My Music Row Story: Neon Coast’s Martha Earls

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Martha Earls. Photo: Angelea Presti

The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.

Martha Earls is the owner of management company Neon Coast, and personal manager to Platinum-selling artist Kane Brown. Signed to Neon Coast is country band Restless Road along with other music and non-music clients. Together with Brown, under the Neon Coast name, she started Sony joint venture record label, 1021 Entertainment, and production company Demasiado.

Demasiado has produced award-winning music videos, awards show performances and television commercials. More recent signings to the management company include Nightly, Dylan Schneider and Feather. Earls started her management company following a successful run in music publishing. She has been honored multiple times by Billboard and the Nashville Business Journal.

Earls will be honored as part of the current class of MusicRow’s Rising Women on the Row on March 23. For more details about the class and the event, click here.

MusicRow: Where did you grow up?

I was born in Ohio, but grew up in central Pennsylvania. I obviously had no idea about the music industry. I was good at playing the piano and I was good at track and field. I got a really great college scholarship based on my piano playing, so I went to a small music school in New Jersey. That’s where I met Mike Molinar and how we became friends. He’s from El Paso, but he moved up there to go to this music school.

What a coincidence. Did you know what you wanted to pursue while in college?

You had to declare a major and I didn’t know what I wanted my major to be. I didn’t want to be a teacher and I didn’t want to be a performer. I didn’t even really like playing the piano that much, I just got this great scholarship. While looking at majors, I found one and was like, “Oh my God, that job only works twice a week and makes a full salary. I’m going to major in church organ!” [Laughs] It was so ridiculous.

Two or three weeks into it, I was miserable, but I toughed it out for a year. The school was really small with only around 350 students, but there was one girl there who was graduating and going to NYU for law school. She said she was going to be an entertainment lawyer. That opened my eyes to the entertainment industry. Over the summer after my freshman year, I started looking online and discovered MTSU and Belmont. I knew I wanted to move out of the northeast, and being from a small town, country music was massive. I came down here to visit and just loved MTSU.

Pictured (L-R): Martha Earls, Kent Earls, Chuck Wicks, Luke Bryan, Rusty Gaston

How did you start your career while at MTSU?

I started interning at Warner Chappell. Dale Bobo was there at the time. Him and Michael Knox hired me for my internship. Tim Wipperman ran the company and he was amazing. I was in the catalog room, which was the last stop writers would make before they went out the side door into the parking lot at Warner Chappell. They would always drop by and hang out. I loved it. I really fell in love with the creatives. That was the start to my music industry career.

I interned that summer of my senior year and then told them I was having such a great time and didn’t want to leave. They let me do another internship. They didn’t have the budget to pay me but I didn’t care. Then the receptionist left and they offered me that job. I was still in school and taking a decent number of classes, but I was like, “Yes, absolutely.” In March of my senior year, they promoted me to a full time position in the tape room.

About a year later, they promoted me to a junior song plugger. I found during my time at Warner Chappell that I really liked working with the artists-songwriters even more than the regular songwriters. I really enjoyed taking the meetings with artists rather than going and meeting with other A&R people. For whatever reason, I could really dial into the artists. I got to work with Jason [Aldean] early on and Little Big Town.

What was next for you?

Next, I went to BMG publishing. At the time, Karen Conrad and Ron Stuve were there. That was great because it was different than Warner, where we had like 100 songwriters. At BMG, Ron and Karen ran it more like an independent—they only had about 20 songwriters. And again, I kept [being drawn to] signing artists. We signed Jake Owen, Chuck Wicks, and a couple other guys.

Pictured (L-R): Braeden Rountree, Martha Earls, Kane Brown, Liz Kennedy, Randy Goodman

Then you started a publishing company with Mike Molinar.

I felt a constant pull to do more. Mike was working for Cal Turner at the time. We decided we needed to start a company. I always felt a desire to have my own company and Mike was ready to spread his wings. We went around town and pitched our idea to start a publishing company to everybody. Nobody was really into it. We finally found an investor and he really believed in Mike and I.

He invested in our company and it was very family-oriented. Mike and I signed three or four songwriters. We had some success, we had some big cuts, and we got it going. The investor ended up buying us out, which was great. It gave us the capital to start the 2.0 version of the company, but it was all very bare bones.

When we started building the next version of the publishing company, I started feeling like I wasn’t maximizing myself. I always felt like the shoe didn’t quite fit. So when Mike and I started the 2.0 version of the company, we decided to sign more artists and producers. We signed an artist named Greg Bates, who was at Belmont at the time. Jimmy Harnen heard about him and invited him to come to Big Machine. He played at Big Machine and Jimmy signed him. Then I just started handling everything for him.

So that’s how you got into artist management.

I don’t even know if she knows, but Kerri Edwards is such an important example for female managers in the music industry. At that time, I was thinking, “Kerri started working with Luke [Bryan] out of the publishing company. I’m just going to follow that mold until it doesn’t work anymore.” It came so much more naturally to me to manage an artist’s career than this literal decade of publishing experience. That was what got me into management.

Things were going well with the company that Molinar and I started. Scott Borchetta didn’t have anything like that, so our company became what is now the publishing company that Mike Molinar has. He’s done such amazing things with it. I was able to be at Big Machine for a year while we transitioned that company over, and that was amazing. Even though everybody knew I was going to do management full time, I got to learn so much. It was right when Taylor Swift was releasing Red and making her jump from being a huge country artist to being a global superstar. That’s what I got to witness.

Fast forward to now, with what I’m doing with Kane, that experience was such a gift. It was placed in front of me for me to learn anything is possible. Scott had no fences built around anything.

What did you do after your time at Big Machine?

I knew I wanted do management full time, but I felt like there was more to learn. I went over to Sandbox and was there for two years. That was a whole different experience. They released Kacey Musgraves‘ Same Trailer, Different Park album on a Friday and I started on the next Monday. It was really interesting to watch an artist blow up without having the traditional country radio piece.

At the end of that, I was asked to be a consultant for Michael Blanton and his company. In exchange for two hours of consulting a week, he gave me an office. Jay Frank, who had his own digital marketing company, called me and asked me to run his independent label. I had never done anything for an independent label before, but he needed somebody to oversee it. That was crazy, too. I learned how to make a music video for $5,000, how to get vinyl pressed, and all that kind of stuff.

Pictured (L-R): Kane Brown, Martha Earls

How did you end up working with Kane?

One day Jay said, “We have this guy that somebody on our staff found online. He’s country and we signed him to a management agreement if you want to help out with that.” I don’t think Jay really knew what he had with Kane at the time. I met Kane and I was like, “Jay, all this other stuff you’re working on is nonsense. This is the thing. Kane is the thing.” I just jumped in feet first with Kane.

In 2016, it became just me and Kane. We’ve just been building what we’re doing ever since. It’s kind of a mixture of the tenacity that Scott had that says we can have great success and do anything, and then also the understanding of you don’t have to do things the traditional way. From having created my own publishing company and really struggling, I didn’t get defeated by anything.

Now Kane is a multi-Platinum superstar, but what were those first few years like?

[The first thing we did] was put out an EP called Chapter One that had “Used To Love You Sober” on it. Florida Georgia Line and Seth England could see things early with him, so they put him on tour. He was first of four and got to play for 15 minutes, but it was amazing. We were having trouble at country radio with “Used To Love You Sober,” and there was a lot of preconceived notions about who people thought Kane Brown was, because of how he looks. He’s biracial, he had tattoos, he had success on social media.

Kane met Dann Huff. Dann cut “What Ifs,” a song that Kane wrote. “What Ifs” wasn’t a single yet, so we put that [Kane Brown] album out with no single on the radio, and it still did really great. In 2017, we got a new radio guy at RCA when Dennis Reese came over. He’s been Kane’s biggest champion at the label. He’s such a wonderful guy. He came from the pop world, so he didn’t have any boundaries. [With Dennis on board], “What Ifs” became an eight-time Platinum single. It’s one of the biggest songs in the history of country music. That got things going and we’ve just been building on that ever since.

Pictured (L-R): Clay Bradley, Michael Giangreco, Ernest, Rusty Gaston, Kane Brown, Stevie Frasure, Jesse Frasure, Kent Earls, Levon Gray, Vanna Moua, Martha Earls, Spencer Nohe, Dennis Reese. Photo: Steve Lowry

In the last few years, your company has grown substantially. You and Kane have built a joint venture record label with Sony Music Nashville, as well as a publishing company with Sony Music Publishing.

We were out in LA for for the “Saturday Nights” video shoot. I was feeling like it was time to start growing. I asked him, “How do you see yourself? Do you see yourself as an artist who tours six months out of the year and then takes six months off and chills with his family? Or do you see yourself like a Florida Georgia Line, who when they’re not touring, they’re still writing, producing, signing artists, running a publishing company and a clothing store?” He said, “I want to be like that. I don’t know how long everything will last.”

