Amherst Executive Organized Inauguration Kick-Off Concert

A local entertainment executive and his company organized a kick-off to the presidential inauguration with a concert celebrating youth involvement in politics.

Amherst native David Christensen has joined his company, ClearPath Entertainment, with the efforts of the Our Time organization in Washington, DC to put on an inaugural youth ball on Saturday.

The celebrity gala took place at the  Smithsonian's' Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture on Saturday, and feature performances from  Will.i.am and T-Pain as well as multiple Grammy winners Common and John Legend.

“Its an absolute honor,” said Christensen. “We have done a lot of political events before, but this is the first inaugural event we produced top to bottom. I take pride and am honored to be involved in something of that caliber.”

Our Time is a youth-oriented political organization whose mission is to inspire and motivate young people to get involved in the political process. The bipartisan group aims to educate them on the issues facing them today, and be a part of the solution.

Christensen said that music plays “an immense role” in motivating and inspiring youth and connecting them to messages. He was very selective in artists he picked for the concert; picking the ones who show a reverence for the political process in their work.

The successful entertainment executive went to Milford High School, lived in Los Angeles for 15 years as a music manager for acts, including platinum selling artist Meredith Brooks, and was head of A&R (artists and repertoire) for London Sire/Warner Brothers Records. His past experience in political events include four events at part Democratic National Conventions.

He moved back to NH to operate Clearpath Entertainment, which currently manages major-label recording artists, produces large-scale concert festivals and events throughout the country.

The program is sponsored by Aflac, Microsoft, The Northeast Maglev, Karmaloop, Beam Brands, Heineken, Gibson, the US Immigration Investment Center, Comcast, International Brotherhood of Teamsters and Avenue Ventures.

For more information, visit OurTime.org/inauguration.