Country singer Collin Raye has signed a recording deal with startup indie label Aspirion Records. His first album for the label is due Oct. 25, preceded by the single “I Know That’s Right” in September.
Raye previously recorded for Epic Records from 1991 until 2002. His output for that label included five platinum albums and 21 top 10 country hits, including four No. 1s.
Nashville-based Aspirion is distributed by Navarre and headed by industry veteran George Collier, who previously worked at MCA, Atlantic, Capitol and Intersound/Platinum Records. Other staffers are Steve Baker, who will head up the label’s marketing and media efforts, and Joe Kelly, who will direct the label’s radio promotion efforts. Both are 15-year music industry veterans.
In August 2004, Raye signed with another startup, Infinity Records Nashville, a division of the St. Augustine, Fla.-based Infinity Music. Infinity Nashville was also to be distributed by Navarre and headed by Collier, with Baker as VP. But the planned Nashville division dissolved a month after it was announced.
Meanwhile, Aspirion has also signed artists Leland Martin and Tobias Ren’e to its roster. Martin’s album is due Oct. 4. Collier also plans to release some catalog product, including “Joe Nicols: The Early Years,” a re-release of an album Nichols recorded for Intersound in the ’90s before finding success on Universal South Records.
