Eden, N.C.’s Crystal Dishmon may have earned a degree from Belmont and honed her skills as a tour manager, but it was after joining Marion Kraft’s Shopkeeper Management as day-to-day for Miranda Lambert, as well as Lambert’s Pistol Annies girl gang, that she came into her own. Today, she still handles those tasks, but she’s also managing Canadian Country Music Association Humanitarian of the Year Tenille Townes, whose “Somebody’s Daughter” is gaining traction. Citing her patience as a key skill, Dishmon wants to invest the time to create something that will last. Staying focused on “developing a foundation for long-lasting careers,” she believes, “It’s vital to keep that priority top of mind.”

What are the advantages of this brave new world?

More open lanes for music and artists who do not fit within a certain genre or mold. 10 years ago, if you didn’t fit into the mainstream of a genre, then you didn’t have an outlet to really get your music heard. With streaming, there are more open doors.

Has breaking an artist changed?

It takes more than a couple of hits to have a career. You have to craft a continuous story to define who the artist is and what they stand for to give fans something to identify with. More so than ever before, fans want to know about artists and identify with them. This is a big shift from how it used to be.

Best Advice?

Not only do I not have to have all the answers, but I’m not expected to. My value is in my ability to ask for advice when needed, then take that advice and make the best decision for my artist.

With more doors open and endless avenues to go down, how to cut through the noise becomes critical.