WME’S COUNTRY POWER TEAM
Joey Lee Jay Williams PARTNERS/CO-HEADS OF NASHVILLE, WME Braeden Rountree Aaron Tannenbaum PARTNERS OF NASHVILLE, WME
WME’s Nashville office grew significantly in the past year through the acquisitions of Nashvillebased Red 11 Music and Austin’s True Grit, moves that brought in both agencies’ teams and artists including Cody Jinks and Charles Wesley Godwin. The office clocked several sold-out stadium, arena and amphitheater tours from acts such as Luke
Combs, Eric Church and Zach Bryan while helping guide the emergence of artists including Jordan Davis, Parker McCollum, The Red Clay Strays and Lainey Wilson, who scored four Hot 100 hits in 2023 and won this year’s Grammy for best country album. The agency also signed a number of acts including Jon Pardi, Larry Fleet, Priscilla Block and Lukas Nelson.
In 2023, WME acquired Red 11 Music and True Grit. What do they add to your existing roster? JAY WILLIAMS Whether it’s red dirt or bluegrass, the lines between country and all of its adjacent genres are being erased, which is great for the touring business. The tent has gotten a lot bigger, and you can see that in tour packaging and festival lineups.
How do you see country music touring, which has primarily been domestic, growing worldwide?
WILLIAMS You have to think internationally now when talking about country touring. Yes, there are big headline tours like Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson and Chris Stapleton, but the club and theater business is booming, too. International touring needs to be part of the plan from the beginning, and we
are seeing the audiences grow equally or faster in the U.K. and Australia. Other parts of Europe — like the Netherlands and Germany — are also starting to show some promising signs.
WME’s Nashville office has agents across film, TV, books, endorsements and sports, not just music. What’s a recent example of a country artist using all platforms?
WILLIAMS Lainey Wilson and her team have done an amazing job of leaning into all that WME has to offer, from making her TV debut on Yellowstone and notable brand partnership deals to working with
WME fashion and the Wall Group [artist management agency]. We pride ourselves in serving our clients across the board, and the expansion of our Nashville office has significantly enhanced our ability to do that.
How has the country music explosion of the past two years played out in the live sector? JOEY LEE Country music is thriving like never before, and the live sector is a clear indicator of this strength. We’re seeing a huge surge in country stadium, arena and amphitheater tours, along with the rise of new festivals alongside established ones.
Attendance numbers and gross revenue are reaching historic highs, showcasing the popularity and success of country music across the board.
WME’s Nashville office turned 50 in 2023. What does that milestone mean?
LEE Over the past 50 years, through all the acquisitions and mergers, our dedication to continual improvement has remained strong and steady. We persistently strive to enhance ourselves and exceed expectations, creating strong partnerships with our clients. WME consistently aims to set the benchmark for excellence in our industry.