That was when we decided to expand the company. I saw all these different verticals. I could see a joint venture label, where we sign artists, as well as a publishing side of things. We started a production company and signed other management clients, too. Kane gets a taste of all of it because I want him to feel invested in everything.

We will be honoring you at next month’s Rising Women On the Row event. If someone were to ask you how to be successful in this industry, what would you tell them?

That’s a great question. You can measure success so many different ways. I feel like what it is is being comfortable, satisfied and proud of the work that you’re doing. Owning your space and acknowledging to yourself that you deserve to be there.

My Music Row Story: City National Bank’s Diane Pearson

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Diane Pearson

The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.

Diane Pearson is Sr. VP, Manager at City National Bank’s Nashville office. With over two decades of entertainment banking experience she provides financial solutions to music industry professionals including artists, songwriters, business managers, producers, artist managers, performing rights organizations, agencies, publishing companies, entrepreneurs, labels and law firms.

Pearson helped launch City National Bank’s Nashville office in 2011, co-managing the Nashville Entertainment Division with Lori Badgett. She serves multiple philanthropic organizations, including sitting on the board of Musicians On Call and Leadership Music.

MusicRow: Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a small town in Kentucky called Lewisburg. I tell everybody, though, that I’m from Russellville, Kentucky because they’re right next to each other. Russellville is near Bowling Green and people have actually heard of Bowling Green.

What was your dream job then?

My dream job was to be a stay-at-home mom and have about six kids. [Laughs] No music business. No working. But as you can tell, that did not happen.

Photo: Courtesy of Diane Pearson

When did that desire change for you?

My parents moved me my senior year of high school to Nashville. That was a huge difference coming from a very small town—there was a bit of culture shock. I started working as a relief teller for Third National Bank while I was taking classes. When you’re a relief teller, you go around to different offices and fill in for people while they are on vacation or out sick. So I didn’t really have a home office until I landed at an office called South Madison.

There was a lady there by the name of Ellen Kemp, who was one of my very first mentors. There was just something about Ellen. She was just the epitome of class. She loved sports—I do, too. She had the best clothes, the best jewelry, she was just always dressed perfectly. She was well respected and loved in the community, everyone looked up to her. She managed the office, but was primarily responsible for all of the lending. That’s when I realized lending was something I would like to get into someday.

Photo: Courtesy of Diane Pearson

Now that you had a different example to look up to, how did you start your career?

Ellen took me under her wing, but unfortunately for me, she was also at the age of retirement. So I knew I was going to lose Ellen. Another friend of mine, Kim, was working at South Madison and was picked to help launch the Entertainment Division of Third National Bank (a SunTrust Bank) as an FSR (Financial Service Rep). She knew my passion was the lending side, so once a position opened up, she told me. I applied for the job and was lucky enough to get an interview with Brian Williams. I was not qualified for the lending position at all, but he saw something in me and decided to take me on. I later found out that once Ellen Kemp found out I went and interviewed, she picked up the phone and called Brian to tell him she believed in me.

Brian truly was the pioneer of music industry banking. To be able to work WITH him (he never let you say you worked “for” him) for almost 20 years before he passed away was just the best experience I could have ever asked for. He taught me everything about the music business and how to make work fun.

Photo: Courtesy of Diane Pearson

What do you remember about those days?

I hate to call it the “roaring nineties,” but it was. There was always something going on, whether it was a No. 1 party or a Gold or Platinum Party. There were all these events. Brian made sure I was armed with everything I needed to know about the industry, but he also was such an advocate of introducing me to people. I was always welcome at the table and that was something I’m very appreciative of. He taught me the ropes, he taught me about how to give back to the community and to make sure you’re heavily involved in non-profit work.

When Brian passed away in 2006, it was devastating. Not only to me because I had lost my mentor and my friend, but the bank lost its visionary for the Music Industry, because Brian was the one who created it. I stayed there for five years after that. I felt like if I left, I was leaving his legacy behind, which was really hard. But in walks Martha Henderson, she was an angel who came in and made me realize I could continue Brian’s Legacy working with her at City National Bank as she was the Division Leader for their Entertainment Division. She is in her 40th year at CNB and recently was promoted to Vice Chairman.

She is Ellen Kemp and Brian Williams all rolled into one. She is just phenomenal. She can go toe-to-toe with anybody and win. She’s compassionate. She’s kindhearted. She truly treats her employees and clients great.

Photo: Courtesy of Diane Pearson

You helped Martha start the City National Bank office in Nashville from the ground up. What was that like?

March 31 is when we started. We were in the old MCA building and then we moved into our new office right next door in August of 2011. Nobody had heard of City National Bank 12 years ago. They knew us but they didn’t know City National, so we didn’t have to sell ourselves because people knew who we were, we had to sell the bank.

Again, Martha was the visionary just like Brian was. When we came on board, it was almost like we were taking a step back in time in some way. We like the office to feel like Mayberry from the Andy Griffith Show. It’s a small town, it’s a small community. We want a Cheers atmosphere, where everybody knows your name. We don’t ever want to be “the big bank,” even though we are a big bank.

When was a time that you struggled at the beginning of building the City National Bank office?

I can tell you when it didn’t feel like it was going to be a success. I work a lot with business managers and artists. I always keep up with CMA and ACM Awards and see [which nominees] are clients and who are not.

I always wanted a hundred percent sweep, meaning every on air award winner was a client. The first CMA’s I attended as a CNB employee was hard. That was the year everybody that had been my client won an award.

There was the sweep I longed for but not everyone had made the move yet, it was just like a gut punch. This [had been a goal of mine] my whole career, to have clients in all of these categories. I remember walking out of that award show and Martha Henderson looked at me and said, “Honey, I’ve been through this before. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t worry they will come.”

She was 100% right. After the first year, I started getting more and more clients.

Photo: Courtesy of Diane Pearson

That’s awesome! When do you feel most fulfilled in what you do?

I feel most fulfilled when I get an artist on the very beginning of their career and [see them] get their first record deal or first publishing deal. Seeing them have a No. 1 party, play their first time at the Grand Ole Opry, or sell out Madison Square Garden. That’s when I’m most fulfilled. Every little step along way. They’re like my children. I’ve got all these kids now running all over the place. What fulfills me the most is seeing them succeed.

Does any particular story come to mind about supporting an artist from the beginning?

Roger Murrah, who owned Murrah Music Publishing, had signed Luke Bryan to a publishing deal. Roger called me and said, “I’m sending this new kid from Georgia over to you. Take care of him, I think he’s got something.” So Luke comes over to my office and we start a friendship.

I remember pulling into my driveway one day and my phone rang, it was Luke. He said, “Hey baby”—that’s back when I thought I was the only one he called “baby”…ha! He told me he got his record deal and I cried. He was like, “Oh my gosh. Are you crying? You’re worse than my mama.”

When he played the first time on the Opry, I was invited to come. I was standing backstage and Luke was walking out on stage. I’m known as the CEO “Chief Emotional Officer”. So someone looked over at me and said, “Oh God, Diane’s getting ready to cry.” Mike Dungan turned around and I was waiting for him to say something sarcastic. He said, “Are you seriously getting ready to cry? I think that’s the sweetest thing. We need more people who actually care about the artists.” It’s like your kid getting on stage for the first time, and then now look at all that he’s accomplished. That’s what fuels me. I love celebrating everybody’s successes.

My Music Row Story: SMACK’s Robin Palmer

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Robin Palmer

The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.

Born and raised in Amarillo, Texas, Robin Palmer arrived in Nashville in 1979 to attend MTSU, majoring in Recording Industry Management. She interned and worked for Jim Ed Norman’s publishing company, Jensong before it sold to Tree Publishing. Soon after, she went to work for Eddie Rabbitt’s Deb Dave/Briarpatch Music, making tape copies and pitching songs, working with such writers as Even Stevens, Thom Schuyler and Paul Overstreet. In 1984, James Stroud formed The Writers Group with songwriters Schuyler, Overstreet, and Fred Knobloch and Palmer joined as their song plugger. The company was successful with songs such as “Forever and Ever, Amen, “You Can’t Stop Love,” “When You Say Nothing At All” and “On The Other Hand,” among others.

Screen Gems-EMI (now EMI Music Publishing ,part of Sony Music) purchased The Writers Group catalog and Palmer began a 10-year stint as Creative Director, and Senior Creative Director under the leadership of Celia Froehlig. In 1996, Celia and Robin started their own Froehlig Palmer Music, and had many notable cuts, especially “Where The Green Grass Grows” (Tim McGraw) and “We Were In Love” (Toby Keith.)

