Sony Music Launches New Label With Country Music Promoter Rob Potts

The country music world will welcome a new force for good with the launch of Fangate Music, a new joint label project developed by Sony Music Australia and renowned country music promoter Rob Potts.

With nearly 40 years of experience to his name, including overseeing tours by acclaimed artists (through his company, Rob Potts Entertainment Edge) such as Alan Jackson and Taylor Swift — back when she did country, obvs —  as well as Brooks & Dunn, Dolly Parton, Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood, among others.

It's a bit of a match made in heaven, too, with Sony Music Australia's current roster of country artists including not only Aldean and Underwood but the likes of Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney, Garth Brooks, Miranda Lambert and Kelsea Ballerini, along with locally made stars such as Adam Harvey, O'Shea and Missy Lancaster — so the company is well placed to seek out, support and develop an ever-growing roster of emergent and established international and local country talent.

According to Potts — who also serves as the co-promoter of the southern hemisphere's biggest international country and roots festival, CMC Rocks Qld — the offer to curate the new imprint came direct from Sony Music's Aus/NZ chairman and chief executive (and president, Asia), Denis Handlin AM.

"It’s exciting to be offered my own imprint label on Sony Music by Denis Handlin at a time where there are so many great opportunities in the recorded music space," Potts said in a statement.

"I look forward to my new association with Sony Music and working with the team to bring some terrific artists to the roster and lots of awesome music for us to work on together. Let’s open the Fangate!"

Handlin was similarly effusive about the prospects of Potts' appointment and the inception of the new label, describing the long-serving promoter as "one of the most respected figures in the country music genre in the world".

"We are very proud and excited to be working with him on this brilliant new venture," Handlin said in a statement. "Rob brings with him a wealth of knowledge as well as a host of long-term relationships to this partnership. We look forward to developing some outstanding country artists together on the Fangate Music label."

For more information, see Sony Music Australia's website.