Average Joes Entertainment Group is an American
record label
A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...
specializing in
alternative country,
country rap
Country rap (or country hip hop and sometimes hick hop) is a fusion genre of popular music, blending country music with hip hop–style singing or rapping.
History Prototypes
Early influences on the emergence of country rap as a distinct genre ...
and
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
. The label was founded in 2008 by country rap artist Jason "
Colt Ford
Jason Farris Brown (born August 27, 1969) known professionally as Colt Ford, is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, entrepreneur, and former professional golfer best known for his music fusing the country and rap genres. He has released seven ...
" Brown and
producer Shannon Houchins. Ford has released six studio albums for the label, five of which have reached the top 10 of the country albums charts including 2012's chart topping #1 "Declaration Of Independence" which also charted at #2 on the rap albums chart. 2014's "Thanks For Listening" charted #1 on the rap albums chart and # 2 on the country albums chart.
Average Joes is also responsible for launching the careers of other artists such as
Brantley Gilbert,
LoCash Cowboys
LoCash (stylized as LOCASH), formerly known as LoCash Cowboys, is an American country music duo consisting of vocalists Chris Lucas and Preston Brust. They have released 3 studio albums, one each for Average Joes Entertainment, Reviver Records, and ...
,
Tyler Farr
Tyler Lynn Farr (born February 5, 1984) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Originally signed to BNA Records Farr released two singles for the label before it closed. He transferred to Columbia Records Nashville, releasing two al ...
,
The Lacs
The Lacs is an American country rap duo that consists of Clay "Uncle Snap" Sharpe and Brian "Rooster" King. At first, the group also featured Brandon Herndon on the three self-released albums on Side Ya Mouth Records.
The Lacs have recorded six ...
and many more.
The label's audiences attract a sizable, rural and working-class audience by describing features of modern rural life in proud detail, staging concerts at mud bogs and buying a stake in the mud racing Mega Truck Series.
Average Joe's roster also includes
Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry is an American country music duo founded by singers Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry, both Kentucky natives. They began performing together in the 1990s as part of two different bands with Montgomery's brother, John Michael Mo ...
,
Lenny Cooper
Lenny Cooper (born 1988 in Jacksonville, North Carolina) is an American country rap singer-songwriter. Cooper is signed to Colt Ford's record label, Average Joes Entertainment, and released his debut album, ''Diesel Fuel'', in 2012. Cooper's sec ...
,
Bubba Sparxxx
Warren Anderson Mathis (born March 6, 1977), better known by his stage name Bubba Sparxxx, is an American rapper from Georgia. His singles include "Deliverance", " Ugly" (both featuring Timbaland), and " Ms. New Booty" (featuring Ying Yang Twins ...
,
Cypress Spring and more.
Other previous notable artists include
Rehab,
Corey Smith,
Sunny Ledfurd,
Josh Gracin
Joshua Mario Gracin (born October 18, 1980) is an American country music singer. A former member of the United States Marine Corps, he first gained public attention as the fourth-place finalist on the second season of ''American Idol''.
After h ...
,
Moonshine Bandits,
Kevin Fowler
Kevin Fowler (born May 11, 1966) is an American singer-songwriter. He has released five studio albums, and has charted four singles on the '' Billboard'' Hot Country Songs charts, including the top 40 hit "Pound Sign (#?*!)". In addition, he wr ...
and
Demun Jones.
History
Average Joes Entertainment was formed in 2006 by CEO Shannon Houchins, country-music artist
Colt Ford
Jason Farris Brown (born August 27, 1969) known professionally as Colt Ford, is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, entrepreneur, and former professional golfer best known for his music fusing the country and rap genres. He has released seven ...
and restaurateur
Zach McLeroy. AJE released its first album, Colt Ford's "Ride Through The Country" on July 4, 2008 which quickly brought notoriety to the new label. Soon after Average Joes artist roster added such acts as
Brantley Gilbert,
Corey Smith,
Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry is an American country music duo founded by singers Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry, both Kentucky natives. They began performing together in the 1990s as part of two different bands with Montgomery's brother, John Michael Mo ...
and
Locash
LoCash (stylized as LOCASH), formerly known as LoCash Cowboys, is an American country music duo consisting of vocalists Chris Lucas and Preston Brust. They have released 3 studio albums, one each for Average Joes Entertainment, Reviver Records, and ...