In 2008, she re-connected with past acquaintance Shane McAnally, and they started working together, eventually getting their first No. 1 with “Somewhere With You” recorded by Kenny Chesney. Many more hits have followed, and the collaboration has grown to become SMACK Songs, which currently has a roster of 21 writers. Palmer currently serves as Chief Creative Officer of SMACK and continues her favorite role of developing and nurturing writers.

MusicRow: Where did you grow up?

Amarillo, Texas.

Were you into music as a kid?

Always. My mother played records constantly. She played Ray Charles, Marty Robbins, The Oak Ridge Boys, Kenny Rogers, Ronnie Milsap and even Broadway musicals. I would look at all the liner notes and read every bit, so I knew who some people were before I moved here.

Did you play any music?

I played piano.

Pictured (L-R): Marc Beeson, Robin Palmer, Bryan Kennedy and Celia Froehlig

Did you know you wanted to be in the music industry then?

No. I never would have gotten here if it hadn’t been for my brother Randy. He lived in Nashville and was working on songwriting. I wanted to see what was outside of Amarillo, and he offered me the chance to move to Nashville. He said, “You can come be my roommate and go to MTSU. It’s just down the road.” That’s how I got here. If it hadn’t been for him offering that, I don’t know what I would have done.

Did you study music business at MTSU?

I did but I didn’t mean to. I had no sense of direction. I thought I might want to do advertising or something in mass communications. On orientation day at MTSU, I walked into the Recording Industry Management department by accident because they were in the same building as mass comm. When I walked in, Geoff Hull, who was the head of the department, was talking about the music industry. I changed my major that day.

For my internship, they sent me to Jim Ed Norman‘s publishing company called Jensong. Walter Campbell was the plugger there and I interviewed with this woman named Paige Rowden, who later became Paige Levy.  She said, “We’ve had the worst male interns. If you’re you’re willing to work and have ovaries, you’re our intern.” [Laughs] She said, “I need help and an ally.”  

During my internship, I made tape copies, typed lyrics and just absorbed everything. I was keeping track of everybody that came in. I did notice there weren’t many women that came in to play songs or drop off cassettes.

Did that intimidate you or motivate you?

It made me want to do it more. I knew of the women pluggers in town who people thought were really good. You’re just a sponge taking it all in at that point. I would hear about Celia Hill, who became Celia Froehlig. I would hear about Pat Rolfe, Karen Conrad, and Judy Harris.

What did you do after your internship?

They ended up hiring me part-time, which was great. Then they sold that catalog to Tree, so I was in need of a job. After that, I did this series of fill-in-the-blank jobs—thanks to recommendations from Paige and Walter—where I would fill in for people. There was a company called Don Gant Music and their tape copy guy was going on the road with Tanya Tucker to play drums for the summer, so I filled in to make tape copies and clean the building there. I filled in at ATV Music and at Silver Line Gold Line, where I got to know Pat Halper and Noel Fox. I met a lot of people by being around all these different companies and seeing how they all did it differently.

Pictured (L-R, back row): Josh Osborne, Matt Jenkins, Ryan Hurd, Sam Hunt and Josh Jenkins; (L-R, front row): Robin Palmer and Shane McAnally

What was next?

I worked for a company called DebDave Briar Patch. Their plugger, Mason Cooper, helped bring me in.

It was Eddie Rabbitt, Even Stevens, Jim Malloy and David Malloy. Thom Schuyler was a writer there, and Paul Overstreet and Fred Knobloch would hang out there a lot. There were just so many great people there. They let me pitch which is unbelievable since we’re talking early ’80s and I had no experience.

We had a studio in the back and James Stroud played sessions there on a lot of records. James decided he was going to start a publishing company and Thom Schuyler was going to go with him. They asked me if I wanted to come over there too, and I did. Paul Overstreet ended up coming over there later. Cliff Audretch Jr. was there too. It was called The Writers Group and it did really well. It was during the early career of Randy Travis and we had all those Paul Overstreet songs [that Randy cut]. Thom and Fred were having hits too.

What was your first hit?

When I was at DebDave, one of the guys I’d filled in for at Don Gant Music—Chris Dodson—called me and asked if I had any songs for John Conlee. He said, “I can give them to Bud Logan, his producer.” I gave him a tape and then he called me and told me John Conlee cut this song called “Years After You,” which was a Thom Schuyler song. It became a top 5 hit.

How did you start working with Celia Froehlig?

Writers Group became really successful and sold to EMI Music. I went with it so I could go with the catalog. Charlie Feldman, who was running it, went to work at BMI in New York, so Celia Froehlig got hired to run the office, so one of the women I had heard about during my internship ended up being my boss.

It’s funny because I had an A&R executive—a female—call me and say, “Hey, if you need me to put a word in for you somewhere else, let me know.” When I asked why, she said, “Women don’t work well together.” The first day that Celia came in the building, I made sure to be there when she walked in. She was always so great to me and became a  mentor.

EMI was great. We had an awesome staff and great writers and had a great run of success. While there, I met and pitched songs to Shane McAnally, who was a Curb Records artist at the time.

Eventually, Celia offered me a chance to help start a new company, Froehlig Palmer Music. I had always dreamed of some ownership of what I loved so much: songs. We had some hits and some great times and I learned a lot.

Pictured (L-R): Shane McAnally, Whitney Daane, JT Harding and Robin Palmer celebrate “Somewhere With You.” Photo: Ed Rode

And thus, a new chapter opens.

Yes, I got reconnected with Shane McAnally around 2007, thanks to Erin Enderlin. She was borrowing a writers room and working with Shane. He brought in a CD and “Somewhere With You” was on there—along with some other great songs including the work-tape of “Last Call.” He mentioned that he heard Lee Ann Womack liked it but he wasn’t sure. The next time he came in, Lee Ann had cut it.

Renee Bell called and said, “Kenny Chesney needs one more song. We’re having a thing at Cabana. Kenny’s going to tell everybody exactly what he wants, but if you would just bring one song on a CD, he’s going take it out and listen to everything on the road.” I brought “Somewhere With You.” Then I got an email from Buddy Cannon‘s assistant that Kenny heard “Somewhere With You” and asked if he could get a lyric sheet. That’s when things turned around.

Wow. Then you two started building what is now SMACK.

Shane had all these other amazing songs. He was writing with Brandy Clark, Josh Osborne, Trevor Rosen, Jessie Jo Dillon, Matt Jenkins, Matt Ramsey and more.

We decided to rent an office in the basement of Carnival. Frank Liddell is a good friend and he rented us some space down there. We had two rooms, my little office and then Shane’s writer’s room. Sam Hunt and Kacey Musgraves were coming in to write. I had an amazing front row seat.

Matt McGinn was the first writer we signed together and then we signed Trevor Rosen with Wrensong.

SMACK writer Josh Jenkins celebrates SESAC’s 2022 Song of the Year, “Fancy Like.” Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for SESAC

Did you realize then how big this was going to get?

No. I always dreamed but it was bigger than any dream I could have had. Although I know Shane’s dreams—he probably planned the whole thing. [Laughs] I’ve learned how to dream bigger.

Now, as Chief Creative Officer at SMACK, what is most fulfilling about what you do?

Working with songwriters. Providing a safe environment and a home. Giving people what they need to be their best. That’s what we hope to do.

When you look back on your career, what sticks out about your journey?

I’ve been so lucky.  The way you’re successful is if you’re surrounded by really good people and I have been.

My Music Row Story: Red Creative Group’s Jeremy Stover

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Jeremy Stover

The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.

As an acclaimed producer/songwriter, Jeremy Stover has celebrated multiple chart-topping hits including Tim McGraw‘s “How I’ll Always Be,” LoCash‘s “I Know Somebody” and Jack Ingram‘s “Wherever You Are.” Stover has worked alongside Justin Moore since his debut in 2009, resulting in multiple hits, including “Small Town USA,” “Bait a Hook,” “Til My Last Day,” “Lettin’ the Night Roll,” “Why We Drink,” “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home,” “We Didn’t Have Much,” and more.

In 2014, Stover founded independent music publisher Red Creative Group. Since its inception, the company has celebrated more than 300 cuts and 40 singles on the country charts, with hits including “How Not To,” recorded by Dan + Shay; “Sleep Without You,” recorded by Brett Young; and “After A Few,” recorded by Travis Denning.

In addition to publishing, Red Creative Group serves as an artist development and management company, releasing music as Red Creative Records, with a growing roster of artists, including Noah Hicks, Matt Koziol and Tylynn Allen.

Jeremy Stover

MusicRow: Where are you from?

Elijay, Georgia.

Were you musical as a kid?

I would say so. My mom sang in church. My grandmother on my mom’s side always had a guitar sitting around and she would play gospel songs periodically. She’s passed away now but she was a big influence on me.

