Revival of Lost Highway Records
Interscope Geffen A&M (IgA) of Universal Music Group has announced the revival of Lost Highway Records in Nashville, appointing Robert Notts and Jake Geran to lead the initiative.
According to a press release on Tuesday (April 15), Notts and Geran were chosen by executive vice presidents and co-leaders of Lost Highway to “usher the label into a new chapter.”
A Rich Legacy in Country Music
Founded in 2000 by Luke Lewis, Lost Highway boasted a roster that included Kacey Musgraves, Willie Nelson, Ryan Bingham, Hayes Carll, Lucinda Williams, Drive-By Truckers, Lyle Lovett, Tift Merritt, Robert Earl Keen, Shelby Lynne, Elvis Costello, and Mary Gauthier.
The label was folded into Mercury Nashville after Lewis’s departure in 2012.
In January of this year, UMG announced that Grammy and Oscar-winning producer T Bone Burnett and UMG Nashville’s Cindy Mabe would collaborate to revive the Lost Highway label. Mabe noted, “I’ve thought for a long time about reopening Lost Highway… it just feels like something has been missing in the market.”
Looking Ahead
In its announcement on Tuesday, Interscope stated that Burnett will continue to collaborate with the label on several projects. A country album produced by Burnett, Search, featuring Ringo Starr, was released in January—the first for Lost Highway since 2012.
“Lost Highway holds a special place in Nashville’s rich musical heritage. It was a left-of-center label with unique artists who were exceptional songwriters and cultural movers,” said John Yanick, Chairman and CEO of Interscope, Capitol, and IgA.
“Similarly, Interscope has always been a beacon for artists who don’t fit in the mainstream mold, while also striving to inspire what comes next. With this new chapter in Lost Highway’s history, we’re dedicated to nurturing the next generation of trailblazers, both among artists and leaders.”
“Lost Highway held a special place in Nashville’s rich musical heritage. It was a left-of-center label with unique artists, who were exceptional songwriters and cultural movers.”
John Yanik, Interscope, Capitol, and IgA
Notts recently served as Senior Vice President of Artist and Label Relations at Thirty Tigers. Over 12 years with the company, he developed campaigns for artists like Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, and The Troubadours.
“Throughout my career, my aim has always been to serve the artistic vision, fostering an emotional connection to their art. It’s in this spirit that Lost Highway made a lasting impact on the Nashville community—providing a home for artists unbound by genre and recognizing that an artist’s vision ultimately shapes culture,” said Notts.
“It is a tremendous honor to advance this approach with my dear friend, Jake Geran. With John Yanick’s leadership and the support of the entire Interscope team, we have a remarkable opportunity to marry fierce artistry with Interscope’s incredible resources to help cultivate worlds around the artist’s vision.”
“Lost Highway created a lasting impact on the Nashville community—providing a home for artists unbound by genre and recognizing that an artist’s vision ultimately shapes culture.”
Robert Notts, Lost Highway
Meanwhile, Geran previously worked at Universal Music Group Nashville, where he served as Vice President of A&R, signing breakthrough artist Tucker Beathard and overseeing projects for Vincent Mason, Parker McCollum, Jordan Davis, and Dierks Bentley. He also managed select releases for Sam Hunt, Josh Ross, Brothers Osborne, and Brad Paisley.
Geran spent 12 years in publishing with Musical Series and helped artists such as Morgan Wallen, Jelly Roll, Kelsea Ballerini, Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, and Eric Church achieve hits.
In 2020, Geran launched Hang Your Hat Music in partnership with Hillary Lindsey and Consistent Music, producing albums for Hailey Whitters and Laney Wilson.
Commenting on his role at Lost Highway, Geran stated: “Lost Highway has a rich history. Many of the releases and artists shaped my own understanding of songwriting crafts.”
“The label was a trailblazer for eclectic taste, representing the ideal of artistry while being open to creative risks and shining a light on artists who may have drifted outside traditional label constraints. With my friend Robert, and under the guidance of John Yanick and Interscope’s support, I look forward to overseeing this roster.”
Interscope’s plans for Lost Highway come a year after a consolidation at Capitol Music Group, rebranding under the new name Interscope Capitol Labels (ICLG) as part of UMG’s label group restructuring.
Lost Highway Records revived by Interscope Geffen A&M; Robert Knotts and Jake Gear named Co-Heads
