Celebrity Name: Ethan Garner
New Companies: William Morris Endeavor (WME) & Champ Management (Red Light Management)
Primary Agents: Carrie Murphy, Adam Fisher, Caleb Fenn, Carter Green (WME); Matt Musacchio (Champ Management)
Department: Music / Touring
Territory: North America
- Rising country artist Ethan Garner has officially signed with WME and Champ Management, led by Matt Musacchio under the Red Light Management umbrella.
- Garner built his early fanbase playing fraternity parties at Georgia Southern University and Belmont University before earning an opening slot for Travis Denning.
- Garner holds an existing publishing deal with Big Yellow Dog Music, adding industry infrastructure ahead of an expected push into new music and touring.
Country music’s next rising star just got a powerhouse team behind him.
Ethan Garner has inked deals with WME and Champ Management, led by Matt Musacchio under the Red Light Management umbrella. The signing marks a significant step forward for the young Georgia native who has been quietly building momentum in Nashville.
The 22-year-old singer-songwriter from Athens, GA, is quickly making a name for himself in country music. Inspired by the sounds of Elvis Presley and The Eagles, Garner moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University. He cut his teeth playing music at fraternity parties at both Georgia Southern and Belmont, and after gaining traction on social media, he earned an opening slot for Travis Denning.
On the business side, Garner is signed to a publishing deal with Big Yellow Dog Music, a well-respected Nashville indie publisher whose roster has generated dozens of No. 1 hits.
“My favorite part about music, without a doubt, is playing live shows,” Garner shared. “When I met my team at WME and Champ Management, I knew they were the right fit for me from the start.”
This signing follows a wave of similar moves in Nashville’s country scene. Bryan Andrews recently signed with WME for representation, and Mary Kutter also inked a deal with WME, signaling WME’s continued aggressive push to lock up rising country talent early.
With booking, management, and publishing now all aligned, Ethan Garner looks poised to make serious noise in country music in the months ahead.
Takeaways
This signing is more than a business deal, it’s a signal. When an artist like Ethan Garner locks in WME and Champ Management (a Red Light Management imprint) simultaneously, that’s the industry saying: watch this one.
Red Light Management has a track record of developing career artists, not just flash-in-the-pan acts. Pair that with an existing Big Yellow Dog publishing deal, and you’ve got a young artist who’s building on a foundation, not just chasing a moment.
What’s especially interesting here is the live-first narrative. Garner himself says performing is his greatest strength, and WME is one of the best touring agencies in the world. That combination could see him on festival lineups and opening major tours faster than most artists at his career stage.
Could Ethan Garner be country music’s next breakthrough live performer? What does WME’s continued signing of emerging country artists tell us about where the genre is headed commercially?