After I moved to Nashville, I went to college at Belmont University. She never understood what I was doing, but every time I would go home she would say, “I’ve been watching the Grand Ole Opry and I still haven’t seen you on it.” (Laughs)

You wrote many songs that have been performed there! Did you want to be a songwriter growing up?

I did. Belmont was not the first school I went to. I started at Southern Tech. My dad was in the carpet industry at that time. He had started a business in the mid-eighties and the plan was that I was going to take over his business. So I was getting a degree in textile engineering, which leads into the carpet and yarn business. I had a roommate there and I was driving him nuts playing guitar and learning songs. I was trying to write songs by myself; they were not very good. I don’t know if it was out of me driving him nuts or him just being a good friend, but he said one day, “I have a friend that goes to a school in Nashville called Belmont.” The next morning I skipped class, got in my car and I drove to Nashville.

As I was driving back, I just decided I was going to go home to my parents and say, “I’m moving to Nashville.” That’s how the decision was made to move to Nashville. I went to Belmont and finished school there.

My dad is one of 15 kids. None of them graduated high school because they had to go to work to support the family. So one of the promises I made my parents was that I would finish college. Not to pat myself on the back, but I was the first one out of the family to graduate college. I owe a lot of that to my dad and his hard work to get me to that spot. Since then, there’s been a few others that have finished college, but that was a big point in our family for one of us to do that.

Rodney Clawson, Justin Moore, Jeremy Stover and children

How did you find your way while at Belmont?

It was just a process. Fortunately for me, I got in a circle of three or four friends after I got there that I really related with in a lot of ways. We all became friends and we would write songs together. It was really a good circle of people—a couple that I still work with. When I got out of Belmont, it wasn’t like I just jumped in and I had songs on the radio.

What was your first job in the industry?

I worked at a smaller publisher for probably the first six months to a year. I got an interview for what they used to call the tape copy job, which is where you would make CDs that the song-pluggers would pitch. I got that job at Muy Bueno Music, which was George Strait‘s publishing company. Through working there over a couple years I got to meet a lot of writers. At that time, I was taking the time probably three or four nights a week trying to write songs with my friends at first. Then I was able to start incorporating some of those songwriters that I’d met that were willing to sit down with me in the evenings and write some songs.

After a couple of years, I’d saved up enough money to do demo sessions of 10 songs that I thought were my best songs. Through working at Muy Bueno, I had met musicians and engineers that I liked. I had kept [my songwriting] under the radar, but I had obviously met a bunch of the other publishers, so I went to five different ones that I really believed in and played them my songs. They all offered me beginner publishing deals, so I signed my first publishing deal at Starstruck. Six months into that deal, they sold to Warner Chappell. That was the beginning.

Dean Dillon, Jeremy Stover

When did you start to have songs on the radio?

It took two to three years to get the relationships going and for people to start recording my songs. I had my first single in 2003 on Emerson Drive, which did really well. From there, it’s been a steady, slow build through my songwriting, which led to producing. Success in those couple of things led to me starting my own company.

How did you get into production?

I started with my demos. I think a part of me getting my first publishing deal was, for the time, how the demos sounded and the possibilities of me growing into a production career as well. That was part of the big picture for me.

Through the process of having my first hit on Emerson Drive, I met Scott Borchetta when he was running Dreamworks Promotions. He was really cool. When he started Big Machine Records, he gave me the opportunity to record Jack Ingram. Jack’s “Wherever You Are” was my first No. 1 as a writer and a producer. It just continued to grow from there.

You soon started writing with and producing Justin Moore, which has been a very fruitful relationship. How did you meet?

I met Justin Moore in 2003. He just came into my writer’s room and sang a couple songs. In my mind with my outlook on how I grew up, his voice was something that I really attached to. In a certain way it gave voice to what I’d always wanted to project. That was a big moment. But we met in 2003 and he didn’t have his first No. 1 until 2009, so he and I worked together for a really long time through that process.

As things started to work for him, I had experienced some production success and writing success through those first six years. With Justin is where I found some focus on being able to help grow something that I really related to.

Pictured (L-R, back row): Taylor Lamb, Brooke Antonakos; (L-R, front row): Chase McGill, Justin Moore, Jeremy Stover, Paul DiGiovanni

Why did you want to put your publisher hat back on and start Red Creative Group?

That just happened naturally. I was able to establish myself in a way where people would take my calls. I had developed those relationships through some success. I felt like I had reached a certain level of success that I wouldn’t say I was happy with, but gave some confidence in what I was doing. I wanted people that I believed in to experience what I experienced.

Some of the most fun times [of my career] were the early times when you didn’t know if something was going to happen and then it happened. Having some people around you that believe in your talent and that are preaching that you can do it is as satisfying as having the success.

Do you think you approach publishing differently because of your songwriting journey?

I think so. Especially in the last three or four years, [I’ve learned] that I need more diversity musically within the Red Creative Group. I don’t need to understand everything to trust the people that I have around me at the company who say that we need to move on something.

What I’m most proud of about the company is everything isn’t driven through me. It’s grown to have this big, diverse, wide-spanning success outside of things that I generate just through what I do. That aspect of it for me has been really exciting to watch. It feels good to know that we’re helping people have success the way that I did.

Red Creative Group’s Travis Denning, Adam Hambrick, Kelly Archer, Jeremy Stover

Who have been mentors for you?

Early on it was co-writers. Steve Bogard was super encouraging to me. He wrote with me when I didn’t have any songs on the radio. Byron Gallimore was a big encourager for me as a producer. He helped me understand some things about the way he makes records and how the song always comes first.

If you could go back and talk to your college-aged self on your way up to Nashville for the first time, what would you tell yourself?

Be who you are in your writing. People recognize people being genuine. Try not to look across the fence and compare yourself to the other person because this is not a show-up-and-it-happens-in-a-moment kind of success. It really is something that you commit to. It’s a lifestyle.

I’ll be the first one to say that there’s been people that are way more talented than me that, if it didn’t happen in two years, they moved on to something else. For me, I’ve always just wanted to be a part of the creative community and you have to have some acceptance that it just takes time.

My Music Row Story: BMG’s Chris Oglesby

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Chris Oglesby

The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.

Chris Oglesby has been in the music publishing industry for more than 30 years. He joined BMG in 2013, where he now serves as Sr. VP of Creative, overseeing the creative publishing team in Nashville and furthering the collaborative efforts between BMG’s roster of artists and publishing clients in both Los Angeles and New York, as well as BMG’s BBR Music Group (Broken Bow Records, Stoney Creek Records, Wheelhouse Records).

Oglesby has been involved with numerous hit songs, including George Strait‘s “Check Yes or No;” Kenny Chesney‘s “Young;” Kane Brown’s “Heaven” and “Good As You;” Carrie Underwood’s “So Small,” “Temporary Home,” and “Last Name;” Keith Urban’s “God Whispered Your Name” and “Only You Can Love Me This Way;” and Martina McBride’s “God’s Will.”

Oglesby began his career at Almo/Irving Music, signing Grammy award-winner Craig Wiseman, before joining Dreamcatcher Music. He would later join former BMG Music Publishing where he spent a decade working with a roster of established songwriters and emerging talent.

MusicRow: Where did you grow up?

I was an Army brat. We moved around a lot. I was born in Hawaii and we moved to Taiwan, Colorado, Illinois [and other places]. After the military, my dad became a minister, so we continued to move around. I claim western Kentucky is home because that’s where my family came from, but I grew up mostly in southern Illinois.

Photo: Courtesy of Chris Oglesby

What brought you to Nashville?

The music industry, of course. I came to be this country music star who was bigger than Kenny Rogers and Ronnie Milsap put together. I discovered music publishing, which I knew nothing about, and it changed literally everything about my life as soon as I did.

How did you discover the music industry as a kid?

I grew up singing. My dad was trying to be a star in the music industry, so when he became a minister, our family sang southern gospel music. We traveled with an evangelistic team called the Donaldson Brothers. In a two-pole tent, we would go set up in different communities and our family would sing. When I went to college, I continued to sing. My hope was that I would move to Nashville and be discovered.

Photo: Courtesy of Chris Oglesby

What happened when you got to Music City?

I enrolled in Belmont. I somehow convinced Karen Conrad to give me an internship at AMR Publications. After I was there for a year, she encouraged me to meet and talk to her husband, David Conrad, and I went to work for him. Karen and David really set me on my journey as a music publisher. They had big influence on me—they taught me how to treat people.

Why do you think you fell in love with the publishing aspect?

