Eddie Kloesel Named Partner At WHY&HOW [Exclusive]

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Eddie Kloesel

Eddie Kloesel has been named as Partner at full-service artist management and music company WHY&HOW by Founder & CEO Bruce Kalmick.

Kloesel joined WHY&HOW when it launched in 2020 as Vice President of Touring & Sponsorships, and has since risen to Executive Vice President.

“Eddie and I have been in business together for a long time. He’s a trusted strategic thinker who approaches our clients’ business like an entrepreneur. He’s always thinking outside the box, and has brought forward opportunities that are not only lucrative for our clients but are also unique within the industry,” says Kalmick. “When I launched WHY&HOW, bringing Eddie on board was an obvious decision, and his promotion to Partner has been a long time coming.”

“For nearly 15 years, I’ve had the privilege of working with and learning from Bruce, whose leadership is defined by empowering the team around him. Being named Partner is both a profound honor and a deeply meaningful milestone. Together, I look forward to continuing to elevate WHY&HOW and the incredible clients we serve. For a kid from Vidor, Texas with a lifelong dream of making it in the music industry, this is a moment I’ll cherish and build upon with immense gratitude,” shares Kloesel.

He has played a key role in defining and executing the company’s long-term strategic goals, seeking to identify and capitalize on opportunities that contribute to the company’s growth and profitability. He has also overseen brand partnerships and touring strategy for WHY&HOW clients, including Whiskey Myers and Chase Rice. Kloesel helped to secure a partnership between Rice and Coors Banquet, a first-of-its-kind deal for the legacy Molson Coors brand, which has since been renewed, and assisted in establishing Whiskey Myers’ relationship with American sprint car racing series High Limits Racing.

He has overseen the release of 11 independent albums across the rock and country genres, including Rice’s I Hate Cowboys & All Dogs Go To Hell and Go Down Singin’, Southall’s For the Birds and self-titled 2023 album, as well as five Whiskey Myers collections, including the band’s 2019 self-titled release. His clients’ projects have collectively earned six Gold, 11 Platinum, three double-Platinum and four triple-Platinum RIAA certifications.

On the touring front, Kloesel managed Whiskey Myers’ 2022-2023 tour, which saw the band become one of the few independent acts to headline arenas and sell out a debut show at Red Rocks in under 36 hours. He also helped to book Rice as an opener for Garth Brooks at Ford Field in 2020, after working to book Whiskey Myers as an opener for The Rolling Stones at Soldier Field in 2018.

“I’ve known Eddie since we were both very new in this industry. We’ve seen each other both change and grow to the point we are hardly recognizable from what we were 10 years ago,” says Rice. “He has been a massive part of me getting out of the machine that I was in, to creating music that is true to who I am to my core. There will be songs released at some point that are five to 10 years old simply because he continues to send me old stuff occasionally, reminding me how great some of my earlier writing was. He’s old school in a new world, and I believe this world needs more men like him. He’s not just my manager, he’s family, and I’m proud to call him a friend. He’s earned this.”

Liza Anderson
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