THIRTY TIGERS AND TRIPLE 8 MANAGEMENT PARTNER WITH SONY MUSIC FOR NEW IMPRINT,
TRIPLE TIGERS RECORDS
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nashville-based artist development and marketing company Thirty Tigers and Triple 8 Management have entered into a strategic partnership with Sony Music Entertainment to create Triple Tigers Records, a new label imprint focused on country music that will be led by veteran radio promotion executive Norbert Nix, it was announced today.
The imprint’s first signing is Russell Dickerson.
The formation of the imprint builds upon the successful collaboration among Thirty Tigers, Triple 8 and Sony Music across multiple project releases over the last five years, including now Columbia Nashville artist and Triple 8 client, Chase Rice. Thirty Tigers and Triple 8 teamed to release Rice’s 2014 Ignite The Night, with Norbert Nix and Columbia’s radio promotion staff added. The album was certified Gold, crossing 800,000 albums sold, and resulted in two Top 5 Billboard singles at Country radio—one of which is RIAA-certified Platinum.
Nix will serve as general manager for Triple Tigers and oversee a dedicated promotion staff for the imprint. Previously he spent more than a decade with Sony Music Nashville driving airplay for numerous hits from the label group’s artist roster in a series of promotion roles. Most recently he was VP of promotion for Columbia Nashville, where, as part of his responsibilities, he worked closely with Thirty Tigers and Triple 8 on the promotion campaign for Rice.
“I’m very fortunate to have formed significant relationships with country radio programmers over the years, as we’ve worked together developing hits and breaking artists,” said Nix. “Russell Dickerson is the next chapter in that relationship. The decision to sign Russell to Triple Tigers Records was unanimous, as we believe in his great music and star potential. I look forward to engaging in this quest with David, George and Bruce.”
Thirty Tigers has been key in the early development of Rice, Old Dominion, Aaron Watson, Granger Smith, Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell and more, while Triple 8 has broken Eli Young Band, Sam Hunt and Chase Rice. Nix has decades of breaking country radio singles. Triple Tigers brings together 60 people plus a dedicated full national country radio promotion team, that equals a uniquely strong powerhouse team with track records all around.
In connection with the deal, Thirty Tigers has entered into a long-term extension of its distribution agreement with Sony Music’s independent distribution arm, RED, which also will handle distribution for releases from Triple Tigers.
“We are really enjoying working in the commercial country arena, and we are thrilled to be in business with Sony Music, Triple 8 and Norbert Nix on this imprint,” said Thirty Tigers President and Partner of Triple Tigers Records David Macias. “We have had a lot of success in working with Sony Music, and we are very happy to be expanding and extending our relationship with them through this deal. We’ve also had a very long and productive relationship with Triple 8, who have been very successful in the country world for some time. And we are thrilled to have Norbert serving as general manager. He is a well-known and highly respected executive who knows how to break acts through country radio. The opportunity for us all to work together on Triple Tigers was a no brainer.”
Said Dennis Kooker, President, Global Digital Business and U.S. Sales, Sony Music Entertainment, “We’re thrilled to be extending our successful distribution relationship with Thirty Tigers, and to be joining forces with them for this new imprint. Thirty Tigers is an innovator in cultivating new artists and providing cutting-edge label and artist services, and they have been a great partner in Nashville. We look forward to even more success in working with them and the talented team at Triple 8 Management to develop hit artists through Triple Tigers.”
“Triple 8 and Thirty Tigers are already partners in many ways, so this label was a welcomed step for all of us,” said Triple 8 Management’s Bruce Kalmick. “Adding in a great leader like Norbert Nix was icing on the cake.”