BREAKING: Lost Highway Records Teams With Interscope Geffen A&M To Launch New Chapter
Jake Gear and Bobby Knotts. Photo: Matt Paskert
The iconic Lost Highway Records is entering a new chapter with the support of Interscope Geffen A&M. Robert Knotts and Jake Gear will lead the Nashville-based label as Executive Vice Presidents & Co-Heads.
Founded in 2000 by Luke Lewis, Lost Highway became home to culture-defining artists of the era such as Kacey Musgraves, Willie Nelson, Ryan Bingham, Hayes Carll, Lucinda Williams, Drive-By Truckers, Lyle Lovett, Tift Merritt, Robert Earl Keen, Shelby Lynne, Elvis Costello and Mary Gauthier. The label was absorbed into Mercury Nashville when Lewis retired in 2012.
Earlier this year, former UMG Nashville head Cindy Mabe announced the relaunch of the label in partnership with T Bone Burnett, who produced the new hit country album for Ringo Starr, Look Up, released on Lost Highway. In this new iteration with Interscope, Burnett will continue to collaborate with the label on a number of projects, including the 25th Anniversary edition of the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack.
John Janick, Chairman & CEO, Interscope Capitol and IGA, handpicked Knotts and Gear to take Lost Highway into the future. Each executive has deep roots in Nashville and embodies the spirit that has guided both Lost Highway and Interscope – an unwavering commitment to putting artists first. As Executive Vice Presidents and Co-Heads of Lost Highway, Knotts and Gear will lead the label into a new chapter, assembling a team of their own team in Nashville who will work closely with IGA.
“Lost Highway carved out a special place in the remarkable musical legacy of Nashville. It was a left-of-center label with one-of-a-kind artists who, at their core, were great songwriters and moved culture. Similarly, Interscope has always been a beacon to artists who don’t fit into a box yet are destined to inspire what comes next,” Janick shares. “With this new chapter in Lost Highway’s history, we are devoted to empowering the next generation of trailblazers, both artists and executives.”
Knotts joins Lost Highway from Nashville-based Thirty Tigers, where he rose through the ranks from intern to Senior Vice President, Artist and Label Services. Over the past 12 years, he has played an integral role in shaping the team, structure, and culture of Thirty Tigers while facilitating campaigns for artists such as Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Sturgill Simpson, Lucinda Williams, Turnpike Troubadours, Maggie Antone, Muscadine Bloodline and more. A native of Georgia, he graduated from UGA.
Knotts says, “Over the course of my career, my goal has always been to operate in service to the artist’s vision while understanding the emotional connection to their art. It is with this same spirit that Lost Highway left a lasting impact on the Nashville community—providing a home for artists who aren’t defined by genre and recognizing that the artist’s vision ultimately shapes culture itself. I am honored to carry that approach forward alongside one of my closest friends, Jake Gear. With John Janick’s guidance, and support from the entire Interscope team, we have an incredible opportunity to combine an artist-first mentality with Interscope’s remarkable ability to help build worlds around an artist’s vision.”
Gear comes to Lost Highway from UMG Nashville where, as Vice President A&R, he was instrumental in signing and developing breakthrough artist Tucker Wetmore, working closely with Vincent Mason (whom he previously signed for publishing), as well as A&Ring studio albums by Parker McCollum, Jordan Davis and Dierks Bentley and single releases on Sam Hunt, Josh Ross, Brothers Osborne and Brad Paisley.
An Iowa native and Belmont graduate, he spent 12 years in the publishing community on Music Row, helping to land hit records with Morgan Wallen, Jelly Roll, Kelsea Ballerini, Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan and Eric Church. In 2020, he partnered with Hillary Lindsey and Concord Music to launch Hang Your Hat Music, and has produced critically acclaimed albums for Hailey Whitters and Flatland Cavalry.
“Lost Highway has a rich history. Many of these releases and artists were formative in developing my own appreciation of the craft of songwriting,” Gear shares. “The label was a pioneer in taste, representing an ethos of artistry first, an openness to taking creative risks and shining a light on artists who drifted on the fringes of the major label defined ‘mainstream.’ Together with my friend, Robert, and with the backing of John Janick and Interscope, I look forward to curating the roster.”
