Who we are
Happy Underground supports the Midwest’s independent comedians, musicians, and spoken-word artists through live production, merchandise, and small-press physical media releases. We believe in fair and transparent partnerships: we source locally whenever possible, collaborate directly with artists and designers, and ensure an equitable profit share.
We're small by design. The person you talk to is the person doing the work. No account managers, no handoffs — just someone who genuinely cares about your project and will tell you what they actually think.
How we got here
After years working with major label touring bands — including artists on Epic 550 and Island Records — and navigating my own path as a performer, I decided there had to be a better way. Not a bigger way. A better one.
I formed Happy Underground in 2009 around a simple idea: the label's job is to enable the artist, not dictate their direction. You can offer advice from your time in the trenches. You can push back on mistakes you've seen before. But ultimately, you're an advisor and an enabler — and the artist's vision has to come first.
I bring experience from both sides of the industry: the major label world, smaller touring acts, and years in corporate America that taught me how businesses actually work. That combination — industry knowledge plus business sense plus genuine love for artists — is what Happy Underground is built on.
What we believe
- Happy Underground will never earn more than the artists we represent.
- Fair and transparent partnerships — every deal, every time.
- Source locally. Collaborate directly. Split profits equitably.
- Honest advice, even when it’s not what you want to hear, is the most valuable thing we can offer.
- Experience from the major label world should be available to independent artists, not gatekept by it.
Want to work together?
Tell us about your project. We'll tell you if we're the right fit — and if we're not, we'll point you toward someone who is.
Get in touch