Bates Meyer, Inc. is a music management company, run by partners Nancy Meyer and Rick Bates who each have lengthy careers in the music business. The background of these industry veterans includes work with some of the most highly regarded blues, jazz, roots and rock artists that form the backbone of American music. Though Bates Meyer has centered its business on artist management, the company has become a multi-dimensional service related operation. Incorporated in the State of California in 2001, Bates Meyer, Inc. has developed several specialties, emerging from the principals’ work in the field of blues and related genres.
In addition to a select roster of artist management clients, the company also represents the intellectual property rights of several estates such as T-Bone Walker, Lonnie Johnson, Ted Hawkins, Reverend Cleavant Derricks and others. Bates Meyer represents the artists’ legal heirs and negotiates for name and image rights and manages their royalty flows from music publishing and recorded masters. “Quality content will always have value,” notes Meyer. “Our efforts ensure that the heirs still benefit from the creative works of these historic artists.”
Both Bates and Meyer have worked directly with artists such as John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Buddy Guy, Los Lobos, Otis Rush, Husker Du, Billy Cobham, Charlie Haden, Alphonso Johnson, Ike Turner and Mighty Joe Young, among others.
The company has a strong focus on international touring, new recording projects and music publishing. Both Bates and Meyer have developed a knowledge and background in music research and licensing thanks to the prolific careers of such artists.
Research projects include verifying and contacting legal heirs for producers, publishers and labels as well as song and artist identification for various productions. This detailed exploration has allowed Bates Meyer access to a huge collection of recorded material and has initiated a resource for creative consulting, publishing, artist and master clearances. Additionally, as the company has expanded its work in general consulting, Meyer and Bates can offer expert advice in the area of music publishing and exerting rights of complex music catalogs. “We are music fans,” explains Bates. “We enjoy the challenge of uncovering the facts surrounding a particular song or recording, no matter when it was created. We have the blues, and that’s a good thing.”