip-hop station 101.1 The Beat, she began showcasing local artists on the Cashville Spotlight show. From there, she took on hosting duties on Nashville internet hip-hop station Streetz 99.3, spent about three years hosting on FM station Yoco 96.7 and launched a podcast called The Voice of Cashville.
Averianna the Personality
While working as the community engagement manager for the National Museum of African American Music, Patton kicked off a recurring talk-show-style interview program called Music City Check-In. In addition to producing that show on an occasional basis and hosting various live events, she has completed production on four episodes of a game show called The Blacker the Berry and is on the hunt for the right outlet. Expressing her gratitude to God for the ability to keep the plates spinning in what she calls her “purpose work,” she explains that she’s also taken on a very important role in her “kingdom work”: She’s now teaching physical education and coaching girls’ basketball at Margaret Allen Middle School.
“I have so many visions and so many expectations, but I try not to put that on myself, because I know I can't do it on my own,” she says, speaking on what will help Black art and culture thrive in Music City. “Regarding our need, I feel like it's happening — it just takes time, and I feel like they just got to keep pushing at it, keep watching the world and seeing how it's growing. And don't just look at what's happening here, but make sure you're keeping up with the music scene worldwide, because it's a big world out there.”
Practicing what she preaches, Patton is also making preparations to take up hosting duties (by remote) on Streetz 99.3’s sister station Streetz 94.5, in the much bigger market of Atlanta.
“I feel like Atlanta embraces the culture 120 percent. We [in Nashville] just got to be embraced. And it takes time, because, you know, this is the capital of country. But I always like to tell everybody, ‘This is the capital of music — this is Music City.’ We’re covering a lot of different genres, so we can't just expound upon one and not give all the others grace.”
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