Blake Davis of Green Hill Music on Working With Olivia Newton-John

Plus: His label extension promotes health and well-being

Blake is a music industry executive and songwriter with more than two decades of experience across creative development, catalog strategy and commercial leadership. Currently, he’s the GM of Green Hill Music and its wellness label Emeraldwave by Green Hill. His team oversees strategy, operations and artist partnerships for a catalog of over 3,000 titles spanning jazz, New Age, neoclassical, Celtic, pop, holiday, relaxation and instrumental genres.

Previously, Blake spent the majority of his career at Capitol Christian Music Group and Big Idea Entertainment (the brand behind the kids show VeggieTales). His songs have been featured in film and television, with commercial placements for outlets including Fox, MTV, VH1 and E!

We spent two minutes with Blake to learn more about his background, his creative inspirations and recent work he’s admired. 

Blake, tell us …

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

I was born in Arkansas and grew up there and in Northern California. I then moved to L.A. after college to pursue music and entertainment before making the move to Nashville in 2007.

Your earliest musical memory.

Learning how to play a record on the family turntable without scratching it at age 5. Also, being so excited to buy Michael Jackson’s Thriller that I ran into the store and ran out to show my mom the cassette, setting off the shoplifting alarms.

Your favorite bands/musicians today.

I was obsessed with Kiss growing up, and tend to gravitate toward classic pop or rock of the ’70s and early-’80s.

One of your favorite projects you’ve ever worked on.

One of the first catalogs that I had the privilege of working on was for Olivia Newton-John at our parent company, Primary Wave. I had been a huge fan of Olivia growing up, so getting to know her as a person and working on her legacy was thrilling. Working with archivist Vinny Vero, one of the first projects we dove into was the 40th anniversary of her famous “Physical” release. We worked on multiple exclusives, rare content, full-size poster inserts, remastered audio and more. I spent a ton of time with the team to make sure that the release was special to both Olivia and her fans. 

A recent project you’re proud of.

The growth of one of our newest labels, Emeraldwave by Green Hill. Its mission: to develop the human spirit through sound. We need space to pause, breathe, reflect and calm the mind—all of which is vital to our health and well-being. Emeraldwave is developing projects designed to support listeners dealing with ADHD, anxiety, depression and trauma. We’ve been able to collaborate with Eric Hilton, Jim Brickman, David Arkenstone and Natalia Clavier.

One thing about how the music world is evolving that you’re excited about.

AI is here, whether we like it or not, so the real conversation isn’t about stopping it—it’s about guiding it responsibly. First and foremost, we have to protect creators. That means transparency, consent and fair compensation when an artist’s voice, likeness or catalog is involved. Creators should always know how their work is being used and have a seat at the table when new tools are built. AI can be an incredibly helpful tool—with discovery, marketing, fan engagement, catalog optimization and even removing friction from the business-side—so artists can spend more time creating. When used correctly, AI doesn’t have to replace creativity. We hope that it can help to amplify it.

The opportunity for our industry is to set the standards now—ethical frameworks, clear rights management and smart partnerships—so AI becomes something that strengthens the ecosystem instead of exploiting it.

Someone else’s work, in music or beyond, that you admired lately.

Industry leader-wise: UMG’s chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge. He always seems to stay ahead of the curve and is proactive with his decision-making. And Paul Sizelove, the president of Sun Label Group. Paul and I have worked together for a long time. He leads the company with compassion and works hard while keeping the human element. People want to join the kind of team that creates a special bond and loyalty, which is hard to find in today’s fast-paced climate.

A book, movie, TV show or podcast you recently found inspiring.

I’m reading Phil Collins’ Not Dead Yet: The Memoir. The book is honest, human and surprisingly raw.

An artist you admire outside the world of music.

Jesse Plemons. I first saw him on Friday Night Lights. He has a quiet greatness and brings a type of restraint to his roles in an era of big performances. He has become one of the great character actors of our time.

Your favorite fictional character.

Beavis and Butt-Head. No matter what mood I’m in or how old I get, I still find them hilarious. They provide a masterclass in saying absolutely nothing … perfectly. They are a great reminder that joy doesn’t always have to be sophisticated.

Someone worth following on social media.

Landofthe80s

Your main strength as a marketer/creative.

Relatability and the ability to let someone else shine in the room. Leaders don’t always have to be the ones with the best ideas and plans.

Your biggest weakness.

How I come across to others—how my approach will be received in building good relationships and being respected by my peers. I’ve learned to balance that with being decisive and confident in my choices. And I actively work on speaking up when I believe I have something of value to contribute.

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in the music business.

Working in radio or as a sports personality. I never get tired of watching sports and definitely wouldn’t mind being paid to call a game or talk about it.