This Week’s Disruptors 08/28/25
We’re back this week with another round of DISRUPTORS. This group of executives is making an impact here in Music City. Get to know them all! - Zak (Founder, Nashville Briefing)
Autumn Ledgin
Founder/artist manager, Ledgin Management
Autumn Ledgin is a Nashville-based artist manager and founder of Ledgin Management. She manages breakout country star Tucker Wetmore, whom she has worked with since 2023. A South Florida native and University of Illinois graduate, Ledgin began her career in 2016 at a venue on her college campus and quickly transitioned into touring. She later joined Good Company Entertainment in 2018 as its first employee. There, she supported the careers of Jake Owen, Larry Fleet, and Shelby Darrall, and served on the Jake Owen Foundation board, before later expanding into A&R. After nearly a decade of experience across live events, management, and creative development, Ledgin launched Ledgin Management in 2025 to champion artists with a values-driven approach.
Proudest accomplishment: Tuckers Nashville headline debut at the Ryman is definitely up there. It was such a special night to celebrate and reflect on how far Tuck and the incredible team we’ve built have come in just one year of touring.
Sanborn "Sandy" McGraw
President / General Manager, Melody Place
As President and General Manager of Melody Place, Sanborn “Sandy” McGraw has transformed the label into a boutique powerhouse through signings including Sara Evans, Jackie Evancho, and Katharine McPhee. His focus on building a distinctive, artist-forward roster is evident in the addition of rising country talent Braden Hull and acclaimed songwriter Melody Federer, blending legacy voices with emerging names. Melody Place co-produced the Broadway production of Boop! The Musical by David Foster, with McGraw playing a central role in bringing both the show and its cast album to life. The production earned multiple Tony nominations, including one for lead actress Jasmine Amy Rogers—also a Melody Place recording artist. With deep roots in legacy music, McGraw has worked extensively with Michael Feinstein, Liza Minnelli, and the estates of Margaret and Richard Whiting. He is currently leading a large-scale creative partnership with the estate of Dan Seals, revitalizing the late artist’s catalog and spearheading a series of upcoming duet collaborations honoring Seals’ musical legacy.
Proudest accomplishment: I'm incredibly proud of Boop! The Musical and the work our entire team did to bring such a joyous, Broadway extravaganza to life. Being able to form a creative partnership with David Foster, work alongside him, and release a cast album which he produced and wrote all the music for has been a career highlight so far.
Jimmy Pemberton
Founder/CEO, FanVids
Jimmy Pemberton grew up just outside of Boston,MA. As a teenager Jimmy toured professionally and worked at the legendary DiCenso's Drum Shop. As his drumming career progressed he received endorsements from Vater Drumsticks and Mapex Drums. Jimmy went on to start a digital marketing consulting company after honing his skills selling tickets, merchandise, and drum lessons online while on tour with bands. In 2019, Jimmy co-founded Lesson Squad (acquired by KHS America in 2024), a music focused education and retail SaaS platform that would become a member of Harvard's Venture Incubation Program. In April of 2024 he launched his new venture FanVids. Jimmy can also be seen playing drums in the feature film "Love, Weddings, & Other Disasters", directed by Dennis Dugan, starring Diane Keaton.
Proudest accomplishment: My proudest moment has been building an amazing team at FanVids that has helped artists such as Kelsea Ballerini, Tate McRae and All Time Low, better connect with their fans while receiving the fan content and data from their shows.
Andile Ndlovu
Founder & CEO, Fractal
Andile Ndlovu is the Founder & CEO of Fractal, a boutique talent and entertainment company. Her roster includes country artist Abby Anderson, multi-platinum recording artist Iann Dior, British rapper Lancey Foux, and producer V-Ron. Born in Zimbabwe and raised in Indiana after moving to the U.S. at age 11, Ndlovu began as a classically trained percussionist before promoting shows in college and interning with Indiana radio legend Ron Miner. She later held operations roles at startups Soothe and Class120, and went on to day-to-day manage Rita Ora at FAE GRP before serving as Senior Artist Manager at Electric Feel Entertainment, where she worked with Iann Dior, 24kGoldn, and Rich The Kid. She has been recognized with the Variety Hitmakers Award (2021) and featured on Pollstar’s Impact: Next Gen list (2022). Ndlovu is a member of the Recording Academy, the Country Music Association, Women in Music, and Femme It Forward, and serves as a board member of We Are R.I.S.E., a nonprofit dedicated to empowering young women of color.
Proudest accomplishment: I’m proud of every milestone I get to celebrate with my clients. Specifically with Nashville and Abby Anderson, I’ve watched her step into her own, playing the MainStage at Stagecoach, opening for Stevie Nicks and Tim McGraw on arena tours, selling out her debut headline show at the Troubadour in LA, walking the pink carpet at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, and landing brand partnerships with American Eagle, Boot Barn, Sephora, and HeyDude. Beyond the numbers and stages, my greatest pride is knowing that my love for music has taken me from Zimbabwe to six continents and given me the chance to build a life doing what I love alongside the people I believe in.
Samantha Sarno
Senior Creative Director, SMACK
Samantha Sarno moved to Nashville in 2018 and began her journey at SMACK as a Catalog Manager soon after. She quickly advanced through the ranks, recently taking on her current role of Senior Creative Director. She works extensively with renowned writers Pete Good, Marc Beeson, and Dylan Guthro. Sarno has also been instrumental in signing and developing emerging hit writers such as Lalo Guzman, Johnny Clawson, and Josh Dorr, all of which have earned their first No. 1 songs within the last year.
Proudest accomplishment: Proudest Moment: Watching writers have their first hits at SMACK has been so rewarding.
Ash Wolk
Artist Manager, Range Media Partners
Ash Wolk began her career in Nashville at CAA in the Music Touring Department on Blake McDaniel’s desk. After several years at CAA, she pivoted into music publishing, joining boutique publisher One Riot Music as the company’s very first Nashville hire. There, she helped build out the Nashville office, signing and developing talent alongside founders Amy Patton and Dan Rowe. Over her four years at One Riot, Wolk played a key role in signing artists and bands such as Trousdale and Paul Cauthen, ultimately serving as A&R Manager. Drawn closer to the creative side and the independent artist community, Wolk stepped away from publishing and into artist management, beginning with Nashville favorite Bre Kennedy. In 2024, she joined Range Media Partners. In tandem with signing breakout country star Carter Faith to the Range roster, Wolk and her core team (Cameron Lutz, Jack Minihan, Steph Marks, Shawn McSpadden) have built Carter’s career into one of Nashville’s most exciting new stories. Career highlights include helping sign Trousdale to publishing, spearheading international touring moments like CMC Rocks Festival in Australia, and returning down under in 2025 to tour arenas with Kelsea Ballerini.
Proudest accomplishment: The proudest moment of my career was standing in Nissan Stadium during this year’s CMA Fest, watching Carter Faith perform on the VIP stage. Hearing seventy thousand people scream the word “bitch” back to her during “Grudge” was pure magic. When the entire stadium lit up with phone lights and sang along, it felt like a full-circle moment — proof of what can happen when an artist you believe in wholeheartedly finally meets their moment.