BMG Launches Americana/Roots Label Renew Records

BMG has launched a new label, Renew Records, that will focus on American roots and Americana music. The Los Angeles-based label will be led by BMG EVP David Hirshland.

The new venture capitalizes on BMG’s work representing artists and songwriters in the genre including Dave Alvin, Wilco, Calexico, Delta Spirit, Valerie June, Devendra Banhart, Larkin Poe, Nathaniel Rateliff, Amanda Shires, Hurray For The Riff Raff, alongside luminaries Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, Woody Guthrie, Jim Croce, Hank Williams, and Willie Dixon, among others.

“Renew Records is a wonderful opportunity for BMG to provide further creative outlets for our great talent, as well as new discoveries,” said Hirshland. “BMG’s lineage to some of the most lauded American roots music artists and songwriters is unparalleled. From the historic to contemporary BMG is the destination for great artistry and we look forward to helping artists and songwriters achieve more.”

Renew Records’ release schedule kicks off on Record Store Day (April 18) with the all-star tribute album Wilcovered. The album will be re-released for the first time on LP, with select tracks released digitally, and features a wide-range of artists covering Wilco songs including Billy Gibbons, Kurt Vile, Courtney Barnett, Sharon Van Etten, Parquet Courts, and more. Additional upcoming releases include a new album from The Suitcase Junket, an Americana-inspired railroad compilation featuring well-known and original train songs from Dave Alvin, and a never-before-released Johnny Cash live album recorded in 1968 at the historic Carousel Ballroom in San Francisco a week before the release of Live at Folsom Prison.

The launch of Renew Records comes just three months after the announcement of Modern Recordings, a label dedicated to new classical, jazz, and electronic music, and the first new label to be launched by BMG since it commenced operations in 2008. Renew will now be an integral part of the BMG roster that includes Nashville’s Broken Bow Records, Stoney Creek Records and Wheelhouse Records, New York pop label S-Curve Records and Los Angeles’ rock label Rise Records and hip-hop label RBC Records, operating alongside the core BMG label.

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Lorie Hollabaugh

Hollabaugh, a staff writer at MusicRow magazine, has over 20 years of music business experience and has written for publications including American Profile, CMA Close Up, Nashville Arts And Entertainment, The Boot and Country Weekly. She has a Broadcast Journalism and Speech Communication degree from Texas Christian University, (go Horned Frogs), and welcomes your feedback or story ideas at lhollabaugh@musicrow.com.

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