Gotee Records Now Fully Independent Company

 

Gotee Records, known for their boutique approach to finding and nurturing musical talent, is now a fully independent company after purchasing the minority stake back from EMI Christian Music Group.

Begun in 1994, Gotee Records is positioned to re-focus on artist development, while also becoming a hybrid publishing company via EMack Music.

“Gotee Records and Emack Music are moving forward in a proactive and strategic fashion, and we plan to re-calibrate ourselves for the new consumer we’re now encountering in this business,” says co-founder and label President Joey Elwood, “Our next phase will obviously be heavily weighted on the digital market and how to engage that consumer.” 

Label co-founder and CEO Toby McKeehan, a hugely successful artist in his own right (dcTalk, TobyMac) adds, “Gotee was born of an artist heart, so we will continue to be an entity focused on arts and artists.  Since our beginning with acts like Out of Eden, GRITS, Jennifer Knapp, SonicFlood; into the years of Relient K, Ayiesha Woods, and Family Force 5, we feel confident in our ability to bring relevant and moving art to the people.  EMI CMG played a very strategic role in our company’s history and they will always be part of our roots as we move forward.”

TobyMac and dcTalk will remain on EMI CMG’s Forefront roster as recording artists and EMI CMG Publishing will continue to administer their publishing catalogs.  In addition, the two Relient K albums released on Gotee/Capitol Records, “MMHMM” and “Five Score and Seven Years Ago,” will remain as part of EMI’s catalog.

One key element of this transition is a shift from configuration-based contracts to content-based contracts.  The talent signed to the label will be constantly creating and releasing music, and in return the marketing will be ongoing.

The family-oriented label has reached more than 70 million dollars in gross sales, selling nearly 8 million albums to date.  Gotee Records has also racked up five albums as certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), as well as garnering four GRAMMY nods, 12 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards and over 60 Dove Award nominations. 

Moving forward in 2008 fans can anticipate new music from GRAMMY-nominated songstress Sarah Kelly (4/1), debut act Stephanie Smith, digital campaigns for rapper-extraordinaire John Reuben and House of Heroes (spring/summer), and music from both breakout artist Ayiesha Woods (July) and Family Force 5 (August).

Gotee Records touts one of the most diverse artist rosters in the Christian music industry today.  Launched in 1994 with their first signing, the sister-trio Out of Eden, Gotee is now home to Family Force 5, John Reuben, Sarah Kelly, Ayiesha Woods, Stephanie Smith, B-Reith, and Relient K.

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