ABOUT 117
117 Entertainment Group is a multi-faceted entertainment firm specializing in publicity and marketing campaigns for musicians, events and brands as well as artist management and development. The team’s unique approach centers around the artist as a brand, utilizing new and traditional outreach methods, taking full advantage of broad opportunities to influence and stretch results beyond expectations. 117 boasts an impressive and eclectic roster of clients, from Hall of Fame artists to award-winning brands and from highly-lauded No. 1 singer/songwriters to an exciting new crop of rising stars. Founded by Zach Farnum, the group is one of the fastest-rising companies in Nashville and recognized by industry professionals across the country with a major presence in New York and Los Angeles.
Music is THE passion that drives Zach Farnum to work for his clients – ranging from Country Music Hall of Fame members Bobby Bare and Randy Travis to established hitmakers like David Nail and rising stars like Muscadine Bloodline, Emily Ann Roberts and War Hippies. He serves on the leadership team for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Troubadour Society and is a member of the Country Music Association, the Academy of Country Music and the Recording Academy. He just wrapped four years as the Membership Chair of the Board of Directors for the Nashville Association of Talent Directors.
Music Icon Jerry Lee Lewis sums it up best: “His work ethic can’t be beat. Best I have ever had working with me.”
“I think I’ve packed a lot of effort into just a few years. I’m honored that people have taken chances working with me and I’m looking forward to the future. I love what I do. It’s not a job to me. It’s just life and a career and I plan on doing it forever.”
Though Zach’s primary forte is publicity, the Rhode Island native stresses that he is intrigued by many facets of the music business.
“I have a passion for connecting an artist’s brand and style across to fans and helping people connect with it. I love that we can create a brand with a human being that can literally move mountains. It amazes me that someone like Taylor Swift can walk into a hospital room and cheer up a kid dying of cancer and I love that Garth Brooks can throw ten concerts and raise a boat-load of money for a great cause. The whole concept of celebrity and what you can do with celebrity fascinates me – and helping that story to be told is what I want to be about.”
Zach began his career as a music journalist in college in Nashville where he began working for veteran publicists. Along the way, Zach would watch as other publicists and media professionals began to influence him and shape the way that he wanted to approach his craft.
What is that craft exactly? Giving the artist the avenues – and the platforms to tell their story. That’s what makes him tick. That’s what makes the 3:30am emails worth it.
“That’s the most exciting part of my job — the thought of being a catalyst for an artists’ success. It’s so much work and so much effort, and in a lot of ways there’s no strategy. There’s no one strategy that works for every artist, so it’s a lot of experimenting with new techniques and new outlets and new strategies and kind of throwing darts at a dart board and seeing what sticks.”
That feeling is the same – whether it’s a legendary act known the world over or a newcomer such as Emily Ann Roberts or War Hippies.
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“When you get the artist’s first big national TV debut or first Opry performance and you experience that success with them, there’s no greater feeling in the world than knowing that you helped put this new kid on the map in some way.”
“We had Scooter Brown Band on the Huckabee TV show a couple years ago. That was big. That’s his audience. He reached a mass amount of his demographic and that’s a success story for him.”
“On the other side of the token, Kalie Shorr’s 2019 album Open Book was the only country record on the New York Times’ Best Albums list. That’s a huge deal for her and for us.”
Other success stories for Zach Farnum over the years has been his work in the October 2017 Jerry Lee Lewis tribute in Nashville that was part of the Skyville Live series. The evening featured performances from such “Killer” fans George Strait, Lee Ann Womack, and Chris Stapleton.” “To see major country artists paying tribute to him in a small, intimate setting was incredible. I think our team’s done a really good job of spotlighting the fact that he’s had a major, major career, not only in Rock & Roll, but also in Country.”
Another moment for which Zach Farnum is proud is his role in the Nashville tribute concert to Randy Travis in February 2017.
“That will always be a pinch-me moment. It’s very humbling, because six years before that event I had no idea I’d even know Randy Travis, never mind get to work with him, you know? I think the fact … It doesn’t hit me until I’m lying in bed just reflecting on the day or reflecting on life. It doesn’t hit me that I get to work with these guys. I think it’s really important that there’s somebody beating a drum for those guys. It’s an honor. It’s an honor that they would trust me with their careers.”
So, for Zach Farnum and 117 Entertainment, that drum beat continues to resonate. It’s what keeps him spreading the word about his clients while traveling the world over, and going to work each morning. What is it like each time he sees that iconic skyline?
I just get that feeling of….home,” he says. “Nashville has become my home. Even though I wasn’t born here or raised here, it’s my home. Getting to be a part of the community here is one of the greatest feelings in the world. I couldn’t imagine my life anywhere else – or doing anything else!”
Jessica Vandergriff is a public relations professional with a passion for the music industry. A native of Ohio and graduate of Western Kentucky University, she moved to Nashville in the summer of 2020 armed with a B.A. in public relations and a drive to make a name for herself in the music capital of the world.
After starting her career in book publishing, where she ran publicity campaigns for authors across a variety of genres, Jessica knew it was time to make the transition to her true passion: music. In June 2021, she joined 117 as the Publicity Manager, where she is responsible for overseeing the public image and media strategy for a diverse roster of clients.
With her strong background in public relations and a deep love for music, Jessica is well-equipped to help her clients achieve their goals and succeed in an increasingly competitive industry.