Judging by the numbers of artists, producers and songwriters, especially on the urban side, who have made BMI their performing rights organization of choice, especially in Atlanta, there's been something brewing in the air for BMI; Catherine Brewton, Vice-President, Writer-Publisher Relations, Atlanta, to be exact. For many of BMI's Atlanta-based clientele, which boasts industry heavy-hitters such as Dallas Austin, Sean Garrett, Polow, Jazze Pha and T.I., Brewton is the reason they've sided with BMI. But BMI didn't just luck upon the Atlanta market. Since joining BMI in 1997, Brewton's main job has been cultivating the Atlanta market, a task that has grown from a small office with a handful of people to one with over 10 staff members.

"We have worked hard branding ourselves. I didn't walk into the city and it was [automatically] BMI. I mean it took five years of blood, sweat and tears, dispelling myths about what people thought [about the organization]," explains the North Carolina native. "It was really about just trying to brand ourselves as being a kind of society that was committed to urban music," continues Brewton about her early challenges. "Even though we were committed, the community didn't feel that. They didn't sense that BMI was necessarily putting their money where their mouth is in supporting community efforts and being visible…that's what I tried to do.

"And, so, for years, it was all about shoring up relationships. I met one-on-one with Teddy Bishop, [who has crafted hits for Aaliyah, Whitney Houston and Toni Braxton, among numerous others], and I remember the first time I sat down with Organized Noize: Rico, Pat and Ray who were with BMI yet were days away of terming out. They were really doing the big OutKast records and "Waterfalls" was a big record at the time so it was important to salvage that relationship."

Today, Brewton doesn't have to sell BMI as hard as she once did but her days are still full. The BMI Urban Awards Show, which took place two days before MTV's annual VMA bash and honored Reverend Run of Run-DMC, is just one of the national events Brewton has spearheaded with BMI. On a daily basis, she fields questions from writers, settles accounts, ensures that songs are registered so people are paid ("You'd be amazed at how many major songs hit the charts and they're not registered," says Brewton) and meets with new writers, new producers and executives. Ultimately, Brewton says her job is "managing relationships and helping people."

She attests that there's been no better place to do this than Atlanta. "It's so exciting being in Atlanta. Del [Bryant, BMI's President/CEO] said to me . . . 'man, you really appreciate what Atlanta is. It's become the Motown of hip-hop.' . . . People want to be here," Brewton continues. "It's exciting for the city because it's really become a major music scene and we don't have the label infrastructure. We don't have the publisher entities. We have branches, an EMI rep and a Warner person. In terms of songwriters and producers and artists, the best of the best reside right here in this city. . . You've got Sean [Garrett], Dallas [Austin] and Jermaine [Dupri] and Usher here. Mariah was recently here recording and Janet spends a lot of time here and has been here recording. Everybody's trying to be here so I have no reason to be in any other city."

Such stellar talent is bound to attract new talent, regardless of where they reside, and Brewton, who spends a lot of time in New York and L.A., hasn't neglected creating new relationships. Some of the emerging artists in the pipeline that Brewton is high on include Kevin Michael, a Philadelphia-based songwriter/performer, songwriter Dream, who has a cut on the anticipated Usher album, as well as Novel, a mega-talent who has bounced around the industry but is now under Dallas Austin's tutelage. Brewton stays productive by cultivating new artists without neglecting her veteran hitmakers.

As gratifying as dealing with artists is, the Shaw University graduate isn't immune to the industry's many changes. "You also have to understand that we're in the music business," Brewton says, with a serious look in her eyes. "It is unconventional in so many ways and, yes, the market is changing and, yes, the digital medium is creating some challenges for the business. Everything is cyclical. Think of the days of 45s and the 8-track. It's all changing and no one thought we would survive from that day and we have, and we will survive from the digital medium and there will be another new revenue source. So, I don't worry about it. I certainly try to stay abreast. I certainly try to be mindful. Change is good. Change is not always easy but change is good." And that's one thing Catherine Brewton and BMI have banked on.