Katie Armiger Opens Up About Lawsuit With Former Record Label

Katie Armiger is firing back in public at her former record label, Cold River Records, alleging some improprieties on their part after she says they have traded lawsuits in an ongoing dispute.

Armiger signed with Cold River Records and released her debut album in 2007. To date she has released four studio albums and a string of singles, including "Kiss Me Now," "Best Song Ever," "Scream" and "Better in a Black Dress."

In June of 2015, Cold River President Pete O’Heeron said in a statement to Country Aircheck that Armiger “has decided to take a breather and decide her next career aspirations" — news that seemed to come as a surprise to the artist, who responded with a post to Instagram, saying that statement was "not my words, and certainly not my intention." That post was repeatedly removed, and Armiger later explained that she no longer had access to her social media accounts.

“I never quit country music. I haven’t spoken because I wasn’t able to,” Armiger says in a statement released Wednesday (Jan. 27). “My label filed suit against me, but I kept hoping for an amicable solution. Now, everyone can see my response. The answer I filed with the federal court speaks for itself.”

Armiger's statement doesn't go into detail, but she implies that her label may have expected her to engage in some questionable behavior in exchange for career advancement. She cites a longstanding pattern of allegations of sexual harassment in the music business, which has been the subject of pieces from the LA Times, Prime Time Live and Billboard over the years. Most recently, Taylor Swift filed a lawsuit against a former Denver radio personality, alleging that he groped her during a meet and greet at one of her concerts.

“I’ve worked hard and I’m proud of what I’ve done musically and personally,” Armiger says. “My label had expectations for how I should behave to get ahead, particularly how I should interact with influential men in the industry. I just wasn’t willing to take that approach. I wanted to make it with integrity and I still do. I know that there are good people in this business and particularly in country radio, and I’m so grateful to those who support my career and play my music.”

“I didn’t think I should have to do the things my label wanted me to do to ‘make it’,” Armiger adds. “It should be about the music.”

Armiger is slated to take part in the It’s a Girl Thing Tour in 2016 along with Jamie O’Neal, Hannah Blaylock and country newcomer Andrea Pearson. She also hopes to release new material.

“I’m eager to share some new music very soon,” she says. “I love country music. This is where I want to be.”

Cold River Records President Pete O’Heeron responded to Armiger's claims in a strongly-worded statement of his own on Wednesday afternoon.

Nastiest Lawsuits in Country Music