LGBTIQ+ List 2024: Dustin Turner, CAA
The LGBTIQ+ List 2024 – IQ Magazine’s fourth annual celebration of queer professionals who make an immense impact in the international live music business – has been revealed.
The ever-popular list is the centrepiece of IQ’s fourth Pride edition, sponsored by Ticketmaster, which is now available to read online and in print for subscribers.
To get to know this year’s queer pioneers a little better, we interviewed each of them on the development of the industry, the challenges that are keeping them up at night and more.
Throughout the next month, IQ will publish a new interview each day. Catch up on yesterday’s interview with Chris May, (he/him), general manager at BC Place Stadium.
The series continues with Dustin Turner (he/him), music marketing executive at CAA.
Music marketing agent Dustin Turner represents many of the world’s leading musicians and has been a leader in the LGBTQ+ philanthropic community. With a roster of nearly 50 clients, Turner supports the careers of Becky G, Betty Who, Bianca Del Rio, Dan + Shay, Jelly Roll, Kelsea Ballerini, Little Big Town, Maren Morris, Nickelback, Paulina Rubio, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Tim McGraw, and Zac Brown Band, among many others. Turner also serves as the agency’s point person for all bookings related to annual Pride events across the country. In addition to his work on the live side of the music business, Turner also volunteers with the CAA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the agency.
Tell us about the professional feat you’re most PROUD of in 2024 so far.
Maren Morris did a series of intimate shows for her fan club in late 2023 at iconic clubs like The Troubadour in LA which all sold out in minutes. Maren partnered with GLAAD [a non-profit LGBTQ advocacy organisation] so a portion of all tickets sold went back to them each night. To be at those shows and see Maren connect with her biggest fans each night was magical. We recently put her RSVP Redux tour on sale, still playing legendary venues throughout the rest of the year. Getting to work with so many clients and launch tours with Dan + Shay, Little Big Town, Sugarland, Jelly Roll, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Tim McGraw, and Gavin DeGraw, among many others this year has been incredible and there is so much more to come!
What’s your most pressing challenge in the industry at the moment?
There is a lot of content out there and every week multiple huge tours are announced and going on sale. All are competing for the same dollars from fans, and you have to find a way to make your clients stand out and help them cut through the clutter. We’re constantly having to think about what makes the tour we are working on different from the others and why should a fan buy a ticket to our artist’s show over all others.
“Luckily, we have been able to support [drag artist] clients and allow them to bring their talents and performances to cities across the US”
What does your involvement in the LGBTQ+ philanthropic community look like?
In addition to his work on the live side of the music business, I also volunteer with the CAA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the agency. I helped plan CAA’s sixth annual Evening for Equality, which raised funds for The Oasis Center’s “Just Us” program to provide free counseling services to LGBTQ+ youth in Tennessee. I’m also a former board member of the Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
You work with many drag artists from the US. Have state bans on drag affected your work at all?
Obviously, this is an issue that continues and for now, we have had to make some of our shows 18+ instead of all ages. Luckily we have been able to support these clients and allow them to bring their talents and performances to cities across the US.
“We have made huge strides but I think it is important for our allies to allow LGBTQ+ people to live their authentic lives, when people do, we are all better”
You are CAA’s point person for bookings related to Pride events. Tell us about some of your favourite bookings for 2024.
I am really excited to have Sophie Ellis Bextor coming over to the US, not only to perform at OUTLOUD Festival in LA but also to do a headline tour. To see her success in the US after her song was featured in Saltburn is so deserved. Also, at OUTLOUD Festival we have Kesha and Adam Lambert performing on the Friday night, which will be awesome. We have Jojo Siwa doing multiple markets with the release of her new music, The Scarlet Opera playing in Phoenix, Icona Pop playing in Nashville, and Todrick Hall in San Diego. There are a lot of exciting bookings in 2024 for pride festivals across the country.
Name one thing the industry could do to be a more equitable place.
I feel like we have made huge strides but I think it is important for our allies to allow LGBTQ+ people to live their authentic lives, when people do, we are all better.
Shout out to your biggest ally in the live music industry.
So many people have supported me on my professional journey, from my husband and family who deal with the crazy schedule and me having to miss personal things, to mentors and those I admire that I can pick up the phone and call anytime for support or to bounce ideas off of. To name specific people would be unfair to so many but I am very lucky to have such a strong support system around me.
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