In 2010, Michael Stover, an Art Institute of Pittsburgh graduate, musician and industry veteran of (at the time) 20 years, set out on a serendipitous journey that has now endured for a decade.  On March 1, 2020, MTS Management Group, the artist management company cum award-winning publicity firm and chart-topping record label that Stover founded in his small suburban Pittsburgh apartment, will celebrate its 10th year in business. Working with artists in many diverse genres, from country to hip-hop to metal to jazz, and from all corners of the world, from the US and Canada to Sweden and the UK, MTS has become an internationally recognized brand. http://www.mtsmanagementgroup.com 

Flashback 10 years: Finding himself recently married, recently sober and recently unemployed, Michael Stover could have very easily succumbed to the immense pressures of his challenging new reality: new wife, very little money, and no mind-numbing agents to dull the senses.  Instead of throwing in the towel and having another dance with the demons he struggled with for over 8 years, Stover found his faith, dug in deep and took a gamble on himself. Armed with little more than his years of knowledge within the industry, his abounding adoration for music, and the incredible love and support of his wife, Stover contacted an old friend and former bandmate, and serendipity took over…

“It was 2009, and I had been sober for about 6 months or so,” says Stover. “I had learned that a long-time friend and bandmate of mine, Bryan Cole, had gone to Nashville to record an album with Grammy winning producer, Chuck Ainlay.  Bryan is definitely one of my favorite vocalists of all time.  Well, I had to reach out and, even though we hadn’t spoken in at least 10 years, it was like no time had passed.  We wound up getting together, and I asked him what he was doing with this dynamite album of his, and would he mind if I tried to find him a manager.  After about 4 or 5 more months and  a long conversation with manager, David Lowry, during which David took the time to speak on the realities of what an artist needed in the new music industry, I became Bryan’s manager.  I still credit David with giving me my start in the business side of music.  Without his generosity of time and blatant honesty, I don’t know that I would be doing what I am today.  We are good friends to this day...and so are Bryan and I.”

 

Since 2010, Stover has worked with Grammy Winners, Juno Award Winners, Gold and Platinum recording artists and #1 iTunes Chart-toppers, but his passion is still working with indie artists: “My mission, my goal, my calling, is to help indies achieve the same recognition that the major label artists are receiving.  It’s what drives me.  It’s what keeps me working long after most have retired for the night. I believe I am held to a higher standard by myself and by God.  He has led me on this incredible journey to find my purpose, and I will never lose sight of that. Thank you to all of the artists who have made up the MTS Family over the past decade, and to my friends in the industry who have helped to nurture and guide me. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to work with you all.”