Reunion Records
Encyclopedia
Reunion Records is a Christian music
record label
based in Brentwood, Tennessee
and operating under the Provident Label Group
. The label was founded in 1982
by Dan Harrell and Mike Blanton.
a home after being rejected by the major labels at the time. Troccoli, Michael W. Smith
, and Rich Mullins
were the label's first three artists.
In 1990 they signed a new distribution deal with Geffen Records
. In 1992 50% of Reunion Records was sold to BMG
and by 1995 the other half was also acquired by BMG. For a time following the BMG acquisition they distributed through RCA Records
. From 1995 until 1996 it was part or Arista Records
(a BMG company). In October 1996 the label was sold to Zomba Records. Through eventual consolidation, it is now part of Sony Music Entertainment
.
Mike Blanton and Dan Harrell partnered with Steve Thomas to create BHT Entertainment in 2003. The label signed a distribution agreement with Word Records
.
Christian music
Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely across the world....
record label
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 Brentwood, Tennessee
Brentwood, Tennessee
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,445 people, 7,693 households, and 6,808 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 7,889 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.63% European American, 1.89% African American,...
and operating under the Provident Label Group
Provident Label Group
Provident Label Group is a division of Sony Music Entertainment focusing primarily on Christian music in Franklin, Tennessee. The group handles its own physical distribution through its Provident-Integrity Distribution service...
. The label was founded in 1982
1982 in music
This is a list of notable events in music from 1982. 1982 was a big year in music with Madonna making her debut as well as the year that Michael Jackson released Thriller which became the world's best selling album and it still holds that title today....
by Dan Harrell and Mike Blanton.
History
The label was formed by Amy Grant's managers (with Harrell being her brother-in-law), with the label's original intent to give new artist Kathy TroccoliKathy Troccoli
Kathleen Colleen "Kathy" Troccoli is a contemporary Christian singer, author, and speaker.-Personal:Born in Brooklyn, New York, on June 24, 1958, Troccoli moved at age three and was raised in Islip Terrace, Long Island, New York, graduating from East Islip High School. At 15, she lost her father...
a home after being rejected by the major labels at the time. Troccoli, Michael W. Smith
Michael W. Smith
Michael Whitaker Smith is a Billboard top ten Billboard Hot 100 recording artist and Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. He is one of the best-selling and most influential artists in Contemporary Christian music. Smith also has achieved a considerable amount of...
, and Rich Mullins
Rich Mullins
Richard Wayne "Rich" Mullins was an American Contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter born in Richmond, Indiana. He had two sisters and two brothers....
were the label's first three artists.
In 1990 they signed a new distribution deal with Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
. In 1992 50% of Reunion Records was sold to BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
and by 1995 the other half was also acquired by BMG. For a time following the BMG acquisition they distributed through RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
. From 1995 until 1996 it was part or Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
(a BMG company). In October 1996 the label was sold to Zomba Records. Through eventual consolidation, it is now part of Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
.
Mike Blanton and Dan Harrell partnered with Steve Thomas to create BHT Entertainment in 2003. The label signed a distribution agreement with Word Records
Word Records
Word Records is a Christian record label based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a division of Word Entertainment , which, itself is co-owned by Warner Music Group and Curb Records...
.
Current Artists
The current roster of artists, updated February 3, 2011:- Anthem LightsAnthem LightsAnthem Lights, formerly known as Yellow Cavalier, is an American Christian boy band originating from Nashville, Tennessee. The group has released one EP under their former name and one EP under their current name...
- Casting CrownsCasting CrownsCasting Crowns is a Grammy Award and Dove Award winning Contemporary Christian/Christian Rock band. Casting Crowns was started in 1999 by youth pastor Mark Hall at First Baptist Church in Downtown Daytona Beach, Florida as part of a youth group. He now serves as a lead vocalist...
- Brandon HeathBrandon HeathBrandon Heath is a contemporary Christian musician from Nashville, Tennessee. He has released three studio albums: Don't Get Comfortable , What If We and "Leaving Eden" . He is best known for the No. 1 "I'm Not Who I Was" and "Give Me Your Eyes". He was nominated four times at the Dove Awards of...
- Rebecca St. JamesRebecca St. JamesRebecca St. James , is a Christian pop rock singer, songwriter, musician, author, and actor. She began performing in Australia in the late 1980s and released her first full-length studio album in 1991. In 1993 she was signed to the record label ForeFront Records and released her major label debut a...
- Michael W. SmithMichael W. SmithMichael Whitaker Smith is a Billboard top ten Billboard Hot 100 recording artist and Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. He is one of the best-selling and most influential artists in Contemporary Christian music. Smith also has achieved a considerable amount of...
- Kerrie Roberts
- Tenth Avenue NorthTenth Avenue NorthTenth Avenue North is an American contemporary Christian music band from West Palm Beach, Florida. They took their name from a major east-west road in Palm Beach County.The group was formed while attending Palm Beach Atlantic University...
