Effective immediately, Provident Music Group, one of the world’s largest Christian music companies and part
of Zomba Music Group, will operate under the umbrella of RCA Label Group-Nashville. While it will remain a freestanding
operation, Provident will be overseen by Joe Galante, Chairman, RLG-Nashville.
Terry Hemmings has been appointed to the newly created post of President & Chief Executive Officer, Provident Music Group.
Reporting to Galante, he will be responsible for all operations of Provident.
Hemmings has an extensive history in corporate development and financial management within the Christian music and health
care industries. Most recently President/CEO for Phyve Corporation, his prior music industry leadership positions include
President/CEO, Music Trust Inc. and President/CEO, Reunion Entertainment Group. From 1987 through 1996, Terry
Hemmings was responsible for the operation of Reunion Entertainment Group, Reunion Records and Music Publishing, the
recording and publishing entities for artists such as Michael W. Smith, Third Day and Amy Grant. Prior to this, he was an
investment broker for J. C. Bradford & Company. A University of Kentucky graduate, Terry Hemmings resides in Nashville
with his wife, Janie, and 3 children, Kathryn (16), Eliza (13) and Allie (9).
“All of us at RLG welcome the artists and staff of Provident Music Group into the BMG family,”
comments Chairman Galante. “Terry is a seasoned executive whose vision and passion for
the music will continue to position Provident as a leader in the Christian market.”
The association of Provident Music Group with RLG-Nashville is part of BMG’s integration of the Zomba Music Group, which
BMG acquired in 2002. The ultimate goal is to continue the success of Zomba’s labels and publishing operations while creating
the best strategic fit possible for BMG.
In February of 1994, the Zomba Group of Labels purchased Brentwood Music. Zomba’s confidence in the mission of
Brentwood Music was reinforced by the purchase of Reunion Records in October of 1996 and The Benson Music Group in
February 1997. In June of that same year, Brentwood Music was renamed Provident Music Group, and became Zomba’s home
to its entire Christian music group of companies.
Currently, Provident Music Group is comprised of the following divisions:
Reunion Records – Roster includes multi-platinum artists Michael W. Smith and Kathy Troccoli, as well as NewSong, LaRue,
Joy Williams and newcomers Daily Planet.
Essential Records – Roster includes the band Third Day, approaching four million in career
sales, and Jars of Clay, one of the industry’s most successful groups, having gained
mainstream exposure and multi-platinum sales.
Brentwood Records – The industry leader in concept recordings, such as Smoky Mountain Series, with sales over five million
units, and America’s 25 series, boasting over one million units.
Brentwood Kids Company – Production team that has created gold and platinum certified children’s music and videos, among
them, Kids Sing Praise and Mother Goose Gospel and Dove Award winner, Sing Me To Sleep, Daddy.
Cedarmont Kids – The number one selling line of Christian children’s recordings and videos
with sales in excess of 12 million units — with five gold audio titles, six gold videos (of which
three have gone platinum) and one double-platinum video. Cedarmont has been Billboard’s
second best-selling kid’s audio imprint (behind Disney) for five consecutive years.
Provident Music Distribution – A separate and distinct company which sells and distributes owned and affiliated label product to
the Christian, specialty and international marketplaces. Provident’s distribution company services more than 7,000 Christian
bookstores and 5,000 special market outlets in the U.S. and 40 other countries.
RCA Label Group-Nashville is a unit of BMG. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, RLG’s three country labels
are: Arista Nashville, BNA Records and RCA Records.
BMG is the global music division of Bertelsmann AG, one of the world’s leading media
companies. BMG owns more than 200 record labels in 41 countries including Ariola, Arista
Records, J Records, Jive Records, RCA Records and RCA Label Group – Nashville. In
addition, BMG’s music publishing operations are the third largest in the world.
