From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (August 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

Universal Music Group Nashville is Universal Music Group's country music holdings. Some of the labels in this group include MCA Nashville Records, Mercury Nashville Records and Lost Highway Records.

MCA Nashville Records
Parent company	Universal Music Group
Founded	1945
Founder(s)	Paul Cohen
Distributing label	Universal Music Nashville (US)
Genre(s)	Country music
Country	USA
Web address	http://www.umgnashville.com/

MCA Nashville started out as the country music division of Decca Records in 1945, founded by Paul Cohen[1] in New York. In 1947, Cohen hired Owen Bradley as his assistant working in Nashville. The country music division moved to Nashville in 1955 as much of the country music recording business was locating there.[2] Bradley succeeded Cohen as head of Decca's Nashville division in 1958 and developed Decca into a country music powerhouse. Decca Nashville was renamed MCA Nashville in 1973.

In 1979, MCA Nashville absorbed the country music roster (including Roy Clark, Barbara Mandrell and The Oak Ridge Boys) and back catalogue of ABC Records including the Dot Records catalogue. In 1981, MCA Nashville signed George Strait, one of the greatest selling artists of all time.

In the 1990s MCA Nashville briefly revived the Decca label for country music releases, but it was shut down after Universal Music absorbed PolyGram and chose to reserve the Decca name for classical music releases.

With the absorption of MCA Records into Geffen Records in 2003, MCA Nashville is now the only unit of Universal Music to still use the MCA name.

Lost Highway Records
Parent company	Universal Music Group
Founded	2000
Founder(s)	Luke Lewis
Distributing label	The Island Def Jam Music Group (US)
Genre(s)	Country music
Country	USA
Web address	http://main.losthighwayrecords.com/

Lost Highway Records was formed by Luke Lewis in 2000, Lost Highway Records operates as a country music label, based out of Nashville. The company named was inspired by a Hank Williams song. Today the label operates in conjunction with The Island Def Jam Music Group.

Notable artists include Ryan Adams, Hayes Carll, Elvis Costello, Eagles, Bernard Fanning, Donavon Frankenreiter, Mary Gauthier, Golden Smog, The Jayhawks, Tift Merritt, Van Morrison, Willie Nelson, and Lucinda Williams.

Additionally Lost Highway distributed the soundtracks for O' Brother, Where Art Thou?, Deadwood, and Open Season by Paul Westerberg. They have also acted as distributor for albums from Johnny Cash and Lyle Lovett.

Main article: UMG Nashville Artists

• Official UMG Nashville Page