Six Shooter Signs New Deal With The Orchard.
"If Six Shooter has a reputation, it is that they are straight shooters." - Globe & Mail
Photo credit to Lyle Bell.
Six Shooter Records, one of Canada’s leading independent labels and a bastion of innovative artists, announces a new direct distribution deal with The Orchard for digital and physical releases in all territories outside of Canada. This new partnership will bring Six Shooter Records’ catalogue, which spans nearly 20 years and over 100 titles, into The Orchard’s international family.
“The Six Shooter team has built an incredible business over the past almost two decades. They continually expand the boundaries of what it means to be a modern music company, while always staying true to their vision,” The Orchard’s COO Colleen Theis said. “They have developed a wide range of talent and we are very proud to work alongside them and expand their reach around the world. As the Six Shooter company motto states: life is too short to listen to shitty music.”
From Americana noir to orchestral new wave, from soaring stomping roots to angular art rock, from finger-picked folk to blistering experimental metal, Six Shooter Records’ catalogue runs the genre gamut yet is united by a steadfast appreciation for the craft of songwriting. Six Shooter has earned its international reputation for excellence with award-winning, critically acclaimed albums as well as memorable label events at conferences from Reeperbahn to AmericanaFest to SXSW. The label is differentiated by its big picture commitment to artists, best evidenced by its long-term relationships with much of the roster, and by its general philosophy, succinctly expressed by its righteous motto: “Life Is Too Short To Listen To Shitty Music.” LITSTLTSM might not make an obvious hashtag, but it does make for a meaningful lodestar to navigate the music business. Six Shooter Records is also one of the only independent labels in North America owned by women; in fact, throughout its history, women have accounted for the majority of the label staff as well.
“We are ecstatic to be working with The Orchard,” says label president Shauna de Cartier. “We have had a long-standing relationship with The Orchard’s COO Colleen Theis and since the inception of Six Shooter Records, we have been inspired by her enthusiasm and encouragement. We find the culture at The Orchard to be similarly vibrant, positive, and intelligent. The international stature of our artists has been growing steadily, particularly in the markets of America and Europe. The Orchard’s expertise and infrastructure around the world will help our artists achieve their global potential. With the strength and support of The Orchard, we are excited to blaze new trails for Six Shooter Records.”
Six Shooter’s achievements have included double-digit JUNO Award wins and nominations. In 2018, label and management clients were nominated for nine awards, the most in the label’s history. The label also recently received a Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) Marketing Award, detailed by Billboard here. Internationally, Six Shooter Records artists have earned Americana Music Awards’ Emerging Artist of the Year nominations and AmericanaUK Awards. Over and above these awards and recognition, Six Shooter is also proud of the roster’s thoughtful and meaningful contributions beyond music, from Amelia Curran’s poignant advocacy for mental health to Tanya Tagaq’s continued eye-opening discussions about colonialism, Whitehorse’s partnerships with harm reduction organizations and more.
Operationally, the label’s main office is located in Toronto, ON, beside The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, one of the city’s iconic clubs. Six Shooter has maintained offices and personnel in NYC, Nashville, Los Angeles, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Austin and Copenhagen, and continues to expand in numbers and in scope. Six Shooter recently launched an in-house Licensing and Sync department to support its publishing company, Girl On A Horse; artists have landed placements from “Nashville” to “Vikings,” blockbuster studio romances to indie comedy thrillers, major brands (Under Armour, Nike, Apple), major sporting events (MLB, NHL, Olympics) and more.
In addition to the label and management companies, Six Shooter also produces Interstellar Rodeo in Edmonton, AB. The festival, recently awarded Small Festival of the Year at the Live Music Awards, is now in its seventh year in Edmonton. Interstellar Rodeo lineups have included Beck, Wilco, Alabama Shakes, Case/Lang/Veirs, St. Vincent, Steve Earle, Margo Price, Father John Misty, Jason Isbell and more. This year’s headliners include Courtney Barnett, Feist, July Talk and The Mavericks. This year’s lineup has achieved gender parity, and Indigenous artists represent one-third of the bill. Interstellar Rodeo takes place July 20-22, 2018.
The Six Shooter Records Team:
Shauna de Cartier, President, Label
Helen Britton, President, Management
Emily Smart, VP of Marketing/Publicity
Pierre Bussieres, Director of Administration
Chris Wynters, Director of Partnerships / Artist Manager
Sarah Sleeth, Marketing Manager
Kim Temple, Licensing & Sync
Victoria Hoare, A&R Coordinator
Caitlin Veitch, Digital Communications
Morgan Coates, Marketing Manager
Tim MacMillar, Artist Bookkeeper
Mike McKeown, Artist Manager
Vanessa Kuzina, Artist Management Associate
Matt Maw, Artist Management Associate
ABOUT SIX SHOOTER RECORDS
Six Shooter Records is an independent record label with an award-winning, critically acclaimed roster of unique artists who defy easy classification. Based in Toronto, the roster includes Whitehorse, 2014 Polaris Music Prize winner Tanya Tagaq and Americana Music Awards’ Emerging Artist nominees Sam Outlaw and The Deep Dark Woods. Shooter also boasts countrypolitan spitfire Whitney Rose, enigmatic new wave rocker Ensign Broderick, disco punk oddballs The Wet Secrets, cult art-rockers The Rheostatics and JUNO Award regulars Amelia Curran and NQ Arbuckle. Over the course of nearly 20 years, Six Shooter Records’ steadfast commitment to artist development and integrity has fostered a reputation for excellence.
ABOUT THE ORCHARD
The Orchard is a leading music, film and video distribution company operating in over 30 markets worldwide. With a comprehensive artist & label services offering including full-service marketing, sync licensing, video services, transparent data analysis, advertising, rights management, digital and physical distribution and more, The Orchard empowers creators and businesses to grow and adapt in the dynamic global industry. For further information, visit http://www.theorchard.com.