Managing the award winning San Diego, CA based Artist Management company is Kimberley Patterson. Growing up in Southern California Patterson was riding horses at the age of four and moved to the director of the Temecula Rodeo Queen pageant for five years later on in life. She also adds award winning author to her list of credits and is currently the owner and manager of Three13 Management managing clients such as Kylie Trout, Houston Bernard, and Shotgun Jefferson who are all award winning artists.
Her clients have opened up for iconic acts such as Jason Aldean, Lindsay Ell and Aaron Watson and playing world renown events like Stagecoach and CMA Fest.
We sat down with Kimberly to see what a day in the life looks like managing artists.
BC: Initially, how did you get started in this business?
KP: “I grew up in a musical family and had many friends who either performed in theater or bands.” Patterson says, “My background from middle school on is pageantry and event planning, so naturally, I enjoy coordinating, scheduling and handling tasks that most of my artist friends didn't like doing. Officially, I started in two thousand eleven but unofficially I have been practicing management and artist development since the early two thousands.”
BC: Was this something you always wanted to do, being an artist manager?
KP: “Event planning, and artist development is something I have always wanted to do. I believe the development side came from being a pageant director for the City of Temecula for six years and helping the girls prepare to compete at State and National levels while overseeing their appearances for the year. I've always had a passion for the entertainment industry but a new management company can have its struggles to become financially stable - so I am also a licensed Esthetician and have been for seventeen years.”
BC: What does your job entail?
KP: “My job title is Manager - which is to assist in the artists career and coordinate/oversee all moving parts of it. More often than not, I am also tasked with graphic design, web design, spreadsheets, daily tasks, social media content creation, pep talks and more.”
BC: What’s the most fulfilling part about this job?
KP: “I really enjoy developing artists. Finding someone with raw talent who just needs the pieces put together or an established artist who has been struggling with defining their sound and branding is my speciality. Watching them grow into their voice, performing, and of course successes that come along the way are what's most fulfilling about this job.”
BC: And while there are downs to I think every job, what would you say is the hardest part about yours?
KP: “There are a few aspects that can make management challenging. The amount of work daily that gets put in on a client versus the amount of financial return can take a long time to balance out. But, if it's something you really enjoy and you have clients that you fully believe in, the journey is worth it.” Patterson explains, “The most challenging aspect is a client who believes they need management, but is hesitant to fully trust and loosen the reins, preventing us from doing what we are hired to do. Trust is an important thing to build in a management situation. Not only are these artists trusting us with their careers, but we are also leaning on them to represent us well and work equally as hard.”
BC: What’s a day in the life look like for you?
KP: “I spend half of each day on the phone with various companies or my artists, and the other half sending emails.” Patterson tells us, “I carve out time for necessities and some meditation or yoga so that I stay focused and not stuck at a desk all day. After dinner, I usually work into the evening and make sure that everything is prepped for the next day, the interns have their tasks and to make sure any shows are going well.”
BC: Last year you won Management Company of the Year 2020 at the Josie Music Awards, what was that like?
KP: “Yes! This was such an incredible and unexpected honor. I was able to attend the event in two thousand nineteen when we won the award, but due to Covid I was unable to attend in two thousand and twenty. The guys from Shotgun Jefferson were there, and won country band of the year so I had them accept the award on my behalf. The Josie Awards is a great independent award show, and both Tina and Josie are amazing people. I am just happy to be part of such an amazing event. My amazing roster of talent is what makes this all possible, and the team I have with Three13 Management.”
BC: You work extremely hard for and with your clients, so what’s it like when a client wins an achievement?
KP: (I feel) “Accomplished. I can remember several times being moved to tears at certain accomplishments because I am just so proud of them. I am not only their manager, but a fan of theirs as well - so it's great to be a part of their journey and share in their success.”
BC: What’s it like having a new artist/band join the Three13 Management?
KP: “Busy. That's the best way to describe it. I like to do a very thorough intake process so I send out an extremely long email full of questions to really get to know my artists. This can include personal items about them, professional achievements, and short and long term goals. Once we get that completed, we schedule regular calls to stay on task and spend a lot of time texting, emailing, and communicating to make sure we are on the same page.”
BC: Lastly, what would be the greatest accomplishment for your clients to achieve?
KP: “One cool thing about being a manager is that not all of my artists have the same goal. Some want to be signed by a label and booking agent. I have a few who strictly would like a publishing deal or a number one song. Others want to play large festivals like Stagecoach or iconic venues like The Grand Ole Opry. Nearly all of them would love to be nominated for or win a Grammy, CMA or ACM Award. Any of these accomplishments would be great!”