INgrooves Adds Shanachie, Fat Possum, SideOne
Digital distributor INgrooves has added three strong indie labels to its roster: Shanachie, Fat Possum and SideOneDummy. Competition among distributors has been heating up and these deals represent three significant victories for INgrooves.
Declining sales have forced indie labels to rethink their revenue relationships. With digital a lone bright spot, it often receives the most scrutiny with demands for lower distribution fees and more marketing topping label demands. This restlessness could lead to many more shifts as labels search for new partners; and INgrooves, made stronger since its Universal partnership, is among a handful of distributors positioned to benefit.
About the labels:
Founded in 1976, Shanachie Records is an independent record and video company featuring World and Celtic music, Reggae, Blues, Contemporary Jazz, R&B and more. The label began as a Celtic music label and through the years has successfully expanded to include many other genres. Recently, Shanachie has been the home to diverse acts such as South Africa's Soweto Gospel Choir (2007 and 2008 Grammy Award winners for Best Traditional World Album), Smooth Jazz superstar Kim Waters, R&B siren Leela James and the legendary George Clinton.
Fat Possum Records was formed in Oxford, Mississippi in 1992, where the label originally specialized in discovering North Mississippi blues musicians. The label's legendary blues artists include R. L. Burnside, T-Model Ford, Robert Belfour and Junior Kimbrough. Fat Possum has worked with notable artists like The Black Keys, Andrew Bird, Heartless Bastards, and The Fiery Furnaces. New signings include the Crocodiles, and Wavves. In February 2009, Fat Possum Records licensed the entire Hi Records catalog, including Al Green's 1972 album Let's Stay Together and several of his greatest hits compilations. The catalog also features albums by O.V. Wright, Ace Cannon and Otis Clay.
"We canvassed the digital landscape for a distribution and marketing partner, and INgrooves was the best choice to suit our needs," says Justin McGuirk of Fat Possum Records. "Their client services and state of the art technology make it easy to manage our digital releases. They hustle to make the most of your artists' music, they don't lie, and they return your calls."
SideOneDummy was created by partners Bill Armstrong and Joe Sib over 14 years ago. The friends started out in a Hollywood, CA apartment and have since grown to a business with worldwide presence, hundreds of releases and an impressive and diverse roster of artists including Flogging Molly, The Gaslight Anthem, Gogol Bordello, Fake Problems, Dusty Rhodes, Bedouin Soundclash and The Casualties, among many others. SideOneDummy also puts together a 2-CD compilation from artists performing at each year's Warped Tour.
