Celebrity Name: Cori Kennedy
New Company: William Morris Endeavor (WME)
Primary Agents: Becky Gardenhire, Carter Green, Moira McCravey
Department: Music
Territory: Worldwide
- Cori Kennedy, the Minnesota country artist whose song “Water Tower Johnny Cash” racked up over 12 million TikTok views, has signed with WME for worldwide booking representation.
- Kennedy’s online virality landed her a spot on The Voice Season 28 as part of Team Reba McEntire, catapulting her profile from social media star to mainstream contender.
- She will be repped at WME by agents Becky Gardenhire (Senior Partner and Co-Head), Carter Green, and Moira McCravey, and managed by Rare Society.
- Kennedy is set to launch a run of live shows beginning May 2026 through August, with additional dates expected to be announced.
Rising country artist Cori Kennedy has signed with WME for worldwide booking representation. The deal was announced March 19, 2026, and puts her with agents Becky Gardenhire (Senior Partner and Co-Head of WME’s Music division), Carter Green, and Moira McCravey.
Kennedy, originally from West Concord, Minnesota, built her fanbase the old-fashioned way, one honest song at a time. Her track “Water Tower Johnny Cash” exploded on TikTok with over 12 million views, catching the eye of producers from The Voice.
She went on to compete on Season 28 as part of Team Reba McEntire, a milestone that pushed her to over 205,000 TikTok followers and 110,000 on Instagram, generating more than 100 million impressions.
Her small-town storytelling and powerful voice have made her one of country’s most authentic up-and-comers. She’s represented for management by Rare Society.
Kennedy is already set to hit the road with live shows running from May through August 2026, with more dates to be announced.
This signing follows a broader pattern of WME locking in rising talent early: similar to Jenevieve returning to WME for booking representation and Ethan Garner signing with WME and Champ Management.
Takeaways
This signing is a textbook example of what the modern country music pipeline looks like in 2026. Kennedy didn’t need a label deal or a radio hit to get WME’s attention; she needed a viral moment, a genuine voice, and a reality TV platform. Her Voice run with Team Reba effectively served as a national audition, and now WME is betting she can convert that attention into a real touring career.
What makes this particularly interesting is the firepower behind her at WME. Having Becky Gardenhire, one of WME’s most senior music executives, attached to a still-developing country artist signals that this isn’t just a routine signing. The agency sees real upside here.
With a summer 2026 touring run already locked in, the next 12 months are critical. The question is whether Kennedy’s organic digital fanbase will show up in person.
Can viral TikTok fame translate to real touring numbers or does the live audience still need to be built from scratch? Could this signing open the door to major festival bookings or a high-profile supporting tour slot before the year is out?
