Behind The Music Biz

On this episode of Behind The Music Biz , hosts Kurt Ozan and Nicky T sit down with touring musician and entrepreneur Lance Herring to discuss his path from life on the road to becoming the founder of Tour Sync . Drawing from years of touring with Caylee Hammack and Blake Shelton, Lance shares how a common frustration with tour scheduling inspired him to build a platform that helps musicians, crew...

On this episode of Behind The Music Biz , host Matt Burrill sits down with Stephanie Wagner, founder of Country Swag, to talk about her journey through the country music industry and how she helped grow one of New York City’s leading country media brand. From its humble beginnings as a local event to becoming a national platform, Stephanie shares the story behind Country Swag’s rise and the passio...

On this episode of Behind The Music Biz , hosts Kurt Ozan and Nicky T sit down with Brad Parker, a seasoned music industry professional with over 13 years of experience. From his time as a promoter with C3 Presents and Bonnaroo to his current role in artist management at Track Management, Brad shares his journey through the ever-changing music business. The guys dive into the power of live music,...

In episode 37 of Behind The Music Biz, host Matt Burrill sits down with Carly Dibble, a talent buyer and event producer at Romeo Entertainment, one of the leading names in live event production. Carly opens up about her unlikely path into the music business, moving from a non-music background into the fast-paced world of talent buying. She shares what sets fairs apart from festivals, the behind-th...

In Episode 36 of Behind The Music Biz , host Ike Everard sits down with photographer and YouTuber Damian Brunton to explore his creative journey from picking up a camera after an injury to building a following on TikTok and YouTube. Damian shares insights on how social media has shaped his career, the unpredictability of algorithms, and the importance of staying inspired in a content-driven world....

In Episode 35 of Behind The Music Biz , host Matt Burrill sits down with Ryan Youmans, producer and founder of The Amber Sound, to talk about his journey from a small-town musician in South Carolina to a respected force in the Nashville music scene. Known for his work with Muscadine Bloodline, Hudson Westbrook, Tyler Halverson, Taylor Hunnicutt, and more, Ryan shares the story of how his basement...

In Episode 34 of Behind The Music Biz , hosts Kurt Ozan and Nicky T sit down with Dylan Wright of Deep Roots Management to explore his journey from being an artist to managing some of Texas and Red Dirt country’s most exciting acts, including Flatland Cavalry, Red Shahan, Keller Cox, Josh Abbott Band, and The Wilder Blue. The conversation covers Dylan’s transition into management, the formation of...

In Episode 33 of Behind The Music Biz , host Matt Burrill sits down with Lisa Smoot, Director of Secondary Promotion at Big Loud Records, for a deep dive into the world of radio promotion and her over two decades of experience in the music industry. Growing up in the music-rich city of Memphis, Lisa developed a passion for music early on, which eventually led her to Nashville and into the heart of...

In Episode 32 of Behind The Music Biz , hosts Nicky T and Kurt Ozan sit down with Adam Weiser, Senior VP of Global Touring & Talent at AEG, for an in-depth conversation about the world of talent buying and live event promotion. Adam shares his journey from booking clubs in New Jersey to working with some of the biggest names in country music, including Luke Combs, in Nashville’s thriving music...

In Episode 31 of Behind The Music Biz , host Matt Burrill interviews Aaron Keiser, an artist manager at Red Light Management, who shares his journey from Washington State to managing Brantley Gilbert and discovering rising talent like Austin G. Aaron discusses the challenges and rewards of artist management, emphasizing the importance of hard work, resilience, and the impact of music on fans and c...

In Episode 30 of Behind The Music Biz , host Matt Burrill sits down with artist manager Matt Woodson to discuss his unique journey from a tech career to music management. Originally from a small beach town in Florida, Matt shares how networking and saying "yes" to opportunities helped him transition into the music industry. They dive into the challenges of tour management, the high-pressure moment...

In Episode 29 of Behind The Music Biz, host Peyton Heben interviews Marne McLyman, an artist manager at Maverick Nashville, who shares her journey from being a military brat to managing iconic country artists like Brooks & Dunn and Reba McEntire. Marne discusses the challenges and rewards of tour management, the importance of adapting to the ever-changing music landscape, and the lessons learn...

