Steve Martin
President, North America - New York
Steve Martin started in the music business at the age of 17, booking bands in Eastern Long Island, in venues such as Hot Dog Beach, The Barge, Artful Dodger, and the legendary OBI. Continuing on this path during college in the late 1970’s, he headed the concert committee at the State University of New York in New Paltz. To the delight of his classmates, while there Steve successfully booked on-campus performances by major artists including Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith, Jerry Garcia Band, and Hot Tuna.
His professional career in New York City began in 1979 as a concert promoter producing shows in New York, Boston, and Washington, DC for famed artists such as Muddy Waters, Tom Waits, Dire Straits, Weather Report and Miles Davis.
In 1982, he became an agent at Magna Artists, but shortly thereafter left Magna to launch his own company, the Music Business Agency (MBA). Among Steve’s clients at MBA were Billy Bragg, Jimmy Cliff, Fela, Yellowman, Robert Hunter, Jorma Kaukonen, and Hot Tuna. In 1989, he sold MBA to the William Morris Agency (WMA) and became one of WMA’s principal booking agents, signing major acts including The Band, Ziggy Marley, Crash Test Dummies, and Barenaked Ladies to his roster.
In 1994, Neil Warnock asked Steve to join The Agency Group as one of the first agents in the company’s newly opened New York City office. Steve was instrumental in growing the company from 4 agents in the New York office to over 50 agents among the New York, Los Angeles and Toronto offices, thereby substantially contributing to The Agency Group’s status as the top independent music talent agency in the world.
Steve is currently President of the North American office’s of The Agency Group. The agency employs over 60 agents who guide the careers of over 1,500 artists worldwide. His personal roster consists of over 60 artists including legendary performers such as Dolly Parton, David Gilmour, New York Dolls, Ray Davies, Squeeze, King Crimson, and Dream Theater.
In 2008, Steve was awarded “Agent of the Year” by Pollstar Magazine.
In addition to his significant professional achievements, Steve is a proud father of two wonderful children, Nicole and Alexander. |