.
In 2010, Backroad Records was formed as a subsidiary of Average Joe's, specializing in
country rap
Country rap (or country hip hop and sometimes hick hop) is a fusion genre of popular music, blending country music with hip hop–style singing or rapping.
History Prototypes
Early influences on the emergence of country rap as a distinct genre ...
. Its roster features
The Lacs
The Lacs is an American country rap duo that consists of Clay "Uncle Snap" Sharpe and Brian "Rooster" King. At first, the group also featured Brandon Herndon on the three self-released albums on Side Ya Mouth Records.
The Lacs have recorded six ...
,
Lenny Cooper
Lenny Cooper (born 1988 in Jacksonville, North Carolina) is an American country rap singer-songwriter. Cooper is signed to Colt Ford's record label, Average Joes Entertainment, and released his debut album, ''Diesel Fuel'', in 2012. Cooper's sec ...
,
Bubba Sparxxx
Warren Anderson Mathis (born March 6, 1977), better known by his stage name Bubba Sparxxx, is an American rapper from Georgia. His singles include "Deliverance", " Ugly" (both featuring Timbaland), and " Ms. New Booty" (featuring Ying Yang Twins ...
, Danny Boone from Rehab, Demun Jones from Rehab,
Moonshine Bandits, Charlie Farley, Redneck Social Club and Twang & Round. Backroad also releases an annual compilation series titled "Mud Digger". ''Volume 1'' was released on August 3, 2010 and features songs from Average Joe's Entertainment and Backroads Records artists such as
Colt Ford
Jason Farris Brown (born August 27, 1969) known professionally as Colt Ford, is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, entrepreneur, and former professional golfer best known for his music fusing the country and rap genres. He has released seven ...
,
Brantley Gilbert,
The Lacs
The Lacs is an American country rap duo that consists of Clay "Uncle Snap" Sharpe and Brian "Rooster" King. At first, the group also featured Brandon Herndon on the three self-released albums on Side Ya Mouth Records.
The Lacs have recorded six ...
,
Corey Smith and Sunny Ledfurd. Backroad as since released ten volumes of the popular title.
In addition to
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
, Average Joe's founded a southern urban genre-oriented subsidiary imprint called AVJ Records, specializing in
southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music and a genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues and is focused generally on electric guitars and vocals. Author Scott B. Bomar specula ...
,
pop,
R&B and
hip hop artists, including
Nappy Roots, Anamul House and
Rehab.
In 2014, AVJ was also converted into a country-rap brand. Rehab was the only previous artist that remained on AVJ. A minor re-alignment also took place at this time moving Demun Jones and new artist Sarah Ross to the Average Joes brand and Danny Boone and Twang & Round to AVJ.
Marketing
In the early days of Average Joes, the company used unique practices what they referred to as "hi-tech/low-tech" marketing, where they leaned on both digital "direct to fan" social marketing along with face-to-face integrations tied in with artist's tours. Many of their early tours were in non-traditional small market venues that mostly included mud bogs and parks.
Through this practice the company built massive direct to fan data bases.
Management
Average Joes Entertainment also formed a management arm that started in 2009 under the name
Fullscope and was originally steered by
Ken Madson. In 2011,
Fullscope was re-branded as
Average Joes Management and in 2019 rebranded as
Arcade Management. Arcade is currently headed by
Jamie Reeder. Past and current management clients include
Colt Ford
Jason Farris Brown (born August 27, 1969) known professionally as Colt Ford, is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, entrepreneur, and former professional golfer best known for his music fusing the country and rap genres. He has released seven ...
,
Brantley Gilbert,
The Lacs
The Lacs is an American country rap duo that consists of Clay "Uncle Snap" Sharpe and Brian "Rooster" King. At first, the group also featured Brandon Herndon on the three self-released albums on Side Ya Mouth Records.
