Rust Nashville
Encyclopedia
Rust Nashville was a recording company founded by Ken Cooper in 1998
, originally to promote his band Vertigogo
. It was originally based out of Northeast Ohio
, most notably Cleveland, before its move to Nashville
, TN
, in 2005. The label represented notable country artists such as Aaron Tippin
and Shane Owens.
and change of the band's name to Sinomatic due to infringement upon a recording group from France
, Rust Records again went onto the back burner. Shortly after the release of Sinomatic's debut album however, the band fell apart in early 2002 and was subsequently dropped by their label.
Ken Cooper returned to his roots, once again thinking about his recording company in early 2003. The first release on the label was a rock band called Dear Violet, once again with Ken Cooper as the frontman. In 2004 Cooper retired from performing, began to focus on the label full time. VP of Operations Keith Simmerer was brought on board, and proved to be the only other person to stay with the company over the course of its run. Starting with the alternative rock group Cherry Monroe, Rust became a Universal Imprint and was among the first labels to sign a deal with the then new Fontana Distribution company. They then released records by other local artists Between Home and Serenity, Blush, View From Everest, Southcott, and Lareau before venturing into country music with artist Shane Owens.
. In 2005, the band signed emerging artists The Povertyneck Hillbillies and Shane Owens.
In 2006, Rust signed a partnership agreement with Aaron Tippin
to release his work in partnership with his startup label Nippit Records and trio BlackHawk
, who came over after being dropped from Columbia Records
.
In January 2007, Rust Records closed its doors due to issues with its financial partners. All artists were released from their recording obligations at that time.
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...
, originally to promote his band Vertigogo
Vertigogo
"Vertigogo" is the title theme for the Four Rooms film soundtrack by Combustible Edison.It was submitted for consideration for an Academy Award but was ultimately disqualified from consideration because of its incomprehensible lyrical content...
. It was originally based out of Northeast Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, most notably Cleveland, before its move to Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, TN
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, in 2005. The label represented notable country artists such as Aaron Tippin
Aaron Tippin
Aaron Dupree Tippin is an American country music artist and record producer. Initially a songwriter for Acuff-Rose Music, he gained a recording contract with RCA Records in 1990...
and Shane Owens.
Origins
Ken Cooper started Rust Records as a way to promote his band rock band Vertigogo. Upon the band's major label signing to Atlantic RecordsAtlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
and change of the band's name to Sinomatic due to infringement upon a recording group from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Rust Records again went onto the back burner. Shortly after the release of Sinomatic's debut album however, the band fell apart in early 2002 and was subsequently dropped by their label.
Ken Cooper returned to his roots, once again thinking about his recording company in early 2003. The first release on the label was a rock band called Dear Violet, once again with Ken Cooper as the frontman. In 2004 Cooper retired from performing, began to focus on the label full time. VP of Operations Keith Simmerer was brought on board, and proved to be the only other person to stay with the company over the course of its run. Starting with the alternative rock group Cherry Monroe, Rust became a Universal Imprint and was among the first labels to sign a deal with the then new Fontana Distribution company. They then released records by other local artists Between Home and Serenity, Blush, View From Everest, Southcott, and Lareau before venturing into country music with artist Shane Owens.
Present day
In 2005, Rust Records made the move from Cleveland, OH, to Nashville, TN, where the company made a major change: it switched genres from rock & roll to countryCountry music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
. In 2005, the band signed emerging artists The Povertyneck Hillbillies and Shane Owens.
In 2006, Rust signed a partnership agreement with Aaron Tippin
Aaron Tippin
Aaron Dupree Tippin is an American country music artist and record producer. Initially a songwriter for Acuff-Rose Music, he gained a recording contract with RCA Records in 1990...
to release his work in partnership with his startup label Nippit Records and trio BlackHawk
Blackhawk (band)
Blackhawk is an American country music group founded in 1992 by Henry Paul , Van Stephenson , and Dave Robbins...
, who came over after being dropped from Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
.
In January 2007, Rust Records closed its doors due to issues with its financial partners. All artists were released from their recording obligations at that time.