David Parmley, surely one of the most popular and influential bluegrass vocalists over the past five decades, is now being represented by Sho-Me Music Entertainment, a boutique agency in Missouri.
From his early days with The Bluegrass Cardinals to his on again, off again solo career, David has delivered some of the most soulful, emotional, and touching bluegrass music ever recorded. Even 35 years after he first recorded it, Wake Up is still requested any time Parmley performs.
Sho-Me is managed by Janice Martin Houk, who bluegrass fans will remember from touring on banjo with her family band, The Martins, from roughly 2000 to 2018. The band is on hiatus these days as the various siblings all have families to raise. She’s been running the agency since 2016, starting out by hosting a live concert series, hoping to find artists in need of more effective representation. It seems to have worked!
These days she also does booking for Nick Dumas & Branchline, Backline, Route 3, and The Charla Freeland Band. And she keeps her chops up as a member of Route 3, who record for Pinecastle Records.
Janice tells us that, as she handled booking and tour management for The Martins, she understands how important that job is to traveling musicians.
“I know how hard it is to juggle playing and working and booking a band. It’s always an avenue I enjoyed, and I love helping bring bluegrass music to the world! The world is ever changing and is always needing us to change with the times to keep bluegrass going strong. And that’s our goal, to come alongside select artists to help relieve the stress of booking festivals, concerts, tours, etc.”
She thinks that Sho-Me Music Entertainment is poised to help Parmley move forward with his career.
“Being in the music business for over 20 years, and being a traditionalist, I’m always looking to the legends as my heroes. David Parmely is one of those, and to get the call from David Parmley himself to come along with them and help them get their music to the world on this next level of music he is creating. Sitting and talking over the phone he’s just the most down to earth person you would ever talk to, and we both had similar ideas of how to take all his musical success he has had so far, and the band he has today, to a whole new level of music shows that fits today’s world! I couldn’t be more honored to represent David Parmley and his music!”
David has reunited with his former partner, Scott Vestal, who will play banjo with the band.
For more information about booking David Parmley, or any of Sho-Me Music Entertainment artists, contact Janice online.
