Publisher Endurance Music Group Acquires Wide Open Music, Home of Jimmie Allen

Newly formed publishing company Endurance Music Group acquired Wide Open Music from owner Ash Bowers, adding singer-songwriters Jimmie Allen and Matt Stell to the Endurance roster, Billboard Country Update learned exclusively.

The deal doubles the Endurance writing staff to 10 composers and brings in a catalog that includes the hits "Best Shot," "Prayed for You," "In Case You Didn’t Know" and "Close Your Eyes." The agreement frees Wide Open to focus on its management functions for clients Allen, Stell and newcomer Chris Bandi. 

Bowers, who cowrote "Prayed for You," had not actively sought to sell Wide Open until a discussion with Endurance senior vp Mark Ahlberg. Amplified Administration, an Endurance subsidiary that Ahlberg founded, represented Wide Open. Bowers will not have an executive role at Endurance, though he retains the ability to form a joint venture with the company if he signs another writer to a publishing deal.

"It was never an option to partner with anyone unless we knew it was a home run for the writers," says Bowers. "They’re moving into a really awesome situation with people that are not only just really great publishers and great business-minded folks and great for the songwriting world, but also people that just have integrity."  

Formed in 2019, Endurance recently landed new cuts with Kenny Chesney, Eric Church and Chase Rice, according to president Michael Martin. The company is expanding its downtown Nashville office from 2,000 square feet to more than 4,200 square feet. Its existing writers include Clint Lagerberg ("Blue Ain’t Your Color") and Scooter Carusoe ("Drunk Girl"). The Wide Open writers, including Paul Sikes ("Make Me Want To") and Seth Alley, blended well in an introductory Feb. 12 dinner.

"Everybody intersected in the right way, and there was a great amount of chemistry," says Martin. "You can’t make that happen. That’s the magic of writing and publishing: everybody feeling a part of something."

This article first appeared in the Billboard Country Update newsletter. Click here to sign up for free.

---