Women of Live Hall Of Fame: Marsha Vlasic

Vice-Chair Of The Music Division | IAG

“I have learned so much from Marsha Vlasic throughout our long and close friendship. She is so loyal and dedicated to her artists. I see her at more festivals and events than anyone! I apply that to everything I oversee at Goldenvoice.” – Stacy Vee, Executive Vice President at Goldenvoice

Honors Award for WOL: 2020 & 2021 and Impact 50: 2019 and 2023

Marsha Vlasic has been a force in the music industry since she first started in the business in the ‘70s, originally as an assistant.

“I didn’t have any [mentors],” Vlasic tells Pollstar. “It was sink or swim for me. I believe in hard work and if you believe in something, follow your dreams.”

Vlasic believes in legacy, the agent writing “The Manifesto,” a music business platform, that she faced real challenges as a woman in the music business when she was first starting out. She had to convince her coworkers that she could help out with tours such as Deep Purple, Rod Stewart or Uriah Heep. She became addicted to building her acts and taking them to Madison Square Garden (feats she achieved with AC/DC on “Highway to Hell” and Elvis Costello). At the same time, Vlasic was also raising a family with two young sons. While she admits that her career has caused a lot of sacrifice, she emphasizes that it’s possible to juggle it all and find a balance.

She came from a poor family in Brooklyn, New York, without much means and her father often in poor health. She was driven to make a name for herself, coming up at a time where she estimates only two women worked as agents in the business, and there were “not really any female managers.” Last year, she told Pollstar that “Seeing women succeed and being recognized and being heard makes me take a good deep breath. … Where we had started from where I started, I hope we’ve come a long way.”

In June 2023, Artist Group International and Agency for the Performing Arts announced they were merging and will operate as Independent Artist Group, a new full-service agency with a top-tier music division. Vlasic, who was serving as AGI’s President, was named Vice-Chair of the Music Division.

She remains as hardworking as ever, with no signs of slowing down any time soon. In the past year Vlasic has booked tours with Neil Young & Crazy Horse, PJ Harvey, Cage The Elephant, Band of Horses, Elvis Costello & Daryl Hall, Porno for Pyros, Jane’s Addiction, The Strokes, Norah Jones, The Breeders and Regina Spektor.

Vlasic is quick to mention that, while the state of women in the live business has improved dramatically since she first started, there are still discussions to be had. She notes that oftentimes, conversations around women in the live business focus on the challenges they face.

“Personally, I would like less emphasis on what difficulties women have,” Vlasic says. “Women hold so many positions in our industry, and I believe there are really opportunities to be gotten if they want to fight for it.”

Vlasic can’t select just one career highlight. She’s worked with Neil Young for 40 years, she’s blazed trails and pushed boundaries. “My career has been truly amazing,” she says. And, while she refuses to select which clients were the best of 2023, she continues to feel grateful and mentions Neil Young’s solo shows and the co-headlining tour by Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks.

She’s previously told Pollstar one of the secrets to her success and longevity in the music industry has been her ability to nourish the personal relationships she has with her artists. They’ll discuss the music business, but they also talk about life and share wisdom.

“I have unique relationships with my artists that most agents do not,” she told Pollstar in 2021. “I don’t play the role of manager. I don’t step on the manager’s toes. I’m completely respectful of the manager but yet I have personal relationships. On any given day, if you look at my phone, Elvis calls me. We speak five times a week.”