Outback Presents Hires Benton Wharton

Nashville-based Outback Presents has brought on North Carolina’s Benton Wharton as a talent buyer.

Wharton founded Mountain Roots Management in Asheville, N.C., and has been working at Pisgah Brewing Company since 2011, helping organize an annual summer concert series at its 2,250-capacity outdoor venue. He also helped worked with festivals including The Marcus King Band Family Reunion, Jam in the Trees, Leftover Salmon’s Blue Ridge Jam, Dark Star Orchestra’s Pisgah Jubilee and Strings and Suds.

“I couldn’t be more excited to join the team at Outback Presents, and to evolve my career in Music City,” Wharton said in a statement. 

“Aligning with a company that sees the music industry in the same light as I do is beyond refreshing, and I look forward to collaborating with this forward-thinking team.”

Outback Presents also hired Bonnie Sugarman as community outreach coordinator. Sugarman previously spent 35 years at APA, where she had been named NATD agent of the year, earned the NATD Hubert Long Awards and was inducted to the IEBA Hall of Fame.