Robert Deaton

Robert Deaton is an American film and television producer and director. Since 2007, he has been the executive producer of the Country Music Association Awards on ABC and was the executive producer of the Billboard Music Awards on NBC from 2018 to 2022. He first came to prominence producing and directing predominately country music videos as creator and founder of the production company, Deaton-Flanigen Productions (DFP). The firm's clientele included acts like Martina McBride, Brooks & Dunn, Reba McEntire, and numerous others. Through DFP, Deaton also worked on the opening title sequence for Monday Night Football and has directed or produced various commercials and television specials. In recent years, Deaton has worked as a producer on several albums for acts like Michael W. Smith, King Calaway, and Stone Cold Country, A 60th Anniversary Tribute to the Rolling Stones.

Early life

Robert Deaton grew up largely in Fayetteville, North Carolina. His father worked in radio and television. Growing up, Deaton learned to play various instruments, including guitar and trumpet, and he played in several garage bands as a teenager.

Career

After high school, Deaton moved to Nashville. He first earned work shooting news for the ABC affiliate WKRN and then transitioned to the marketing department shooting promos and other marketing content. In the mid-1980s, Deaton met George Flanigen, and the two founded the production company, Deaton-Flanigen Productions (DFP). and music videos. By 1991, the firm had begun working with country music stars, creating music videos and other promotional material for Vern Gosdin, Dolly Parton, Clint Black, Willie Nelson, and others. That year, Deaton also began directing and producing commercials for various companies and organizations, including the Los Angeles Lakers, through DFP.

In 1992, Deaton began directing the opening sequence of ABC's Monday Night Football (MNF). The sequence featured Hank Williams Jr. performing a reworked version of his song, "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight," cut with clips of that night's competing teams. Deaton won two Sports Emmy Awards in the first five years of working with MNF. In 1994, the duo won its first Country Music Association (CMA) Award for directing the music video for Martina McBride's "Independence Day".

Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Deaton continued directing music videos for acts like Diamond Rio, Brad Paisley, Reba McEntire, Big & Rich, Brooks & Dunn, The music video for Brooks & Dunn's "Believe" earned him his second CMA Award, but would later move to ABC where it would become known as the CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock. Deaton continues to serve as executive producer of the annual show.

In 2005, Deaton directed the ABC television special Kenny Chesney: Somewhere in the Sun. In 2006, he was named the consulting producer for the ABC broadcast of the CMA Awards. In 2007, he was named producer where he worked alongside executive producer Walter C. Miller. Deaton became the show's executive producer in 2008, a title he continues to hold. In 2010, he became the executive producer of the CMA Country Christmas special that broadcasts annually on ABC. an ABC reality singing competition series called Duets in 2012, a Tim McGraw and Faith Hill residency (Soul 2 Soul) at The Venetian Las Vegas in 2012, and the Michael W. Smith Christmas album, The Spirit of Christmas, in 2014.

In 2015, Deaton served as executive producer for the feature film, American Saturday Night: Live From The Grand Ole Opry, which featured live performances and backstage interviews with artists like Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, and Blake Shelton. In 2017, he was signed by the United Talent Agency. That year, he also executive produced the Nashville segments of the Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Relief special

In 2018, Deaton made his feature film directorial debut (alongside George Flanigen) with Benched. In 2022, he served as executive producer of the documentary film, Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon.

Credits

Film

+ List of feature film credits Year Title Role Notes 2015 American Saturday Night: Live From The Grand Ole Opry Executive producer 2018 Benched Director Co-directed with George Flanigen 2022 Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon Producer Documentary

Television

+ List of television credits Year Title Role Notes 2004–present CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock Executive producer ABC annual TV special(known as CMA: Best of Fest in 2020 and CMA Summer Jam in 2021) 2005 Kenny Chesney: Somewhere in the Sun Producer ABC TV special 2006–present Country Music Association Awards Consulting producer (2006)Producer (2007)Executive producer (2008–present) ABC annual awards ceremony 2010–present CMA Country Christmas Executive producer ABC annual TV special 2011 Rascal Flatts: Nothing Like This Executive producer ABC TV special 2012 Duets Executive producer ABC reality competition series 2014 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit: 50 Years of Beautiful Executive producer NBC TV special 2015 The Passion: New Orleans Executive producer Fox music TV special 2017 Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Relief Executive producer (Nashville segments) Benefit concert TV special simulcast on multiple networks 2018–2022 Billboard Music Awards Executive producer NBC annual awards ceremony 2021–present New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash Executive producer CBS annual TV special

Music

+ List of album credits Year Album Artist Role Notes 2014 The Spirit of Christmas Michael W. Smith Executive producer US #16 2019 Rivers King Calaway Executive producer 2023 Stone Cold Country Various Executive producer The Rolling Stones tribute album

Nominations and awards

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResult 1994 Country Music Association Awards Music Video of the Year "Independence Day" by Martina McBride(Robert Deaton and George Flanigen, co-directors) Academy of Country Music Awards Video of the Year 1998 "A Broken Wing" by Martina McBride(Robert Deaton and George Flanigen, co-directors) 2003 Country Music Association Awards Music Video of the Year "Concrete Angel" by Martina McBride(Robert Deaton and George Flanigen, co-directors) 2004 Academy of Country Music Awards Video of the Year Grammy Awards Best Short Form Music Video 2005 Country Music Association Awards Music Video of the Year "When I Think About Cheatin'" by Gretchen Wilson(Robert Deaton and George Flanigen, co-directors) Academy of Country Music Awards Video of the Year "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)" by Big & Rich(Robert Deaton and George Flanigen, co-directors) 2006 Country Music Association Awards Music Video of the Year "8th of November" by Big & Rich(Robert Deaton and George Flanigen, co-directors) "Believe" by Brooks & Dunn(Robert Deaton and George Flanigen, co-directors) Academy of Country Music Awards Video of the Year Grammy Awards Best Short Form Music Video "God's Will" by Martina McBride(Robert Deaton and George Flanigen, co-directors) 2007 Country Music Association Awards Music Video of the Year "Anyway" by Martina McBride(Robert Deaton and George Flanigen, co-directors) Academy of Country Music Awards Video of the Year "8th of November" by Big & Rich(Robert Deaton and George Flanigen, co-directors) Grammy Awards Best Short Form Music Video 2008 Academy of Country Music Awards Video of the Year "Lost in This Moment" by Big & Rich(Robert Deaton and George Flanigen, co-directors) 2017 Grammy Awards Best Music Film American Saturday Night: Live from the Grand Ole Opry(Robert Deaton, co-producer)