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PRESS RELEASE |
New charity partner and additional sponsors announced for the 2026 Recording Industry Golf & Poker Tournament
— New charity partner Education Through Music-LA joins the annual event, to be held at Sand Canyon Country Club in Los Angeles on Monday, June 29, 2026 —
— Event organizer Karen Dunn is accepting entries for participants and sponsors —
Los Angeles, CA, June 12, 2026 — The Los Angeles music community is rallying around the 2026 Recording Industry Golf & Poker Tournament™ (RIGT), taking place Monday, June 29, 2026, at Sand Canyon Country Club in Santa Clarita, CA, with the shotgun start at 11:00 a.m. PDT and the Texas Hold ‘Em poker tournament beginning at 1:00 p.m. Now in its 11th year, the RIGT is once again being organized by veteran event producer Karen Dunn of KMD Productions, LLC.
This year sees a new charity partner for the event: Education Through Music-LA (ETM-LA), an organization that works toward closing the opportunity gap and providing a well-rounded experience for all students.
ETM-LA works with under-resourced elementary and middle schools across LA County to provide high-quality, sequential, culturally responsive music education for all students regardless of background or ability. Since its founding, ETM-LA has grown from two partner schools reaching 800 children to 42 partner schools reaching approximately 18,000 children (ages 4-14) with sequential, comprehensive yearlong music education, at no cost to students. ETM-LA’s mission is to provide and promote music as part of the core curriculum in under-resourced schools across Los Angeles County, nurturing students' academic, creative, and overall well-being and development.
Newly announced sponsors include Kali Audio, Kiwara Audio, Walters-Storyk Design Group (WSDG), Progressive Designs Inc. (PDi), IK Multimedia, AEA Ribbon Mics Inc., AKP Recordings and Creative Bridge Community, joining previously announced sponsors AKG, Custom House at Guitar Center, Ultimate Ears Pro, JBL, Lonely Feather Studios, Advanced Systems Group (ASG), Lurssen Mastering, Clyne Media and studioexpresso. A limited number of sponsorships are still available.
Since 2015, the RIGT has served as a gathering place for the L.A. recording industry, bringing colleagues, friends, mentors and the next generation together for a day built around connection, community and a great hang. This year’s event features a $10,000 hole-in-one prize, a $5,000 putting contest, a $1,000,000 shot opportunity, photo/social media content opportunities, and the “Infamous Traveling Tequila Carts.” New this year, acclaimed mastering engineer Michael Romanowski joins as Morning Emcee. The Texas Hold ‘Em poker tournament, always a popular highlight of the day’s festivities, returns with a dedicated clinic to help players sharpen their skills before the competition begins.
Golf experience is not required! Many of the day’s participants will be there just for the community, and no one will judge those with beginner golf skills. Dunn remarks, “Want to play golf, but don't know how? We can give you enough basic knowledge to keep up with the others in your foursome. Just come play! Or you don’t have a foursome? We can match you up with other players. It’s an opportunity to meet new people, make friends and network.”
Rachel Stilwell, music/audio/IP attorney, originally attended as a novice golfer. Now three years later, she has a new hobby and has been back every year. “I played golf for the first time at this event. Total newbie! I was welcomed with open arms. Whew. Now I’m learning how to play golf and am surrounded by good friends!”
Still, many attendees may choose to participate only in poker. A poker clinic will review the rules and basic strategy, prepping everyone for the tournament with prizes and lots of poker fun. Acclaimed artist/producer Uhlone, Poker Tournament Honorary Chair + Sponsor of the Poker Tournament, notes, “The Recording Industry Golf and Poker Tournament isn’t just about the cards—it’s about community! In an industry built on collaboration, this event brings together artists, engineers, and creatives in a space where connections are made, stories are shared, and friendships are forged. Whether you’re all-in or just here for the conversation, it’s a day that reminds us why the audio world is one of the most tight-knit and supportive industries out there!”
Gavin Lurssen, Golf Tournament Honorary Co-Chair, remarks, “Get out of your chair, replace your studio glow with a suntan and come and join your like-minded colleagues for a day of fun and shop talk, poker or golf, and everybody wins!”
Registration is now open for both golfers and/or poker players. Golfers may register as foursomes, as pairs or singles (who will be matched up into foursomes). A special reduced rate is also available for students.
Visit https://birdease.com/2026RIGT for more information, or call Karen Dunn at 925-708-0307.
About KMD Productions, LLC
KMD Productions LLC is a full-service event production company, delivering events across the U.S. With 16 years of experience, KMD Productions can handle all the details of your fundraiser, corporate function or trade show event. Whether launching a new product, supporting a meaningful cause, or building better brand recognition, KMD Productions partners with clients to bring their vision to life and achieve their goals.
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Photo File 1: RIGT_2025_Group.JPG
Photo Caption 1: Participants from last year’s 2025 Recording Industry Golf Tournament.Photo File 2: RIGT_roundlogo2026.JPG
Photo Caption 2: 2026 RIGT logoPhoto File 3: ETM_LA_Logo.JPG
Photo Caption 3: ETM-LA logoPhoto File 4: ETM_LA_Group.JPG
Photo Caption 4: Education Through Music-LA (ETM-LA) is the charity partner for RIGT 2026
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