Cindy Mabe, one of the most prominent execs in country music, has been quiet since stepping down from her job as chair and CEO of Universal Music Nashville early last year. Fourteen months later, she has revealed ambitious plans as founder-CEO of a multifaceted new company, Joan of Arc Music, dedicated to upholding the old-school values of the country music business while building careers within the industry’s emerging new paradigms.
Mabe was upheld by many as the most powerful woman ever to have come through the Nashville music industry to hold long-term top executive positions in the major label system. Her staffing for the new company appears to pay that pioneering forward with all five of the execs who have been announced to be joining her at Joan of Arc being women, several of them fellow veterans of UMG Nashville who have followed her to the new company.
“Country music is at a crossroads,” Mabe asserted in a statement. “We risk losing the very essence of what makes country music special – its authentic storytelling, its connection to people’s real lives, and its deep cultural roots. Joan of Arc Music exists to be warriors for creators and protect artistry.”
The company’s announcement Tuesday morning characterized Joan of Arc Music as “a 360 entertainment ecosystem” that will be “dedicated to preserving the legacy of country music while championing its future through artist development, label services, publishing, management, TV/film production, next generation technologies and philanthropic impact. ” A release declared that the company “protects artistry, cultivates innovation and builds long-lasting careers by bridging heritage with the future of entertainment.”
One of the more intriguing aspects of Tuesday’s announcement is a distribution partnership with Warner Music Nashville, and some of the execs that were friendly rivals at her old gig, including Warner topper Cris Lacy. A record label will be one of Joan of Arc’s endeavors.
Of aligning with a major label group, Mabe said, “This partnership with Cris Lacy and the team at Warner Records Nashville amplifies our mission. Cris is a Nashville veteran whose commitment to the legacy of country music aligns with our vision of preserving the genre’s authentic storytelling while embracing innovative distribution and marketing strategies. Together, we’re creating a powerful platform for both emerging and established artists to reach global audiences.”
Mabe’s next move has been widely speculated about, with her high profile as an exec with Universal Music and its predecessors having gone back 18 years and encompassed relationships with many of the top artists in the business, including Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Darius Rucker, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Kacey Musgraves and the superstar artist whom she is most often cited for developing and breaking, Chris Stapleton.
As part of the launch, Mabe issued a separate mission statement of sorts establishing her philosophical goals for the company and reasons for starting it — some of which directly reference the “coastal legitimizing” of country, which she sees as to some degree co-opting by outside forces that don’t truly understand the legacy and impact of country music.
“With the rush for coastal legitimizing, the labels suggesting they know better, it often feels like the coal mines of Appalachia being strip-mined of coal all over again,” she wrote. “What we do — the people who create and deliver it — has real value… My heart hurts for how little so many coming to the industry care about the sheer magic in music, let alone its power and purpose; that ability to change, comfort and inspire people. I can feel the indifference about the creators who generously give and sow pieces of their soul away in creating songs that heal, deliver hope and offer clarity about what these lives mean; all without anyone pouring back into them with mental health support, time and resources. … We will step up for our creators by providing insurance, mental health resources and wellness initiatives. Country music has always been a living, breathing art form, but it’s the people who give it wings.”
The five execs announced for Joan of Arc Music at launch are all listed on the company’s website under a promising banner: “Country Music Preservationists.”
Lori Christian will serve as head of label services & management; she was formerly executive VP of marketing at UMG Nashville. Dawn Gates is head of business development & ventures; until recently she served as UMG overseeing digital marketing, as well as having led Sing Me Back Home Productions, a new division dedicated to developing scripted and unscripted television and films. Harper Grae will be gead if TV/film & project scouting; her credits include the documentary “Gloria Gaynor: I Will Survive” and the NBC special “Toby Keith: American Icon,” as well as being an alumnus of “The Glee Project 2” as a performer. Leigh Morrison has been tapped to be head of office management & artist relations; she had worked with Mabe at UMG Nashville since 2002. And Allison Winkler is head of the JOA Music Preservation Foundation; she previously launched and oversaw CAA’s Latin music division, founded i3 Philanthropic Strategies and served as COO of Ricky Martin Enterprises.
Joan of Arc’s unveiling includes a structure that will find the company “operating through four integrated pillars that work cohesively”:
- Joan of Arc Entertainment, described as “comprehensive artist management, recorded music/label services, project development and marketing, and publishing services with a focus on breaking new talent and developing established careers.”
- Joan of Arc Studio Works, characterized as “multi-platform content creation including TV/film production, audio content and short-form monetization.”
- Joan of Arc Ventures, “strategic investments in innovative partnerships and equity-backed ventures.”
- Joan of Arc Music Preservation Foundation,” a “philanthropic division that defines the company’s ethos from day one, protecting the timeless legacy of country music while championing its continued evolution. Every project across the JOA ecosystem directly supports the Foundation’s work through charitable initiatives that benefit the country music community.”
Joan of Arc also announced three “inaugural partnerships,” with the CMA Foundation, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and Porter’s Call, the last of which provides mental health and wellness services for touring musicians and their families.
English (US) ·