California-based Rural Rhythm Records has been one of the more aggressive labels in the bluegrass world of late, signing artists and releasing new projects with impressive frequency. It’s a family business, managed by the gregarious patriarch, Sam Passamano, with assistance from his daughters Jennifer and Sarah, and sons Anthony and Sammy.
And now, they are picking up and moving the business and their families. Well, half of them are.
Sam and Sammy, and their families, are relocating to the Nashville area to be geographically closer to the majority of their artists, and the core of the bluegrass community. They hope to have their new offices set up and running by the end of July, and will have limited access to email over this next few weeks.
Sam has issued the following statement about the big move…
“My wife, Pam, and I have been contemplating this move for a few years. Pam is a native Californian from the Sacramento area, and a lot of my family moved to the Los Angeles area from the east coast in the 60’s and 70’s. Our family is very important to us, so to relocate our residence and business to the Nashville area was a major life changing decision. Anthony, Jennifer, Sarah, and their families will be staying in the Los Angeles area. Myself, Pam, Sammy, and Rosalie will be moving to Mt. Juliet, TN.
We have made so many great friends over the years that we feel like we are coming home to our huge family of friends when we arrive in Tennessee. We are really looking forward to this next chapter in our lives and for Rural Rhythm Records and Rural Rhythm Christian.
There are definite signs that the music retail business has bottomed out after a most a decade of staggering losses. This is very good news for all of us and should help our bluegrass music lovers find more product at the music retail level. However, a lot has changed over the last decade in terms of marketing bluegrass music to our artists’ fans. We are working on several major media exposure opportunities for our artists, which will be announced shortly and being in the Nashville area will be crucial.
In addition, we are developing a new audio/video commercial product line for our artists’ music, which will require our continual attention during all stages of production. We will have more info on this our new audio/video product line shortly.
I think one of the most compelling reason for us to relocate our business to the Southeastern area has to do with being a lot closer to our artists and having the ability to meet and have creative conversations that can go much further than one or two hour phone calls.
We see a strong opportunity in the music business today after all most a decade of down turns and negative developments. ur move to the Southeastern area will help us be closer to our artists and our key business friends in the bluegrass and Gospel music communities. We feel very blessed for the quick growth at Rural Rhythm Records and Rural Rhythm Christian and appreciate all the help and support everyone has given us to get to were we are today. Having our Headquarters in the Southeastern area will certainly help us get our bluegrass and Gospel music to our Artists fans in different ways and to a larger audience…IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC !”
Best of luck to the Passamanos in Tennessee!
