72 Music Mgmt Announces Expansion, New Producer & Engineer Division
Jeff DeLia. Photo: Brit O’Brien
Los Angeles-based 72 Music Mgmt has expanded its team and client roster, and has also opened a new producer and engineer division.
Founded 13 years ago by manager Jeff DeLia, 72MM now grows to four managers, eight team members and 14 music clients including artists, producers and engineers, with operations in L.A., New York, Nashville, Atlanta and Austin. New artist signings include Nashville-based country/soul twins The Kentucky Gentlemen, singer-songwriter Raye Zaragoza, blues artist Victor Wainwright and Grammy-winning producer/engineer/mixer Ross Hogarth.
72MM’s Producer & Engineer division kicks off with a cross-genre roster that includes Grammy-winner and Sinners soundtrack collaborator Boo Mitchell; Colin Linden (Nashville, John Prine, O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack, Colin James); Carl Nappa (Prince, RZA, Nelly); Scott Bomar (Cyndi Lauper, Al Green, Song Sung Blue soundtrack); and artist/drummer/producer Cody Dickinson (Aaron Neville, Ana Popovic, Mavis Staples). Combined, these producers’ credited records have streamed over 12 billion times and sold 50 million records.
Gil Gastelum of Cosmica Artists joins 72MM as a Vice President and Artist Manager. He started his career as a product manager at A&M Records working with Soundgarden and Blues Traveler, going on to project-manage for legends like Smokey Robinson. Cosmica Artists was founded 20 years ago as a combined management company and record label that has propelled Latin artists like Carla Morrison, The Marias, and Gaby Moreno.
Sam Seifert of Lightnin Management has been named a Co-Manager of the Producer & Engineer division. He is the longtime Manager of Asleep at the Wheel and its leader Ray Benson. He manages several acts including co-management of Heartless Bastards with Ramseur Management.
In addition, 72MM has added Nashville-based Lanei Joy as Administrative Coordinator for the Producer & Engineer division, who currently works for Universal Music Group’s East Iris Studios. The existing team includes a full-time Day-to-Day Manager, Director of Tour Marketing and Digital Advertising staff.
“It’s a core part of the ethos of 72MM that we support community, collaboration and creativity — these are the three core pillars of what the growth of 72MM is about — and scaling up allows us to maximally serve artists and the music business at large,” says DeLia. “I’m a fan first. I’m in love with music and the transformational element of it, how it’s uplifted me and how it can affect people. When I attend a concert by one of my artists and I see that in the fans in the audience, that’s why I do what I do.
“I always dreamt of guiding a larger management company that can serve both artists and team members in their journeys,” he continues. “It was super important that I nurtured my own tools first, focused fully on managing artists and managing my boutique business. As we expand, there are two main requirements of the people we bring in onboard, either as team members or clients: 1. They are cool and 2. They do good work.”
