In April, Barry Weiss, Chairman CEO, Universal Music Group’s East Coast Label Group and Bill Hearn, President CEO, Capitol Christian Music Group announced the sale of EMI music to Motown Records. Weiss stated, “The new Motown4 13 2010 Pastor Charles Jenkins & Tara Jenkins Gospel label will offer broader Urban AC crossover potential and further opportunities and synergy between Motown Gospel artists and the Motown and Island Def Jam urban roster.” Back in the early 90s, Weiss provided leadership at Verity Records. Likewise, Bill Hearn has a distinguished history with Gospel music, from the days of Sparrow Records with artists that included BeBe & CeCe Winans, Daryl Coley and Traimaine Hawkins.
The new Motown Gospel roster will include Smokie Norful, Tasha Cobbs, Tye Tribbett, Kierra Sheard. VaShawn Mitchell, Pastor Charles Jenkins and Fellowship Chicago and Grammy nominee Anita Wilson, among others. The structure of Motown Gospel will include Ken Pennell and the executive leadership of EMI Gospel, based in Nashville, coupled with new hires, particularly in the A&R areas. As such, the first appointment of Motown Gospel is VP of A&R, songwriter and producer extraordinaire Aaron Lindsey. Lindsey is a brilliant songwriter (“Again I Say Rejoice,” My Testimony” and “He Saw the Best in Me”) and producer (Israel Houghton, Byron Cage, Marvin Sapp)
The label also announced plans to sign CeCe Winans and release her next project in early 2014