Broken Bow and RED Launch Red Bow Records

Broken Bow Music Group and Sony Music’s RED Distribution have formed Red Bow Records, a label partnership to be located in Nashville. The new imprint will be headquartered on Music Row, and BBR Music Group will handle its creative and promotion initiatives. Red Bow’s initial artist signings are hitmaker Joe Nichols and newcomer Rachel Farley. The debut single from Farley will be released in early 2013 with the album to follow next summer.

The news was revealed at a press event this morning (10/31) at Hard Rock Cafe, where Nichols signed his recording agreement in front of his team and members of the media.

“We could have done this ourselves; however, we have a longstanding, trusted friendship and professional relationship with RED Distribution,” says Benny Brown, President/ CEO of the BBR Music Group. “This new venture was a great way to further that relationship, which expands both our business models and creates new opportunities for both companies and for the artists on our labels.”

“We are thrilled to be expanding our very successful relationship with BBR Music Group through the launch of Red Bow Records,” says Bob Morelli, President RED Distribution. “Benny is a Nashville visionary and we are excited to be partnering with an executive of his tremendous talents and accomplishments on this new venture. This agreement further underscores RED’s ongoing commitment to supporting independent labels and artists with innovative distribution and artist development solutions.”

Additionally, BBR EVP Jon Loba and Sr. VP of Promotion Carson James announced the appointment of radio promotion veteran Renee Leymon as Red Bow’s VP of Promotion. She most recently worked with Arista Records, and previously spent 12 years at Lyric Street Records. Contact her at renee@redbowrecords.com.

Current Stoney Creek Records SW/MW Manager of Promotion Shelley Hargis will move to Red Bow as National Director of Promotion. She has spent seven years with the label group. Reach her at shelley@redbowrecords.com.

Kendra Whitehead is joining the label as West Coast Manager of Promotion. Whitehead has spent the last 12 years in real estate, and brings 20 years of sales experience to the team. She will be based in California’s Silicon Valley and can be reached at kendra@redbowrecords.com.

During the press conference, Loba recapped BBR’s success from the ground up. He said Brown founded the company after noticing label mergers had left talented executives and artists without homes. He believed an independent company could give some artists more attention than they received on major label rosters. Since its inception, BBR has succeeded in areas where many other indies have not, including radio, sales, and awards wins. Today it also houses management and publishing divisions. “Once there was an expectation of failure,” said Loba of BBR, “now there is an expectation of success.”

Nichols’ career includes ACM and CMA Awards, four Grammy nominations, four No. 1 singles, and 2.2 million records sold. Up-and-coming artist Farley, a 17-year-old Georgia native, has spent much of 2012 opening for BBR flagship artist Jason Aldean’s My Kinda Party Tour.

Additional staff and artist announcements are forthcoming.