Chase Bennett
Experienced industry professional Chase Bennett flew in Tuesday, October 25th to speak to eager Music Industry Club members about the ins and outs of tour management and how the industry functions. Born and raised in the midwest, Chase Bennett began his musical journey at a young age as a drummer in a local band. This experience taught him to navigate music, and life on the road which led him to pursue audio engineering during college. As he furthered his career in the music business he stumbled into the world of tour management.
Chase Bennett’s industry expertise led him to earning the position as the tour manager for Grammy Award-winning band Little Big Town. He was also involved in executing Taylor Swift's Red tour. Although he holds the title of tour manager, he carries a wealth of knowledge about every aspect of the music industry. He emphasized the importance of having a good handle on every segment of the industry for those who are interested in becoming tour managers themselves.
The job proves to be demanding. Not only are you dealing with the logistics of travel, you are also managing the bands finances, handling their contracts, and meeting the artists demands. It’s crucial that those who are planning to become tour managers themselves are organized, have good time management, and good people skills. Outside of handling the logistics of tour, Chase Bennett’s day to day operations include keeping everyone in check on the road and finding the balance between what the artist expects and what can actually be executed. He explains that the job is tough, but it’s definitely rewarding, especially for those as passionate as him.
Bennett also provided some insight about other segments of the industry. He gave a brief overview of how a song leads an artist to getting signed, and how the label operates with lawyers, agents, and publishers to turn the song into a hit and land the artist the opportunity to tour.
For those wanting to work in the industry, Chase Bennett discussed the importance of having a good attitude and overall “good vibe.” He stated that he would choose to work with someone inexperienced, yet eager and dedicated rather than someone who’s hard to get along with yet has years of experience. Successful people in the industry are enticing and easy to get along with.
It was an honor to have Chase Bennett speak to us about his experience in the music business. He thoughtfully answered all of our burning questions about how the music industry operates and what everyday life looks like for someone on tour, and we are grateful to walk away with more knowledge about working in this industry.