Rust Nashville
A label that shifted from rock to country.
Ken Cooper launched Rust Nashville in 1998 to support his own band, Vertigogo. The label originally operated from Northeast Ohio, especially Cleveland, then relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, in 2005. It worked with country musicians like Aaron Tippin and Shane Owens.
Quick Facts
- Founded
- 1998
- Founder
- Ken Cooper
- Defunct
- 2007, 01
- Genre
- Country
- Country
- United States
- Location
- Nashville, TN
Facts from the source article.
Origins
Rust Records began as a vehicle for Ken Cooper's band Vertigogo. When that group signed with Atlantic, changed its name to Sinomatic to avoid a conflict with a French act, the label went dormant. Sinomatic's debut album arrived, but the band dissolved in early 2002 and Atlantic dropped them. Cooper revived the label in early 2003, putting out the first release from Dear Violet, another band he led. He stopped performing in 2004 to run the label full-time. Keith Simmerer joined as VP of Operations and became the only other long-term employee. Through Cherry Monroe, Rust became a Universal imprint and was an early partner with Fontana Distribution. The label then put out records by Between Home and Serenity, Blush, View From Everest, Southcott, and Lareau before moving into country music with Shane Owens.
Present day
In 2005 Rust Records moved from Cleveland to Nashville and switched from rock to country. That year it signed The Povertyneck Hillbillies and Shane Owens. In 2006 the label formed a partnership with Aaron Tippin to release his work through his startup Nippit Records, and also signed trio BlackHawk after they were dropped by Columbia Records. Rust Nashville closed in January 2007 due to issues with its financial partners, releasing all artists from their obligations.
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