New West Records
Encyclopedia
New West Records is a record label
based in Los Angeles, California
, Austin, Texas
, and Athens, Georgia
. It was established in 1998
, and has been home to several indie rock
and alternative country
bands as well as representing the PBS show Austin City Limits
. Their records are distributed by RED Distribution
.
New West Records LLC is an eleven year old, wholly independent record label
distributed in the United States by RED Distribution
. With offices in Los Angeles
, Athens, GA and Austin TX, the company is staffed by a unique blend of music and business specialists.
The label has had numerous releases debut in the Billboard Top 200 and has a number of Grammy award winning artists and releases including Dwight Yoakam
, Steve Earle
, Rickie Lee Jones
, Kris Kristofferson
and Delbert McClinton
. In addition, the roster includes Ben Lee
, Buddy & Julie Miller
, Corb Lund, Ian Hunter
, John Hiatt
, Jordan Zevon
, Mark Olson
& Gary Louris
, Old 97's
, Randall Bramblett
, Ray Davies
, Stephen Bruton
, The Drams, The Flatlanders
and Tim Easton
. The extensive catalogue includes releases from Benji Hughes
, Drive-By Truckers
, Jason Isbell
and Vic Chesnutt
.
In 2007 and 2008 New West was recognized by NARM as the entertainment software supplier of the year. New West Records also exclusively releases CDs and DVDs from the award-winning television program “Austin City Limits
”. The label recently released the Crazy Heart: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack which features the Academy Award and Golden Globe winning song “The Weary Kind
(Theme From Crazy Heart)” co-written by T Bone Burnett and Ryan Bingham
.
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
based in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, and Athens, Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
. It was established in 1998
1998 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1998.-Events:*January 28 – "Weird Al" Yankovic gets LASIK surgery to cure his myopia...
, and has been home to several indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
and alternative country
Alternative country
Alternative country is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music...
bands as well as representing the PBS show Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits is an American public television music program recorded live in Austin, Texas by Public Broadcasting Service Public television member station KLRU, and broadcast on many PBS stations around the United States...
. Their records are distributed by RED Distribution
RED Distribution
RED - An Artist Development Company is a Sony Music Entertainment-owned sales and marketing division that handles releases for over sixty independent record labels....
.
New West Records LLC is an eleven year old, wholly independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
distributed in the United States by RED Distribution
RED Distribution
RED - An Artist Development Company is a Sony Music Entertainment-owned sales and marketing division that handles releases for over sixty independent record labels....
. With offices in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Athens, GA and Austin TX, the company is staffed by a unique blend of music and business specialists.
The label has had numerous releases debut in the Billboard Top 200 and has a number of Grammy award winning artists and releases including Dwight Yoakam
Dwight Yoakam
Dwight David Yoakam is an American singer-songwriter, actor and film director, most famous for his pioneering country music...
, Steve Earle
Steve Earle
Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....
, Rickie Lee Jones
Rickie Lee Jones
Rickie Lee Jones is an American vocalist, musician, songwriter, and producer. Over the course of a three-decade career, Jones has recorded in various musical styles including rock, R&B, blues, pop, soul, and jazz standards.-Childhood:...
, Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson
Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
and Delbert McClinton
Delbert McClinton
Delbert McClinton is an American blues rock and electric blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, harmonica player, and pianist....
. In addition, the roster includes Ben Lee
Ben Lee
Benjamin Michael "Ben" Lee is an ARIA Award winning musician and actor. Lee began his career as a musician at the age of 14 with the Sydney band Noise Addict, but focused on his solo career when the band broke up in 1995. He appeared as the protagonist in the Australian film The Rage in Placid Lake...
, Buddy & Julie Miller
Buddy & Julie Miller
Buddy & Julie Miller is a 2001 album by Buddy and Julie Miller. Prior to this recording the husband and wife singer-songwriters had each made appearances on the other's solo recordings, but this disc marked their first official release as a duo. The music has been described as more rock based than...
, Corb Lund, Ian Hunter
Ian Hunter
Ian Hunter is the name of:* Ian Hunter , South African/British actor* Ian Hunter , cricketer with Derbyshire County Cricket Club* Ian Hunter , Australian association football player...
, John Hiatt
John Hiatt
John Hiatt is an American rock guitarist, pianist, singer, and songwriter. He has played a variety of musical styles on his albums, including New Wave, blues and country. Hiatt has been nominated for several Grammy Awards - although he has never won- and has been awarded a variety of other...
, Jordan Zevon
Jordan Zevon
Jordan Zevon is an American singer, musician and songwriter. He is the son of rock musician Warren Zevon. Following his father's death in 2003, Jordan, his half-sister, Ariel, and longtime Zevon collaborator Jorge Calderón accepted Warren's two posthumous Grammy Awards for Best Rock Vocal...
