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Los Angeles-based Interscope Geffen A&M (IGA) Records has set down roots in Nashville with the relaunch of the iconic Lost Highway imprint.
Former Thirty Tigers executive Robert Knotts and Universal Music Group Nashville (UMGN) executive Jake Gear will serve as co-heads and executive vps of the resurrected label.
“Lost Highway carved out a special place in the remarkable musical legacy of Nashville. It was a left-of-center label with one-of-a-kind artists who, at their core, were great songwriters and moved culture,” John Janick, chairman/CEO of Interscope Capitol and IGA, said in a statement. “Similarly, Interscope has always been a beacon to artists who don’t fit into a box yet are destined to inspire what comes next. With this new chapter in Lost Highway’s history, we are devoted to empowering the next generation of trailblazers, both artists and executives.”
The revered label, which takes its name from the song made famous in 1949 by Hank Williams, had been dormant for 13 years after being launched by then-UMGN head Luke Lewis in 2000, who retired in 2012.
From the start, Lewis and his team curated a tasty roster focused on roots-leaning music from artists including Willie Nelson, Lucinda Williams, Ryan Bingham, Hayes Carll, Mary Gauthier, Lyle Lovett and Kacey Musgraves, who signed with the label in 2011, shortly before it was folded into Mercury Nashville.
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Lost Highway was also home to soundtracks, including the T Bone Burnett-produced, Grammy-winning O Brother, Where Art Thou.
Lost Highway
Courtesy Photo
Janick says he picked Knotts and Gear because their musical aesthetic matches the imprint’s storied history. While at Thirty Tigers, where he rose to senior vp of artist and label services, Knotts worked with such artists as Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Sturgill Simpson, Turnpike Troubadours, Muscadine Bloodline and more.
“Over the course of my career, my goal has always been to operate in service to the artist’s vision while understanding the emotional connection to their art. It is with this same spirit that Lost Highway left a lasting impact on the Nashville community — providing a home for artists who aren’t defined by genre and recognizing that the artist’s vision ultimately shapes culture itself,” Knotts said. “I am honored to carry that approach forward alongside one of my closest friends, Jake Gear. With John Janick’s guidance, and support from the entire Interscope team, we have an incredible opportunity to combine an artist-first mentality with Interscope’s remarkable ability to help build worlds around an artist’s vision.”
Gear was most recently vp of A&R at UMG Nashville, where he signed and/or developed upstarts Tucker Wetmore and Vincent Mason and A&R’d projects by Parker McCollum, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Sam Hunt and Brothers Osborne, among others.
“Lost Highway has a rich history. Many of these releases and artists were formative in developing my own appreciation of the craft of songwriting,” Gear said. “The label was a pioneer in taste, representing an ethos of artistry first, an openness to taking creative risks and shining a light on artists who drifted on the fringes of the major label defined ‘mainstream.’ Together with my friend, Robert, and with the backing of John Janick and Interscope, I look forward to curating the roster.”
Lost Highway was briefly resurrected earlier this year by UMG Nashville’s chair/CEO Cindy Mabe, who exited the label in February, in partnership with iconic producer Burnett. Their first release under the revamped Lost Highway was Ringo Starr’s country album, Look Up, which came out Jan. 10. Burnett will now work with the IGA iteration, including on a 25th anniversary edition of the O Brother, Where Art Thou soundtrack. A release date on the reissue, artists on the roster and staffing are expected to be announced shortly.

The first weekend of Coachella 2025 featured some of the hottest stars, including JENNIE, LISA and Cardi B. Tyla brought out Becky G for her set, Lady Gaga delivered a monster performance, and Megan Thee Stallion surprised the crowd by bringing out Ciara, and more! Keep watching to catch everything you missed at Coachella! Who […]
Kendrick Lamar and Drake go head-to-head for No. 1 on the Hot 100. Tetris Kelly:This is the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 for the week dated April 19. “Beautiful Things” is at 10. Morgan Wallen is still at nine. “Lose Control” slips to eight. Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” joins the top 10. “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” […]

Ahead of d4vd’s Coachella set, the singer sat down and shared what fans could expect from his performance, and tying it into his new album, working with Kali Uchis on “Crashing,” and more!
What did you think of d4vd’s performance? Let us know in the comments!
Tetris Kelly:
Yo. What’s up? It’s Tetris with Billboard News, and I’m lucky enough to be hanging with an artist that’s performing at Coachella. d4vd, how are you feeling?
d4vd:
I’m great, man. How’re you feeling?
I’m feeling good, but I can’t imagine what is going through your mind right now. So tell me, like, how you are you prepared? Is the Fit ready? What’s the aesthetic?
Ooh, yeah, I went to the fitting yesterday. I had a little vibe check. Little vibe check. I picked out two, two fire outfits. You know, I’m excited. I’m hyped. I’m thrilled. I got all the adrenaline in my body already preparing me for Friday, but I’m excited.
So you said you got two fits picked out. So are you trying to give something different weekend one versus weekend two?
Yeah, yeah. I got this iconic style that I go for, but there’s always like so much to play around with with this style. I don’t give too much away right now, but it’s just coming, bro.
All right, and then what would you say is your style inspiration overall, when you’re, like, preparing for, like, performing or doing a photoshoot.
You know what? I like to keep it like, when I’m on stage, I have this classic kind of business attire to it, like I wear, like this white shirt with like suede pants and like all types of different stuff that kind of brings more swag to the show, you know.
Keep watching for more!

