A Nashville native, Steve Lassiter got his start in the music business as a production assistant at Sound Seventy Productions in 1977 at the age of 19 while finishing a Recording Industry Management degree at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). After graduation, he pursued the agency business and held positions with ICS, Variety Artists Group (in Minneapolis), and Headline International before settling in at William Morris Agency, where he earned his VP stripes and became a stockholder.
Lassiter left William Morris in 1997 and started at APA Nashville in July of 1998. While at APA, he became Partner / Sr VP and then Co-Head of Worldwide Music, representing artists Travis Tritt, The Charlie Daniels Band, Crystal Gayle, Lee Greenwood, Little Texas, Kansas, Jackyl, The Gatlin Brothers, and many others. After 36 years in the corporate agency world, Lassiter pivoted to launching Reliant Talent Agency with former APA associates in January 2021. Reliant’s diverse artist roster includes talent representing Americana, Comedy, Country, Rock, Jazz, and more. Some of the artists they represent are Travis Tritt, Kenny Loggins, Everclear, Rodney Carrington, Phil Vassar, Yacht Rock Revue, Take 6, Average White Band, Sister Hazel, and more (here).
He serves on the boards of National Association of Talent Directors (NATD) and Academy of Country Music (ACM), and formerly served on the IEBA and TJ Martell Foundation Boards. He also served as an adjunct professor at MTSU and Entertainment Director for the Tennessee State Harley Owners Group. He is a current member of the ACM, CMA, IEBA, Recording Academy, and the IAFE. He was awarded Talent Director of the Year from NATD in 2005, was named to the MTSU Wall of Fame in 2005, was the recipient of the NATD Honors Award in 2015 along with being named to Billboard's Nashville Power 100 and Variety’s Power Players lists in 2017.