A&R Upgrades At Warner Music Nashville
• Warner Music Nashville has fortified its commitment to A&R with three promotions across the A&R department — representing such artists as Drew Parker, Jessie James Decker, Ian Munsick, Randall King and Tyler Braden, (pictured, l-r), Stephanie Davenport rises from Director to Sr. Director; Jason McColl is elevated from Manager to Director, and Mackenzie Blake is upped from Assistant to Project Coordinator.
All three individuals continue to report to EVP A&R Cris Lacy, who commented, “In what I would consider one of the toughest seasons for the entire industry, every person in our A&R department has demonstrated how industrious, innovative and dedicated they are. They have leaned into the challenges of this changing climate and have been instrumental in growing and developing our roster. Stephanie, Jason and Mackenzie, along with Scott Hendricks and Rohan Kohli, form the perfect A&R team.”
This month marks a decade since Stephanie Davenport joined Warner Music Nashville as a coordinator. She started her career at William Morris Endeavor (WME) in 2007 after graduating from Belmont University. Lacy noted, “Stephanie’s A&R prowess is in part due to her broad appreciation for all types of music and a comprehensive knowledge of what it takes for an artist to be a stadium act. I’m proud to work alongside her every day.”
Jason McColl, also a Belmont alumnus, spent three years in radio promotions at Universal Music Group before joining the WMN A&R team in 2018. McColl will continue managing the Warner Nashville music catalog while transitioning into a more traditional A&R role. “Jason has an innate song sense that can’t be taught,” Lacy said. “I’m excited for him to take on a larger creative role where he can apply that to our present and future signings.”
Mackenzie Blake graduated from Indiana University and, like Davenport, entered the industry via WME. Following a stop at Live Nation Entertainment, she joined Warner Music Nashville in 2019. “Mackenzie is the glue that keeps us all together,” Lacy said. “Her ability to bring structure to our creative madness is a true superpower.” [Photos by Michael Tedesco]
