Downtown Music Publishing Names Cliff Audretch III To VP Role [Exclusive]

Cliff Audretch III

Downtown Music Publishing has appointed Cliff Audretch III as Vice President Creative. He will join Downtown’s Nashville-based Creative team, alongside Natalie Osborne and Matt Turner, reporting directly to Sr. VP, Creative Steve Markland.

Audretch will be responsible for scouting, developing, and signing new artists, songwriters, and producers, as well as creating opportunities for Downtown clients and copyrights in the global marketplace.

“Cliff is an excellent addition to our seasoned and accomplished team, here at Downtown,” said Markland. “We are thrilled to have someone with his extensive experience and creative knowledge on board, working with our global team.”

Prior to joining Downtown, Audretch served as a talent manager representing songwriters and producers at Patriot Management, where he established the company’s Nashville division. He also ran his own publishing company, Greatshakin’ Music, launched in conjunction with Warner Chappell Music in 2013.

Audretch has held senior A&R and creative positions at Show Dog-Universal Music, Universal South Records, and Windswept Publishing, getting his start in the mid-‘90s at E-Squared Records—where he worked alongside partners Steve Earle and Jack Emerson. In his various roles, Audretch has worked with and developed talent responsible for multiple country hits such as “Boots On” by Randy Houser, “Smoke” by A Thousand Horses, the Eli Young Band’s “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” “What Hurts the Most” by Rascal Flatts, and Tim McGraw’s “The Cowboy in Me.”