Multi national BMG purchase Reunion Records

ONE OF America's largest Christian music record companies Reunion Records and its associated Blanton/Harrell Management have joined forces with a secular music giant. BMG have purchased 50 percent of both Reunion and Blanton/Harrell. Reunion's artists include such acts as Michael W Smith, Kathy Troccoli, Kim Hill, Mike-E, Rich Mullins and the Prayer Chain. Blanton/Harrell said about the BMG purchase: "This deal was done strictly out of our desire to expand... it gives us the opportunity to further develop our expertise with the entertainment business via such areas as book deals, sports management, films and videos in addition to enhancing our artist management."

Reunion president Terry Hemmings said, "This joint venture will help us to develop stronger artists over a longer term period of time, and this puts us in a position to sign artists that might not otherwise sign with a smaller independent label. We're going to be in a position to compete with major labels with artists, who because of their faith want to be with a label that can nurture that side of their lives and can also support them musically and creatively."

Under the new agreement BMG's RCA label is promoting Michael W Smith's latest single "Somebody Love Me". CR

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