The Lacs have recorded six ...
,
Tyler Farr
Tyler Lynn Farr (born February 5, 1984) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Originally signed to BNA Records Farr released two singles for the label before it closed. He transferred to Columbia Records Nashville, releasing two al ...
,
John Michael Montgomery
John Michael Montgomery (born January 20, 1965) is an American country music singer. Montgomery began singing with his brother Eddie, who would later become known as one half of the duo Montgomery Gentry, before beginning his major-label solo c ...
,
Sister Hazel,
Gaelic Storm
Gaelic Storm is a Celtic band founded in Santa Monica, California in 1996. Their musical output includes pieces from traditional Irish music, Scottish music, and original tunes in both the Celtic and Celtic rock genres. The band had its first ...
,
Josh Gracin
Joshua Mario Gracin (born October 18, 1980) is an American country music singer. A former member of the United States Marine Corps, he first gained public attention as the fourth-place finalist on the second season of ''American Idol''.
After h ...
,
Nappy Roots,
Bubba Sparxxx
Warren Anderson Mathis (born March 6, 1977), better known by his stage name Bubba Sparxxx, is an American rapper from Georgia. His singles include "Deliverance", " Ugly" (both featuring Timbaland), and " Ms. New Booty" (featuring Ying Yang Twins ...
and more.
Film and television
In 2011, Average Joes formed Hideout Pictures to focus on film and television. Recent projects include CMT's
Still The King starring
Billy Ray Cyrus
Billy Ray Cyrus (born August 25, 1961) is an American country singer and actor. He has released 16 studio albums and 53 singles since 1992, and is known for his hit single "Achy Breaky Heart", which topped the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart and ...
,
Joey Lauren Adams
Joey Lauren Adams (born January 9, 1968) is an American actress and director. Adams starred in ''Chasing Amy'', for which she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, and played smaller role ...
and
Madison Iseman
Madison Iseman (born February 14, 1997) is an American actress. She is known for playing Charlotte in the CMT comedy television series '' Still the King'', She is also known for playing Rain Burroughs in '' Fear of Rain'', Bethany Walker in '' J ...
,
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot
''Jay and Silent Bob Reboot'' is a 2019 American satirical buddy stoner comedy film written, directed, edited by, and starring Kevin Smith. Referring to his 2001 comedy ''Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back'', Smith has described the film as a rema ...
directed by
Kevin Smith
Kevin Patrick Smith (born August 2, 1970) is an American filmmaker, actor, comedian, comic book writer, author, YouTuber, and podcaster. He came to prominence with the low-budget comedy buddy film '' Clerks'' (1994), which he wrote, directed, ...
, ''
3022'' starring
Kate Walsh,
Omar Epps
Omar Hashim Epps (born July 20, 1973) is an American actor, rapper, and producer. He has been awarded nine NAACP Image Awards, two Teen Choice Awards, one MTV Movie Award, one Black Reel Award, and one Screen Actors Guild Award. Epps's film r ...
and
Miranda Cosgrove
Miranda Taylor Cosgrove (born May 14, 1993) is an American actress and singer. She was the highest-paid child actor in 2012 and was included on ''Forbes'' magazine's " 30 Under 30" list in 2022. She is known for her career on television, parti ...
and more.
Other subsidiaries
AJE also owns motor-sports league
Mega Truck Series and clothing line
Slinger.
Label roster
Artists on Average Joes Ent.
*
Devin Burris
*
Tommy Chayne
*
Lenny Cooper
Lenny Cooper (born 1988 in Jacksonville, North Carolina) is an American country rap singer-songwriter. Cooper is signed to Colt Ford's record label, Average Joes Entertainment, and released his debut album, ''Diesel Fuel'', in 2012. Cooper's sec ...
*
Cypress Spring
*
Colt Ford
Jason Farris Brown (born August 27, 1969) known professionally as Colt Ford, is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, entrepreneur, and former professional golfer best known for his music fusing the country and rap genres. He has released seven ...
*
Sam Grow
*
Jeremy McComb
*
Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry is an American country music duo founded by singers Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry, both Kentucky natives. They began performing together in the 1990s as part of two different bands with Montgomery's brother, John Michael Mo ...