It’s interesting because I knew nothing about music publishing, but the first time I heard a song being written, being tweaked up a bit, being demoed, put on hold and recorded, and then heard it on the radio—it was unbelievable. Life changing stuff. It was actually a song called “Love Won’t Wait” that was on The Whites‘ greatest hits album. I was there when that was written. I started meeting all these amazing songwriters who wrote these songs that I had just spent five years going through college singing. I started hearing the stories about the songs. Then the creative aspect of music publishing took over. [I was asking myself] what makes this song work for this artist or what makes these writers work together. It’s very creative and the creative part of music publishing is what drew me in.

Photo: Courtesy of Chris Oglesby

After you worked for both the Conrads, where did you go from there?

I went to work for Bob Doyle and Kye Fleming. They had started a little publishing company called Dreamcatcher Music. I did that for a little bit and then went to work at BMG following that.

Now you are head of creative for BMG’s Nashville office. How did you develop your style of music publishing?

I’ve learned so much along the way from different people. Karen had a very unique approach to music publishing, which was very successful. Her approach was blanketing the town with all of the songs, making sure that A&R people are covered with a bunch of new music. David was more of a sharp shooter. His approach was, “Let’s send this one to this person.” They both worked with writers differently. I took a lot of what they did and how I saw them interacting with writers, and then tried to apply as much of it to me as possible. Obviously in those situations you see things that work and you see things that might work well for them, but maybe not well for you, so you’ve just got to mix and match. It was great to see both of their approaches.

Photo: Courtesy of Chris Oglesby

In addition to Karen and David, who have else have been some of your mentors?

Troy Tomlinson has been a massive help, as has Jody Williams, Kerry O’Neil and Tim DuBois. One mentor that I’ve had for probably 25 years that I did not meet until last year—which is kind of a weird thing to say about a mentor—is John Maxwell. All of those people have had a profound effect on me in my path and journey through the music industry.

What moment have you had that your kid self would think is so cool?

I had one of those moments right before Thanksgiving. I went to Kansas City to see Carrie Underwood and Jimmie Allen, and I got to take my 11-year-old niece. It was her very first concert. We were hooked up from top to bottom. I look at that experience through her eyes and I just feel so blessed to be able to do that. To go to those things and be fully in the moment of what’s happening, but at the same time, it’s my job. Sometimes it’s hard to be in both those things at the same time, but how cool is it that we get to go to a concert or No. 1 party? That’s our job!

Photo: Courtesy of Chris Oglesby

When are you most fulfilled in what you do?

When I see opportunity put in front of a songwriter for growth followed by success—and I had a small hand in it—that’s the most gratifying thing that you can do. Not only do I love it, but somebody’s dreams are coming true. Somebody’s not going to have NES come turn their electricity off. When you can pull all those things together, I can’t think of anything else that would be more rewarding than watching someone else succeed where you played a small role in their success. I love that part of it more than anything.

What’s some of the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

To live like you’re dying. [Laughs]

In addition to that, just add value to people. When you add value to somebody else, it’s going to come back to you a hundred times over.

What are some of the best attributes about our Music Row community?

The friendly, competitive nature that exists within our community is so healthy. We’re all after the same things. We’re all very competitive, but at the same time, we know that the success of somebody else helps us all. That for me has been incredible to be a part of through my whole journey.

I feel like our two streets have laid an incredibly strong foundation, not only for a genre of music, but how to work together in unison and in a harmony with one another, no pun intended.

My Music Row Story: Triple 8 Management’s George Couri

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George Couri

The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.

As Founder of Triple 8 Management, George Couri leads a team of 31 staffers overseeing artist management, marketing, and radio promotion efforts from offices in Nashville, Austin, and Los Angeles.

Among the Triple 8 Management roster is Scotty McCreery, who recently notched his fifth consecutive No. 1 hit, as well as multi-Platinum group Eli Young Band, breakout star and new Sony Music Nashville signee Corey Kent, Australian-born country phenom Morgan Evans, and road warrior Pat Green, among others.

Triple 8 is also a founding partner in Triple Tigers Records, which celebrated its first eight singles reaching No. 1 and continues to have success outside of country mainstream with a variety of rock, pop, and Christian artists, as well as songwriters.

MusicRow: Where did you grow up? 

Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

George Couri and Scotty McCreery

What was your dream job? How did you get into the music business?

I started by writing film scores for students at USC Film School. Then I realized one day that I would rather help those more talented than me realize their potential. [That led me to] an internship at the Los Angeles offices of Arista Records, assisting the west coast regional Lori Hartigan. I was working country records to radio.

What was next?

The internship at Arista Records really solidified my path. Next I took a job in a Los Angeles management company that eventually moved to Austin, Texas. From there, I started a management company that later joined forces with a concert promoter, and that ultimately spun off to become Triple 8 Management. It is named after its founding date: August 8, 2008. Triple 8 Management was born out of wanting to serve artists better than the typical management company.

Most of the Triple 8 Management team gathered for their holiday party. Photo: Ashtin Paige

Now, Triple 8 is a 31-member team with team members in Nashville, Austin, and Los Angeles with a roster that includes Scotty McCreery, Eli Young Band, Corey Kent, Morgan Evans and more. What’s a day in the life usually like?

As you can imagine, it varies every day, however it essentially involves talking with our artists about how we grow their careers, and, in turn, talking with the team—internal and external—to make sure we are supporting the team as well. No team members are on their own to manage artists, and it takes conscious effort every day to continue to make sure that remains the case.

[I am also a] co-founder of Triple Tigers Records. We support the record label team as they continue to expand and thrive.

What is a lesson you learned early in your career?

I learned early on that artists do in fact want someone to tell them the truth. Additionally, that I want to work with artists that are willing to hear it.

George Couri, Corey Kent, Nate Towne (WME), Chris Fox (Triple 8)

When do you feel most fulfilled in your role?

I am fulfilled being in service to other people. When that service results in bringing artists and team members closer to their own dreams, I am most fulfilled.

Who are some of your mentors?

My mentors early on were the late Frank Callari, TK Kimbrell, Joey Lee, Rob Light, and most definitely Chuck Flood. They’re all friends, and I definitely listened and learned from them all.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

To remember that none of us have as much time here on earth as we think we have. Do not waste time. Handle your business and actions such that later on, you will not have regrets on how you did anything.

What is something a lot of people probably don’t know about you?

I can speak a bit of Portuguese.

George Couri with Eli Young Band and agent Brian Hill

What is one of your favorite experiences in the industry that you will share for the rest of your life?

There was a Triple 8 holiday party at our house a couple months after first signing Scotty McCreery to management. Just as the party was starting, David Crow, Scotty’s attorney, called to say Scotty was free and clear entirely of any previous recording agreements. We celebrated the freedom that comes with re-imagining what is next all night, toasting to the future we would go create!

What remains so memorable is that Scotty was absolutely on fire that entire night—he was happy, celebrating, and truly the most rowdy life of the party. It was infectious and unforgettable and absolutely set the tone for the road ahead. I still laugh when I think about things that happened that night, and it just makes his successes today even sweeter knowing they were fueled from a sense of creative freedom that remains absolutely contagious.

What are you most proud of in your career?

When the general industry consensus has been that a certain artist is not going to have success—or that a particular thing cannot be done— and then actually sometimes managing to do it. It is far more satisfying being a part of delivering that redemption or rediscovery for someone than the money that follows it ever will be. Overcoming difficult odds, not being afraid to bet on the underdog, and continuously fighting for that fuels me every day.

My Music Row Story: River House Artists’ Lynn Oliver-Cline

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Lynn Oliver-Cline. Photo: Emma Golden

The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.

In 2016, Lynn Oliver-Cline launched River House Artists, a creative firm that includes label, publishing and management, with flagship artist Luke Combs. River House Artists songwriters include Drew Parker, Ray Fulcher, Driver Williams, Nicolette Hayford, Jordan Rowe, and more. Oliver-Cline’s career began at Virgin Records, followed by time at BMI, ROAR, Zac Brown’s Southern Ground Artists, and Thirty Tigers, spearheading album launches for Jason Isbell, Lucinda Williams, and more. She is a 2018 MusicRow Rising Women on the Row honoree and has been named to multiple Billboard women in music and power players lists.

MusicRow: Where did you grow up?

North of Charleston, South Carolina in a little town called Hanahan. I graduated with under 100 kids. I went to school at the University of South Carolina, so I was in South Carolina most of my early life.

What was your dream job as a kid?

I always wanted to be in the music business. Growing up, all my friends were in bands. I threw band parties in high school. I would collect $5 at the door, rent generators and fields for the band parties. Part of that management thing was always in me.

I also had talent in my family. My aunt was on the Nashville Network back in the day on You Can Be A Star. She grew up singing, my dad played banjo, and my uncles sang and played football. I grew up playing drums, piano, and guitar. I always thought maybe I’d be on stage, but I also had really bad stage fright. I learned going into college that there was a media arts major at USC and I could actually be on the business side [of the music industry]. Luckily for me, the guys from Hootie & the Blowfish went to school at the University of South Carolina. I started as an intern with them when I was 19. I was their second intern ever, so I really got thrown in. I started the day that Cracked Rear View came out.

