February 11, 2009

John Burns and Stephen McCord today announce the opening of The Service Station - a record label services company that specializes in developing artist-based brand marketing campaigns. In addition to offering label service consulting, TSS provides physical and digital distribution sales of music and entertainment product. "The primary goal of The Service Station," states co-founder Stephen McCord, "is to assist brands in leveraging music-based sponsorships through our label service expertise. In today's digital revolution, non-traditional revenue sharing opportunities are extending to brands". McCord cites the TAG Records/Proctor & Gamble venture, PepsiCo's launch of Green Label Sound and Sony BMG starting its own ad agency as evidence of this emerging trend. Specifically, TSS offers label service support in areas of artist & repertoire, apparel merchandising and other retail extensions, music publishing, new media, radio promotion, recording production, and royalty accounting.

The Service Station represents a new type of music/entertainment-based service company, providing the continuity of traditional record label services while empowering brands with proven expertise in creating and executing turn-key artist development strategies. The Service Station is a fee-based company, whose client base extends across several music genres, including Americana, AAA, Bluegrass, Country, Hip-Hop, and Indie Rock.

"The Service Station is the result of a commitment to professional excellence, accountability, and a tenacious desire to grow the brands we represent," states John Burns. Collectively, Burns and McCord represent over 50 years of combined award-winning major and independent label sales, marketing and distribution experience. Current clients include Favored Nations Entertainment Films (headed by Grammy winning recording artist Steve Vai), film star and Grammy winner Waylon Payne as well as new country artist projects Williams-Riley, Derek Sholl and hip-hop duo Cipher.