Industry Veteran Matt Shay Joins Make Wake Artists as General Manager

Make Wake Artists, the management company formed by Chris Kappy in 2015 with country superstar client Luke Combs, has added industry veteran Matt Shay as its first general manager. Shay, whose experience includes founding ARTIST MGMT and time at C3 Management, will oversee a team of nearly 50 people handling the musical careers of dozens of artists. Shay also brings his own management clients to Make Wake, including Bella McCormick and Chris Ryan.

“I’ve long admired what Kappy has built with Make Wake, and from the inside, it’s even more impressive.” Shay says in the announcement. “The depth of the staff, the strength of the leadership team, and the range of services spanning merchandise, digital, label services, publicity, brand partnerships, writer/producer management and beyond create a truly robust platform for artists to build long-term careers. Kappy is a visionary founder, and he and the team have created a culture and infrastructure that is one of one in this business. I’m thrilled to be joining Make Wake and to help build on this incredible foundation as we take the company and its artists into the next chapter.”

Make Wake Artists was founded in 2015 by Chris Kappy with singular client Luke Combs, and has since grown with a roster spanning country, Americana, folk, pop and more. The announcement says the addition of a general manager reflects both the scale the company has reached and the infrastructure it continues to build.

“I met Matt five years ago and we hit it off right away,” Kappy said. “He understood my vision and respected that I wanted to do things differently because everyone told me what I was doing wasn’t ‘how things are done here.’ Matt brings that ethos to Make Wake. I wasn’t looking for someone who would simply agree with everyone. I needed a forward-thinking leader who could challenge conventions and continue to move us forward. Our culture is thriving, and adding him to the organization is a win for our team, our artists, and the future of Make Wake.”

Other artists managed by the company include Brent Cobb, Jon Bellion, Niko Moon and Flatland Cavalry.

_Originally reported by [Pollstar](https://news.pollstar.com/2026/06/24/make-wake-artists-management-adds-matt-shay-as-gm/)._