Word Entertainment Acquires Spirit-Led Records
Nashville-based Word Entertainment announced the acquisition of Spirit-Led Records, a label including rock-based company Fervent Records, which is home to such artists as BarlowGirl, Big Daddy Weave, By The Tree and others, to its label group.
“Fervent Records has a large roster of cutting edge Christian artists whose music is reaching a braod mainstream audience,” says Warner Bros. Records Chariman & CEO, Tom Whalley. “I join the rest off Warner Bros. Records in welcoming them to our family of labels.”
Fervent and Spirit-Led Records will further be distributed worldwide by Word Distribution into the Christian marketplace and WEA into mainstream retail outlets starting June 1, 2005.
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An independent artist driven label with 2005 sales to exceed $7 million, Fervent Records is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Word Entertainment. The label will continue to operate with its current staff under the direction of its founder and President, Susan Riley, an eight-year veteran of the Christian music industry and one of the only women to own and operate an independent label in any genre of music.
Fervent introduced one of the most successful breakout acts, BarlowGirl, in 2004. The best-selling new artist in the industry last year, the three-sister band shipped more than 250,000 units of their debut, self-titled album. BarlowGirl's radio hit, "Never Alone," was named the 2004 Song of the Year at CHR by R&R and at Rock radio by Christian Radio & Retail Weekly. Fervent's track record of accomplishments began in 2001 with the label's first release and national freshmen bow of By The Tree, entitled Invade My Soul. The album became one of the highest scanning debuts that year and collected two Dove Awards in 2002. Big Daddy Weave, the label's second signing, additionally claimed the highest new artist debut spot in 2002 at retail according to SoundScan's Christian chart and radio according to R&R's AC radio chart. In 2004, Fervent introduced the Absolute series, which has gone on to ship over 400,000 units and become the largest launch of a new Christian music compilation series in the past three years.
"We are excited to be a part of the Word Label Group and to partner with Word Distribution," states Riley. "Being a family-owned label we are blessed to find a partner in Word that allows us to maintain our independent spirit while expanding our opportunities and resources to help grow the ministries of our artists."
In addition to the labels, Word Publishing has acquired the two publishing arms owned by Riley, Open Worship Publishing and Fresh Springs Publishing.
Word Label Group is a division of Word Entertainment, a Warner/Curb company. The artist roster heralds some of today's top Christian music performers and songwriters including Amy Grant, Point Of Grace, Jaci Velasquez, Building 429, Nicole C. Mullen, Randy Travis and American Idol's George Huff.
Founded in 1951 as Word Records, Word Entertainment is a pioneer of contemporary Christian music, a genre that is considered among the fastest-growing in the music industry. Today, Word Entertainment is a multi-faceted company known for innovative product development and marketing, as well as strategic distribution of music and videos. Encompassing Word Label Group, Word Publishing, Word Music, and Word Distribution, Word Entertainment is one of the great success stories of the contemporary Christian music industry.
For more information on Word Entertainment, please visit http://www.wmg.com/companies/word.jsp.
