Jody Williams, Founder and CEO of independent music publishing company Jody Williams Songs (JWS), has taken on management duties for singer, songwriter and musician, Vince Gill.
After working with Gill for four years as his publisher, Williams will now oversee all aspects of Gill’s career going forward.
Larry Fitzgerald, Gill’s legendary manager for over forty years, remains as consultant to Williams. Long-time colleague to Fitzgerald, Jennifer Templeton (jennifer@heybuddyent.com), an invaluable member of Vince Gill’s management team, remains as Gill’s day-to-day manager.
Williams will continue as CEO of JWS in addition to managing Gill. VP and General Manager of JWS, Nina Jenkins Fisher (nina@jodywilliamssongs.co), will continue to oversee all day-to-day aspects of the publishing company, a joint venture with Warner Chappell Music.
“Taking on this new role with Vince feels like a calling and a natural evolution,” shares Williams. “My motivation is to ensure that Vince’s career aspirations for the near future are realized and his long term legacy includes milestones he has not yet reached. Nobody does Vince Gill like Vince Gill. His unique musical aesthetic has served him well his whole career. I’m honored to work alongside Vince, and very grateful for Larry and Jennifer’s support.”
“Throughout my career I’ve put great care into putting teams together around our artists, yet it was only recently that I used those skills one final time for my buddy Vince,” Fitzgerald reflects. “I’ve always admired Jody’s vision, organizational, and decision-making skills, and he has an ability to engage with talent in meaningful ways. Already a member of Vince’s team as his publisher, we know his passion is unparalleled.”
Photo Credit: Jessica Amerson
Fitzgerald began his career, as did many legendary players in the business, in the mailroom of the William Morris Agency in Beverly Hills beginning in 1962. The next four years were spent working with Andy Griffith as part of Griffith’s management team. His career ascended rapidly over time and in 1967 Fitzgerald was approached by Jim Guercio to create a management company which became the iconic Caribou Management and Caribou Ranch Studio. Right out of the box they found success breaking the band Chicago. Under the Caribou management umbrella, he worked with such notables as The Beach Boys and Billy Joel, and in 1976, while still with Caribou, Fitzgerald co-promoted, alongside Concerts West, Wings Over America, the first U.S. tour for Paul McCartney & Wings. Fitzgerald continued his working relationship with McCartney for the next 12 years and within that time, in 1977, he partnered with Mark Hartley to establish Fitzgerald Hartley Management. Over the course of the next 42 years, he managed the careers of Glenn Frey, Toto, Rufus and Chaka Khan, Patty Loveless, Brad Paisley, The Brothers Johnson, of course Vince Gill, and countless others. In 2019, he dissolved Fitzgerald Hartley and opened Hey Buddy Management, with Gill as its sole client. After six decades in the entertainment business, Fitzgerald has accrued great respect and loyalty among his peers. He looks forward to spending retirement with his family, and as much time as possible on his beloved Bacon Creek Ranch in the mountains of Idaho.
Williams, a long-time publishing figurehead in Nashville, previously held posts as VP, Creative for BMI, President of MCA Music Nashville, and his previous independent publishing company Jody Williams Music. He is former Chairman of the Board of the Country Music Association. Currently, he is Board Chairman of The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, as well as a trustee.
The new management entity is called Little Guitar Management. Reach Williams at jody@littleguitarmgmt.com. Williams retains jody@jodywilliamssongs.co for publishing business.
