ECCHO Live, an acronym for Education, Community, Connection, Health, and Opportunity, serves as a comprehensive resource for professional growth in the live event industry by providing its participants with tools, workshops, and educational materials. It fosters networking opportunities for mentorship and collaboration while also offering accessible mental health support, including confidential counseling services and wellness programs for event professionals. PLSN recently spoke with ECCHO Live’s Co-Founder, Chris Lisle, and General Manager, Kara Kemp, for an overview of the organization’s various programs, including its upcoming “ECCHO Live Workshop” — a free annual event in Nashville, TN, designed to serve and educate music and touring industry professionals.

Originally, ECCHO Live, co-founded by Lisle and Lighting Director Erik Parker, was established to provide much-needed HR-related resources for freelance professionals, helping them navigate the complexities of tax and retirement planning, health insurance, and more. The evolution of the organization, particularly its pivot towards mental health, exemplifies Lisle’s understanding of the unique pressures faced by those in the touring industry. Likewise, Kemp, having spent over 15 years in the touring industry as a Crew Chief for Dega Catering is all too familiar with the grueling demands of live events. Working alongside prominent artists, Kemp experienced firsthand the toll that touring can take on mental health. It was her unique blend of industry knowledge and expertise as a professional coach that led to her position at ECCHO Live.

Kemp’s vision for ECCHO Live resonates with the broader movement toward prioritizing mental health in all professional arenas. She believes that the knowledge gained through workshops contributes directly to increased confidence and resilience among participants, stating, “I feel like people leave feeling much more supported. When you know more, it allows people to go into that season with more tools and more confidence.” She expressed her commitment to this cause, revealing her motivation for joining ECCHO Live: “What I wish I had when I started out touring as one girl on a crew of 100, someone willing to talk about my feelings and the stress of the road.” By creating dedicated panels and discussions around mental health, the organization aims to provide a safe space for individuals to voice their struggles and seek support.

Kemp highlighted the direct connection between the organization’s programs and the lived experiences of its board members—seasoned industry professionals who recognized the gaps in resources available during their careers. She noted, “It’s evolving, and it feels like we’re doing things that are really needed because all of these board members are pulling back to what they wished they had when they started touring. This reflective practice ensures that ECCHO Live remains relevant and responsive to the needs of its community.”

Professional Development

Kemp’s role as General Manager also encompasses several key responsibilities, including shaping the organization’s rebrand (from Touring Career Workshop) and organizing its programs. One of many highlights for this year is the upcoming and highly anticipated ECCHO Live Workshop on November 11, 2025, in Nashville. The inaugural workshop started in November 2011 with 50 attendees and has grown over the years to now welcoming more than 350.

Promoting the fall workshop involves a multi-faceted strategy incorporating direct outreach, social media engagement, and partnerships with local universities and vendors. Kemp explained that these efforts are crucial to connecting with industry professionals who may feel unseen or unheard in their roles. “For people in this industry who feel invisible, this is the place for you,” she stated as well as emphasized the importance of the event’s comprehensive approach. The main workshop offers 12 different sessions over the course of four hours, covering a range of topics that include business insurance, self-care, and wellness for those on the road. Kemp described the event as “one community, all under one roof, in one night” and referred to it as a “one-stop shop for networking.”

In addition, the workshop features a pre-event Career Essentials Lab that includes resume reviews, headshot services, student sessions focused on financing and budgeting, and an active shooter awareness workshop. The entire Workshop event brings together experienced touring professionals, local vendors, and students, providing comprehensive resources for individuals in the live event music industry. It also fosters valuable networking opportunities between industry veterans and newcomers. Notably, the event is free, which Kemp mentioned is unusual for professional development of this caliber.

Personal Support

ECCHO Live also offers the All Access program. “The live entertainment industry is characterized by long hours, relentless schedules, and the constant pressure to perform,” Lisle explained. “These challenges can lead to significant mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and feelings of isolation. It’s hard to walk into a venue at 6:30 or 7:00 a.m. and walk out at 2 a.m. and then repeat that same thing for the next three days. That is physically hard.”

