Chris DuBois, CEO of Sea Gayle Music, announces the establishment of 1221 Artist Management in partnership with JD Groover, Senior Creative Director/A&R of Sea Gayle Music, and Geoff Ogunlesi of The Ogunlesi Group. Groover will take on the role of VP of Management for 1221 while continuing his current role at Sea Gayle Music. Ogunlesi and DuBois will be overseeing 1221 Management while maintaining their respective operations within The Ogunelsi Group and Sea Gayle Music.

“In today’s publishing world, having turnkey management services is a natural way to grow and support an artist’s career. To have folks who know how to establish an artist’s foundation rooted in publishing is key, and we’re elated to see JD naturally step into this role,” shares DuBois of Groover who joined the Sea Gayle creative team six years ago. “We are thrilled to create a path for JD’s expansion into management while continuing his role at Sea Gayle.”

The company’s creation is special thanks to the collaboration with Ogunlesi. DuBois adds, “We are thankful to Geoff Ogunlesi and his team on the west coast for partnering with us in this new venture. The company and roster that they have built is beyond impressive, and we are excited to combine resources and expand the reach of both our company and theirs.”

“In one of my early first trips to Nashville, I had the opportunity to meet and spend time with Chris, JD and the broader Sea Gayle team. I was blown away by not only their abilities and their prowess, but also their value systems,” Ogunlesi reflects. “Their sense of community and camaraderie is in line with my own values within my company. As our company has thought about expanding into the country space and into Nashville, we wanted to do so with integrity as I have the utmost respect for the culture and the people involved. The creativity within the parties in this partnership is unmatched, and we are grateful to be a part of this venture together.”

While working through the ranks at Sea Gayle to Senior Creative Director/A&R, Groover’s simultaneously worked as a tour manager for a major label recording artist, balancing both the needs of his writers on Music Row and those of the band and crew on the road. Skills he feels have prepared him for this next step.

“I am extremely grateful for this opportunity presented by Geoff and Chris,” Groover adds. “Chris and Sea Gayle Music helped me get my foot in the door years ago, enabling me to learn the publishing side of the business, and that, coupled with my time on the road touring, have felt like the most incredible way to see the impact a song can truly have. My passion for songs, songwriters, the development of artists and this community could not be stronger, and I am honored to represent 1221 and Sea Gayle in this new capacity.”

The Ogunlesi Group is an entertainment and music management company based in Hollywood, Calif. Founded by Geoff Ogunlesi, The Ogunlesi Group’s roster features a plethora of artists spanning across all genres including Young Thug, charlieonnafriday, Reyna Roberts, Gashi and more.

Sea Gayle Music is an independent music publishing company founded in 1999 by Chris DuBois, Brad Paisley and Frank Rogers. The company represents the song catalogs of Paisley, Chris Stapleton, Brandy Clark, Jerrod Niemann and Bobby Pinson, among many more.

Congratulate DuBois at cdubois@seagayle.com, Groover at jdgroover@seagayle.com and Ogunlesi at geoff@theogunlesigroup.com.