ROUNDER RECORDS COMPLETES MOVE
TO NASHVILLE
Concord Music Group Acquires Treasured Children's Label Music For Little
People,
Imprint Will Operate
Under Rounder
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE - MARCH 6, 2014 - Rounder Records, a division of leading independent music company
Concord Music Group, today announced the completion of the company's relocation
from its longtime base of Boston, Massachusetts to its new home in Nashville,
Tennessee. The region's vibrant creative community and dynamic business
environment offer Rounder an enormous opportunity to build on its legacy as one
of America's most revered music labels. Located in The Gulch, Nashville's
popular shopping and entertainment district, Rounder's new headquarters (1209
Pine Street, Suite 100, Nashville, TN 37203) is centered in the heart of the
city's thriving metropolitan core.
A major force in a broad range of
musical genres including Americana, bluegrass, country, folk, rock, Cajun/Zydeco
and children's music, Rounder Records has helped shape American roots music for
over 40 years. Its outstanding artist roster includes Alison Krauss, Steve
Martin, RUSH, Gregg Allman, Raffi, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Carlene Carter, Steep
Canyon Rangers, Tony Trischka and rising stars such as J.D. McPherson, Della Mae
and others.
Concord Music Group and Rounder are additionally delighted
about the effort to broaden their presence in children's entertainment, anchored
by the recent acquisition of the beloved record label Music For Little People.
The company will operate as an imprint under Rounder, which shares a long and
complementary history in children's music. A premiere children's music showcase
for 25+ years, Music For Little People releases have featured artists such as
Willie Nelson, Faith Hill, Taj Mahal, Los Lobos, Laurie Berkner, AC/DC's Brian
Johnson, Pete Seeger and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, to name but a few. Music For
Little People founder Leib Ostrow will continue to be an essential contributor
to the label going forward. A slate of new projects is scheduled for release in
2014 and beyond.
Headed by President John Virant, Rounder's Nashville
team includes Vice President of A&R Scott Billington, newly appointed Vice
President of A&R Tracy Gershon and Director of Project Management Eliza
Levy. Rounder will continue to be supported by Concord's integrated national
sales and marketing services.
Rounder Records founders, Ken Irwin, Bill
Nowlin and Marian Leighton Levy remain in the Boston area and continue to be
actively engaged in the company, producing and consulting on various Rounder
projects.
"Rounder has always been driven by the music, and we're
thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute and be part of the Music City
community," said Rounder President John Virant.
"In many ways, the move
to Nashville feels like a natural transition," stated Concord Music Group
President and CEO Glen Barros. "The region's deeply rooted, artist friendly
culture and its surrounding business community make it the ideal home for
Rounder. Additionally, Music For Little People is a great label that will
strengthen Rounder's commitment to quality entertainment for children. We
couldn't be more excited about this next chapter in the company's incredible
story." About Rounder
Records: Rounder has been at the center of
American roots music the last 40 years. The self-titled 1975 record by J.D.
Crowe and the New South (featuring future stars Ricky Skaggs, Tony Rice and
Jerry Douglas) revitalized bluegrass and inspired such modern superstars as
Rounder's own Alison Krauss, who is the most decorated female artist in the
history of the GRAMMY® Awards and has also sold over eight million albums and
DVDs. Her collaboration with Led Zeppelin front man Robert Plant on the album
Raising Sand emerged as one of 2007's major critical and word-of-mouth sales
success stories. The album was RIAA-certified platinum in early 2008 and won
five GRAMMY® Awards including Album and Record of the Year in 2009. An
unequaled leader in the preservation and re-release of precious historic
recordings, Rounder has brought the music of Jelly Roll Morton, Woody Guthrie,
Lead Belly, the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers and Mississippi John Hurt back to
vibrant life. In addition, their dazzling work on the epic anthologies from the
Library of Congress and the Alan Lomax Collection has been universally respected
and admired.
About Concord Music
Group: Based in Beverly Hills, CA privately
held Concord Music Group, is one of the largest independent record and music
publishing companies in the world and owner of a rich and historically
significant catalog of recordings. A small sampling of the company's active
roster includes such renowned artists as Sir Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Alison
Krauss, Chick Corea, James Taylor, Booker T. Jones, George Benson, Steve Martin,
Valerie June, Christian Scott, Gregg Allman, Elbow, Ben Harper and Esperanza
Spalding. Concord's stellar catalog includes legends such as John Coltrane,
John Fogerty, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Little
Richard, Otis Redding, Thelonious Monk, Isaac Hayes, Ella Fitzgerald and Tony
Bennett, among many others. The company's celebrated family of labels includes
Concord Records, Concord Jazz, Hear Music, Fantasy, Stax, Milestone, Riverside,
Specialty, Telarc, Heads Up, Prestige and famed American roots label Rounder
Records.
The group's artists and music have won over 200
GRAMMY® Awards, an affirmation of the company's mission to enrich lives by
providing enduring music in creative and innovative ways. Concord Music Group's
releases are distributed throughout the world by Universal Music Group and are
regularly licensed for use in major motion pictures, television and
advertising.
In March of 2013, Wood Creek Capital Management,
LLC acquired Concord Music Group in partnership with an individual investor
group that includes members of Concord's senior management. As an investment
manager at the forefront of intellectual property investing, the investment in
Concord underscores Wood Creek's belief in the lasting and appreciating value of
great music content around the globe.
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