History
Who’z The Boss is an artist-friendly boutique music licensing, library creation, and custom music agency. We are home to a diverse set of 300 award-winning songwriters and producers from around the world. What you see is the result of collaboration between Parker Lee Williams and Dave Herrero, two distinct individuals who have been deeply involved in the music industry for over five collective decades.
Our dear friend and cofounder Parker Lee Williams sadly passed in the winter of 2021. Co-founder Dave continues the legacy that Parker left behind. Dave and Parker were very close and Dave is honored to carry on the legacy of the same level of quality that Parker always insisted upon. Parker Lee Williams, two-time Emmy nominee, former music director for The Oprah Winfrey Show and Harpo Productions, creator of the Harpo Sounds Music Library, and hip-hop legend, had over 20 years of experience developing custom music for Harpo Productions, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Dr. Oz Show, and OWN productions such as Super Soul Sunday and Oprah’s Master Class.
Dave Herrero is a first-class world touring blues musician, bandleader, composer, and music producer. He and his international team of award-winning composers were leading producers for the Harpo Sounds Music Library. Together, Herrero and Williams created Who’z The Boss Music Library, bringing their unique library-building approach to production houses, television and radio productions, and multimedia producers across the globe.
Williams’ and Herrero’s extensive music backgrounds contribute decades of valuable industry knowledge and creative excellence. Who’z the Boss is founded on the values set out from the two’s time on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Who’z the Boss prides themselves on accepting nothing besides the utmost excellence, and believe that community is the most important measure and driver of any musical endeavor.
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Inclusivity Statement
We conceived and built Who’z the Boss as a purpose-driven business. What that purpose looks like today is serving as the intersection of win-win partnerships among talented artists from underrepresented communities and a multibillion entertainment industry that lacks Chicago representation - through the power of exposure.
A simple YES to opportunity launched the careers of both our founders which is how WTB continues to pay it forward. Core to our model is providing a platform for undiscovered artists and promoting greater inclusion in the music industry. We embrace a culture of belonging and believe in elevating Chicago's melting pot of musical talent within the market. Four times a year, WTB offers music licensing 101 workshops for artists, students, and other creatives to learn the basics and to spark new ideas for monetizing a craft or catalyzing a career. Especially important in this post-COVID reality is an opportunity for systems change that the global pandemic presented us: to shift, lift, build, and sustain our industry's focus towards the inherent dignity and worth of undervalued individuals and communities in the creative industries. It is our belief that all lived experience brings potential to transform our neighborhoods AND our marketplaces. With that, we invite you to discover more of our Chicago-based music in our library.
In line with helping build artists' careers, WTB also offers internships for aspiring talent, driven to learn what it takes from a creative and business lens to succeed in the music industry. Our team works collaboratively to identify, refine, and leverage individual strengths, while learning the ins and outs of music licensing. Want to get your foot in the door? Hit us up for more details .
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