Brandy Clark

“People kind of think you have to be a certain age and [have] a certain look to be an artist, unfortunately,” Marchbanks-Glover told Pollstar. “And Brandy was older than most people that try to go the artist route. And so she said, ‘I had let that dream go. … It’s always been a dream of mine, but I thought that my time had passed.”

Marchbanks-Glover obviously thought differently and the two started making plans.

Last year Clark earned songwriting credits on albums by Kacey Musgraves, Darius Rucker, Gretchen Wilson, Keith Urban, and Sheryl Crow. And in October the 38-year-old topped off 2013 by releasing her acclaimed debut album, 12 Stories.

The LP, which is filled with dark humor and portraits of struggling characters, made it onto multiple year-end top album lists. The Village Voice writes, “12 Stories isn’t just my favorite record of 2013, it’s my favorite short story collection.”

Marchbanks-Glover explains, “The main thing we wanted to do, management-wise, with Brandy, is to let Brandy be Brandy and not change her in any way because that’s what’s so magical about her. And to get her in front of as many people as absolutely possible because the more people that see her just gravitate toward her.”

In February Clark hit the road for her first full-length tour on a U.S. excursion supporting Jennifer Nettles.

Up next are a handful of headline gigs and festival appearances, as well as a couple of shows with John Prine and Rascal Flatts. Clark will be on the second leg of Nettles’ tour starting in July, playing solo acoustic. Fans will get the chance to see what Clark can do with a full band when she joins Eric Church’s tour in October.