Warner Chappell & Group Projects Launch Joint Publishing Venture, Sign Sam Martinez

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Pictured (L-R): Aaron Rice (Founders Legal), Cooper Anstett (Group Projects), Sam Martinez, Ben Vaughn (WCM), Anthony Manker (Group Projects), and Spencer Nohe (WCM). Photo: Grace Hartrick

The founders of Group Projects–Anthony Manker and Cooper Anstett–have partnered with Warner Chappell Music to launch a new publishing joint venture, Group Projects Publishing. Songwriter and producer Sam Martinez is the venture’s flagship signee.

The Fairfax County, Virginia native grew up writing, recording, and performing in bands across the D.C. area. Following high school, Martinez moved to Nashville to pursue a music degree at Belmont University, and has worked closely with Zack Dyer, Ben Stoll, Jared Scott, Halle Kearns, Lindsay James, and more.

“Sam and I have been close friends for over a decade, and I witnessed his demos and work ethic firsthand through the wall we shared while roommates during our Belmont days,” Manker shares. “When Cooper, Ben [Vaughn], Spencer [Nohe], and I discussed the idea of a publishing venture, it was a no-brainer for us all that Sam should be our first signing. Ben Vaughn is one of my closest mentors, and this is truly a full-circle moment. I’m grateful to everyone involved, and excited to get to work.”

“Anthony and I have been working together for years and have been close friends since our freshman year at Belmont. He and Cooper are both extremely talented and hard-working individuals that have had incredible success in the industry with several artists,” Martinez shares. “When Group Projects and Warner Chappell came together with the concept for a publishing partnership, it felt like the perfect evolution of what Anthony and I had already been working on. I have huge respect for Spencer, Ben, and the entire team at Warner Chappell, and I am so honored to work with such amazing people.”

“We are grateful for our history and existing relationship with Group Projects across several artists and are thrilled to be expanding that relationship into a publishing venture with Cooper and Anthony,” adds Spencer Nohe, Senior Director, A&R at Warner Chappell Music. “Sam Martinez is the perfect fit as the flagship signing as he is an incredibly talented writer/producer whose talents reach beyond genre lines with the work ethic to match. He and Anthony have been in lock-step for years, and we’re looking forward to helping elevate and amplify what they’ve already accomplished.”

Group Projects’ client roster includes Jake Scott, Josie Dunne, Josh Kerr, Paco Versailles, as well as label artist Sam MacPherson in partnership with Elektra Records.

Lydia Farthing
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