Omnivore Recordings

Omnivore Recordings is an independent record label founded in 2010. It specializes in historical releases, reissues and previously unissued vintage recordings, as well as select releases of new music, on CD, vinyl and digital formats. Omnivore Recordings is a part of Omnivore Entertainment Group LLC, which also incorporates sister companies Omnivore Music Publishing and Omnivore Creative, which provides A&R and art direction/design consulting for recording artists, artist estates, and other record labels.[1][2][3][4][5]

Omnivore Recordings
Founded2010 (2010)
FounderCheryl Pawelski, Greg Allen, Dutch Cramblitt, Brad Rosenberger
Distributor(s)The Orchard/Sony Music
GenreVarious
Country of originU.S.
LocationLos Angeles, California
Official websiteomnivorerecordings.com

Omnivore's name reflects the company's inclusive attitude towards the music it releases, encompassing a wide variety of genres, spanning the history of popular music, and reflecting the broad musical interests of the company's staff.[6]

History

In its first decade of operation, Omnivore released approximately 400 albums, including archival music by a broad assortment of notable acts, including Arthur Alexander, America, the Bangles, the Beach Boys, Big Star, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Tim Buckley, Sandy Bull, Camper Van Beethoven, Alex Chilton, Gene Clark, Dennis Coffey, Continental Drifters, Culture, Bobby Darin, Dion, Dr. John, The Dream Syndicate, David "Honeyboy" Edwards, Fastball, Maynard Ferguson, Neil Finn, Game Theory, Allen Ginsberg, Andrew Gold, Vince Guaraldi, Arlo Guthrie, Woody Guthrie, Merle Haggard, John Wesley Harding, Judy Henske, Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey, Wanda Jackson, Jan and Dean, Bert Jansch, Jellyfish, George Jones, Paul Kelly, The Knack, Lone Justice, Malo, Iain Matthews, Les McCann, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, The Motels, Bob Mould, Harry Nilsson, NRBQ, Old 97s, Buck Owens, Van Dyke Parks, Jaco Pastorius, Art Pepper, The Posies, Alan Price, Raspberries, Bobby Rush, Leon Russell, Soul Asylum, The Staple Singers, John Stewart, 10,000 Maniacs, Richard Thompson, Townes Van Zandt, Hank Williams and Brian Wilson, as well as vintage comedy recordings by Ernie Kovacs and Edie Adams. The label has also issued new music by Cindy Lee Berryhill, The Bo-Keys, Cait Brennan, Peter Case, Lloyd Cole, Jeffrey Gaines, Luke Haines and Peter Buck, The Long Ryders, The Muffs, Chris Price, Pugwash and Steve Wynn.[7][8]

Omnivore was launched in 2010 by a quartet of music industry veterans:

Working with the founders/owners, Grammy nominated industry veteran Lee Lodyga (formerly of EMI-Capitol, Universal and Rhino) and industry veteran Glenn Schwartz (formerly of Sony Music, Zomba Recording Corporation and Rhino Entertainment) handle additional record production and licensing functions for Omnivore.[17][18]

Omnivore's initial releases were a pair of limited-edition vinyl issues for Record Store Day on April 16, 2011: the Big Star album Third [Test Pressing Edition],[19] and the 7" single "Close Up the Honky Tonks" by Buck Owens.[20] Since then, the label has maintained a steady stream of releases.[7][8]

The label releases recordings in a wide variety of formats, including but not limited to CD, digital, vinyl, flexi discs, cylinders and more. Some are limited editions, however, most are widely available through regular retail outlets worldwide.[5] Billboard noted the "great historical significance" of Omnivore's limited-edition release in April 2012 of a rare recording of Buck Owens performing at the White House for President Lyndon Johnson in 1968, newly pressed by Omnivore on flexi discs in red, white, or blue, each copy packaged with an original uncirculated coloring book that had been commissioned by Owens in 1970 and preserved unreleased for over 40 years.[21]

Omnivore also acquires vintage master recordings and publishing catalogues from defunct companies. These include the Nighthawk Records and Ru-Jac Records labels,[22] and the Blackheart Music Publishing catalog.[23][3]

Omnivore's releases are distributed by The Orchard/Sony Music.

