Bruce Houghton is closing Skyline Artists Agency after 35 years, the longtime agent announced Wednesday (Dec. 3).
Boasting a roster that has included Foghat, Johnny Winter, Rick Danko, George Winston, Solomon Burke, The Von Trapps and Merl Saunders, Houghton said the independent agency prided itself on being a boutique shop that diligently served the needs of its unique roster. One of the agency’s most successful niche genres was Americana, Houghton recalls, working with legacy artists like Roger McGuinn and Tom Rush as well as contemporary stars including the four-person Boston indie folk band Darlingside and hip-hop/bluegrass hybrid Gangstagrass.
Several artists spent two decades with Houghton, including Pure Prairie League, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Firefall, and Orleans and The Machine.
Most of Skylines’ agents have gone on to new opportunities, Houghton noted in a press release, with agent Andrea Sabata now at The Kurland Agency and agent Mark Lourie working at Madison House. Other Skyline Agency alums include James Leslie, Ben Rossman, Casey Bonilla and Katy Cates.
“Rather than selling the company, it was important that the team and artists who made Skyline successful landed well,” said Houghton in a statement. “I think we achieved that.”
Houghton says he will continue to work in music and stay active as a senior advisor to the discovery platform Bandsintown. He will also continue contributing to his long-running industry blog Hypebot and working as a professor for Berklee Online, as well as volunteering his time to support the National Independent Talent Organization (NITO).
“For a music lover who had never worked at a major agency, Skyline had an incredible run,” concluded Houghton. “I couldn’t have asked for more.”
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