Meet William Metzger | Entertainment Attorney and Record Label Executive

We had the good fortune of connecting with William Metzger and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi William, what role has risk played in your life or career?

Embracing risks is the cornerstone of realizing aspirations and fulfilling one’s dreams. For me, risk-taking has been a defining characteristic of my journey. It began with a bold decision to enlist in the Marine Corps and venture into the unknown at the age of 18. Subsequently, I dared to carve my path in the world of music, relocating to San Diego to pursue a full-time career in guitar instruction despite having just a handful of students.

My thirst for challenge led me to Texas, where I auditioned for the esteemed Jazz Program at UNT, and later, pursued a legal education at SMU. Establishing my own law firm marked another leap of faith, followed by the exhilarating venture of launching a record label. At each juncture, I confronted uncertainty head-on, knowing that the rewards of success often accompany courageous leaps.

Reflecting on my journey, I acknowledge the pivotal role that risk-taking has played. I believe had I not taken risks and only listened to those friends or family who always told me no or did not support me early on, I would not be where I am today in Dallas, Texas.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My law practice includes all transactional areas of the entertainment industry and business law, including: music, film, electronic media, photography, gaming, copyright, trademark, and contracts. Moreover, I help entrepreneurs and business owners with various business and corporate aspects of the industry, such as entity formation, sale of goods issues, copyrighting, and trademarking.

The record label, Affiant Records, provides powerful and purposeful entertainment through music, film, and
media to our audience around the globe to emotionally affect and bring about a positive
change to the world through our entertainment. Affiant Records operates global marketing and distribution for talented and accomplished artists, bands, and musicians.

Becoming an attorney and opening your own businesses is always challenging. Thankfully, I have had some fantastic mentors along the way to learn the ropes of both the law and the entertainment industry. Beyond that, my faith in God and sheer perseverance to keep waking up every morning and trying to move the needle forward one day at a time is the only way I can overcome these obstacles.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Dallas-Fort Worth is such a large area with thousands of eateries and shops. Personally, I am more of a suburbs type, but enjoy visiting the city for a night out on the town. First stop would be Guitar Sanctuary in McKinney, which is a boutique guitar and amp shop. They frequently host guitar clinics with acts such as Nita Strauss and Brent Mason. Also, they feature concerts and shows from many guitar legends, to include our local guitar hero, Andy Timmons. The store is located in Adriatica village, which is modeled after a Croatian village. Guitar Sanctuary is owned and operated by the mayor of McKinney George Fuller. Next up would be the Star in Frisco where the Dallas Cowboys world headquarters is located. The Ford center at the Star is a place where you can walk around, explore the history of the Cowboys, and throw a football on the astroturf field. After working up a sweat, you can head on over to various restaurants and bars that are all within a short walking distance. The area is very Instagrammable for picture taking and packed out on game days. Head on down the road for a short trip, and we would go to Legacy West in Plano. Legacy West is the home to the headquarters of Liberty Mutual and Toyota. There are high end shops, a Tommy Bahama restaurant and store, Legacy Hall where concerts are held, and a Starbucks Reserve. After hitting up Legacy West we would head on over to the Fort Worth stockyards. They have a twice daily cattle drive to watch the steer and take photos. This is also a phenomenal place to learn the history of Texas as though you stepped back in time to the days of the cowboys and ranchers who settled the state. There are various restaurants and shops to check out. Cattlemen’s Steakhouse is the ultimate place to eat if you enjoy a phenomenal steak. After venturing in Fort Worth, we head into downtown Dallas and check out the Perot Museum and the Dallas aquarium. At night, the American Airlines (AA) center also hosts many games for the Dallas Mavericks basketball team, the Dallas Stars hockey team, and large concerts for acts such as Post Malone, who has Texas roots. We would definitely head over to AA to catch a fun event. There are so many things to do in Dallas-Fort Worth that you would need a good week or two to really explore all DFW has to offer.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my wife Katje. Without her love and support, I never would have made it through law school, or been able to open my law firm and record label. Her dedication to helping me accomplish my dreams is the reason I’m where I’m at today. My father instilled in me a strong work ethic and my creative side comes from my mother. Also, my faith has impacted my decisions and choices throughout my life. Moreover, there are numerous music instructors and professors that have helped me learn and grow as a musician to include Peter Rogine of Five Towns College and Al Pitrelli, musical director for Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Website: www.wjmetzgerlaw.com, www.affiantrecords.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/williamjmetzger

Facebook: www.facebook.com/wjmetzgerlaw, www.facebook.com/AffiantRecords