Cindy Mabe. Photo: Kevin Wimpy

Cindy Mabe has been appointed Chair and CEO of Universal Music Group Nashville, effective April 1, 2023. She will succeed Mike Dungan, who will retire from his position at UMG Nashville after more than a decade there and a total of four decades in the music industry.

During her tenure at UMG, Mabe has helped guide and grow the careers of some of country music’s biggest stars, including Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Jordan Davis, Mickey Guyton, Sam Hunt, Alan Jackson, Parker McCollum, Reba McEntire, Kacey Musgraves, Jon Pardi, Chris Stapleton, George Strait, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Brothers Osborne and Little Big Town, among countless others. She has earned multiple honors, including the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum Award and the SOURCE Hall of Fame Award.

Of the announcement, Mabe shares, “For the past 15 years, Mike Dungan has been my mentor and partner. He has built one of the most enduring and impactful legacies in country music history. He’s also been my friend. I’m grateful for the chance he took on me and so very proud of what we have built together over those 15 years with our staff and the most enviable roster in music.

“To now be in a position, as Mike’s successor, to advance the musical and cultural impact of Universal Music Group Nashville into the future is truly a humbling honor. Country music has been my life’s passion. It’s my childhood and my future. It’s the heartbeat that speaks truth to all walks of life in the best and worst of times. It’s truly a gift to get to honor, protect and build the next era of country music history with UMGN,” she continues. “I want to thank Sir Lucian Grainge for his belief in me, his brilliant leadership and for building this incredible culture that puts artists and music first.”

Sir Lucian Grainge, UMG’s Chairman and CEO adds, “We’re thrilled to have Cindy step into this role. She is a transformational executive, who has a distinguished track record of designing and implementing innovative strategies to help build artists’ careers and bring their music to fans around the world. Cindy’s credibility in the artist community and her deep experience will help us deliver countless additional artists’ successes going forward.”

A North Carolina native, Mabe attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and graduated from Belmont University in Nashville with a B.S. in Business Administration. She bagan her career as promotions coordinator at RCA Nashville, before shifting to sales and then artist marketing and development. She later served as Senior Director of Marketing and Artist Development at Arista Records Nashville from 1999-2007 before joining Capitol Records.

Mabe spent five years at Capitol Records Nashville, where she held the position of SVP of Marketing and played an integral role in the long-term creative and commercial success of the label. She joined UMG Nashville in 2012 as Senior Vice President of Marketing, where she was responsible for leading marketing across UMG’s expanded suite of country labels following its acquisition of EMI.

Mabe is one of Music Row’s most esteemed executives. She became Nashville’s highest-ranking woman label executive in 2014 when she was appointed as UMG Nashville President, and she makes history again by becoming the first woman to serve as Chair and CEO of a Nashville-based major label group. 2022 also saw the appointment of another female label-head on Music Row when Cris Lacy became Co-President of Warner Music Nashville.

Mike Dungan. Photo: Eric Adkins / UMG

Universal Music Group Nashville Chairman and CEO Mike Dungan will retire in March. He has led the Nashville arm of the company since 2012.

Dungan will continue to serve as an advisor to UMG Chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge. The announcement indicated that Dungan’s successor will be revealed at a later date, though current UMG Nashville president Cindy Mabe is expected to assume the position.

Dungan began his career in Cincinnati working at a record store as a teenager. He moved to the label side of the business in 1979 at RCA/BMG, where he worked his way up to Sr. VP of Sales and Marketing.

A job with Arista Nashville moved Dungan to Music City. He worked alongside Tim DuBois and rose to Sr. VP/General Manager. In his 10 years leading Arista Nashville, the label had success with Brooks & Dunn and Alan Jackson.

Dungan became President of EMI Music’s Capitol Nashville in 2012. He led the label for 12 years, assuming his current position when UMG purchased EMI. During his tenure, he has overseen the careers of some of country music’s most iconic performers, alongside some of the biggest breakthrough artists of the last decade, including Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Chris Stapleton, Lady Antebellum, Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town, George Strait, Eric Church, Darius Rucker, Alan Jackson, Shania Twain, Dierks Bentley, Maddie & Tae, Gary Allan, Vince Gill, Billy Currington, Sam Hunt, Kacey Musgraves, Brothers Osborne, Mickey Guyton, Parker McCollum, Priscilla Block, Jon Pardi and Reba.

“For 43 years the music business has been my home – smiling, dialing, selling, hustling, laughing, doing my part to help the art and magic realize its potential. And loving every minute of it,” Dungan shared in a statement. “I’ve lived a charmed life, and there are no words to describe how grateful I am, and how blessed I feel, for everyone that I have encountered along the way. I’m also proud to boast that through it all, with little exception, I have been ‘all-in’ as a competitor and as a friend.

“The solemn truth is that over time, that intensity takes its toll, and a lot of the dog has been knocked out of me. By the time I leave here I will be 69 years old. It is time to slow down – I look forward to devoting more time to my family and to my garden,” he continued. “I have an incredible wife who has put up with my nonsense for 45 years. We have two great kids who have two great wives of their own. And we have five wonderful grandkids who I intend to spoil to the fullest. I am forever grateful to Sir Lucian Grainge, who eleven years ago handed me the keys to the best job in the world. To him and to everyone at UMG, to all of those who have been my family-in-arms now and in the past, to all those creators whose art it has been my pleasure to represent… I am at a loss to express my love and gratitude. I am the luckiest man alive.”

“Mike is a unique force,” said Grainge, UMG’s Chairman and CEO. “He has had an incredible impact on the careers and well-being of so many in Nashville through the years – from artists to employees. After a brilliant four decades in Nashville, and with our team they are well-positioned for continued strength, Mike is making an admirable and well-deserved life change. And while he won’t be serving in his CEO capacity, I’ve asked him to continue to contribute to areas that we’re both passionate about—breaking genre barriers and delivering critical support to artists past and present. I am deeply grateful to Mike for all he has done for our company and our artists and congratulate him on his unprecedented career success. I’m so pleased we will continue to have the benefit of his experience, deep relationships and wisdom.”