In episode 28 Peyton sits down with Mitch Goudy, a facility manager and music marketing expert, to discuss his inspiring journey from a small town in Iowa to managing City Limit Studios in Nashville. Mitch opens up about the sacrifices he made along the way, including living in a van for five years to invest in his career, and how he transitioned from performing to focusing on the business side of...

On Episode 27 Peyton interviews Chase Bass, owner of 423 Productions and a seasoned concert promoter. Chase shares his journey from a humble upbringing to becoming a successful promoter, while shedding light on the often misunderstood music industry, which many assume is just fun and partying. The conversation dives into the significant impact COVID-19 had on live events, teaching valuable lessons...

On Episode 26 we're joined by Wyatt Carmichael, Tour Manager for the rock band Lakeview. Wyatt shares his journey into the music industry, starting with his love for country and alternative rock music and his transition from a career in sports to music. He discusses the role of a tour manager, including handling logistics, travel, budgeting, and advancing shows, while emphasizing the importance of...

On Episode 25 we're joined by Lindsay Will, Senior Director of A&R at Round Hill Music. Lindsay shares her journey in the music industry and the importance of internships and artist development. She also discusses her love for music from a young age and how she pursued her passion for songwriting and performing. Lindsay emphasizes the value of hard work, networking, and paying your dues in the...

On episode 24 Brennan Kato Assistant Tour Manager for Josh Ross, shares his journey in the music industry and the challenges of being on the road. He talks about how he got into photography and videography, dropped out of college, and eventually found his way into tour management working with artists such as Wyatt Flores, Logan Crosby, Drayton Farley and more! Brennan also emphasizes the importanc...

Brad Curry, the merch manager for Muscadine Bloodline, shares his journey in the music business and the challenges of being on the road. He talks about his passion for music and how he transitioned from playing baseball to working in the industry. He also discusses the importance of networking and building relationships in the industry, the role of merchandising in promoting an artist's brand and...

Luke Collins joins the podcast for Episode 22. A Nashville native, Luke got his start in music by tour managing artists such as Jonathan Hutcherson, Conner Smith, and Payton Smith. Eventually, the 22-year-old found his way off the road and into the publishing world. Luke is now the Creative Coordinator at Tape Room Music under hit songwriter, Ashley Gorley. Follow on Social Media: Luke Collins (Gu...

Singer/Songwriter, Dawson Edwards, joins the podcast for Episode 21. A Georgia native and industry veteran, Dawson joins as the first artist on the podcast to discuss his music journey with stories such as signing his first publishing deal with BMG, putting songs out as an artist, having songs recorded by Heath Sanders, Justin Moore, Kameron Marlowe, and Trey Lewis, hopping on the road with Travis...

Tanner Louis joins the podcast for episode 20. Tanner is the owner of Nashville, TN and Austin, TX based artist management company, Rise Music Group. Throughout the podcast Tanner gives his best advice to young industry entrepreneurs, and discusses his different successes with his roster artists Hayden Coffman, Dave Fenley, and Lane Smith. The Texas State alum discusses his original move to Nashvi...

On Episode 19 we are joined by professional photographer/videographer, Ike Everard. Best known for his work with Raised Rowdy and country artists in Nashville. Throughout the episode, we discuss Ike’s time at Arizona State University, his move from Seattle, WA, to Nashville, TN, and his networking journey in town. Working with rising stars such as Caleb Lathrop, and most recently being featured in...

Andrew Hall joins the podcast for Episode 17. With experience in talent buying, concert promotion, booking, and management, Andrew brings tons of industry knowledge and shares his experiences through the podcast. He is currently the senior talent buyer at Cannery Hall, the largest independent music venue in Nashville, TN. On top of that, he is the owner of Colt Classic Presents, which is a concert...

Sean McHenry, formerly a WME booking agent assistant, now turned day-to-day manager for Matt Schuster at Extended Play Music Group, sits down with Behind The Music Biz for Episode 16. Sean discusses his resume that included internships with MV2 Entertainment and Homestead Music Group. He also discusses his educational journey that included a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Winona...

South Georgia native, JD Groover, joins the podcast for Episode 15. As the Senior Creative Director of A&R at Sea Gayle Music (Publishing) and Tour Manager for Jon Langston, JD provides an invaluable amount of insight throughout the podcast. With history running a venue in Tifton, GA called ‘The Gin’, now known as ‘Terminal South’, JD dives into his story about building his relationships with...