Industry Ink: Outback Presents, Warner Music Nashville, MusiCares

Outback Presents Adds Danny Eaton as Sr. Vice President

Danny Eaton

Outback Presents has tapped Dallas-based concert promoter Danny Eaton as Sr. Vice President, bringing decades of experience to his new role.

Eaton started out producing concerts in Dallas and Austin, Texas including dates with ZZ Top, Kris Kristofferson, ELO, and Black Sabbath. He became integrally involved with the management team for ZZ Top in the ‘70s, followed by time with Eaton Page Productions, and 462 Concerts, a dominate force in Dallas for two decades. In 2004 he joined AEG and successfully rebuilt the once bankrupt Nokia Live Theater in Grand Prairie, Texas. In 2010 he was named Sr. VP for Live Nation in Dallas.

“Danny is a longtime friend who I admire and trust,” said Outback Presents President Mike Smardack. “His accomplishments as a promoter I have always looked up to. We are very excited to have Danny join our team.”

“I am honored and happy to join forces with Mike Smardak, Vaughn Millette, Brian Dorfman, and the rest of the Outback team,” said Eaton. “I have known Mike for many years and I have always admired his concert promotion strategies and skills. My plan is to help the company grow its already prolific business and help expand the Outback brand. I am beyond excited about this new adventure with Outback.”

Contact Eaton at [email protected] or 469-372-1100.

Warner Music Nashville Commits To Offset Emissions

Spanning 36,000 acres, the WMN-sponsored Crow Lake Wind project resides east of Chamberlain, SD. Photo Courtesy: South Pole

Warner Music Nashville is offsetting a portion of its carbon emissions through a partnership with South Pole, a leading provider of global climate action solutions. They are working together on the Crow Lake Wind project near Chamberlain, South Dakota which harnesses wind power to provide homes with clean energy. At full capacity, the project could serve 129,000 homes.

The Crow Lake Wind project has a unique cooperative ownership structure, which has been good for the community, resulting in jobs, tax income, payments to landowners where the project takes place, and wind turbine experience for local college students.

“I have had a lifelong passion for the environment, but it was our internal WMGreen team that took the initiative to identify and adopt a project of this scale,” said Warner Music Nashville Chairman & CEO John Esposito. “I am especially proud to support the Crow Lake Wind project because it highlights the intersection of environmental, social and economic issues. Saving the planet is also saving its people.”

New Candle Line Benefits MusiCares

Bethany and Erik Leighty crafted a special MusiCares candle as part of the partnership, with $5 from each sale of this scent going to the organization.

Members of the music industry Bethany and Erik Leighty have started Wooded Creek Candle Co., with a $1 of every candle sold being donated to MusiCares. Erik works as a touring production manager and Bethany is a graphic designer for a live music booking agency, and when the pandemic struck last year they felt compelled to give back.

Since then, their candles have been used in corporate gifts baskets by the CMA and Sterling Entertainment, as well as the upcoming MusiCares’ Music on a Mission, a virtual event to honor the resiliency of the music community during the pandemic. Set for Friday, March 12, the event will feature performances by HAIM, H.E.R., Jhene Aiko and John Legend.