Voices From The Trenches: Kirk Sommer

How did you get started?

I was promoting a diverse group of events in New York City for myself as well as others. I liked building things from scratch, cultivating relationships and watching as everything came together as planned. I really enjoyed working with talented people and did a brief stint as an intern working in Ron Delsener’s office.
I decided I wanted to see what the West Coast had to offer so I hopped on a flight to Los Angeles and took some meetings. The weather was right and William Morris felt like a fit after meeting with Peter Grosslight in his office. I was offered a position as a trainee in the mailroom.
I flew back to New York, packed up my apartment on Mulberry Street over the weekend and never looked back. (That’s not entirely true: I actually looked back on occasion when I was having to answer someone else’s phones while thinking about those tube socks of cash I had left behind.)
In retrospect it was right to leave the quick money on the table, to build and be part of something larger just as I had left other opportunities on the table that had offered larger salaries and quicker advancement than WMA. I feel really fortunate to have crossed paths and worked with two of the greatest people in this business (Delsener and Grosslight) in my formative years. We have a great leadership team today and it’s only getting stronger.

What new act do you want people to hear about?

What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

My grandfather was my best man at my wedding to the love of my life. I waited nearly 10 years to reconnect with my girlfriend (and now wife) from my freshman year of college. My job may have made that reunion possible.
The single performance that I was most nervous about was one of my daughters’ solo performances as a kindergartener in front of the whole school. She soared; it brought me to tears. One of the few ways I’ve found I’m able to relax is listening to the piano keys and my daughters’ voices in lesson.

How do smaller venues and promoters get your attention? How do they get a call back?

I think people that really care, work hard and take pride in what they are doing do pretty well. We love being educated and equipped with photos, lists of acts, ticketing info, marketing info, what’s working and what is not. I would think most people are highly responsive to those that are also highly responsive and helpful.

Anything else?

We are a very interesting and diverse company with offices and properties in many countries. I can tell you that activity, ideas and opportunities that hit our wire or cross our desks daily are very exciting, and it’s fun working with colleagues and specialists in different disciplines.