, Mark Olson
Mark Olson
Mark W. Olson was a member of the Board of Governors of the U.S. Federal Reserve from 2001 to 2006. Filling an unexpired term to end on January 31, 2010, he resigned on June 21, 2006 in order to run the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.-Biography:In 1943, Mark W. Olson was born on March...
& Gary Louris
Gary Louris
Gary Louris is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter of alternative country and pop music. He was a founding member of the Minneapolis-based band The Jayhawks, and their principal songwriter and vocalist after the departure of Mark Olson; he is often credited with the band's subsequent move from...
, Old 97's
Old 97's
The Old 97's are an alternative country band from Dallas, Texas. Formed in 1993, they have since released nine studio albums, two full extended plays, shared split duty on another, and have one live album. Their most recent release is The Grand Theatre, Volume Two...
, Randall Bramblett
Randall Bramblett
Randall Bramblett is an American musician and singer-songwriter, whose career as a solo artist, session player, and touring musician, has spanned more than three decades. He has worked with such notable performers as Gregg Allman, Bonnie Raitt, Robbie Robertson, Elvin Bishop, Steve Winwood,...
, Ray Davies
Ray Davies
Ray Davies, CBE is an English rock musician. He is best known as lead singer and songwriter for the Kinks, which he led with his younger brother, Dave...
, Stephen Bruton
Stephen Bruton
-Background:Born in Wilmington, Delaware as Turner Stephen Bruton, he moved with his family to Texas at the age of two. He fell into the Fort Worth music scene after graduating from Texas Christian University when he joined Kris Kristofferson's band as the latter's career was about to take off;...
, The Drams, The Flatlanders
The Flatlanders
The Flatlanders are a country band with considerable country rock influence from Lubbock, Texas founded by singers/songwriters/guitarists Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely, and Butch Hancock....
and Tim Easton
Tim Easton
Tim Easton is a Joshua Tree, California-based American guitarist and singer-songwriter playing rock and roll music.-Biography:Easton was raised in Akron, Ohio, forming the band Kosher Spears while at college. He travelled abroad for a time, busking in London, Paris, and Dublin, and on his return to...
. The extensive catalogue includes releases from Benji Hughes
Benji Hughes
Benji Hughes is an American artist from Charlotte, North Carolina. On July 22, 2008, Benji Hughes released his debut album, entitled A Love Extreme on New West Records. A Love Extreme is a double-disc album containing 25 songs...
, Drive-By Truckers
Drive-By Truckers
Drive-By Truckers are an alternative country/Southern rock band based in Athens, Georgia, though three out of six members are originally from The Shoals region of Northern Alabama, and the band strongly identifies with Alabama. Their music uses three guitars as well as bass, drums, and now...
, Jason Isbell
Jason Isbell
Jason Isbell is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Greenhill, Alabama, near Muscle Shoals.-Background:Almost all of Isbell's family, except his parents, were musicians, and his father was an avid music listener...
and Vic Chesnutt
Vic Chesnutt
James Victor "Vic" Chesnutt was an American singer-songwriter from Athens, Georgia. His first album, Little, was released in 1990, but his breakthrough to commercial success didn't come until 1996 with the release of Sweet Relief II: Gravity of the Situation, a tribute album of mainstream artists...
.
In 2007 and 2008 New West was recognized by NARM as the entertainment software supplier of the year. New West Records also exclusively releases CDs and DVDs from the award-winning television program “Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits is an American public television music program recorded live in Austin, Texas by Public Broadcasting Service Public television member station KLRU, and broadcast on many PBS stations around the United States...
”. The label recently released the Crazy Heart: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack which features the Academy Award and Golden Globe winning song “The Weary Kind
The Weary Kind
"The Weary Kind" is a country song written by Ryan Bingham and T-Bone Burnett for the film Crazy Heart, a 2009 film directed by Scott Cooper starring Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Colin Farrell and Bridges perform renditions of the song in the film...
(Theme From Crazy Heart)” co-written by T Bone Burnett and Ryan Bingham
Ryan Bingham
Ryan Bingham is an Americana singer-songwriter currently based in Los Angeles, California.After garnering critical acclaim for his first two studio releases on Lost Highway Records, 2007's Mescalito and 2009's Roadhouse Sun, Ryan Bingham went on to collaborate with Grammy-winning producer T Bone...
.
List of artists
- Kris KristoffersonKris KristoffersonKristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
- Rickie Lee JonesRickie Lee JonesRickie Lee Jones is an American vocalist, musician, songwriter, and producer. Over the course of a three-decade career, Jones has recorded in various musical styles including rock, R&B, blues, pop, soul, and jazz standards.-Childhood:...