Restoration

Omnivore has employed a variety of engineers in its restoration of vintage recordings, with 3 time Grammy winner Michael Graves of Los Angeles’ Osiris Studio serving as the company’s primary restoration and mastering engineer, and Jeff Powell at Take Out Vinyl in Memphis mastering most of the company’s vinyl releases. Other notable engineers who have worked on mastering and restoration for Omnivore projects include Ron McMaster of Capitol Mastering, Bob Ludwig of Gateway Mastering, Gavin Lurssen and Reuben Cohen of Lurssen Mastering, Justin Perkins of Mystery Room Mastering, Kevin Gray of Cohearent, Larry Nix of Larry Nix Mastering and Michael Romanowski of Coast Mastering.[24][25][26][27][28][29][30]

Awards

Omnivore's first Grammy-winning release was Hank Williams' The Garden Spot Programs, 1950, which won a 2014 Grammy Award for Best Historical Album. The award recognized producers Colin Escott and Cheryl Pawelski, and audio engineer Michael Graves.[31][9] Other award-winning Omnivore releases include Bobby Rush's Chicken Heads: A 50-Year History Of Bobby Rush (2017 Blues Foundation Awards, Best Historical or Vintage Recording; 2017 Living Blues Awards, Best Historical Post-War Album),[32] The Motels' Apocalypso (2012 Independent Music Awards, Best Reissue)[33] and Jeffrey Gaines' Alright (2018 PureM Music Awards USA, Best New Album).[34][35]

Select discography

References
  1. Kozlowski, Lori (April 2, 2012). "How To Start Your Own Record Company". Forbes. Archived from the original on March 25, 2014.
  2. "Omnivore Entertainment Forms Publishing Arm". All Access. All Access Music Group. May 22, 2014. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  3. "Omnivore Music Publishing". Discogs. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  4. Jackson, Andrea (November 21, 2013). "Record Producer Cheryl Pawelski: Trailblazer, Innovator". Bluestockings. Archived from the original on November 30, 2013.
  5. Sylvester, Bruce (May 14, 2014). "Omnivore Recordings strives to serve up music for nearly every listener's appetite". Goldmine. Archived from the original on July 17, 2014.
  6. "About Omnivore Recordings". Omnivore Recordings (official website). Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  7. Omnivore Recordings (2014). Omnivore Recordings Discography (PDF) (catalog). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2014.
  8. "Discography". Omnivore Recordings.
  9. "Hank Williams The Garden Spot Programs, 1950 Wins Best Historical Album Grammy" (Press release). Omnivore Recordings. February 9, 2015. Archived from the original on February 11, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  10. "Artist: Cheryl Pawelski". The Grammys. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  11. Tanzilo, Bobby (December 10, 2006). "Pawelski earns Grammy nomination". On Milwaukee. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  12. "Meet Cheryl Pawelski of Omnivore Entertainment Group". VoyageLA. November 27, 2018. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  13. "Cheryl Pawelski". Omnivore Recordings. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  14. "Greg Allen". Omnivore Recordings. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  15. "Dutch Cramblitt". Omnivore Recordings. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  16. "Brad Rosenberger". Omnivore Recordings. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  17. "Lee Lodyga". Omnivore Recordings. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  18. "Glenn Schwartz". Omnivore Recordings. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  19. "The 11 Most Interesting Record Store Day Releases". Stereogum. March 11, 2011. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  20. Davis Inman (April 14, 2011). "Buck Owens: Record Store Day 7″ Of Lost Recordings". American Songwriter. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  21. Dauphin, Chuck (February 29, 2012). "Buck Owens & The Knack Get Record Store Day Releases". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 24, 2013.
  22. "Omnivore Acquires Reggae Label Nighthawk and Soul Label Ru-Jac". VVN Music. Vintage Vinyl News. October 30, 2017. Archived from the original on January 9, 2018.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  23. "Legendary reggae label to be reissued starting with the Gladiators and Ethiopian & His All Stars albums, December 15". Omnivore Recordings. October 26, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  24. Thanki, Juli (January 30, 2015). "Hank Williams recordings get Grammy nomination". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  25. "Meet Jeff Powell of Take Out Vinyl: Memphis music scene veteran keeps 'cutting' classics". The Commercial Appeal. Memphis, Tennessee. October 18, 2019. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  26. Hart, Ron (December 18, 2018). "10 Best Reissues of 2018: The Beatles, Kate Bush, Jimi Hendrix & More". Billboard. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  27. "Gateway Mastering". Discogs. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  28. "Lurssen Mastering". Discogs. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  29. "Bash & Pop's Debut Album 'Friday Night is Killing Me' Coming from Omnivore Sept. 8th". The Daily Country. June 26, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  30. Victor, Greg (April 27, 2018). "Omnivore To Release Vince Guaraldi: The Complete Warner Bros.–Seven Arts Recordings As Two-CD Package On July 6". Parcbench. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  31. The Recording Academy (2015). "Best Historical Album". 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards Winners & Nominees. Archived from the original on February 11, 2015.
  32. "Blues Music Awards: The best of the best, in Memphis". Elmore Magazine. New York City. May 17, 2017. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  33. "11th Independent Music Awards Winners Announced". Independent Music Awards. May 12, 2012. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  34. "PureM Music Awards USA 2018 Winners Announced". Hollywood Digest. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  35. "PureM Awards 2018". PureMZine. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
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