CULLMAN – Concert promoter Premier Productions, co-owned by Cullman’s Shane Quick, was recently ranked 16th on Pollstar’s list of Top 100 Promoters of 2015, based on worldwide ticket sales. The company ranked seventh in the United States.
“To be mentioned in the same breath as Live Nation, AEG and Madison Square Garden is very humbling and exciting all at the same time,” said Shane Quick. “We’ve built a team that has continued to innovate and grow for 10 plus years, even through one of the worst recessions in our nation’s history. To grow such a team in my hometown of Cullman, Alabama is something that I’m most proud of.”
Although the top two promoters sold significantly more than the rest, it is a massive accomplishment to be on the same list as Madison Square Garden, the “World’s Most Famous Arena,” and AEG, a company that promotes the likes of Carrie Underwood, Kanye West and George Strait (maybe the only time George Strait’s name is mentioned alongside Yeezy’s).
“Knowing that over a million people worldwide went through our office here in Cullman is something that’s hard to fathom. Especially when you consider only 18 people in the world sold a million tickets in 2015,” Quick said.
Premier Productions was started in 1996. Since then, according to Quick, the company has enjoyed steady growth and growing success due to the approach that Premier takes to concert promotion.
“Premier Productions’ innovative approach of exclusively handling all dates and performances for the artists we work with is a major reason for our growth and effectiveness. It allows us to have more of a holistic approach and focus for the artist,” said Quick.
However, the homegrown company has seen its fair share of difficulties in the past 17 years, mostly, according to Quick, as a byproduct of its successes.
“It's been about managing the growing pains. Making sure our work load matches our staff and time,” he said. “We are very driven at Premier. We always have new ideas and opportunities.”
Quick says he would be in this line of work even if he couldn’t make money doing it.
“Promoting is something that I would do even if I couldn't make a living doing it. And I know that I was created to do this work. One of the things that excites me the most is to create things that don't exist. To provide things that people don't even know they want yet. To see the need and fill it.”
Premier Productions is the largest producer of Christian concert events in the nation and the co-founder of the Christian music’s largest annual tour, the Winter Jam Tour Spectacular. Some of Premier’s promoted artists include: TobyMac, Skillet, Casting Crowns, Hillsong Live, Hillsong UNITED, Bill Gaither & Friends Homecoming, Jesus Culture, Lecrae, Kari Jobe and Matthew West.
Quick is also the co-founder of Cullman’s Rock the South music festival, along with country artist Sara Evans and her husband, former University of Alabama quarterback, Jay Barker.
For more information, visit http://www.premierproductions.com/.