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The new division will be made up of Capitol Records Nashville and the Capitol Christian Music Group.
By Ethan Millman
Music Editor
UMG’s Capitol Music Group has launched a new Nashville division, the company announced Tuesday, encompassed of Capitol Records Nashville and the Capitol Christian Music Group. Country veteran Candice Watkins has been tapped to lead the label.
Watkins will serve as Capitol Records Nashville’s president, as well as Capitol Christian Music’s executive vice president, the company said. Watkins comes from Nashville powerhouse Big Loud, where she served as senior vice president of marketing and worked with artists including Morgan Wallen, Hardy and Stephen Wilson Jr. among others. Before her Big Loud tenure, Watkins held roles at UMG Nashville, Red Light Management, Mozes Inc., Borman Entertainment and Cross Point Church.
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Brad O’Donnell, Capitol Christian Music Group’s president, will continue to oversee the label, which includes Motown Gospel and Tamla, Capitol said. While Capitol Records Nashville bears the Capitol name, before today’s shift, it operated under the UMG Nashville umbrella, which itself just rebranded to Music Corporation of America. Capitol Records Nashville’s current roster of artists will stay under MCA while Watkins and her team will build out Capitol Nashville’s roster.
“This reorganization reflects our commitment to growing our Nashville operations as a core creative hub in Christian, gospel and country music,” Capitol Music Group CEO Tom March said in a statement. “We’re looking forward to signing and developing the next generation of country artists on Capitol Records Nashville and are thrilled to have an executive of the caliber of Candice Watkins to lead our ambitious plans in country music while also bringing her expertise to our gospel and christian music operations.”
Today’s news is the latest in a months-long change in UMG’s country operations, and yet another Nashville development for UMG’s LA-based Interscope Capitol Labels Group. Back in February, Mike Harris was appointed CEO of UMG Nashville, replacing Cindy Mabe. (Dave Cobb also came on as chief creative officer.) By April, UMG announced the MCA rebrand. As for Interscope Capitol, the label group also announced the revival of famed label Lost Highway Records, bringing on Kacey Musgraves in April.
“This new structure will empower our Nashville executives to better serve the incredible artists on our roster. Candice is a brilliant music marketing executive who has an amazing track record in developing career artists,” Interscope Capitol chairman John Janick said in a statement. “Having her lead our country music business in Nashville and also add her extensive artist development expertise to our CCMG team is going to be great for our artists and for the entire executive team.”
In a statement, Watkins called it “a true honor” to take on the new executive roles at Capitol.
“These labels have a rich legacy in partnering with some of the most brilliant artists of our industry and I look forward to contributing to its continued success and cultural impact,” Watkins said. “Excited to collaborate with John, Tom, Lillia and Brad in boldly championing creatives and visionaries.”
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