DUSTIN PET
Dustin has over 10 years of experience working in the entertainment industry with bands, venues, festivals and private events. He has been a hospitality personnel for touring artists, box office manager, janitor (yes, for the green room), street team manager, night time operations manager, and now currently is working as an artist manager, talent buyer and consultant.
His career started in Denver, CO where he earned a B.S. in Entertainment/Sports/Events Management from Johnson & Wales University. While obtaining his degree, he worked at Moe’s Original BBQ, Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom, Comedy Works Downtown Denver, and other event companies. After moving back to his home state of Maryland, Dustin acquired a job helping run Rams Head Center Stage! in Maryland Live Casino. While booking bands for this venue, he also started his first promotion company Easy Beat Presents, as well as the first initial stage of Fatback managing The Dirty Grass Players.
Dustin went on to a talent buying job at Gypsy Sally’s in Georgetown, Washington D.C., his first gig booking for the size of this venue at 400 capacity. He was then recruited to the position he holds now: the lead talent buyer for Hill Country Live DC and NYC, 2 mid-size concert venues specializing in booking national and international touring acts you would typically find at the legendary SXSW or Austin City Limits. In 2018, he joined forces with Melissa, to officially start Fatback and focuses on the strategic initiatives for all clients. Dustin has also been the buyer for Pearl Street Warehouse since October 2022.
MELISSA HERSH
Melissa has over 20 years of experience in managing people and businesses in the events and hospitality industries. After receiving a B.A. in Psychology from Elon University in 2003, Melissa has led a successful career with a natural talent for encouraging people to achieve their goals by helping to align their work to their vision for the future.
After fulfilling her own goals working in both corporate and independent restaurants, Melissa joined an Event Production company in 2015 where she was able to improve processes and systems in a creative and collaborative environment. With a head for numbers and an unstoppable free spirit, she immediately put her leadership aptitude to task while introducing a calm consistency to an often chaotic workspace.
Something was missing along the way, though, and Melissa realized she was yearning to provide her leadership, management, and administrative skill-set to an industry she was passionate about - the music industry. In 2015, with an unyielding admiration for musical talent to propel her forward, she started writing for multiple online music magazines, as well as founding her own website dedicated to showcasing stories from fans of live music (thefirstinline.com). This led to her desire to be more involved with artists and help them reach their professional goals. She saw a need to offer her organized, left-brained, business mind to a creative, right-brained world. In 2018, she reached out to Dustin… and here we are today. Her role as FAM’s COO is to keep all initiatives moving forward and reaching goals that are set forth for each client.
RYAN ALLEN
Ryan Allen was born and raised in the small eastern Kentucky town of Jackson. Here is where his passion for music began. He grew up listening to music on the radio with his father and was inspired to pursue music from watching his uncle perform in a successful local band. After graduating high school, he attended Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky and graduated with a degree in education in 2015.
He first began his work in the music business as a talent buyer at Sawstone Brewing in Morehead where he got hands-on experience working with industry professionals. After graduation, he struggled to find his sound in the Lexington, Kentucky music scene, but finally found his fit with Magnolia Boulevard. His college education prepared him to take on all the managerial work for the band such as booking shows and sending emails. This work in music business is what led him to begin working for Fatback Artist Management. At FAM, Allen is responsible for the advances for all the bands and making sure all shows are announced and all ticket links are created. As an artist, Allen works well as the middle man between musicians and management, making sure all parties are heard and respected.
Favorite Concert: ACDC at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, OH
NATALIE INGALLS
Natalie is a recent graduate of Indiana University, where she received a degree in audio journalism with a minor in arts management. She grew up in Falls Church, Virginia, and is the lead singer of the Virginia-based indie-rock band Indigo Boulevard, as well as the frontwoman of Prairie Scout in Bloomington, IN. At IU, she was the President of WIUX as well as the host of Growing Pains, an interview radio show where she interviewed guests including Ritt Momney, Mikaela Davis and poolblood. She has worked for FAM since the summer of 2023, running the social media accounts of Pearl Street Warehouse as well as developing FAM branding.
Favorite concert: Wednesday at Black Cat
Favorite spot in the DMV: Glenstone Museum in Potomac, MD
Grayson Jenkins
Grayson was born and raised on a small farm in the coal mining community of Greenville, KY in Muhlenberg County (yes, the one from John Prine’s “Paradise”). After being heavily involved in 4-H, FFA, and track and field, Grayson attended the University of Kentucky and obtained BS degrees in Agricultural Economics and Community Development. A lifelong music fan, it wasn’t until his senior year at UK that he began to write music and perform publicly.
After graduation, Grayson worked full-time at the University of Kentucky while building a following for his music around Lexington, KY. Eventually, he was able to leave his job and make music his full-time career in 2017. As an independent and self-managed artist, Grayson has learned a great deal about the music industry and how to adapt in an ever-changing business. He has released four independent albums, toured across the US and internationally, and been featured in American Songwriter and The Bluegrass Situation.
Grayson’s experience and passion for the music business led him to Fatback Artist Management in early 2024, where he helps coordinate music releases and assists artists with digital branding and marketing. As an artist and songwriter, Grayson is able to offer insight to artists and aid them in reaching their career goals.
Favorite concert: Jack White, Forecastle Festival 2014
JOSIE BAILEY
Josie is a sophomore at Loyola University Maryland studying communications with a specialization in advertising, public relations, and digital media. She is an avid concert goer and music fan. At Loyola, she is on the events team for Her Campus, an online magazine for college-aged women. She was drawn to the small school for its beautiful campus, but Josie’s passion for live music originated in her hometown of Boston, Massachusetts. This past summer, Josie worked as an usher at Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston as well as for FAM running the social media accounts of Magnolia Boulevard. She aspires to work in live music after she graduates.
Favorite concert: The 1975 at CFG Bank Arena
Favorite spot in the DMV: Chiapparelli's Restaurant in Baltimore, MD