Live event platform transitions to nonprofit

Geoff Steele: New Melody Room program promotes jazz and local talent.

Cora Scott: Melody Room is positioned well to make grant applications.

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Four years after creating The Melody Room LLC, a live event platform that provides venues for emerging musicians and poets, founder and executive director Sam Timmerman has his sights set on making his passion project an eventual full-time pursuit.

The venture is now dubbed Melody Room of Springfield Inc. after Timmerman recently secured 501(c)(3) nonprofit status and formed a six-person board of directors. Timmerman said the organization’s mission is to strengthen the community through music, arts, educational programming, artist development and partnerships.

A full-time employee at The Arc of the Ozarks for the past eight years, Timmerman works as a behavior technician supervisor. But he’s also a musician who studied music at Arkansas State University. Timmerman said he sees Melody Room of Springfield as a safe space for artists to be valued and heard. Its creation was spurred by his own experiences of being turned away from performing at local venues, adding he was labeled as a “no name.”

“All I was wanting was just an opportunity, but they didn’t see that,” he said. “I’ve met a lot of people so far who had that same story that I have. I really want to create something that I can bring live music to the forefront in a way that it’s not been heard around here before.”

The venture hosts open mic nights, poetry events and music shows covering a variety of genres, such as jazz, pop, R&B, country and gospel. Starting four years ago at Lightbox Collective LLC, a photography studio on Commercial Street, Melody Room has since transitioned to various venues, including Q Enoteca LLC, the former Blue Room Comedy Club and The Venue on Sunset – formerly The Riff. Timmerman also is booking shows at newer spaces such as Sunshine Events Center at the corner of Glenstone Avenue and Sunshine Street, as well as MoonTown Sound on Commercial Street.

Timmerman also is a frequent performer at the shows with his own band, Ambiance.

“We’re able to play really any genre,” he said, adding the band performs for those needing accompaniment. “We play for them because they don’t have either the money, the resources or the network to even go about putting a professional band together.”

Making investments
Timmerman manages event bookings and coordinates logistics for the artists, which up to now has been all out of his own pocket. He estimated he’s invested around $80,000 in the Melody Room since its inception.

“I created The Melody Room because it was a space that I once needed myself,” he said. “If God is able to help me get this platform, I want to be able to bless these artists as well, not only help their development, but make them feel like they’re actually being compensated for their hard work and time.”

Timmerman also has a desire to add programming, including music festivals, a podcast series and open mic nights for youths. He said becoming a nonprofit will allow him to expand his vision for the Melody Room through grants, as well as philanthropic and community partnerships.

“We’re actively pursuing grants,” said Timmerman, noting his new board that formed a few months ago includes Cora Scott, director of public information and civic engagement for the city of Springfield, and Francine Pratt with the Community Partnership of the Ozarks.

Scott, who serves as vice chair, said Pratt introduced her to Timmerman around five years ago.

“I was just impressed with Sam and his vision for enhancing the diversity of music venues and entertainment in Springfield, and in particular his desire to kind of cultivate that in youth,” Scott said, adding that led to partnerships with the Melody Room on city events such as the Mayor’s Tree Lighting and Holiday Show and the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival.

Timmerman said Scott told him the work he’s doing through the Melody Room is already much like what a nonprofit does.

“We’ve already been providing resources and platforms and giving people opportunities,” he said. “I wanted to expand in our community and really make a bigger impact on what I’ve been able to do. Everything that I’ve been doing has been solely on myself.”

Scott said Timmerman invited her to join the board, which is meeting monthly.

“I think that he’s positioned well for applying for grants and other opportunities that align with his mission of diversifying entertainment and also teaching music and cultivating that across multiple audiences,” she said, adding transitioning to a nonprofit was a good direction.

“I recommend people to him because he’s just doing things for the right reasons,” Scott said.

New programming
A newly announced partnership will soon lead to new programming for the Melody Room at a historic Queen City venue.

“We’re going to be creating signature programming starting this fall … trying to give access to bigger stages for our local musicians,” Timmerman said of a new series, dubbed Wine and Jazz, set to debut in October at the Gillioz Theatre.

Geoff Steele, executive director for Gillioz Center for Arts and Entertainment, said his venue is always looking for opportunities to showcase regional talent in some capacity. Collaborating with the Melody Room was also a great chance to promote the Gillioz and jazz, he said.

“The Gillioz doesn’t get many opportunities to use regional talent since we’re a national touring house, and most of the tours don’t really give opening slots to local bands,” Steele said, noting Wine and Jazz will be held on the venue’s second-floor event space, The Gallery at the Gillioz. “It’s a lovely space, one of my favorite parts of the theatre.”

The first show is set for Oct. 16 and will feature jazz vocalist Laura French. Tickets are now on sale at GilliozTheatre.com. The series will run monthly at least through December, although both Timmerman and Steele are hopeful audience interest will extend that into 2027.

“We’re excited to be able to partner with him on it but it’s very much an effort to be able to continue to fund the efforts of this new 501(c)(3),” Steele said. “So, proceeds will go to the Melody Room.”

Steele said the Melody Room is just paying a one-day rental for each event for an undisclosed price.

Timmerman said he’s excited about the new shows coming up, adding the Gillioz partnership should also extend next year to the Fox Theatre, another downtown venue. The Gillioz Center for Arts and Entertainment began managing the 157 Park Central Square facility last year, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting. Details on Melody Room programming for that location are still in discussions, Steele said.

“Nothing is firmed up yet, but I would not be surprised if you didn’t see some activity coming from the Melody Room on the Fox stage by this time next year,” Steele said.

As he pivots to nonprofit status, Timmerman said he’s feeling positive about the Melody Room’s future.

“We have a lot of talent here. They just need a platform, and I’m the voice of it,” he said, noting he has a long-term dream to have a venue of his own to host artists.

“This is my life; this is my passion,” he said. “This is what I want to do for the rest of my life.”