Jon Pleeter, Rush Davenport Join Reliant Talent; Ellen Larson Promoted To Agent

– Reliant Talent

Jon Pleeter joins Reliant Talent, the Nashville-based agency founded last year by industry veteran Steve Lassiter, as senior vice president and will head up Reliant’s K-pop division, the company announced today.

Joining Pleeter at Reliant are former WME agent Rush Davenport and newly promoted agent Ellen Larson.

Pleeter, who previously served as vice president of concerts at ICM Partners, represents artists including Puddle of Mudd, Kings of Chaos, Scott Stapp, Richie Sambora, Orianthi, AleXa, Momoland, T1419, and Slaves to Humanity. 

Pleeter brings more than 10 years of industry experience under his belt at ICM Partners and decades more as a senior agent, including stints at ARTISTdirect and CAA, and got his start as an agent trainee for Triad Artists and WilliamMorris Agency.

“We’re very excited and grateful that Jon Pleeter made the decision to call Reliant Talent home, as we realize an agent of Jon’s caliber had many options in front of him. With Jon’s tenacity, vision, and leadership skills, we can see a larger and global landscape for the company. We’re extremely fortunate to have him join our team,” says Reliant Talent President Steve Lassiter. 

“I could not be more inspired to join the team at Reliant,” Pleeter adds “It’s really quite simple; the mission statement at Reliant is hyper-focused client servicing. I am excited to help Steve, Heath, and Matt grow this company, especially at a time when the reliance on agents is more important than ever.”

Davenport brings a wealth of experience with him from his previous role at WME, where he administered daily touring, television, literary, and sponsorship for several artists. Among those with whom Davenport has worked include Steelism, Paul Cauthen, Lillie Mae, Black Stone Cherry, Jackson Michelson, Leaving Austin, and more. He also worked across the roster including booking concerts in clubs, colleges, theaters and casinos on the West Coast and Midwest. 

“His years of experience as an agent at WME gives us an edge along with his hustle and mentoring skills with the younger agents,” Lassiter says. “With Rush’s reputation as a hard worker and eye for great talent, we knew he’d be a great fit in our culture. So glad that Rush agreed to join our Reliant Team.” 

Reliant Talent Agency has also announced its promotion of Ellen Larson to agent. Larson will handle West Coast club and theater bookings for Reliant’s roster and represent Saxsquatch, Alicia Witt, and Jeremy McComb. Larson began her agency career in APA’s mailroom. As an assistant, she worked in the Country, Contemporary, and Adult Contemporary music departments, developing her understanding of live touring from different perspectives. She joined the Reliant team when it formed in 2020, playing a critical role in developing the company’s operational framework and procedures. 

“We’re very proud of Ellen’s recent promotion to agent,” Lassiter acknowledges. “Ellen has played a key role in the launch of the company, and she’s always been more than just an assistant. She’s a solid, loyal team player with a significantly high work ethic and drive. Her promotion was well deserved and certainly long overdue. We look forward to her continued growth as an agent.”