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Bruce Solar Joins Paladin Artists, Reunites With Steve Martin And Andy Somers
Bruce Solar has reunited with fellow veteran agents Steve Martin and Andy Somers at Paladin Artists, which the former APA partner and Co-Head of Worldwide Music joins effective immediately.
APA announced June 21 its merger with Artist Group International, becoming Independent Artist Group, naming Dennis Arfa chairman of IAG’s music division and Jarred Arfa executive vice president and head of global music.
Also see: APA And AGI Merge To Form Independent Artist Group
Solar is no stranger to the Paladin team. He has worked with Paladin co-founders Steve Martin and Andy Somers at both APA and at The Agency Group, where he was vice president. He joins his partners focusing on expanding the company on a global scale.
Solar will be based in Los Angeles and brings a roster of clients with him including Blondie (fresh off a highly lauded Glastonbury Festival appearance), Cake, Psychedelic Furs, The Zombies, Radical Face, Eels, Fantastic Negrito, The Monkees as well as Jeff Bridges and Brian Wilson that he already shares with Paladin. Other artists to be announced in coming days.
“Working with Bruce is always a pleasure. His integrity and instincts are already well established. As a bonus, we can get poker tips and his extensive reviews of everything streaming,” Martin said in a statement.
“It’s great to be reunited with Bruce,” added Somers. “We’ve accomplished a lot in our many previous years working together and I have every confidence that Bruce joining Paladin will create amazing new opportunities for our company.”
As for Solar, he says, “I couldn’t be happier to be joining my friends and former colleagues at Paladin. I’ve known and worked with Steve and Andy for over two decades and I’m excited to help them continue to expand their roster and execute the vision of their already growing company.”
Solar began his career in the music industry at the Harry Chickles Agency in Boston, booking numerous acts including John Lee Hooker and Willie Dixon. From there he went to Deleon Artists working with artists including Etta James and Gil Scott-Heron.
In the mid-’90’s, he started Absolute Artists, where he oversaw operations for the very successful boutique agency representing artists ranging from Sublime, Rickie Lee Jones and George Clinton. In 2001, Solar joined The Agency Group where he spent the next 14 years representing a diverse group of clients.
Also see: Veteran Agent Dave Kaplan Joins Paladin Artists
Paladin Artists was founded in 2021 by Martin and Somers in a strategic alliance with Wayne Forte and his Entourage Talent and Karrie Goldberg of The Kagency. The company has continued to grow, with the recent additions of veteran agent Dave Kaplan in February and Brandon Zmigrocki in October.