- Ben LeeBen LeeBenjamin Michael "Ben" Lee is an ARIA Award winning musician and actor. Lee began his career as a musician at the age of 14 with the Sydney band Noise Addict, but focused on his solo career when the band broke up in 1995. He appeared as the protagonist in the Australian film The Rage in Placid Lake...
- Drive-By TruckersDrive-By TruckersDrive-By Truckers are an alternative country/Southern rock band based in Athens, Georgia, though three out of six members are originally from The Shoals region of Northern Alabama, and the band strongly identifies with Alabama. Their music uses three guitars as well as bass, drums, and now...
- Dwight YoakamDwight YoakamDwight David Yoakam is an American singer-songwriter, actor and film director, most famous for his pioneering country music...
- Steve EarleSteve EarleStephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....
- Corb Lund
- Buffalo TomBuffalo TomBuffalo Tom is an alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1986. Its principal members are guitarist Bill Janovitz, bassist Chris Colbourn, and drummer Tom Maginnis. The band's name is derived from the band Buffalo Springfield and the first name of the drummer.-Career:Dinosaur Jr...
- John HiattJohn HiattJohn Hiatt is an American rock guitarist, pianist, singer, and songwriter. He has played a variety of musical styles on his albums, including New Wave, blues and country. Hiatt has been nominated for several Grammy Awards - although he has never won- and has been awarded a variety of other...
- Old 97'sOld 97'sThe Old 97's are an alternative country band from Dallas, Texas. Formed in 1993, they have since released nine studio albums, two full extended plays, shared split duty on another, and have one live album. Their most recent release is The Grand Theatre, Volume Two...
- Tim EastonTim EastonTim Easton is a Joshua Tree, California-based American guitarist and singer-songwriter playing rock and roll music.-Biography:Easton was raised in Akron, Ohio, forming the band Kosher Spears while at college. He travelled abroad for a time, busking in London, Paris, and Dublin, and on his return to...
- Buddy MillerBuddy MillerBuddy Miller is a country singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist and producer, currently living in Nashville, Tennessee...
- Randall BramblettRandall BramblettRandall Bramblett is an American musician and singer-songwriter, whose career as a solo artist, session player, and touring musician, has spanned more than three decades. He has worked with such notable performers as Gregg Allman, Bonnie Raitt, Robbie Robertson, Elvin Bishop, Steve Winwood,...
- The Drams
- Delbert McClintonDelbert McClintonDelbert McClinton is an American blues rock and electric blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, harmonica player, and pianist....
- SlobberboneSlobberboneSlobberbone is an American alt-country band from Denton, Texas that formed in 1994. Slobberbone toured across the United States many times. The best-known line-up consisted of Brent Best , Jess Barr , Brian Lane , and drummer Tony Harper, although their lineup changed over the years...
- The FlatlandersThe FlatlandersThe Flatlanders are a country band with considerable country rock influence from Lubbock, Texas founded by singers/songwriters/guitarists Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely, and Butch Hancock....
- Nic Armstrong & the ThievesNic Armstrong & The ThievesNic Armstrong & The Thieves is an English rock band founded by Nic Armstrong and perceived to be inspired by the blues and the rock music of the 1960s, particularly bands such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Kinks...
- Jordan ZevonJordan ZevonJordan Zevon is an American singer, musician and songwriter. He is the son of rock musician Warren Zevon. Following his father's death in 2003, Jordan, his half-sister, Ariel, and longtime Zevon collaborator Jorge Calderón accepted Warren's two posthumous Grammy Awards for Best Rock Vocal...
- Benji HughesBenji HughesBenji Hughes is an American artist from Charlotte, North Carolina. On July 22, 2008, Benji Hughes released his debut album, entitled A Love Extreme on New West Records. A Love Extreme is a double-disc album containing 25 songs...
- Stephen BrutonStephen Bruton-Background:Born in Wilmington, Delaware as Turner Stephen Bruton, he moved with his family to Texas at the age of two. He fell into the Fort Worth music scene after graduating from Texas Christian University when he joined Kris Kristofferson's band as the latter's career was about to take off;...
- Patterson Hood
- Jason IsbellJason IsbellJason Isbell is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Greenhill, Alabama, near Muscle Shoals.-Background:Almost all of Isbell's family, except his parents, were musicians, and his father was an avid music listener...
- Jon Dee GrahamJon Dee GrahamJon Dee Graham is a musician, guitarist and songwriter from Austin, Texas. He was born February 28, 1959. Graham was named the Austin Musician of the Year during the South by Southwest music conference in 2006...
- Ian HunterIan Hunter (singer)Ian Hunter Patterson is an English singer-songwriter. He was the lead singer of the English rock band Mott the Hoople from its inception in 1969 to its dissolution in 1974, and he again fronted them at the time of their 2009 reunion. Hunter was a musician and songwriter before Mott The Hoople, and...