Archive for April, 2010
Hey, Hey! We’re Thir-tey!
Friday, April 30th, 2010 | Uncategorized, aristomedia | No Comments
The AristoMedia Group Celebrates 30 Years in the Music Biz…
When Jeff Walker started The AristoMedia Group in 1980,
the compact disc was still in development, the World Wide Web was a decade away and the digital download hadn’t revolutionized the music industry yet…
“No one could have predicted our industry would be where we are today when I started this company 30 years ago,” says Walker. “I’ve witnessed so many changes over the last three decades – I’ve seen the industry turn completely upside down, in fact – that change seems to be part of the norm, now. Digital technology has permanently altered our business, and a lot of that change is positive… but boy, it sure has made things interesting these last few years!”
Walker started AristoMedia in April of 1980 as a singular PR firm, but over the last 30 years, the company has continued to grow, developing into a multi-faceted media, marketing and promotion company that houses a half-dozen specialized departments. Those divisions include Aristo P.R. (publicity and PR) AristoVideo (video promotion and marketing), AristoWorks (new media), AristoVision (Christian video promotion), Marco Promotions (secondary radio promotion) and Marco Club Connection (dance venue marketing).
Walker also began a domestic and international consulting business, Jeff Walker & Associates, founded a digital label, GMV Nashville, in 2007 and most recently, established a video content and EPK distribution service called DownCast in 2009.
“The last five or six years have been particularly challenging, but the positive result of that has been another period of expansion within the company,” he says. “Our club department, Club Connection, has really grown with so many Country artists featuring more dance-friendly material these days, and our digital label has filled a niche for artists where a traditional label might not suit their needs. DownCast is our most recent addition, and we’ve just expanded that service to include distribution for book new release materials.”
AristoMedia’s Senior VP of Promotion and Marketing, Craig Bann, echoes those sentiments. During his 20+ years with the company, Bann has seen his share of changes as well.
“Now more than ever, it’s a time to be proactive in the music industry,” Bann notes. “The digital landscape continues to even out the playing field between established and emerging artists, and as a result, many new media and marketing opportunities have been created. We try to provide a range of services that will appeal to artists at all levels of their careers.”
Walker’s efforts to promote international Country artists in the U.S. facilitated the company’s expansion as well. Born in Australia, Walker tirelessly advocated, and continues to stress, the globalization of Nashville-based music. His company has hosted its own annual global showcase in conjunction with the CMA’s Global Artist Party for the past several years as a prelude to the CMA Music Fest each year in June. Aristo also publishes a digital, quarterly international newsletter that is distributed to more than 7,500 recipients worldwide.
As The AristoMedia Group celebrates its 30th birthday in the music business this month, Walker remains characteristically upbeat.
“When times are tough, sometimes being opportunistic is the best thing you can be,” Walker says.
Wonder Woman of the Year!
Thursday, April 29th, 2010 | Aristo PR, aristomedia | No Comments
We always knew Aristo P.R. Senior Publicist Christy Watkins was special, but we didn’t know she was also Wonder Woman!
Last night, Christy was honored by the Women’s Music Business Association (WMBA) with the “Wonder Woman of the Year” award. The Nashville-based organization, formed in 2001, is dedicated to fostering opportunities within the music industry through education, networking, industry involvement, community service and organizational fellowship. The “Wonder Woman” award is the crowning jewel of the group’s award ceremony each year.
Congrats, Christy!
Global Newsletter - April 2010
Thursday, April 15th, 2010 | Global Newsletter | No Comments
The April 2010 edition of the Aristo International Report is now available for viewing here.
This issue, our first of 2010, features a sneak preview of this year’s lineups for the annual global artist showcases held during CMA Music Fest week, as well as a wrap-up of the 38th annual Country Music Awards of Australia. There’s also a look at some of the upcoming Country tours and festivals in Canada, a review of the CMC Rocks the Snowys festival in Australia, the CMA International Broadcaster Awards and a Q&A with Nashville’s own Roots music authority and folklorist, John Lomax III.
Of course, there is other useful info as well, like our calendar of international awards and festivals, photos and more!
Download a .pdf version of the Aristo International Report here.