Yamaha Entertainment Group of America Launches Record Label

Chris Gero

Yamaha Entertainment Group of America, a new division within the Yamaha Corporation of America, is building a boutique, one-stop-shop record label. Yamaha Entertainment Group of America has devised a completely new business model for rising and established artists, and has built a full-service recording and video production studio in Franklin, Tennessee to support the new venture. The new division will work with artists to record, produce, brand, publish, license, market, publicize and sell original audio and video content. Yamaha Entertainment Group of America will employ the services of Alternative Distribution Alliance (ADA)—a leading distributor of independent labels—to market, promote and distribute its releases.

“For nearly five decades, Yamaha has been the world leader in artist endorsements. It was a natural progression to take the next step and provide what our artists needed at a critical time in music history,” said Chris Gero, Founder of Yamaha Entertainment Group of America. “Our goal is to significantly enhance the services we provide, while maintaining the level of quality our artists have come to know us by. Not only do we stand behind the instruments our artists use to make music, but we also stand behind their talent.”

Currently recording in the Yamaha Entertainment Group of America studios is London-based rock band LEOGUN, affiliated with Elton John’s Rocket Entertainment Group. The band will release a single, “Let’s Be Friends,” on September 11, 2012, and will perform at the Yamaha Entertainment Group of America launch party at the historic Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles on September 13. LEOGUN will release a five-song EP through Yamaha Entertainment Group of America on October 16 and a full-length album in February 2013. Yamaha Entertainment Group of America plans to release five records per year, including upcoming projects in queue such as an album celebrating renowned bassist Nathan East.

The new Yamaha Entertainment Group of America division oversees Yamaha’s artist relations departments in New York, Nashville, Indianapolis, and Los Angeles, which will continue managing the company’s affiliation with 3,600 artists and providing them with instruments, including grand pianos, for major motion pictures, national television shows, major award ceremonies and concert performances. Longstanding Yamaha artists include Elton John, Alicia Keys, Jason Mraz, Paul McCartney, Michael Buble and Sheryl Crow.