Our mission is simple, to create and offer meaningful financial products that nurture the growth and development of the independent music community. Lyric Financial is run by music people for music people. We understand what it’s like to worry about how you are going to pay for recording, promotion and tour support, or if the next royalty check is going to be enough to cover the bills. We’ve been there and we’re here to lend a hand. At Lyric Financial, we have the ability and understanding to create a deal that’s right for you.
Lyric Financial is a proud supporter of NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International), AIMP (Association of Independent Music Publishers), Future of Music Coalition, and the California Copyright Conference.
The Lyric Team
ELI BALL, Founder and CEO
Eli Ball is the founder and CEO of Lyric Financial. At an early age he set out on a quest to find the soul of Robert Johnson. Along the way he had the privilege of working with acclaimed artists that include Ray Charles, Jason and the Scorchers, Rosanne Cash and Herbie Hancock. During the late 80′s and early 90′s his studio was ground zero for the burgeoning Memphis underground scene, providing a creative laboratory for future stars, Al Kapone, DJ Paul (3-6 Mafia). 8-ball & MJG, Jazzy Pha, and The North Mississippi Allstars.
In 1996, Eli took a break from the music industry to raise his two sons. There he began a new career as an investment banker. Through his studies and work, Eli began to recognize that the music industry could benefit from the financial tools that Wall Street had been using successfully in other industries for years. Eli’s desire was to use his expertise in both the Music and Financial industries to benefit the music industry (which was going through its own fundamental changes). The idea for Lyric Financial was born!
In 2007, the company relocated to Nashville, where Eli now lives with his wife, Mary Unobsky. An accomplished Grammy-nominated songwriter herself, Mary has written numerous television themes and has penned cuts for industry greats such as Anita Baker, Bonnie Raitt, Maurice White (Earth, Wind and Fire) and The Jazz Crusaders.
AL KAPONE, National Artist Rep
Born and raised in a city rich in music history, Memphis native Al Kapone found himself, along with other peers, following in their forefathers footsteps developing a new southern hip hop sound that would later be dubbed “crunk.” Kapone and groups like Three Six Mafia and Eightball & MJG would go unnoticed to the rest of the country until Craig Brewer and John Singleton’s cult classic film Hustle and Flow, which thrusted Al Kapone into the global spotlight. The Oscar winning soundtrack – of which Kapone composed three original songs – would earn Al a Critic’s Choice Award for “It Ain’t Over,” the movie’s theme song. “Whoop That Trick” would become one of the most memorable crunk songs of all time. This led Kapone to write and produce music for other films such as the #1 box office movie Stomp The Yard, featuring platinum artists Ne-Yo and Chris Brown; Cadillac Records featuring multi-platinum megastar Beyonce; and Top 10 Billboard hits “Snap Yo Fingaz” (Lil Jon) and “U and Dat” (E40 feat. T-Pain) to name a few.
Al Kapone has been a trailblazer from the beginning and today is no exception, becoming the first hip hop artist to be president of the Memphis Chapter of the GRAMMYs, and feature artist on MTV’s webisodes $5 COVER produced by Craig Brewer. You can also hear his music in popular 2K Sports video game NBA 2K10. His new sound and stage show is crossing all race and age barriers and has tremendous global appeal.
PRESTON GLASS, National Artist Rep
Preston’s success as an award-winning writer and producer has set him at the top of the class in the music industry. Following are many of the top artists with whom Preston has written and/or produced music for:
Whitney Houston, Earth, Wind & Fire, Mase, Stanley Jordan, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Holiday, Johnny Mathis, Michael Bolton, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Kenny G, Johnny Gill, Natalie Cole, Patti Austin, Kathy Sledge, The Delfonics, The Temptations, Diana Ross, George Benson, Phyllis Hyman, SoulDecision, Deniece Williams, Starpoint, Jermaine Stewart, Philip Bailey, Anita Pointer, Valeria, Lenny Williams, Stacy Lattisaw, Angela Bofill, June Pointer, Larry Graham, Carl Car1ton, Margie Joseph, Evelyn “Champagne” King, Tag Team, Ronnie Spector, Narada Michael Walden, George Howard, Pieces of a Dream, The Stylistics, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Michelle Gayle, Ben E. King, Brian Culbertson, J. Friends, The Dells, Norman Connors, Jermaine Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, Kirk Whalum, Jellybean Benitez, Brenda Holloway, Ali Woodson, Imagination, The Dramatics, Alfonzo Blackwell, Freda Payne, The Natural Four, Cindy Herron, Rebbie Jackson, Jaki Graham, Shades of Lace and others.
KELLY SWARTZ, Controller
LONI ROSE, Client Services Representative
KATHRYN GRAHAM, Client Services Representative