Oliver-Cline with Hootie & The Blowfish

What did you do after college?

Hootie & the Blowfish started their own record label called Breaking Records that I worked at. From there, I started doing A&R for a producer named Matt Serletic. Matt had just won a bunch of Grammys with Santana. He discovered Matchbox 20 and made Collective Soul records—very alt rock stuff.

I had moved from South Carolina to Atlanta to Los Angeles. When Matt became the president of Virgin Records, we all moved to New York. At that time, Matt was working with Willie Nelson and had made a record with Faith Hill, so he was doing more stuff in Nashville.

[When I heard about Nashville], I was like, “Wait a minute. There are people in a town in the southeast that write songs all day and you can pitch songs to these recording artists and they will listen to to them? This is my dream. That’s what I want to do.”

How did you get to Nashville?

At that time, Forefront Records was in Franklin, Tennessee. It was a Christian label. We started working with an artist named Stacie Orrico to help her make her first secular record outside of the Christian world, so I was coming down to Franklin from New York a bunch. I told Matt in 2003 or 2004 that I really wanted to move to Nashville.

I came down here and started interviewing in 2004 and nobody would give me a job, so I started my own publishing company in 2004 and went flat broke in about six months.

How did things turn around?

I ended up getting an offer from BMI in Atlanta in 2005. Two weeks into working in BMI in Atlanta, I met Zac Brown and Wyatt Durrette. About two years in, Zac was choosing a management company. I had been a big part of the team already, so he asked if I wanted to be his day-to-day manager. I was like, “Are you crazy? This is the best job in the whole world.” Working at BMI when Del [Bryant] was there was just the warmest, fuzziest job. But I decided I was going to do it because I just loved those boys, so I ended up living on the road for three years.

In 2010, Zac said, “What do you really want to do? I know you don’t want live out here on the road with us forever.” I said, “I really still want to start a publishing company. That’s still where my heart is.” He said, “Alright, let’s do it.” So we started a pub company and he decided to start his label Southern Ground at the same time, so we were putting out records, we were working with young songwriters, and we were sending them up here to write out of Atlanta.

I told Zac that I really needed to move to Nashville but he wanted me in Atlanta. I told him if I didn’t have boots on the ground in Nashville, it wasn’t going to work. Finally in 2013, he gave in and said, “We’ve got a studio there now and there’s office space, so you can go up there.” That’s how I finally got to Nashville in 2013.

Ray Fulcher plays MSG on Nov. 29, 2021 in New York, New York. Photo: Kurt Ozan

What was next?

We were doing well, but eventually it just got to be too much. There were too many different things going on, so Zac decided to close down Southern Ground in 2014. I took a job over at Thirty Tigers with David Macias. Then I found out I was pregnant for the first time in my whole life at age 41.

[My time at Thirty Tigers] was great. I was helping them put out projects for Greensky Bluegrass and Jason Isbell—all of these really cool, credible records. I didn’t necessarily feel the pressure of a major corporation at that time, so it really got me back to my roots. It was a really fun time. That’s when I decided to start River House.

What went into that decision?

[While I was working at Thirty Tigers], they were building this new, beautiful building and there was some lag time before we could move into the new office. It was at least two months, and I really loved being at home with [my son] Levi during that time. My husband, Jay, said, “I don’t understand why you don’t start your own thing.”

He was actually the one that convinced me to start my own company. I literally had a desk in the laundry room. We lived on the east side in Inglewood overlooking the Cumberland River. He said, “Just call it River House Records.”

I stayed on with Thirty Tigers to see through a Lucinda Williams album that we put out in February of 2016, but I actually started River House in September of 2015.

Oliver-Cline and Luke Combs at the ACM Awards

Luke Combs was your first signee. How did that come to be?

Chris Kappy and I were roommates. [Laughs] He was working on The Rock Boats and Zac Brown did a lot of those boats. Whenever I was living on tour with Zac for three years, I rented a room from Kappy because he was always gone on the boats and I was always gone on tour. We had been friends for half our lives.

He had decided to do the artist management thing after meeting Luke through Bradley Jordan, and moved to Nashville in 2015. He just came over to the house one day and said, “I want to put your A&R ears on something.” He had a little speaker in his backpack and just said, “This kid is Luke Combs from North Carolina. It’s pretty good.” He played it and I was like, “I think you might actually have something here. I really like this.” It was the first six songs from This One’s For You, the original EP.

Obviously Luke was still brand new and Kappy had never done management before, so I was like, “If you guys want me to help you out, I’m happy to put together some short term goals and some long term goals.”

At the time, I wasn’t trying to sign him to my label. I was just trying to help him because Kappy was my friend. Eventually he started meeting with labels and they weren’t calling him back. He was getting frustrated. I looked at what his numbers were doing online and he had done like a million streams of “Hurricane.” Even though that was only a few short years ago, that was a big deal. I told him, “I’m starting a record label. It’s got all the resources you need. I’ve got a little extra money. I can put this record out for you and I’m pretty sure I’ll make my money back.” So that’s what we did.

When did you start growing the River House roster?

After we did the JV with Sony, I was really part of the management team for the next couple of years because it was growing so quickly, but I still wanted to do the label because that’s what I set out to do. I didn’t set out to be a manager again, but I did help out on the management side quite a bit the first couple years.

Then we signed Jameson Rodgers. We knew that Jameson was going to be on tour with Luke for a full year. He was one of the artists who got super affected by COVID—it just hit at the absolute wrong time for him—but I just loved his voice and his swag. Then I met Georgia Webster and we signed her.

Oliver-Cline and Jameson Rodgers at Rodgers’ Grand Ole Opry debut

When do you feel most fulfilled in what you do?

In management and in artist development in general, there’s definitely daily victories that keep you going. You have to give yourself a pat on the back because no one else is really going to. You have to really just love it and live it and then you’ll feel rewarded by it. But I definitely think I feel the most fulfilled when seeing thousands of people singing a song back to an artist that you were there from the very beginning.

Who is your biggest mentor?

Matt Ceroletic for sure. He was such a mega producer and then became the president of a label—seeing that he could do both was was huge for me. Honestly, I still send him the records that I’m a part of because I want him to be proud. Him letting me be in the studio with him and be a part of that process with him was really huge. It helped me become pretty fearless. I don’t ever want to make decisions based on fear or be scared to do something.

What are some of the best qualities of our industry?

If you find the right tribe of people, there is a real communal feeling. There’s always those people that are going to take advantage, but I truly feel like most people have the artist’s best interests at heart. Overall, people have to work their faces off and make personal sacrifices [to have success]. It’s a lot of sacrifice. The executives have to be just as dedicated as the artist.

My Music Row Story: The MLC’s Ellen Truley

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Ellen Truley

The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.

Ellen Truley serves as Chief Marketing Officer for The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC), where she works closely with The MLC’s Leadership Team, CEO, Board and Advisory Committee members. In her role, she also leverages her wealth of experience in marketing, brand strategy, digital initiatives, advertising, public relations and industry relations to direct a robust and proactive communications operation that engages both the music community and the public at large.

Prior to joining The MLC, Truley was the founder and CEO of ETC Consulting, a leading music industry marketing firm focused in the entertainment relations niche, consulting with music, tech and entertainment companies in New York, Nashville, Los Angeles and London. Previously, Truley served as the Senior Vice President of Corporate Relations for SESAC Holdings, Inc., overseeing global marketing initiatives for all corporate entities, including the Harry Fox Agency, Rumblefish, SESAC PRO and Mint Digital Services. During her 20 years with SESAC, Truley noticeably elevated the organization’s brand through collaborations with industry partners and advertisers that maximized its visibility.

Her many achievements include being named one of Billboard Magazine’s Women in Music on numerous occasions and honored at the Nashville Business Journal’s Women in Music City Awards for several years. She currently serves on the Global Board of Women in Music, the leading industry nonprofit working to advance the awareness, equality, diversity, heritage, opportunities and cultural aspects of women in the musical arts, and is a member of the Leadership Music class of 2022.

Reba and Ellen Truley

MusicRow: Where did you grow up?

Nashville. Born and raised.

Did you grow up wanting to be in the music business here?

I thought I would not be in the music business. Growing up here I was like, “I’m not into that.” Then, lo and behold, I found myself right smack in the middle of it. My first job out of college, I worked at an ad agency for just a short time. That quickly led to a position at Billboard. I worked there for a couple years and that’s really where I fell into the music industry. Then I joined SESAC.

You spent over two decades at SESAC, rising to Senior Vice President of Corporate Relations. What was that time like?

