Lesly Simon, Longtime Nashville Exec Who Served as GM at Garth Brooks’ Pearl Records, Dies at 52

The industry veteran also served as GM at Trisha Yearwood's Gwendolyn Records and in marketing and promotion roles at Arista Nashville, Capitol Records and more.

Apr 1, 2025 - 01:31

Lesly Simon, Longtime Nashville Exec Who Served as GM at Garth Brooks’ Pearl Records, Dies at 52

Lesly Simon, a more than 20-year music industry veteran who served as general manager of Garth Brooks‘ Pearl Records for seven years, died on Thursday (March 27) following a long battle with breast cancer. She was 52.

In addition to working with Brooks, Simon served as GM at Gwendolyn Records, the record label founded by Brooks’ wife, Trisha Yearwood. Prior to that, she held the role of vp of promotion at Arista Nashville, where she oversaw campaigns for Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Cam and others. During Simon’s Arista tenure, her team helped the company score more than 40 No. 1 singles on the Billboard and Mediabase country charts while helping launch platinum and multi-platinum albums and tracks from artists including Underwood, Paisley, Brooks & Dunn and Alan Jackson.

Simon launched her music business career at the RCA Label Group in Nashville, later expanding to both artist management and promotion and marketing roles at pop and country labels. At Capitol Records, she contributed to airplay success for Coldplay, the Beastie Boys, Kylie Minogue, Jane’s Addiction and Snoop Dogg. For a time, she also served as tour manager for Mindy McCready.

In 2020, Simon partnered with friend and interior designer Tyler Colgan to launch the Florida-based interior design firm Colgan Simon. She simultaneously started Corcoran Reverie, the residential real estate division of the company, which specialized in luxury residential properties along Florida’s Gulf Coast and Highway 30A. In 2023, with both businesses having greatly expanded, she transitioned into her partnership role, leading both divisions alongside Colgan.

Simon graduated from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. She was a member of SOURCE, the Country Music Association (CMA), the Academy of Country Music (ACM) and the Leadership Music Class of 2013 and served on the Board of Directors for Country Radio Broadcasters. She was named to Billboard‘s Country Power Players list in 2018.

Simon is survived by her husband, Robert; step-children Max and Miller Simon; mother Cindy Adams Somerville; brother Taylor Somerville (Caroline); sisters Cindy Gallion (Thomas) and Amy Landers (William Hansen); mother-in-law Marcia Unger; sister-in-law Carrie Pizitz (Richard); and many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. She was predeceased by her father, Thomas Taylor Somerville Jr.

A service to honor Simon’s life was held on Monday (March 31) at Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church in Mountain Brook, Ala. Memorial donations can be sent to the American Cancer Society or Joe Lee Griffin Hope Lodge in her honor.