Universal Records was an American

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, o ...

record label. Established in 1988 by

Jimmy Bowen James Albert Bowen (born November 30, 1937) is an American record producer and former rockabilly singer. Bowen brought Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood together, and introduced Sinatra to Mel Tillis for their album, ''Mel & Nancy.'' Early l ...

, it was merged into

Capitol Records Nashville Capitol Records Nashville is a major United States-based record label located in Nashville, Tennessee operating as part of the Universal Music Group Nashville. From 1991 to 1995, Capitol Nashville was known as Liberty Records, before returning ...

in 1989.

History

Record producer

established the Universal label in December 1988. It was distributed by

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

, and featured its own team of producers, promotion, and

artists and repertoire Artists and repertoire (colloquially abbreviated to A&R) is the division of a record label or music publishing company that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists (singers, instrumentalist ...

(A&R). The label's roster at foundation consisted of

Joe Barnhill Joe Barnhill (born June 13, 1965, in Turkey, Texas) is an American country music singer-songwriter. Between 1990 and 1997, Barnhill released 2 studio albums. He also charted two singles on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. Hi ...

Lacy J. Dalton Lacy J. Dalton (born Jill Lynne Byrem; October 13, 1946) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She is known for her gritty, powerful vocals, which '' People Magazine'' likened to a country equivalent of Bonnie Raitt. Dalton had a ...

Larry Gatlin Larry Wayne Gatlin (born May 2, 1948) is an American country and Southern gospel singer and songwriter. As part of a trio with his younger brothers Steve and Rudy, he achieved considerable success within the country music genre, performing on 3 ...

and the Gatlin Brothers,

Joni Harms Joni Harms (born November 5, 1959, in Canby, Oregon) is an American country music singer-songwriter. Between 1990 and 2011, Harms released eleven studio albums plus her album ''Oregon to Ireland'' recorded live with The Sheerin Family Band in Mo ...

Tim Malchak Tim Malchak (born June 25, 1957, in Binghamton, New York) is an American country music singer-songwriter. Malchak partnered with Dwight Rucker in 1982 to form the country music duo Malchak & Rucker. Together, they became the first black/white d ...

Scott McQuaig Scott McQuaig (born January 27, 1959, in Meridian, Mississippi) is an American country music singer-songwriter. In 1989, McQuaig charted two singles on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekl ...

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is an American country rock band formed in 1966. The group has existed in various forms since its founding in Long Beach, California. Between 1976 and 1981, the band performed and recorded as the Dirt Band. Constant ...

Carl Perkins Carl Lee Perkins (April 9, 1932 – January 19, 1998) Pareles. was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rockabilly great and pioneer of rock and roll, he began his recording career at the Sun Studio, in Memphis, beginning in 19 ...

Eddie Rabbitt Edward Thomas Rabbitt (November 27, 1941 – May 7, 1998) was an American country music singer and songwriter. His career began as a songwriter in the late 1960s, springboarding to a recording career after composing hits such as " Kentucky Rain ...

Eddy Raven Edward Garvin Futch (born August 19, 1944), known professionally as Eddy Raven, is an American country music singer and songwriter. Active since 1962, Raven has recorded for several record labels, including ABC, Dimension, Elektra, RCA, Univer ...

, and

Roger Whittaker Roger Henry Brough Whittaker (born 22 March 1936) is a British singer-songwriter and musician, who was born in Nairobi to English parents. His music is an eclectic mix of folk music and popular songs in addition to radio airplay hits. He is bes ...

. Dalton's ''Survivor'' was issued in January 1989 as the label's inaugural album. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band also issued '' Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two'' through the label. In July 1989, Bowen announced that Universal would be the first Nashville label not to issue phonograph records. A September 1989 article in ''Billboard'' described the label as "fledgling" and noted that projects by

John Anderson John Anderson may refer to: Business *John Anderson (Scottish businessman) (1747–1820), Scottish merchant and founder of Fermoy, Ireland * John Byers Anderson (1817–1897), American educator, military officer and railroad executive, mentor of ...

, Wild Rose, and other artists had been delayed. Bowen dissolved the Universal label in December 1989, and its entire roster was merged into

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...

Nashville when Bowen assumed presidency of that division.

References

{{Authority control American country music record labels Record labels established in 1988 Record labels disestablished in 1989 Defunct record labels of the United States