About this speaker
Martha Earls is a 25+ year music business veteran whose collective experience in music publishing and artist management is helping shape the future of creative representation in Nashville, and around the world. Always invigorated by an entrepreneurial and independent spirit, Earls launched her artist management company, Neon Coast (formerly EFG Mgmt) in 2016. Neon Coast is a progressive music and entertainment company headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee known for its future-leaning approach to enhancing the careers of its clients. “We’re not the West Coast or the East Coast – we’re our own coast – the Neon Coast”, she says of Nashville. Unconcerned with genre or format, Martha’s mission is to help her clients explore their creativity, reach their maximum audience, and break down any old-fashioned cultural barriers. Amongst Neon Coast’s client roster is multi-award winning and genre-crossing Kane Brown who has amassed 17 billion streams, 12 Billboard No. 1’s on the Billboard Country Airplay Charts, 55+ RIAA certifications, as well as Diamond-status for his single, “Heaven”. He was the first Black solo artist to headline the iconic Fenway Park in Boston. Kane has also headlined C2C (Country to Country) Festival in London, Belfast, and Glasgow.
In 2019, Martha started a production company alongside Kane Brown, Demasiado, which has produced award-winning music videos, awards show performances and television commercials. Through its management division, Neon Coast also represents diverse talent such as ACM New Duo/Group of the Year nominee Restless Road, MusicRow’s “Next Big Thing” Dylan Schneider, global alt pop band Nightly, Latina country singer Kat Luna, and others. Martha is especially passionate about the continued expansion of Country music in international territories, as well as the appeal of Nashville as a global music business hub. She has been featured twice on Billboard’s Women In Music list and seven times on Billboard’s Country Power Players list. She has also been honored for MusicRow’s prestigious Rising Women on the Row along with Pollstar’s Impact 50 and Women of Live.
Prior to the above, Martha’s career started the true Music City way – with a successful run in music publishing where she was a receptionist and song plugger at Warner Chappell before moving over to BMG working with 100 songwriters. Ultimately, she started a publishing company with her friend Mike Molinar where they signed writers, got some big cuts, and eventually were bought out by an investor. The venture became what is now known as Big Machine’s publishing arm, Big Machine Music. Her commitment to writer and artist development has always been the core ethos for all her ventures. Currently, she’s on the Board of Directors for the Academy of Country Music (ACM). She gave up a full music scholarship playing piano to transfer to Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), which she credits for a large part of her success in Nashville. She’s a proud mom of two daughters, loves to run and travel.