Ahead of d4vd’s Coachella set, the singer sat down and shared what fans could expect from his performance, and tying it into his new album, working with Kali Uchis on “Crashing,” and more!
What did you think of d4vd’s performance? Let us know in the comments!
Tetris Kelly:
Yo. What’s up? It’s Tetris with Billboard News, and I’m lucky enough to be hanging with an artist that’s performing at Coachella. d4vd, how are you feeling?
d4vd:
I’m great, man. How’re you feeling?
I’m feeling good, but I can’t imagine what is going through your mind right now. So tell me, like, how you are you prepared? Is the Fit ready? What’s the aesthetic?
Ooh, yeah, I went to the fitting yesterday. I had a little vibe check. Little vibe check. I picked out two, two fire outfits. You know, I’m excited. I’m hyped. I’m thrilled. I got all the adrenaline in my body already preparing me for Friday, but I’m excited.
So you said you got two fits picked out. So are you trying to give something different weekend one versus weekend two?
Yeah, yeah. I got this iconic style that I go for, but there’s always like so much to play around with with this style. I don’t give too much away right now, but it’s just coming, bro.
All right, and then what would you say is your style inspiration overall, when you’re, like, preparing for, like, performing or doing a photoshoot.
You know what? I like to keep it like, when I’m on stage, I have this classic kind of business attire to it, like I wear, like this white shirt with like suede pants and like all types of different stuff that kind of brings more swag to the show, you know.
Keep watching for more!
Update: At the time of posting, the singer announced that the album release date and title has changed. Lana Del Rey is entering a new era with her new single, “Henry, Come On.” The song teases what’s to come on her new album, ‘The Right Person Will Stay.’ What do you think of Lana’s new […]

On Monday, April 8th, the roof of the Jet Set nightclub in the Dominican Republic collapsed, resulting in numerous injuries and fatalities, including the death of iconic singer Rubby Pérez. Cardi B, Natti Natasha and others have spoken out about the tragic event. Keep watching for the full details. Tetris Kelly: Tragedy struck in the […]
Lady Gaga is set to make her headlining performance at Coachella on April 11, and we’re breaking down what the pop star could have in store for festivalgoers. Keep watching for all the details!
Are you excited for Lady Gaga’s performance? Let us know in the comments below!
Tetris Kelly:Gaga is returning to the desert before she embarks on her world tour. She’s bringing Mayhem to Friday night at Coachella, and we’re telling you everything you need to know. It isn’t Mother Monster’s first time at the rodeo — she headlined Coachella back in 2017 when Beyoncé had to bow out due to pregnancy. But this time around will likely be all about her album Mayhem that she told us all about.
Lady Gaga: It started to slowly remind me of, like, my earlier work, the mayhem of my approach to pop music, which is like something that, like, is mine, that I feel proud of.
Tetris Kelly:The set contains No. 1 single “Die With a Smile,” the bombastic track “Disease” and the viral smash “Abracadabra.”
Lady Gaga:I tried to really, like, own who I am, and just be proud of, like, my approach to music, my approach to pop music, and then also, like, even through “Abracadabra,” which is very different from “Perfect Celebrity,” take ownership over something that I started a long time ago
Tetris Kelly:Right after Coachella, she’s embarking on the Mayhem Ball and had this to say about the outing: “This show is designed to be the kind of theatrical and electrifying experience that brings Mayhem to life exactly how I envision it.”
And we should be ready for surprises. In 2017, she premiered the new song “The Cure.” What Mayhem song can’t you wait to see live in Indio? Let us know in the comments.
J-hope got to hang court side at a Lakers game in L.A. and receive a gift from Luka Dončić, while Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco had a courtside date night on the East Coast at the Knicks and Celtics game. Keep watching for all the latest news from music and sports! What do you think of […]

A Colombian court has ruled that Karol G, J Balvin, Maluma, Feid, Blessd, Ryan Castro and DFZM violated children’s rights in their song “+57.” Keep watching for the full story. What do you think of the court’s ruling? Let us know in the comments below. Tetris Kelly: A Colombian high court has ruled a song […]