When Ebie McFarland enters a room the first thing you notice is her glow. Yes, part of that is her amazing skin (Ona Skincare and great genes), but her spirit also calms and warms you up, which is likely why she’s known as one of the best entertainment publicists in the industry. A Vanderbilt grad, Ebie launched her now wildly successful independent agency in 2007 after building a personal reputation among artists when working under others. One of her first signs, Darius Rucker (and his band Hootie and the Blowfish), is still on her roster 15 years later. He’s not alone as she’s trusted with publicity and projects for some of the top names in the business. A few of her long-term clients include George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Ashley McBryde, Kellie Pickler, Loretta Lynn, Brantley Gilbert, Chase Rice, and a slew of other performers in all genres. Ebie and the savvy team she’s curated also handle special events and promotions for Gaylord’s properties such as the Ryman and Blake Shelton’s Ole Red venue.
While her business operations have shifted during the pandemic, she tells us she’s just extremely grateful for having such established, loyal clients that continue to need her services during an otherwise ‘dark’ time in the live music world. While pre-quarantine her weeks were often filled with red-eye flights for major network morning and late-night shows or concerts (and crazy-early call times), she’s found balance in spending more time in Nashville with her staff and her handsome husband Jon-Paul at their West Meade residence. It’s given her time to listen to what’s happening in the world so that she can continue to shape the stories her clients need to tell in an authentic way that resonates with friends and fans. To say she’s the best at what she does is an understatement, as Ebie puts a thoughtful and creative touch on everything she produces. That even extends to the clever name of her business, Essential Broadcast Media, which just happens to have the same initials as her name. Easy to remember and hard to forget—that’s Ebie in a nutshell.
8:30 AM
“Starting my day off right, I pop into Juice Bar Belle Meade and grab a mean greens juice or green smoothie. These are my grab-on-the-go essentials if we don’t juice at home that morning.”
9:00 AM
“I’m off and running with my day. My typical schedule usually entails a series of strategy calls with clients, record label Zoom meetings (the new norm), virtual coffee and happy hours with booking agents or media writers/editors, and connecting interviews and calls with clients (whether in Australia or Bali—time zones be damned)!”
12:00 PM
“Our offices are near Belmont and Hillsboro Village, and we often cater in lunch. Our current favorites are orders from Proper Bagel or Taqueria del Sol in 12th South.”
2:30 PM
“Instead of an afternoon coffee-pick-me-up, I like to pop into Ona Skincare for a cold 3 minutes of cryotherapy. It’s a quick way to boost my energy and makes me feel like I did something for myself.”
5:00 PM
“I’m rushing over to Green Hills to my favorite spot to meet some of my inspiring gal friends for a happy hour/appetizer at Santo. They have a beautiful patio and have $1 oysters from 4-6 pm! I also highly recommend their heirloom tomatoes and burrata appetizer as well as their octopus! Yum!”
7:00 PM
“My husband and I love to take our Shih Tzu to Edwin Warner Park near our house for walks before the sunsets. After that, most evenings are spent on the back patio winding down with a glass of red wine. My husband is from Carmel, California, so we favor Napa reds (Chappellet is a personal favorite). We also enjoy hosting friends for dinner. Jon-Paul’s Penne with Bolognese is the house dish. His last name is Bruno, so he’s definitely the cook in our household. For those dinners, my contribution is the cheese and charcuterie plate and of course, making conversation.”
9:30 PM
“I love winding down with a Centr meditation. We helped launch Chris Hemsworth’s health and wellness app (Centr) in the U.S. The sleep stories are short, so it’s a great way to unwind if I’m not otherwise enthralled in the latest fiction release or finishing up a podcast episode from my drives around town that day.”