With a remarkable 34-year career as a touring lighting director and production manager, Lisle’s firsthand experiences lend an authentic voice to his advocacy. He began his journey in 1991, initially working in various roles within the live entertainment sector. Over time, his career shifted more towards design. He eventually transitioned off the road in 2014 to focus on full production design and production management for major events, including Nashville’s iconic July 4th and New Year’s Eve celebrations.

In response to the distinct pressures facing professionals on the road, ECCHO Live underwent a transformative shift in focus as well. “In 2014, we launched the All Access program, which provides funding for counseling sessions for live entertainment industry workers and their families. This initiative marked a significant step towards legitimizing the mental health needs of those in a sector that had historically encouraged individuals to “suck it up” and carry on without addressing their psychological well-being,” articulated Lisle. He continued, “We offer up to four sessions of counseling per year, per person. If you work in our industry, it’s no questions asked. You go to our website and we assign you a client code. At that point, you can get a list of counselors that we’ve got partner deals with. You go see them, the counselors send us an invoice, and we pay it.” Today the All Access program has evolved to include not only crew members but also their families. “It has grown to the point where we nowcover spouses and dependents under the same program. I’m very proud we have done that,” said Lisle.

In 2023, inspired by a board member’s idea, the program took a significant step forward. “Why can’t we take this All Access program and bring in counselors and therapists to festivals?” Lisle recalled the suggestion. This led to the launch of All Access On Site, where mental health professionals are available at festivals to support staff working with bands, artists, and crew. “This initiative serves the people behind the scenes in a high-pressure environment,” Lisle pointed out. As the conversation around mental health grows, ECCHO Live’s All Access program sets a new standard for wellness in the events industry, ensuring that everyone involved receives the necessary mental health support. Lisle emphasized the staggering importance of these services, remarking, “If one person leaves better than when they arrived, it’s all worth it.”

The cultural change that Lisle advocates for extends beyond the initiatives his organization offers; it represents a larger shift in how the live event industry perceives and prioritizes mental health. By openly discussing these issues and emphasizing the importance of community, Lisle hopes to create an industry where professionals no longer feel compelled to suffer in silence. “We’re all just a bit broken or unique in our own little way. But we all are great, hardworking people,” he expressed. Lisle and his team are making significant strides in de-stigmatizing mental health concerns in an environment where the pressures to perform can be overwhelming. In a world that often glorifies relentless pursuit and external success, the message of ECCHO Live resonates with depth: “it is okay to not be okay. By embracing this truth, the live entertainment community can begin to heal, grow, and ultimately thrive, ensuring that both those who perform and those who support them find the understanding and care they need.”

Community Building

Beyond mental health support, ECCHO Live invests in creating a sense of community among touring professionals, who often experience feelings of isolation due to the demanding nature of their work. The organization hosts free networking events and “day off" activities in Nashville, specifically designed to foster connections among industry professionals. “We have our birth family, then we have our chosen family, and your tour family a lot of times becomes your chosen family by force,” Lisle commented, highlighting the importance of having supportive networks in a challenging industry. These community building initiatives not only provide essential respite from the rigors of touring but also cultivate a culture of camaraderie and mutual support. By encouraging professionals to connect over shared experiences and challenges, ECCHO Live aims to combat the loneliness that often accompanies life on the road.

This perspective not only humanizes those who work in the live event industry but also champions their resilience. The rebranding of Touring Career Workshop to ECCHO Live in early 2025 further underscored the organization’s commitment to inclusivity and comprehensive support for all live event professionals. Lisle believes that by reflecting the broader mission of education, community, connection, health, and opportunity, ECCHO Live as an organization can better serve its constituents, reinforcing its role as a resource for the entire community.

As ECCHO Live prepares for its fall workshop, the organization continues to build on its foundation of listening to the community’s needs. Under Lisle and Kemp’s leadership and insight, they emphasize mental health support as a ‘non-negotiable’ component of a successful career in the touring industry. Be it through networking, at workshops and community gatherings, or through the All Access program, ECCHO Live wants to offer that support. “Each member of our community needs to know that they are not alone and should never be afraid to voice their feelings,” Kemp remarked, encapsulating the essence of ECCHO Live’s mission.

ECCHO Live is an official IRS 501c3 non-profit. To learn more or to contact ECCHO Live, please visit their website at: www.eccholive.com

Photo courtesy of PLSN.