That’s really where I grew to love songwriters and their stories. I grew to understand their huge role in our ecosystem and of the music industry. I’m just a huge fan of singer-songwriters.

Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick with Ellen Truley

Who were some of the songwriters that you first fell in love with?

Obviously the Nashville songwriters, but I had such a great opportunity working at SESAC because I worked in all genres. I was exposed to music that I probably wouldn’t have necessarily been before. Everything from jazz musicians to pop and rock; as well as film and TV composers. I never would’ve crossed paths with them. That has been really a cool thing.

Just the other night I saw a film and TV composer, Jonathan Wolf, who wrote the theme song for Seinfeld. He was in town for the CMA awards. It was good to see him again.

You left SESAC in 2018. What were the next steps for you?

I had my own company for a couple of years where I did a lot of industry relations and helped people who wanted to get into the music industry.

From there, I got a call about The MLC. I knew it was happening because I knew about the Music Modernization Act from 2018. I had been following that closely because I knew it was going to affect songwriters and publishers, and that was my world. So when they called, I was really interested. Anything that helps creatives get paid, I was behind. So I started with The MLC in March of 2020—right as the world was shutting down.

Pictured (L-R): Kris Ahrend, CEO of The MLC; songwriter Even Stevens; Ellen Truley, CMO of The MLC; songwriter Steve Bogard; Jennifer Turnbow, COO, NSAI; Erika Wollam-Nichols, GM, Bluebird Cafe

What was that first year like?

I was employee number five. We’re now at 105, so it’s grown a lot very quickly. It’s been a great ride. Building something from the ground up and seeing this piece of legislation and this mandate come to life has been really rewarding.

I started in March of 2020 and we officially started operations January of 2021. We started paying publishers and songwriters in April of 2021 and we’ve been paying every month since. We distribute royalties once a month.

When you signed on, what were you specifically tasked with?

Part of the legislation said we had to get out in the marketplace and educate people about The MLC. We had to do a lot of education and outreach. My role is marketing, but that includes the education and outreach as well as traditional marketing and PR. It’s about educating people on who we are and what we do, which has been a challenge. We’re kind of this unknown organization, brand new to the landscape of the music industry. We had to tell people what we do and why it was important to sign up so they could get paid.

Blanco Brown and Ellen Truley

What are the hardest things to get people to understand?

Some people thought we replaced a PRO. We do not. We work alongside a PRO and we work alongside SoundExchange. We are another way creators can get paid.

Specifically we pay a “digital audio mechanical royalty.” You say those words and people are like, “What does that mean?” We break it down—a mechanical used to mean physical sales. But a digital audio mechanical pertains to streaming.

People think if they’re signed up with a PRO, that they’re going to get that money. They do get a stream of royalties from a PRO, but there’s a performance royalty and a mechanical royalties associated with a stream. So letting people know they have two ways to get paid when a song is streamed is really important. A lot of people didn’t realize that. Hopefully we’ve opened up a lot of eyes and we’re getting more people paid.

What’s the most fulfilling part of being part of The MLC?

It’s a couple of things. One is that we’ve been able to, literally from the ground up, bring this organization to life. That was a tall order. There was lots to do. It was a great accomplishment to be part of the team that launched on time, when we were supposed to, even with the pandemic going on, and started paying people. That’s been really rewarding. To see a songwriter’s eyes light up when you tell them you have money for them, that’s pretty rewarding too.

Hillary Scott, Ellen Truley

What is some of the best advice you’ve ever received?

Never burn bridges. Always be respectful to everyone. You never know how you might end up working with someone down the road.

What’s the coolest part about working in this field?

I think a lot of people, when they hear you work in the music industry, they think that’s really cool. But it’s not all going to parties and attending the CMA Awards like we just did. There’s a lot of hard work that goes on behind the scenes.

Yes, it’s great to go to the CMAs but the rewarding part and what makes it cool is you’re playing a small part in bringing music to the people. It doesn’t get any better than that.

My Music Row Story: CAA’s Darin Murphy

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Darin Murphy

The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.

Darin Murphy is a Music Agent at leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA), and Co-Head of CAA Music’s Nashville office. He represents many of the world’s leading musicians, including The Chicks, Sam Hunt, Keith Urban, Hootie & the Blowfish, Dan + Shay, Maren Morris, Little Big Town, Darius Rucker, Mickey Guyton, Jake Owen, and Lindsay Ell, among others.

Murphy graduated from Belmont University with a degree in Business Marketing. He served as President and Chairman of the Board of the Academy of Country Music and is a member of the Country Music Association. Murphy was named Talent Agent of the Year at the 2015 and 2017 CMA Awards. He also served as a Governor to the Grammy’s Nashville Chapter Board.

MusicRow: Where did you grow up?

I was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, which is about 70 miles north of Manhattan, and lived there until I was 11. My mother remarried when I was 11. My stepdad was in the military. Once they were married, we started to move around as military families do. From the upstate New York area, we went to Virginia, we went to Kansas for a bit, and then I finished my high school years up in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

Darin Murphy, Maren Morris, Meredith Jones

Were you musical as a kid?

No, not at all. My natural dad did own some nightclubs though, when I was young. So I would get to go and see shows. I would get to clean up the bars in the mornings with my grandfather during the summer. I was exposed to live music from that age.

How did you get to Nashville?

I played tennis for Belmont. I was a business marketing major and worked for an investment firm my last two years for college credit, so I was heading down that stock broker path. Then the stock market crashed in 1987, the beginning of the year that I graduated. I pivoted in my brain as I was getting closer to graduating from college. My last semester of school, I took an Introduction to the Music Business class. I had a great time with the class. My professor gave me some cool advice. He said, “You should look into the agencies in town. You’re good with numbers, you love music, you have a great personality. Maybe you’d be a great agent.” So I did that. Luckily for me, after dropping off some resumes, I got a call from the William Morris Agency to interview for a position that had opened up working for one of the agents, Steve Lassiter.

Darin Murphy and Sam Hunt

At the time the roster was Charlie Daniels and the Oak Ridge Boys, they had a lot of different old school country acts. I just liked the pace of it. I liked the sales side. I liked how they had to fill dates on a calendar and sell. The core of being an agent is selling and filling calendars, and I felt good about it. I’ve always liked music and I think once I started working on desks and so forth, I knew where I was going to make a career.

So I worked for Steve right out of school, just typing up contracts and answering phones. A few weeks into the gig, I was digging it. I was digging the energy. I liked the flow of how the days went there, but musically I wanted to be in a different place.

What was next for you?

I eventually got accepted into the Agent Training Program [in Nashville], moved to Los Angeles later that year, and worked my way up the ladder through the LA office there into the contemporary department.

How long were you in LA?

William Morris acquired another agency in 1991 called Triad Artists and I was unfortunately let go. I had a few bands that I was booking that hadn’t quite hit yet or made enough noise, so I was one of the young people they disposed of. That sucked.

Next I went to Bill Silva Presents in San Diego for almost a year where I got to see the other side of it—the buying and promoting part, which was awesome. We did a lot of great shows and worked with all the different agencies. I mostly focused on the club stuff that we did in the area. It was a pretty busy company, we had lots of different cool venues down in southern California. That was a great experience. Then I got hired back at William Morris, but for the Nashville office in ’94. I worked there until I started working for CAA in ’98.

Russell Dickerson and Darin Murphy

Now you help guide the touring careers of Sam Hunt, Keith Urban, Dan + Shay, Maren Morris, Little Big Town, Darius Rucker, and more. When do you feel most fulfilled in what you do?

I try to get to the office pretty early every day. It’s quiet way before the phones start ringing. I try to put together an agenda each day for what I want to try to get through and accomplish. [A big part of my day is] obviously staying in touch with the managers that I work with, as well as my clients and buyers, and making sure I’m checking off the list, so to speak. The best part of my day is when a deal closes, a tour goes on sale and does great, or I get a call from a buyer saying, “Oh my God, that act killed it last night. Can’t wait to have them back.” When those moments happen throughout your day, it still gives me goosebumps and I feel great about it after all these years. Those are the little things that are big things for me still.

Do you feel like you still have the same motivation and drive that you had when you started?

100%. Especially coming out of what we all just went through with the pandemic. It reminded me how awesome it is to—whether it’s at a club, an arena, a stadium, or an amphitheater—watch people have a great time at show from someone you get to work with every day. Just being around live music, for our clients and [other acts] who aren’t our clients, was definitely a big part of what I missed.

Darin Murphy and Loretta Lynn

Have you had any mentors along the way?

I’ve learned from a lot of different people. I learn from the people I work with currently. Ron Baird was a really good mentor for me when he was here. I would go to Ron for advice, he would come in my office to check in and see how I was doing. I felt comfortable going to him about any issue with a promoter or a client. He would give me a different perspective. I still think about some of those conversations even today.

