As the folks in the Music City can attest, recording an album takes more than just a great voice and an instrument.

There are sound engineers, session musicians, songwriters and producers, alongside singers and bands, that make a record come to life.

The eSTART Coalition is taking a similar approach in Nashville, Tenn., next month with its 2026 eSTART Modernization Forum.

The event, which takes place Oct. 20-21 at The Westin Nashville, is co-located with the Electronic Signature & Records Association’s event and will bring together government agencies, automotive organizations, tech providers, trade associations and other industry stakeholders.

Co-locating with ESRA allows for “collaboration around electronic signatures, digital records, identity authentication, and other technologies supporting the transition to digital transactions,” eSTART said.

Tony Hall is the chair of the eSTART Advisory Board and is head of policy, DMV and industry affairs at Carvana. In the release, Hall noted: “Modernizing title and registration requires collaboration across the entire ecosystem.

“The eSTART Modernization Forum gives state leaders and industry experts an opportunity to share what’s working, learn from one another, and tackle the challenges that still stand in the way of progress,” Hall said. “Bringing the eSTART and ESRA communities together this year expands that conversation and helps us continue working toward processes that are more efficient, secure, and seamless, especially for consumers.”

Among the eSTART programming during the two-day event are the following sessions, as listed by the coalition:

  • Navigating the Digital Shift: DMV Modernization & E-Titling Realities — Tony Hall of Carvana and Philippe Guiot of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) will discuss approaches to DMV modernization and the transition to electronic titles.
  • Dealer Transactions: How Titles Move Through Dealer Operations — Todd Phillips of the South Carolina Automobile Dealers Association will moderate a session on the title processes involved in dealer transactions.
  • Auctions: How Titles Move Through Salvage and Wholesale Operations — Kevin Park of IAA and Dustin Cruz of OPENLANE will examine how titles move through salvage and wholesale vehicle transactions.
  • Community Hot Topics — Beth Caro of the National Independent Vehicle Title Agents (NIVTA) will moderate a panel discussion with industry leaders on timely issues affecting the title and registration community.
  • Is It Time to Modernize the ESIGN Act? — Participants will discuss whether the ESIGN Act is ripe for reform or still serves its purpose.

Those attending the eSTART event can also attend the ESRA programming, which will include discussions on digital document authentication, electronic signature laws, fraud and identity amid the advancement of artificial intelligence and more.

“We are thrilled to bring the ESRA Annual Conference to Nashville this October and even more excited to co-host it with the eSTART Coalition,” said Derek Leffert, Executive Director of ESRA.

“This year’s program is packed with engaging panel discussions, valuable networking, and plenty of opportunities to experience Music City. Whether you’re shaping policy, building technology, or navigating compliance, this is the place to connect with the people driving electronic signatures and records forward.”

Registration is open to all. For more information visit, estartcoalition.org/emf.