Michael Blanton

E. Michael Blanton – 2023 BIO

In 1980, Michael Blanton and business partner Dan Harrell built a creative juggernaut that would grow beyond their wildest dreams, not only having a major impact on the music business, but on the entire entertainment business in general. Thirty-nine years later, with 70 million albums sold, resulting in multiple platinum and gold records, network television shows launched, film projects undertaken, and best-selling books published, time can attest to the clarity of vision Blanton/Harrell were given.

That vision began in West Texas, where Blanton was born and raised in Amarillo, the oldest son of a dentist. Blanton attended Abilene Christian University, graduating in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications. After a stint of several “growing-up” jobs in Nashville, Blanton finally returned to Abilene in 1977, meeting and then marrying his wife, Paula. Though he contemplated a run in politics, God had different plans for him when Word Records called. Then located in Waco, Texas, Word hired Blanton to start as a young A&R representative. A year and half later, Blanton convinced Word to relocate he and his wife to Nashville so that he could open the Word Records office on Music Row. It was 1978.

In 1980, with a deep desire to change the world, Blanton/Harrell Production and Management launched with a young Amy Grant as their first client. They were off to the races. Amy, first signed to Word, later was co-signed to A&M Records out of L.A.. In 1981, Blanton and Harrell launched Reunion Records and Reunion Publishing, later co-distributed with Geffen Records (1987). Reunion became the home for artists like Michael W. Smith, and Rich Mullins, as well as Billy Sprague, Kathy Troccoli, Gary Chapman, Juice Newton, Brown Bannister, Kim Hill, Michael Omartian, Wes King, Ashley Cleveland, Kim Ritchie and many others. Blanton executive-produced almost all of Amy Grant’s vast recording album catalogue, including but not limited to My Father’s Eyes (1979), Age to Age (1982), A Christmas Album (1983), Straight Ahead (1984), Lead Me On (1988), and Heart in Motion (1992). Blanton also discovered and launched Michael W. Smith, executive producing The Big Picture (1986), I 2 Eye (1988), Go West Young Man (1990) and many more, including Smith’s iconic Christmas records. Blanton has the unique credential as one of the executive producers on three of the most beloved and top-selling Christian songs of all time: “Friends” (Michael W. Smith), “Awesome God” (Rich Mullins) and “El Shaddai” (Amy Grant).

During these years, Blanton/Harrell also signed author Frank Peretti to a creative development deal, helping him to release his first multi-million seller, This Present Darkness (1986) followed by Piercing the Darkness (1988), further diversifying their management and creative development portfolio.

In 1997, Blanton and Harrell began serving as co-presidents of Gaylord’s Idea Entertainment, overseeing Word Records, Z-TV, Cornerstone Sports (notably representing Phil Mickelson) and Pandora Films. Then, after separating from Gaylord in 2000, Blanton and Harrell once again re-launched in 2001 as Blanton, Harrell, Cooke & Corzine (BHCC), reuniting with fellow managers Chaz Corzine and Jennifer Cooke to provide exclusive management for Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith and Frank Peretti. Over the next seven years, BHCC signed many more acclaimed artists such as Point of Grace, Bebo Norman, Aaron Shust, Joy Williams and Travis Cottrell. BHCC also became home to American Idol finalists Melinda Doolittle, Phil Stacey and Chris Sligh. BHCC ultimately closed its doors in 2009; later, in 2017, the Gospel Music Association honored Michael Blanton and Dan Harrell as inductees into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

In 2011, coming somewhat full circle, Blanton joined former Gaylord executives Terry London and Carl Kornmeyer to launch a new music venture called Be Music and Entertainment, a subsidiary of the then-developing Texas broadcast network known as London Broadcasting. Be Music and Entertainment grew, acquiring Dryve Management and adding managers David McCollum, James Hodgin and Chris DeTray. Marty Wheeler, formerly of Brentwood Benson Publishing, was brought on to head up a new publishing division. Blanton continued his love for developing and managing artists, going on to work with Zane Williams, Kylie Rae Harris, Susan Ashton, Ryan Edgar, Marc Martel, Andrew Ripp, Dave Barnes, Matt Wertz, All Sons and Daughters, Tim Timmons, Chris August, Jackopierce, Sandra McCracken, Shawn McDonald, Guy Penrod, JoDee Messina, Michael Martin Murphey, Ivory Lane and Ginny Owens.

Be Music also began stretching its creative legs with boutique events, including the Rendezvous Music Festival in the beautiful Vail Valley, featuring acts such as Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbel, Patty Griffin, Dawes, John Oates, The Indigo Girls, and Johnny Swim.

In 2018, with the dissolution of Be Music, Blanton was able to continue partnering with a North Carolina fin/tech group named VERTIGO, launching a live-streaming music show on the VERTIGO App from Nashville. Also launching a new artist development company named Halogen, working alongside famed producer Phoenix Stone from the bands the Back Street Boys, and INSYNC.

In addition, Blanton has also been involved in:

• Film Cowboy Entertainment, a film production initiative partnering with Oscar-winner writer and producer Terry Benedict from the film Hacksaw Ridge.

• Songwriting University, a digital songwriting portal for anyone around the globe who would like to advance their skills and craft by writing with successful Nashville songwriters. A faculty of 20+ hit songwriters are available to help co-write with any novice or expert writer or artist. Included is an educational component with videos from esteemed writers such as Mike Reid and Gordon Kennedy. www.songwritingu.com.

• Currently Blanton is involved in the launch of a new Artist Development hybrid label named GRAND SLAM MUSIC. It will be dedicated and committed to developing independent artists and singers with very smart marketing priorities, such as Mark Taylor, KC Johns, and Ashley Walls.

With Blanton’s love for advancing the creative spirit, he has previously served on several boards, including: Brentwood Academy, in Brentwood, TN; the Nashville Adventure Science Center; the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC); Nashville Institute of the Arts and Lipscomb’s Board Chair for the College of Entertainment and Arts. In addition to his induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, he is a member of the Gospel Music Association, recognized as a lifetime member of the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences, and a member of the Country Music Association.

Blanton has been married to his wife Paula for 46 years. They currently reside in Brentwood, Tennessee.