For the students, by the students: novel startup Clear Mountain Entertainment builds Athens artists from the ground up

ATHENS, GA., April 25, 2023 – As Clear Mountain Entertainment approaches its two-year anniversary, the student-run startup continues to make impressive headway since it was founded by brothers and current University of Georgia upperclassmen Garrett and Xander Chiaramonte.

The Chiaramontes believe Athens is experiencing a resurgence of music and arts, and they strive everyday to uplift those communities through their work at CME. 

“Action is all that matters,” said Garrett Chiaramonte, “time slips away too quickly to not take action immediately on something you are passionate about.”

Named after the Italian to English translation of their surname, Clear Mountain is built on the two principles for which its namesake stands: transparency and stability. It is designed to be a one-stop shop for artist management, booking, event production and media services, making it unique and convenient for bands on a budget.

By adhering to these core values and maintaining a strong relationship with the Athens community, CME has flourished. Local stars such as Wim Tapley and Red Mile Road are among the company’s current management roster, and the list continues to grow as more bands realize the benefits of having CME in their corner. As CME continues to hone its business model and expand its network of contacts, their booking roster continues to expand as well. CME currently books for 15 local Athens bands. 

In August 2022, CME put on Classic City Jam, its debut festival which featured a six-band lineup and sold over 600 tickets. On August 26, Classic City Jam will be back, and bigger: CME will continue to promote local bands and is planning to add the best of Athens bands from the past, present and future to the bill. CME’s most recent event was the Starlight Rave, which took place on April 20 at Paloma Park and was the company’s first foray into electronic music, selling over 200 tickets.

CME continues to push the boundaries of a typical artist management company. In the past two years, the company has sponsored and promoted charity concerts, produced promotional videos for Peach State Light and sorority recruitment, created multiple music videos and promoted numerous events.