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). The duo's early work included directing and producing regional commercials 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". In 1995, Deaton was appointed to the CMA's board of directors. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Deaton continued directing music videos for acts like Diamond Rio, Brad Paisley, Reba McEntire, Big & Rich, Brooks & Dunn,  and Rascal Flatts. The music video for Brooks & Dunn's "Believe" earned him his second CMA Award, and he also earned four Grammy nominations for directing other music videos. In 2003, Deaton pitched the idea of a television special to CBS that would showcase performances from the CMA Music Festival. The resultant two-hour special first aired in 2004 on CBS, 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. In the ensuing years, he worked as executive producer on a variety of projects including a Rascal Flatts TV special on ABC in 2011, 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. The film was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Music Film in 2017. In 2016, he produced the Fox musical television special, The Passion: New Orleans presented by Tyler Perry. 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 and was announced as the executive producer for the Billboard Music Awards ceremony on NBC. In 2018, Deaton made his feature film directorial debut (alongside George Flanigen) with Benched. In 2021, Deaton extended his contract with the CMA for five years to remain the head of the association's television properties. That year, he also became the executive producer of New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash, an annual New Year's Eve special on CBS. In 2022, he served as executive producer of the documentary film, Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon. In 2023, Deaton is producing Stone Cold Country, a Rolling Stones tribute album featuring various country artists including Brooks & Dunn, Elle King, Maren Morris, Eric Church, and others. The album is due to be released in March 2023.