2024 Impact 50 Honoree: Joey Lee

CO-HEAD AND PARTNER
WME Nashville

FIRST GIG: Assistant to Sol Saffian, Buddy Lee Attractions
FIRST JOB IN THE BIZ: Assistant to Colin Lewis at The Agency Group

WME Nashville had a big 2023 with acquisitions, new signings, sold-out amphitheater, arena and stadium tours with acts including Zach Bryan, Eric Church and Luke Combs as well as the 50th anniversary of the office.

But co-head and partner Joey Lee was busy thinking small – bringing big talent to small towns with Rock The Country, a two-day festival headlined by Kid Rock and Jason Aldean with Miranda Lambert, while Hank Williams Jr. took over seven towns in 2024 including upcoming shows in Ocala, Florida (June 7-8), Mobile, Alabama (June 21-22), Poplar Bluffs, Missouri (June 28-29) and Anderson, South Carolina (July 26-27). 

Rock the Country was a two-year effort “bringing together 50,000 to 60,000 attendees over a weekend in towns with populations of 8,000 to 10,000,” which led to “significant economic impact in those areas,” Lee said of the festival as a changemaker. “We all had a shared vision and trusted the process to see it all come to life.”

Country music’s popularity and the emergence of WME acts including Jordan Davis, Parker McCollum, The Red Clay Strays and Lainey Wilson, who won this year’s Grammy for best country album, is being felt across the live sector. 

“Our business, not just the format, has evolved more in the last five years than over the past 35 years,” Lee said. “There are so many other platforms and opportunities now available – whether it’s festivals, special events or creating your own content – and taking it to places where it doesn’t exist. There’s something out there for everybody.”

Country music is thriving with an eager global audience and rising revenue and attendance figures, but there are still challenges.

“At a time where there is a constant need for instant gratification, how does music and live touring make an impact for long periods of time? With shows being announced months to a year ahead, our focus is on captivating and retaining public attention amidst competing trends and distractions,” Lee explained. “We strive to create experiences that resonate beyond the moment, cutting through the noise to keep fans engaged.”