Moore to Exit Talent Agency After 36-Year Run
 Nashville, Tenn. (May 12, 2014) - Today, veteran William Morris Endeavor (WME) talent agent PAUL MOORE announced his decision to leave the agency. With 36 years under his belt, Moore is WME's longest-tenured agent in the company's Nashville offices. His last day with the agency is June 30, 2014.
“I don’t recognize the word 'retirement' as it applies to me because that word suggests that I’m going to be 'fishing or playing a lot of golf,'" says Moore. "I don’t fish and I don’t golf, so obviously, I’m not going into retirement!"
In July of 1978, Moore was hired by WME, (then WMA - William Morris Agency), as secretary to the Head of Office, Sonny Neal. In 1979, his hard work and dedication to the company paid off when he was promoted to an agent position, handling booking engagements for Mickey Gilley, Johnny Lee, Leroy Van Dyke, Dr. Hook, Melba Montgomery, Skeeter Davis and Gail Davies. Over the next few years, Moore added Rex Allen, Jr., Margo Smith and Keith Stegall to his roster and also became the first Nashville talent agent to represent Reba McEntire and soon thereafter, Vince Gill.
Throughout the 1980's, Moore's WMA client roster continued to thrive. He went on to become the WMA talent agent of record for Ronnie Milsap, Tanya Tucker, Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers, Ray Stevens, T.G. Sheppard, Lee Greenwood, Lacy J. Dalton and Mike Reid.
During the mid-1980's, Moore was promoted to Co-Head of the WMA Fair and Special Events department representing the entire WMA roster including Pop, Rock, R&B, as well as Country artists, where he booked concerts at fairs and events nationwide. In addition, he established the WMA-Nashville operation to book corporate events and private engagements. At this time, he was also named the Nashville contact agent for Carol Channing, The Lettermen, Robert Goulet and Gordon MacRae, as well as the touring agent for television legend Bob Barker. During Moore's tenure with Barker, he would oversee the live touring show titled “The Bob Barker Fun And Games Show” which played to sell-out crowds in arenas across the nation.
In 1987, Moore established the WMA Contemporary Christian Music Department and hired personnel to handle bookings in that area. Moore added Christian artists Sandi Patty, 4Him, Point of Grace and Petra as clients.
The 1990's brought Moore major career advancement when he was promoted to Senior Vice President and named Co-Head of WMA-Nashville operations. He helped integrate the newly purchased Jim Halsey Agency into the WMA office and operations and added Roy Clark, The Oak Ridge Boys, Mel Tillis and Tammy Wynette to the client roster. Additionally, Moore signed the legendary Minnie Pearl and was her last talent agent of record. In 1992, Moore became the Department Head of the Fair and Special Events Department and during the same year remained Co-Head of WMA-Nashville where he assisted Rick Shipp with the integration of the newly purchased Triad Artists Agency into the WMA system.
In 2003, Moore was named Co-Chief Operations Officer of Nashville Operations for WMA and continued to oversee operations of the Nashville office and the Fair and Special Events department. Six years later in 2009, he assisted in overseeing the integration of the Nashville Office with the WMA/Endeavor Entertainment merger, which would become William Morris Endeavor Entertainment. In 2011, Moore began the process of transitioning management of WME Nashville to Greg Oswald and Rob Beckham.
Additionally, (though not the direct day-to-day agent) over the course of nearly four decades, Moore helped guide and counsel the careers of Sylvia, Michael Martin Murphey, Marie Osmond, Charlie Daniels, Gary Morris, Janie Fricke, The Forester Sisters, Eddie Rabbitt, Crystal Gayle, Diamond Rio, John Michael Montgomery, The Desert Rose Band and Boy Howdy.
On the topic of his impending departure from WME, Moore notes, “I see this more as a 'graduation' from the University of WMA/WME. I leave with a body of knowledge based on 36 years working at the greatest talent agency in the world. I’m simply turning the page to a new chapter. I just don’t know yet what the title of that new chapter will be. The future for me will all be revealed in good time. In the meantime, there will be lots of long walks with the pups, long-neglected garages and closets to sort through and many hours spent catching up with my friends and family.”
Longtime client Larry Gatlin says, "I will miss Paulie as my agent but I won't miss him as my friend... because we'll always be friends."
William Morris Endeavor is the world's largest entertainment agency with offices in London, New York, Miami, Nashville and Los Angeles, representing clients in every aspect of the entertainment industry.
Paul Moore's associations and career awards:
Board of Directors for I.E.B.A, I.E.B.A. Founder’s Award - 2003, I.E.B.A. Hall of Fame - 2011, Academy of Country Music Board of Directors (17 years), Academy of Country Music Officer (4 years), Belmont University School of Performance and Visual Arts advisory Board (12 years), Chairman and Chairman Emeritus of American Collegiate Talent Search (A.C.T.S), Hubert Long Award from Nashville Association of Talent Directors - 2003, Leadership Music - Class of 2009
In addition, Moore will accept the Academy of Country Music's "Mae Boren Axton Award" at the 8th Annual ACM Honors ceremony set for September 9, 2014 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville. The "Mae Boren Axton Award" is given in recognition of years of dedication and service by an outstanding individual to the Academy of Country Music.
Photo credit: Hether Crawford
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