Music veteran starts country label

Tuesday, May 8, 2007 – New York-based record label Robbins Entertainment, started by the man who had one of the leading rap labels a decade ago, is making a long-planned expansion into the country music market, opening Robbins Nashville.

Phyllis Stark joins the label as vice president of A&R after a career in journalism, including Billboard. She will also run the company's Nashville office. Additional staff announcements are expected shortly.

Robbins Entertainment, which is distributed by Sony BMG, was launched in 1996 by veteran record executive Cory Robbins. The independent label has had numerous successes in the pop and dance music markets, including scoring such top 10 pop hits as Cascada's "Everytime We Touch," D.H.T.'s "Listen To Your Heart" and DJ Sammy's "Heaven." The label is also known for its hit dance music compilation albums.

Robbins was president and co-owner of Profile Records, a seminal label in the rap, reggae and pop music scenes known for such hit acts as the multi platinum-selling Run-D.M.C., as well as DJ Quik, Rob Base, and Judy Torres. Robbins founded that label in 1981 and sold it in 1994.

"As a longtime fan of country music, I view this expansion into the Nashville market as a natural progression for Robbins Entertainment," said Robbins, the label's president and founder. "There is such an abundance of talent here, and independent labels have really become a force to be reckoned with in this genre. In my more than three decades in the record business, I have never been more enthusiastic about anything as I am about the potential of Robbins Nashville.

"When I decided to expand into Nashville, my first and only choice of who I wanted do this with was Phyllis Stark," adds Robbins. "I'm thrilled to have her on board."

Stark said, "We look forward to announcing our first artist signings in the very near future" she said.