BBR Music Launches New Label, Starting With Trace Adkins and Granger Smith

Country music vet Trace Adkins and newcomer Granger Smith have a new label home, thanks to the formation of BBR Music Group’s newest label imprint, Wheelhouse Records. It’s the fourth country label imprint BBR has produced, helmed by entrepreneur and CEO Benny Brown.

It was announced in April via Billboard that Adkins would be joining the group, though it wasn't clear where, and it was recently revealed that BBR had picked up hot indie act Smith, as well. Granger Smith has been gaining popularity not only with his music but with the music and persona of his comedic alter-ego, Earl Dibbles Jr. The Wheelhouse team will be taking over the promotion of his latest single “Backroad Song,” which was previously released on an EP in May via Thirty Tigers, an independent label based in Nashville. Smith is slated to have new music out this fall.

BBR Music Group also encompasses publishing company Magic Mustang Music, as well as BBR Management, along with its other three labels: Stoney Creek Records, Broken Bow Records and Red Bow Records.

"We've got so many artists, but you can't step on one another," Brown tells Billboard of his decision to establish Wheelhouse. "Otherwise, you're not doing the artists any favors. Even though you've got the great music, you have to wait for the right timing."

Brown says he feels like the name of the group is appropriate for what he’s trying to build.

"We are always looking for a song that's in the artists' ‘wheelhouse,' meaning the song fits their vocal sweet spot and also fits their brand and image," he explains. "Since I've always referred to this as an artist's ‘wheelhouse' it seemed like the natural choice for our next label."

Among the BBR Music labels’ rosters are Jason Aldean (Broken Bow), Dustin Lynch (Broken Bow), Joe Nichols (Red Bow), Randy Houser (Broken Bow), Chase Bryant (Red Bow) and many others.

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