The Familie To Establish Nashville HQ, Led By Royce Risser

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Royce Risser

The Familie, a sports and music agency, has arrived in Nashville with the addition of two new hires.

Royce Risser, previously EVP of Promotion at Universal Music Group, has been hired as The Familie’s Head of Nashville and EVP of Country Music. He will be leading the company’s expansion into Music City. Additionally, The Familie has added artist manager Chase Berlin to the team.

As The Familie prepares to make Nashville its national headquarters, Risser will be overseeing and executing Nashville office operations. He will also be leading the development of The Familie’s new country division. The Familie’s roster currently includes artists such as Machine Gun Kelly, Avril Lavigne, Jaden Hossler, Games We Play and sombr.

Steve Astephen, Co-founder and CEO at The Familie, says, “We’ve been eyeing Nashville as the home for our new HQ since 2019, and Risser was the missing link we’d been waiting for. He’s a veteran on Music Row, has worked with most of the top names in country and is the perfect person to not just open a Familie office in Nashville, but to truly make us a Nashville firm. We’re thrilled to have him.”

Risser’s over three decades of experience includes a significant stint leading all promotion efforts at UMG Nashville. Risser played an integral role in the release of over 200 No.1 singles for artists such as George Strait, Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Chris Stapleton, Sam Hunt, Eric Church, Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley, Jon Pardi, Brothers Osborne, Jordan Davis, Parker McCollum, Lee Ann Womack, Gary Allan, Josh Turner, Sugarland, Billy Currington, Kip Moore, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, the Mavericks, David Lee Murphy, Trisha Yearwood, Marty Stuart, Wynonna Judd, Mark Chesnutt, Tracy Byrd and many more.

“It’s been immediately clear to me that The Familie does things differently,” he shares. “I appreciate the team’s non-transactional approach to management, thoughtfully building artist brands and legacies through collaboration and a vast network of cross-industry alliances. Steve Astephen could easily be the smartest, most connected person I’ve ever met and can’t wait to work alongside him in this role. I know this team will be a refreshing addition to the Nashville scene while also integrating with and honoring the history and pedigree of Music Row. I’m absolutely fired up and honored to be at the helm of The Familie’s arrival in Nashville.”

Berlin, The Familie’s first artist manager in Nashville, will work under Risser to sign and develop promising country artists and build out the genre’s division for the company. He began his music industry career at WME before joining The AMG as an artist manager, working with artists like Kat & Alex and Jordan James.

LB Cantrell
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