Spirit Music VP A&R and Production and ACM Award-winning guitarist and producer, Derek Wells, is continuing to expand his repertoire, serving as Music Director for several recent and upcoming performances.
Nominated again in 2026 as ACM Electric Guitar Player of the Year, Wells is also the Music Director (MD) for Post Malone’s celebrated return to 2026’s Coachella and Stagecoach. “A massive spectacle of stage and song” (Billboard) that “had the crowd grooving” (Rolling Stone), his Stagecoach headlining set, where Wells also played guitar in Posty’s band, was named among Billboard and Rolling Stone’s 10 Best Performances at this year’s fan-favorite festival.
In addition to serving as an executive with Spirit Music and MD for Post Malone’s recent history-making Stagecoach (2026) and Coachella (2025, 2026) headlining sets, Wells serves as MD for next month’s Fender Presents: Tele Town at Ryman Auditorium and ACM Lifting Lives’ Country on the Green. He is also the long-standing MD for ACM Honors, returning for his 10th year in 2026.
A boutique music publisher with global reach, Spirit Music wants to bring music publishing back to its hard driving, entrepreneurial, service-and-results oriented roots. Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Nashville with offices in Los Angeles and the UK, Spirit has become a haven for veteran songwriters, buzzing newcomers, and iconic music catalogs from all genres and parts of the world. As one of the world’s leading independent music publishers, owning and/or managing more than 100,000 songs spanning nine decades and every musical genre, Spirit’s portfolio consists of over 800+ charted hits and 200+ number one songs. The company’s repertoire includes hits recorded by such iconic artists as HARDY, Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton, Camilla Cabello, The Who, John Legend, Chicago, The Go-Go’s, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Jay-Z, Billy Gibbons, Ricky Martin, Brad Paisley, Toto, Madonna, Jason Aldean, Five Finger Death Punch, The Black Crowes, T.Rex, Charles Mingus, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Billy Squier, Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston, Eminem, Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Salt-N-Pepa, Tom Petty, and more.
Derek Wells is a Nashville-based guitarist, producer, songwriter, and musical director credited on over 100 number one songs. Known for his taste, versatility, and musical instinct, Wells has become a go-to collaborator for artists, writers, and producers at the highest levels of the industry.
As a guitarist and producer, Wells has contributed to numerous chart-topping and award-winning recordings, for artists like Post Malone, Ella Langley, Morgan Wallen, HARDY, Dan + Shay, Kane Brown and others. He is a multiple ACM and CMA award winner as well as a 4 time “Music Row Magazine Guitar Player of the Year” recipient.
In the live and television space, Wells is an in-demand Musical Director, having led bands for major events including headliner sets at Coachella, Stagecoach, Stand Up To Cancer, Grand Ole Opry 100 Year Anniversary Special, the CMA Awards and ACM Honors. His ability to translate studio-quality musicality to high-pressure live environments has made him a trusted leader for nationally televised performances and one-of-a-kind collaborations.
