Opry Entertainment Group (OEG), owner of Nashville, Tennessee’s Grand Ole Opry live country-music radio broadcast, is expanding into the festival industry with the acquisition of a majority stake in Southern Entertainment.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Southern Entertainment is the company behind several prominent country music festivals including the Carolina Country Music Fest in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Barefoot Country Music Fest in Wildwood, New Jersey; Lovin’ Life Music Fest in Charlotte, North Carolina; the Greenville Country Music Fest in Greenville, South Carolina; and the upcoming Field & Stream Music Fest in Winnsboro, South Carolina, launching in 2025.
Founded in 2015 by Bob Durkin and Rob Pedlow, Southern Entertainment has produced over 500 music events. The Charlotte-based company’s portfolio includes festivals across multiple states, with the Carolina Country Music Fest in Myrtle Beach serving as its flagship event.
“In just 10 years, the Southern Entertainment team has grown their business into one of the strongest independent festival businesses in the United States,” said Patrick Moore, Chief Executive Officer of Opry Entertainment Group.
“This investment will allow us to expand our reach to a large and loyal fan base that is complementary to our current audience.”
Patrick Moore, Opry Entertainment Group
“With this investment, we are entering a dynamic and growing sector of the events business with seasoned operators who share our passion for creating unforgettable experiences for artists and fans. This investment will allow us to expand our reach to a large and loyal fan base that is complementary to our current audience.”
Under the terms of the deal, Durkin and Pedlow will continue to lead Southern Entertainment.
The acquisition marks an expansion for OEG, which is majority-owned by Ryman Hospitality Properties.
“Joining forces with OEG will add immediate value to our existing events and allow us to accelerate our plans to bring festivals to new markets,” Durkin and Pedlow said in a joint statement.
“We are confident our fans, the artists who play our stages and the cities where we operate will benefit from our alliance with such an iconic name in country music.”
Following the merger, OEG’s artist development programs will be integrated into Southern’s festival lineup, where many Opry members and Opry NextStage artists have performed.
Looking ahead, the combined entity plans to develop additional artist-centered experiences and explore new markets.
“We view festivals as a tremendous opportunity to deepen our commitment to artists at all phases of their careers, and we especially look forward to joining forces with Southern Entertainment to bring even more of the up-and-coming artists who play our stages to their large-scale events,” Moore added.
The deal marks the latest in the music festival industry following the acquisition of European festival operator Superstruct Entertainment by investment giant KKR in June 2024.
Also in 2024, Germany-headquartered live music giant CTS Eventim completed its acquisition of Vivendi’s ticketing and festivals businesses, a deal with a total enterprise value of about EUR €300 million (approx. USD $309 million at current exchange rates).
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