Matt Shay Appointed General Manager of Make Wake Artists

Nashville headquartered music company Make Wake Artists has appointed Matt Shay as its first General Manager.

The role:

• Shay will oversee a team of nearly 50 responsible for artist management, in-house marketing, tour strategy, content planning, merchandise development and other services across Make Wake’s roster.

• The company was founded in 2015 by Chris Kappy, with Luke Combs as its sole client.

• It’s now a full-service operation with a roster of artists spanning country, Americana, folk, pop and more.

Backstory:

• Shay comes to the company with over 30 years of experience across artist management, A&R, label leadership, and film and television production.

• He most recently founded ARTIST MGMT, and previously served as President of C3 Management.

• He brings his own roster of artists, including Bella McCormick and Chris Ryan, to Make Wake.

What they said:

• Chris Kappy: “I met Matt five years ago and we hit it off right away. He understood my vision and respected that I wanted to do things differently because everyone told me what I was doing wasn’t ‘how things are done here.’ Matt brings that ethos to Make Wake. I wasn’t looking for someone who would simply agree with everyone. I needed a forward-thinking leader who could challenge conventions and continue to move us forward. Our culture is thriving, and adding him to the organization is a win for our team, our artists, and the future of Make Wake.”