Rob Beckham Out At WME Nashville

Leah Puttkammer / Getty Images for WME – Rob Beckham
Jay, Williams Greg Oswald and Rob Beckham enjoy WME’s CMA Awards after-party at L. A. Jackson rooftop bar celebrating seven out of 11 awards going to WME clients including Garth Brooks as entertainer of the year.

Rob Beckham, longtime co-head of WME’s Nashville office and agent to some of the top stars in country music, has left the company, Pollstar has confirmed. No reason for the departure was given.

Beckham led a superstar roster including Garth Brooks, Brad Paisley, Chase Bryant, Chris Young, Gary Allen, Jerrod Niemann, Jake Owen and others. It’s not known which, if any, will remain with Beckham should he land with another agency or open his own shop.

The last 12 months have seen their share of upheaval in Music City ten percenteries, with venerable Buddy Lee Attractions shuttering just last month, and the agency deck being shuffled with several agents making moves including at WME.  

Almost exactly a year ago, Scott Clayton departed CAA and joined WME,  where he was made a co-head of the music department – the company’s fifth.

WME had named Joey Lee and Jay Williams co-heads a monthearlier, joining Beckham and Greg Oswald at the position.

Considered one of the most powerful agents in Nashville, Beckham garnered awards over the course of his career to date including CMA talent agent of the year, T.J. Martell Ambassador of the Year, NATD honors, and a Nashville Swan Ball award in 2016 for his dedication to philanthropy and the arts, according to Music Row.

Beckham is currently president-elect of the Country Music Association and sits on the board of the T.J. Martell Foundation and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.

His departure was first reported by Billboard.