Staff
President/Chief Executive Officer
Edward Anderson, Jr. is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Anderson Institute of Music and Performing Arts (AIM) and its multiple subsidiaries including Sky Walk Records. He is responsible for guiding the overall activities of the affiliate music companies such as The IMPACT Foundation, the Sky City Music Company and the Sun Valley Choirs, Inc. Prior to founding AIM in 2005 and Sky Walk Records in 2008, Mr. Anderson was Executive Director of the Algonquin Theater in New York City and Executive Director of American Red Cross chapters in New York, Florida and California.
In a brief hiatus from the music industry in 2006, he was appointed to serve on the National Advisory Council for the Department of Homeland Security by former Secretary Michael Chertoff under the Bush Administration and reappointed by Secretary Janet Napolitano under the Obama Administration in the areas of Public Health and Non-Profit Partnerships.
Under Mr. Anderson's direction, the Algonquin Theater became solvent and was successful in launching several new writers and shows in the theater industry. In addition, he successfully navigated AIM through the economic downturn of 2008 to present. Mr. Anderson oversees Sky Walk Records through rapid evolution in a changing music industry. He is an accomplished Producer and Songwriter winning the prestigious Billboard Magazine Song of Year and three AIRA/RIAA Song of the Year nominations. He is a member of BMI and NSAI. In 2010, a Hawaiian song he recorded titled "Kanaka Wai Wai" became the #1 most requested song in Guam for 22 straight weeks.
Mr. Anderson has earned a M.A. degree with honors in Philosophy & Religion with an emphasis in Ethics from Loma Linda University, a Project Management Certification from Villanova University, an MBA degree with an emphasis in Economics from University of West Florida/Regis University, and has attended Southwestern University School of Law in pursuit of a J.D. degree with emphasis in Entertainment Law. He is recipient of the Irwin N. Bloom Endowment Law Scholarship for his demonstrated work and commitment to public service and government work when he organized the largest pro bono legal network in Los Angeles County to provide free legal service to over 2,000 refugees from the Gulf Coast during Hurricane Katrina and Rita.
Mr. Anderson began his music career as a songwriter. His credits include the Shoreline Singers 1987 hit "On My Way", Morning Star's 1989 hit "Take Me Home" and producing such hit songs as "Keep Looking Up," "Signs of the Times," and "How A Woman Changed My Life" which climbed to 36 on the Nashville Country charts. Mr. Anderson received three prestigious Song of the Year award nominations by AIRA/RIAA and subsequently joined Sony Records in 1996 as a writer and producer. He also worked for such music companies as Brentwood Studios, Sparrow Records, and Capitol Ad Management but he took a leave of absence to deal with family issues at the time. In 2003, after a long sabbatical, he returned to music in Nashville and the new Tin Path South located in Orange Beach, Alabama and Perdido Key, Florida. He was selected as a featured Singer/Songwriter in the 2003 and 2004 International Songwriter's Festivals and opened with such songwriting greats as two-time Grammy Award winner Casey Kelly, Larry Butler and Bobby Keel. In 2005, he launched his own label, Makati Sound Studio Productions, which was eventually acquired by newly founded Sky Walk Records in 2008. At this time Mr. Anderson was named President and CEO.
As part of his strategy for growth, Mr. Anderson expanded the record label's penetration into the performing arts community by establishing partnership with Island Sounds, Inc. and Odds on Records and established co-venture deals with 2012 Grammy Award winning team Bonzai Caruso and Steven Ventic with distribution through Universal Distribution.
Mr. Anderson is energizing the industry by developing new artists with fusion sounds in various genres. Under his leadership, he is expected to produce successful newcomers in the areas of Country, Island, Christian, Chorale, Adult Contemporary and Alternative Rock. In addition, together with his wife Angela Anderson, he is revitalizing the performing arts through sound business models learned in both private and non-profit industries. Throughout his career, Mr. Anderson has worked in many different capacities in the private, non-profit and government sectors. All of which is culminating in a new direction for the performing arts industries which encompass music, theater, and dance.