*
Sarah Ross
*
Smo
*
Bubba Sparxxx
Warren Anderson Mathis (born March 6, 1977), better known by his stage name Bubba Sparxxx, is an American rapper from Georgia. His singles include "Deliverance", " Ugly" (both featuring Timbaland), and " Ms. New Booty" (featuring Ying Yang Twins ...
*
Adam Wakefield
*
Carter Winter
ALUMNI
Average Joes Imprint
*
Brantley Gilbert
*
Cap Bailey
*
Corey Smith
*Daniel Lee
*Demun Jones
*
Ira Dean
*
JB and the Moonshine Band
*
JJ Lawhorn
*
Josh Gracin
Joshua Mario Gracin (born October 18, 1980) is an American country music singer. A former member of the United States Marine Corps, he first gained public attention as the fourth-place finalist on the second season of ''American Idol''.
After h ...
*
Kevin Fowler
Kevin Fowler (born May 11, 1966) is an American singer-songwriter. He has released five studio albums, and has charted four singles on the '' Billboard'' Hot Country Songs charts, including the top 40 hit "Pound Sign (#?*!)". In addition, he wr ...
*
Lauren Briant
*
LoCash Cowboys
LoCash (stylized as LOCASH), formerly known as LoCash Cowboys, is an American country music duo consisting of vocalists Chris Lucas and Preston Brust. They have released 3 studio albums, one each for Average Joes Entertainment, Reviver Records, and ...
*
Matt Stillwell
Matt Stillwell (born in Sylva, North Carolina) is an American country music artist. He lives in Knoxville, TN with his wife, Lindsey, and two daughters, Carolina and Ruby.
During college, athletics was Matt's priority, not music. At Western ...
*
Rachel Farley
Rachel Farley (born March 28, 1995 in Lawrenceville, Georgia, United States) is an American country music singer.
At age 13, Farley began opening for Brantley Gilbert. She also sang background vocals on Gilbert's 2012 single " Kick It in the St ...
*
Rich O'Toole
Rich O'Toole is an American country singer-songwriter from Houston, Texas, United States.
In early 2006, O'Toole released his debut album, ''Seventeen''. ''Americana Music Times'', then called ''Texas Music Times'', named ''Seventeen'' the "Be ...
*
Sunny Ledfurd
*
Trailer Choir
Trailer Choir was an American country music group composed of vocalists Marc "Butter" Fortney, Crystal Hoyt, and Vincent "Big Vinny" Hickerson. The trio was signed to Show Dog Nashville, a label owned by Toby Keith, in 2007. After recording the s ...
Backroad Imprint
*
Charlie Farley
*
The Lacs
The Lacs is an American country rap duo that consists of Clay "Uncle Snap" Sharpe and Brian "Rooster" King. At first, the group also featured Brandon Herndon on the three self-released albums on Side Ya Mouth Records.
The Lacs have recorded six ...
*
Moccasin Creek
*
Moonshine Bandits
*
Redneck Social Club
*
T Woods
*
Twang & Round
AVJ Records Imprint
*
Anamul House
*
Bingx
*
Bizarre
*
Crucifix
A crucifix (from Latin ''cruci fixus'' meaning "(one) fixed to a cross") is a cross with an image of Jesus on it, as distinct from a bare cross. The representation of Jesus himself on the cross is referred to in English as the ''corpus'' (Lati ...
*
Danny Boone
Daniel Hugh Boone (born January 14, 1954) is a former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched parts of three seasons in Major League Baseball, appearing in 1981, 1982, and 1990. He is probably best known for the eight-year gap between his major ...
*
DJ KO
*
Exit 24
*
I4NI
*
J Rosevelt
*
Lindsey Hager
*
Nappy Roots
*
Rehab
*
Rizzi Myers
*Space Capone
*
Vonnegutt
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
American country music record labels
American independent record labels
Record labels based in Nashville, Tennessee
Record labels established in 2008
Hip hop record labels
Film production companies of the United States
Film distributors of the United States