John [Huie] and Rod [Essig] have been here from the beginning and are great friends as well as mentors.

If you could go back and talk to yourself as a new Belmont grad, what would you tell him?

Put your seatbelt on. It’s a ride. It’s how you treat people. There’s certainly a level of hustle that you have to have initially. I would also remind the younger version of myself to be careful how you talk to people. [Laughs]

What has been one of your favorite career experiences?

From time to time when I would be at a show and I hadn’t seen Loretta [Lynn] in a while, she would call me up and ask me to escort her off the stage. It was incredible and one of the coolest experiences that I get to tell my children. I had privilege of doing that a couple times over the years. That’s pretty special, escorting her off the stage after a show. That coupled with just spending time with her on the bus and listening to some of the stories that she would tell… She had an incredible memory.

My Music Row Story: Robert Deaton

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Robert Deaton. Photo: John Shearer

The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.

A highly respected television producer and award-winning director, Robert Deaton’s career has skyrocketed from launching a pioneering video production company, in which he created more than 500 music videos for a variety of chart-topping artists, to producing some of the most successful properties on network television.

Since 2007, he’s served as executive producer of the CMA Awards on ABC. He is a two-time Emmy winner for ABC’s Monday Night Football opening. Deaton is at the helm of CMA Fest and CMA Country Christmas, annual network shows that are consistently high in the ratings and spotlight the broad appeal that places country music at the forefront of American culture. Deaton produced Sports Illustrated: 50 Years of Beautiful on NBC, as well as the “Soul to Soul Las Vegas” residency for Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. He was executive producer of The Passion with Tyler Perry for Fox Broadcasting and currently serves as executive producer of the Billboard Music Awards on NBC.

MusicRow: Where did you grow up?

Fayetteville, North Carolina. Although when I was smaller, I grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Were you musical as a kid?

Yeah, I grew up playing in bands, playing guitar and playing in orchestras. I started playing trumpet in the fourth grade and then was in garage bands all through high school. One of my best friends is actually a famous musician now, he’s the lead guitar player for Widespread Panic. We played together in bands growing up.

Robert Deaton and Walter C. Miller, longtime director/producer for CMA Awards. Photo: Courtesy of CMA

What was your dream then?

The dream was always, from the very beginning, to be in the entertainment industry. I had no other dream. I’ve been around this since I can remember. Any memory that I have [from childhood] was always in a theater or at a TV station. My father was in radio and television. He was a celebrity anchor at WECT TV, which was Channel 6 in Wilmington, North Carolina. On Friday nights, he had a country music show that all the Grand Ole Opry cast would come through to play if they were in the region. I can remember as a kid going to a Jerry Lee Lewis concert and sitting beside Jerry Lee when I was six years old.

The whole time I was growing up, I was all about getting out of school. I was just in a hurry. I didn’t know exactly what I was going to be doing in entertainment, I just knew I was going be doing something. So from elementary school on, it was about getting done so I could move to Nashville.

Deaton, The CMA’s Sarah Trahern, Darius Rucker and Little Big Town reveal the nominees for the 48th CMA Awards on Good Morning America. Photo: Courtesy of Deaton

What happened when you finally got to Nashville?

Johnny Rosen had this company called Fanta Sound. He was teaching audio over at Vanderbilt and I was taking all of his classes. Then I started getting into photography and started going to up to Maine for the Maine Photographic Workshops. The doors started opening first on the TV side.

One of my first gigs working in this industry was when I was a production assistant on the Crisco commercials with Loretta Lynn out in Hurricane Mills. One week I worked on that and then the next week I did something over at the old RCA building with Jerry Reed. I thought, “I have made it!” I was a 19 year old kid and one week I was hanging out at Hurricane Mills with Loretta and the next week, Jerry Reed.

What was your path from there?

I got offered a job at Channel 2. I was in the news for the first year and then the next couple of years I was in the marketing department, shooting all their promos and marketing. That was a great experience.

I stayed there a couple of years and then I met a guy named George Flanigen. We started a company called Deaton Flanigen Productions and we did probably 300 music videos. We were doing music videos for Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Alabama and Diamond Rio. George and I were fortunate enough to win two CMA Video of the Year awards. One for “Independence Day” with Martina and one for “Believe” with Brooks & Dunn. It was great fun. We created “Are You Ready for Some Football?” for ABC. We were doing lots of commercials and marketing promos for syndicated TV shows.

It was going really well but times change and things shift. When streaming came in, the business shifted, so I knew I needed to make a transition of some kind. I got on the board at the CMA and that was a big life change for me because of all these great people on the board. Donna Hilly, Joe Galante, Connie Bradley and Kitty Moon were on the board. Eventually they made me the chairman of the TV committee. That’s how I started working on the CMA Awards.

Kelsea Ballerini, Robert Deaton. Photo: Courtesy of Deaton

How did that happen?

All these board members [I was surrounded by] were trailblazers, so I was trying to figure out a way to contribute. I decided my way to contribute was to try to make the CMA Music Festival into a television broadcast. I went and shot sizzle reel at what I think was our second year at the stadium after we shifted from the fairgrounds. I shot it and put together a pitch piece. I flew out to LA and pitched it to CBS and they bought it.

I was doing that to contribute, I wasn’t necessarily doing that to actually produce a show. It was Larry Fitzgerald that said I should be the one that produces it. They voted on it and that was my first network show, The CMA Music Festival. So I started producing the festival and then a couple years later, they asked me to do the awards. I’ve been doing the awards ever since. I also created the CMA Christmas show, so I went from doing one television broadcast to three, which has been great.

Do you have time for anything else?

I’m always trying to shift and reinvent. A couple of years ago, I did my first film which was called Benched. I’m currently working on two other movies right now, one for next year. Also, the doors have opened back into the music recording process. The first project that I did was a Christmas record for Michael W. Smith called The Spirit of Christmas. This past year, all year long, I’ve worked on an album called Stoned Cold Country. That’s a 60th anniversary celebration and tribute to the Rolling Stones.

It’s not necessarily about the medium, but it’s always about how can you reinvent yourself from a creative standpoint? What is it that you haven’t done before? I feel like you always have to put yourself, as a creative person, into uncomfortable situations. You really have to put yourself into a place where you’re like, “What have I gotten myself into? I’m not sure I know how to do this.” Then you go through all those feelings of self doubt. You want those feelings as a creative person because it pushes you to make great work.

Willie Nelson, Robert Deaton. Photo: Courtesy of Deaton

Do you have any stories you’d like to share about a time you’ve felt a lot of self-doubt but prevailed?

The one that is at always at the forefront of my mind is the most important creative endeavor that I’ve ever been a part of: the 50th anniversary open of the CMA Awards. I told you how I grew up. This genre is important to me. The 50th anniversary open was the most important thing that I’ve ever done, and I also felt like it was important to the industry and to us as country music. I had to get that right.

It was the most nerve-wracking disaster in rehearsal that you’ve ever seen in your life. A lot of these people hadn’t been on TV in 20 years. We are surrounded by greatness with Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, Roy Clark, Charley Pride, Clint Black, Alan Jackson, Dwight Yoakam and Charlie Daniels. It had to work like clockwork in order for it to work and it was the worst rehearsal of all time. I remember walking on stage with my head down and thinking, “Buddy, you have bitten off more than you can chew this time.” I hear a voice that goes, “Looked better on paper, didn’t it?” I looked up and it’s Vince Gill. He is laughing and he goes, “It’s going to be alright.” [Laughs]

We never finished it from beginning to end during rehearsal. The only time that we ever saw that performance from beginning to end without stopping was live on the air. I was praying, “Please, Lord, let us get through this.” We got through it and I literally busted out crying. I was so proud.

If someone were to ask you how to get a job like yours, what would you tell them?

Well, I want to keep it for a while. [Laughs]

I think that you have to do your one hundred thousand hours. This position here is not 10,000 hours. This is hundreds of thousands of hours. I do feel like I’m unique because of the experiences that I’ve been able to go through. I experienced Buck Owens, Jerry Lee Lewis and the stars of the Grand Ole Opry at a young age. I was 12 years old backstage at the Grand Ole Opry. I would be in the dressing room asking Jack Greene, “How did you record ‘Statue Of A Fool’ with only four tracks? How did you do that back then?” I can hear an Everly Brothers record and tell you who played on that record. I know the history. I know where we came from. I knew, adored and loved Jo Walker-Meador here at the CMA. There’s practically not a country song that I don’t know the lyrics to if it was a hit from the ’40s on. I think in order to do this job well, you’ve gotta know all that. It’s better to know the history for you to make decisions in the present.

It means everything to me. Doing this job at this time means everything in the world to me. Other than my family, it’s the most important thing that I do.