Announced today, GRAMMY and 4x ACM Award nominee ERNEST launches DeVille Records, a joint venture with Big Loud Records. The label founded on the old-school values of artist development and creative swagger welcomes GRAMMY-nominated Chandler Walters, Rhys Rutherford, and Cody Lohden as its first artists.
“We’re going to build this thing wide and on concrete,” ERNEST says of DeVille Records. “Artist development. Write the songs and do it the old-school way. Make the videos, see the vision, help the vision come to life.”
“We have been in business with ERNEST for almost a decade. What started with ERN as a young prolific songwriter-artist in Big Loud’s publishing hallways, has evolved into so much more over the years,” Big Loud CEO / Partner Seth England shares. “Our partnerships in ERN’s Cadillac Music have gone so well, and his desire to create DeVille Records alongside of it made sense. ERNEST himself grew in an independent and cultural environment much like the one he desires to create. He and I have talked about this day for years, and all of the unique ways we could help break the next wave of prolific artists. Kudos to Rhys, Cody and Chandler for buying into this vision and supporting this unique rollout style with our upcoming DeVille project.”
Inaugural project Cadillac Sessions is a mixtape-style compilation featuring two new originals and one cover from ERNEST, Walters, Rutherford and Lohden – plus additional superstar guests, out May 9. The organic sonics of honky tonk, Western swing, ’90s country, and more collide with vivid imagery and modern hooks on the project, becoming a hybrid of classic and cutting edge which positions each artist’s skill. Production was done at Nashville’s Castle Recording Studios and filmed documentary-style capturing the creative camaraderie – and the spark of first-time artists living out their dreams, essential to country’s next chapter.
Bringing energy back to the classic-country tradition, Chandler Walters is a multi-talented native of Marietta, Georgia. Already a seasoned steel-guitar player touring with Post Malone and ERNEST, and a multi-Platinum, all-genre No. 1 songwriter (Post Malone’s 5X Platinum “I Had Some Help (feat. Morgan Wallen)”), his burgeoning artistic career is now kicking off, schooled on a mix of rock and country influence.
A vocal powerhouse with both the pipes and penmanship of an authentic country hero, Cody Lohden is a singer-songwriter primed for a creative breakout. The former firefighter / paramedic has spent the last few years on a unique story of self-styled success and now answers the call of a new artistic chapter. Raised in Garfield, Kentucky, Lohden got his first guitar at 12 and quickly put it to use, drawn to the simplicity of country craftsmen like Keith Whitley and Don Williams, and the greasy grit of rockers like Bob Seger.
With the killer instincts of a Music City hitmaker, Rhys Rutherford was raised on songs – and is now putting his education to work. With a commanding baritone vocal, the emerging country songwriter’s first batch of tunes were just beginning to land, when provocateur (and benevolent bossman) ERNEST encouraged him to pursue an artistic career. Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, the student of songwriting masters learned at the foot of his father – Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Rivers Rutherford – soaking up the wisdom and sound of chart-topping contemporary country.
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