Mrs. Anderson is a versitle musician and vocalist. She enjoys singing all styles of music including Classical Art Songs and Aria's, Jazz, Musical Theater, and Pop Music. She plays the Piano, Oboe, Flute, Guitar and Ukulele.
Mrs. Anderson was raised in Oklahoma and earned her BM degree with honors in Vocal Performance from Oral Roberts University where she performed and recorded locally and internationally with the Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Chamber Singers, and the Opera Theater Company in addition to playing the oboe in the Orchestra and Wind Ensemble. She performed in such shows as "Into the woods," "Godspell", and "Amahl and the Night Visitors." She also played the oboe/flute in the Wind Ensemble, Orchestra and Woodwind Ensemble. She then earned her MM Degree in Musical Theater from Oklahoma City University and served as the Assistant to the Director of the Opera, Musial Theater and Theater Department. She was a 2 year member of the Oklahoma Opera and Musical theate company performing and assisting won shows such as "Kiss Me Kate", "The Magic Flute," "Seussical," "The Merry Widow," and the "Man of La Mancha". Through this experience she was able to receive hands on experience in learning how to help bring to life amazing live theatrical experiences on stage!
Mrs. Anderson started her performing arts career at a young age of 2 years old singing in her daddy's church! Her mother sang and piano and father sang and played guitar and music was a lifestyle for her family. As she grew, Mrs. Anderson began to expand her musical experiences. While growing up, she competed and performed throughout Oklahoma and the mid-west United States and won multiple talent competitions and local festivals that eventually led her to becoming a cast member of “The Company Party” performance group which was a regionally televised musical show where she was a singer, dancer and actress. She garnished the title of National Novice Clogging Champion in 1995 in Branson Missouri. She also competed regionally & nationally with the Bands of America (BOA) organization as a Color guard member and co-captain of the “Pride of Broken Arrow” as well as in Winter guard International (WGI) International Competitions. She also competed as a soloist and dance captain of the Broken Arrow Show Choir.
Upon completion of her degrees, she moved to Los Angeles, CA, and began pursuing television and film. She appeared in shows such as “Seventh Heaven", “Boston Legal” ,"The OC" and the "E Ring". She performed and worked throughout Los Angeles in Musical Theater Shows and as a Voice &Theater Coach for many young performers in the Los Angeles area.
Mrs. Anderson continues to actively perform in the community and in the midwest United States. In the summer of 201, Angela and her husband presented the "Story of Redemption", and toured the mid-west United States giving numerous concerts at Churches and Concert venues. She has performed the National Anthem around the valley as well as performed and produced shows such as "Fashion Fantastico", "The Dark Side Cabaret" and many community performances.
Mrs. Anderson and her husband have a band "Phoenix Hill" and have played for the AZ State Fair and opened for big acts such as Sugar Ray, Andy Grammer, Rick Springfield, Steve Paige (Barenaked Ladies), Big Bad Voodoo Daddy's, Beach Boys, the Romantiks,
Mrs. Anderson is the director of the AIM Performance Teams: The "Sparkles", the "KitKats", and "Four4One" who are actively performing around Phoenix and the West Valley.
Mrs. Anderson Teaches - Voice Classical, Musical Theater, Jazz, Pop Voice, Vocal Branding, Recording Coaching, Musical Theater, Performance Teams, Piano, Guitar, Oboe, Flute, Songwriting - Rhythmic, Harmonic, Melodic, Vocal Arranging, Music Theory, Acting - Monologue, Audition Prep, Pageant Preparation, Musical Theater, Tap, Jazz & Hip-Hop.
Mrs. Anderson is excited to be able to do what she loves and share the love of music with those around her! She lives in the West Valley with her wonderful husband, Ed Anderson, and their children Cadence (5) and Carsten (3).