2026 Women of Live: Corrie Martin

Corrie Martin
The·Team | Former EVP, Managing Executive

“Corrie’s influence on the live music industry is immeasurable. Her leadership, integrity and unwavering commitment to artists have left a lasting legacy.” — Lee Anderson, President, The•Team

Just days after formally announcing her retirement from Wasserman Music (now known as The•Team), Corrie Martin was parked in the valley of the Grand Canyon. The trip was spontaneous, Martin snagging a reservation at the exclusive Phantom Ranch just days prior, and she knew she needed to jump at the opportunity to stay there – a close friend had recommended the spot, and told her that there was no better place. The trip signified the beginning of Martin’s next chapter.

When news broke about Martin’s retirement, people in the industry flooded her with questions. Would she be moving to a new agency? Would she become a promoter? Perhaps she’d go into management. But Martin emphasizes that none of those are true. Instead, her aim is to explore the country’s National Parks, relaxing at her house in Montana near Glacier National Park, and going on adventures with her two sons similar to her experience at the Grand Canyon.

When asked why she chose to retire now, Martin explains, “I was looking at just how soon my teenaged sons will graduate from high school and go off to college. I have worked so intensely their entire lives, including from the delivery room and through both maternity leaves – and I just felt that, because I’m so dedicated to what I do and it is such an all encompassing role, that if I wanted to focus on my children and make the kind of space I want to for them, I want to do that before they’ve flown the nest. Plus, I hit 32 years working in the music industry this month. I feel that’s a pretty good chunk of time for me to switch things up a bit and make time for some new adventures!”

Over the past three decades, Martin has helped guide a roster of artists representing a range of genres, including Imagine Dragons, Janet Jackson, Deftones, Sublime, Avenged Sevenfold, Benson Boone, Papa Roach, Incubus, Rise Against, Yellowcard, Dirty Heads, The Breeders, Jawbreaker and The Warning.

She got her start in the live business at The Tahoe Agency, where her career highlights included playing a role signing artists such as Blink-182, Sublime, and Goldfinger. After that she went on to found boutique booking agency Fierce Talent, which was later acquired by The Agency Group, and then in 2005 she joined APA. During her time at APA she discovered Grammy Award-winning rock band Imagine Dragons. She explains she never had a desire to hold any other role in the music industry — she felt that being an agent was a perfectly fitting career for her.

Martin joined Paradigm in 2013 and was later promoted to the company’s executive music team. In her retirement announcement, Wasserman Music pointed out that she played “an instrumental role in guiding the acquisition of Paradigm’s music division by Wasserman in 2021.”

Over the course of her career, Martin collaborated closely with her ex-husband, Graham Martin, owner of Grandview Music. For 22 years of her 32-year career, the two shared a client and a family.

“It’s such a unique and often challenging business that having someone that really understands the nuances was incredibly helpful,” she says. “I will say, at times, that meant it could also be challenging. Two people raising a family, growing careers and developing artists all at the same time, is a lot. Add the politics we had to navigate, him being a manager and me being an agent – especially having a client together for many of those years (Rise Against) and it wasn’t always easy. But, he was my one constant through several agencies, countless artists, and over 20 years.”

The wisdom Martin wants to pass on sits in learning how to balance work and life. She sums up: “Decide what your priorities are in life, and craft your career around those.” Martin abided by that philosophy while working, moving her family to North County, San Diego, while her kids were young. At the time, she noted she would get questions from people in the industry who lived in Los Angeles, and that the move could have been a kiss of death. Instead, it allowed her to be present with her two children while they were still young.

“I want young women to look back on my career and think, ‘I could do that,’” Martin admits. “It’s been a very fulfilling career, and I’ve had some incredible experiences. I’ve been all around the world and had the opportunity to work with culturally significant artists.”