Former Artists
- All Star UnitedAll Star UnitedAll Star United is a Christian rock band that was formed by solo artist Ian Eskelin in 1996. The band is known for clever and sometimes sarcastic lyrics, as they frequently use their songs as vehicles to lampoon perceived excesses in Western culture...
(Active, with Double Happiness/Fierce UK) - The ArchersThe Archers (musical group)The Archers were one of America's earliest Contemporary Christian music groups. They were originally brothers Tim and Steve Archer, Nancye Short and Billy Rush Masters. After Masters and Short departed in 1977, sister Janice Archer joined....
(Inactive) - Matt BrouwerMatt BrouwerMatt Brouwer is a Juno Award winning Canadian singer/songwriter who got his start in the music industry while studying music at school in Alberta, Canada. While in college he and fellow students founded the band Monday Night Worship...
(Active, with Black Shoe Records) - Gary ChapmanGary Chapman (musician)Gary Chapman is an American Contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter and former television talk show host.-Early life and music career:...
(Inactive) - Ashley ClevelandAshley ClevelandAshley Cleveland is an American singer/songwriter perhaps best known as a background vocalist and Grammy-winning gospel singer. Ashley Cleveland was born in Knoxville, Tennessee...
(Active) - Chynna & Vaughan (Active)
- Elim Hall (Inactive)
- Kim HillKim HillKim Hill is a Contemporary Christian Music singer. Aside from her career as a solo artist, Hill has also sung background vocals on projects by artists like Rich Mullins and others...
(Active, with 33rd Street Records) - Jake (Hiatus)
- Michael James (Inactive)
- Wes KingWes KingWes King , born in Winder, Georgia, is an American contemporary-Christian singer, songwriter, and musician. He is perhaps best known for his 1993 album The Robe. For a very brief period in the late 1980s, he attended Covenant College outside of Chattanooga, Tennessee...
(Inactive) - Ana LauraAna LauraAna Laura Chavez , more frequently known simply as Ana Laura, is a contemporary Christian singer. Laura released a self-titled debut album in 2006 and had two hit singles on Christian radio,...
(Active, with Integrity Latin) - LeelandLeelandLeeland is a Christian rock band from Baytown, Texas. The band was formed in 2004, although lead singer Leeland Mooring had been writing songs beforehand. Leeland is composed of Leeland Mooring , Jack Mooring , Casey Moore , Shelly Mooring and Mike Smith...
(Active, with Essential RecordsEssential Records (Christian)Essential Records is a Contemporary Christian record label based in Franklin, Tennessee. It is a division of a major label, Sony Music Entertainment.-History:...
) - Brian LittrellBrian LittrellBrian Thomas Littrell is an American singer-songwriter, best known as a member of the Backstreet Boys. He is also a contemporary Christian recording artist and released a solo album, Welcome Home, in 2006...
(Active) - Mike-E (Active, with WENDEMÉ CREATIVE)
- Rich MullinsRich MullinsRichard Wayne "Rich" Mullins was an American Contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter born in Richmond, Indiana. He had two sisters and two brothers....
(Deceased) - Jill Paquette (Active)
- Billy Sprague (Inactive)
- Phil StaceyPhil StaceyJoel Philip "Phil" Stacey is an American singer who first gained national attention on season 6 of the television talent show American Idol. After being eliminated from the competition on May 2, 2007, he was signed to a recording contract with Lyric Street Records...
(Active) - The Prayer ChainThe Prayer ChainThe Prayer Chain was a 1990s Christian alternative rock band. The band has been called "the epitome of the Christian underground". The Prayer Chain was known for producing moody, angst-ridden music which was, in turn, the result of creative differences within the band and with their record...
(Inactive) - Third DayThird DayThird Day is a Grammy award-winning Christian rock band formed in Marietta, Georgia during the 1990s. The band was founded by lead singer Mac Powell, guitarist Mark Lee and former member Billy Wilkins. The other band members are bassist Tai Anderson and drummer David Carr...
(no longer on the label; currently on Essential RecordsEssential Records (Christian)Essential Records is a Contemporary Christian record label based in Franklin, Tennessee. It is a division of a major label, Sony Music Entertainment.-History:...
) - Kathy TroccoliKathy TroccoliKathleen Colleen "Kathy" Troccoli is a contemporary Christian singer, author, and speaker.-Personal:Born in Brooklyn, New York, on June 24, 1958, Troccoli moved at age three and was raised in Islip Terrace, Long Island, New York, graduating from East Islip High School. At 15, she lost her father...
(Active, with KT Records) - Joy Williams (no longer signed; currently independent and a member of The Civil WarsThe CIVIL warSThe Civil Wars: A Tree Is Best Measured When It Is Down is an opera created in the early 1980s by director Robert Wilson to music by Philip Glass, David Byrne, Gavin Bryars and others...
)