Kent Earls To Lead UMPG Nashville

Kent Earls

Evan Lamberg, President, Universal Music Publishing Group, North America today announced the promotion of Kent Earls to Executive Vice President/General Manager, Universal Music Publishing Group, Nashville. Earls will preside over the company’s country music publishing activities, reporting directly to Lamberg.

Earls’ appointment follows the exit of Pat Higdon, reported earlier today, as well as other changes in the publishing company’s national leadership over the past year.

“Kent is one of the very best creative executives in Nashville with an exciting vision to grow and diversify our company’s presence and appeal. His dedication to, and passion for, our songwriters and their songs is second to none. He has earned this great opportunity to lead Universal Music Publishing Nashville into the future and I look forward to working closely with him in the years to come,” said Lamberg.

“I am eager to lead and grow one of the best songwriting rosters and creative teams in Nashville,” added Earls. “Evan Lamberg’s enthusiasm and commitment to make Universal the most creative and innovative music publishing home is inspiring and motivating. I couldn’t be more enthusiastic about building on the great UMPG Nashville legacy, working tirelessly on behalf of our songwriters, and positioning the company for a robust future.”

A Nashville native with 20 years of music publishing experience, Earls has been an instrumental part of the careers of numerous hit songwriters and artists including Rivers Rutherford, Luke Laird, Billy Currington, Katrina Elam, Andrew Dorff, and Phillip White. Earls has placed multiple No. 1 singles throughout his career such as the most recent and fastest rising No. 1 outing, “Take a Back Road,” for Rodney Atkins, and the 2002 ASCAP Song of the Year and 2001 Billboard Most Played Country Song, “Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You” by Brooks & Dunn.

Earls previously served as Senior Vice President, Creative for UMPG Nashville. He joined the company (then MCA Music Publishing) in 1997 as Associate Director of Creative Services and quickly rose through the ranks. Prior to that, Earls worked for Affiliated Publishers, Inc. and was a professional manager. Earls is a member of NARAS, the Country Music Association, and the Academy of Country Music and has a BS in Recording Industry Management.

The UMPG Nashville catalog is home to the 1940’s Folk/Blues of the Delmore Brothers; the 1950’s and 1960’s classics of Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Buddy Holly; and the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s songs of Don Williams, Waylon Jennings, The Judds, Alabama and George Strait. It also includes country classics from Webb Pierce, Brenda Lee, Mel Tillis, Garth Brooks, Dixie Chicks, Alan Jackson, Vince Gill and Shania Twain. UMPG Nashville owns and administers many prominent catalogs including Bob McDill, Rivers Rutherford, Gary Burr, Pat Alger, Kent Robbins, Matraca Berg, Dickey Lee, Kostas, Troy Verges, Luke Laird, Marijohn Wilkin, John D.Loudermilk, Stephanie Bentley, David Lee, Craig Wiseman, Keith Urban and more.