Over the last 3 decades, Todd Boltin has established himself as one of the most respected talent buyers in the entertainment industry. A pretty large accomplishment for someone who began his career with Variety Attractions as a motorsports official with Variety’s sister company Nationwide Demolition Derby, while doubling as a driver and stagehand for company owner George Moffett. He knew little or nothing about country music, but after his first trip to Nashville with Moffett, while attending a country music awards show, he soon realized his destiny was in front of his face and wrapped his hands around the opportunity. He grew up listening to Journey, STYX, Foreigner, REO, and Eagles. He could not tell you the difference between Tammy Wynette or Loretta Lynn at the time.
Since that time, he has been nominated for the Academy of Country Music Talent Buyer of the Year award 13 times and winning the accolade in 2010. He was named the 2010 IEBA Entertainment Buyer of the Year and received the President’s Award also that year. In 2012, he was the IEBA Fair Buyer of the Year. In 2016, he repeated as the fair buyer of the year. He is the Secretary of the International Entertainment Buyers Association and is the Vice President of the International Entertainment Buyers Educational Outreach Fund. The fund oversees scholarships that are presented to students who are participating in music education classes at their respective college. He oversees the George Moffett Scholarship at Belmont University, which is awarded to a Belmont student who is majoring in the music entertainment business. He is a long-time member of the Academy of Country Music, as well as the Country Music Association, and numerous state fair organizations.
He has been very instrumental in boosting the early careers of some of today’s superstars while their careers were in the infancy. Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Trace Adkins, Justin Moore, and Florida Georgia Line. Booking many of these artists at fairs and festivals, helping to develop their fan base in the rural communities and build their careers, along with building valued and respected relationships with the artist and managers along the way.
In November of 2016 after spending 34 years with Variety Attractions, he purchased the company from founder George Moffett. We guess after 34 years he decided to stay a little longer.
He still spends many days a year on the road between meetings, shows, conferences, and travel. He’s logged well over 2.5 million miles of driving and could probably own a hotel chain with as many nights as he has spent in hotels since 1982.
He still gets excited about “doing what we do, whether it be negotiating a contract, being at a conference, or being on-site at one of our events, I’ve not had 2 days alike in my career. How many people can say that about their jobs?”
In a business where many are called, but few are chosen. Todd Boltin was chosen. He was born to do what he is doing today.
