Tracy Lawrence forms own label

His first single, "Find Out Who Your Friends Are," will be released to radio Aug. 21 with his first studio album slated for release in early 2007.

Lawrence launched Rocky Comfort Records (RCR), a partnership with his manager Laney Lawrence, to be based in Nashville. The label will operate as a joint venture with CO5 Nashville (a division of CO5 Music) and has secured an exclusive retail distribution agreement with A2M Distribution. As president of RCR, Laney Lawrence will oversee the operation of the label, while Tracy Lawrence will direct A&R.

"I have always dreamed of running my own label," said Lawrence "allowing me to be more hands-on, unbridled and free to exercise creative musical liberty. The time is right for independent labels to be a force in the [country music] industry. In a perfect world it's 'about' the music. With the launch of labels like Toby Keith's Show Dog, Neil McCoy's 903, Clint Black's Equity Records, Tracy Byrd's Blind Mule, and now my own Rocky Comfort Records, I hope we look back in five years and see that this new movement was the change that brought us closer to the perfect musical world." Larwence most recently was on DreamsWorks Nashville and also had been on Atlantic. Lawrence has 16 number 1 hits with songs including "Alibis," "If The World Had A Front Porch," "Time Marches On," "Sticks And Stones" and "Paint Me A Birmingham."