WME’s Matthew Morgan, Buster Phillips And Marissa Smith To Exit For UTA

– Matthew Morgan

WME’s Matthew Morgan, Buster Phillips And Marissa Smith To Exit For UTA
On the heels of the departure of former WME partner and co-head Scott Clayton for United Talent Agency, WME Nashville music agents Matthew Morgan, Buster Phillips and Marissa Smith are following suit.

A source confirmed the news, which was first reported by Variety. The move marks the latest of a number of new hires for the agency and, for at least two of the agents, another reunion with Clayton. 

At WME, Morgan has represented such clients as Lizzo, Zac Brown Band, Cam, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Rodrigo y Gabriela, The Revivalists, Phillip Phillips and many more notable artists.

He and Phillips, a rock agent, joined WME from CAA shortly after Clayton did in November 2017.

Smith, an agent in Contemporary Social Action, represents John Harvie for WME and, according to Variety, headed WME’s “Virtual Appearance” group. 

Clayton now co-heads global music at UTA with Samantha Kirby Yoh and David Zedeck. 

It’s been a busy 2021 for UTA, which has added agents Jeffrey Hasson, Brett Saliba, Matt Korn and Emily Wright to its Nashville office and agents Matt Meyer and Robbie Brown in Los Angeles.