Concord Names Stephanie Hudacek President of Rounder Records

Concord has named veteran label executive Stephanie Hudacek president of its Rounder Records, the company announced Thursday (March 28). Hudacek, who founded and has served as president of distributor and label Soundly Music since 2017, takes over the label that is home to the likes of Ruston Kelly, Sierra Ferrell and Katie Pruittand and has recently released posthumous albums from Gregg Allman, who released several albums during his lifetime on the label, and Dr. John.

Established in 1970, Rounder has been the home of artists like George Thorogood, Alison Krauss and Béla Fleck through the years, racking up 54 Grammy Awards along the way, including album of the year for the Krauss and Robert Plant album Raising Sand. Acquired by Concord in 2010, it’s one of eight standalone labels under the Concord Label Group umbrella, alongside Fantasy, Fearless, Loma Vista, Pulse, Easy Eye Sound, Craft Recordings, Concord Records and Concord Jazz.

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“Throughout her career, Stephanie has shown a deep commitment to artists and songwriters as well as an incredible intuition for what it takes to bring their music to the world,” said Concord Label Group CEO Tom Becci, who took over the top job last August, in a statement. “She has the requisite skills to preserve the label’s distinct history while ensuring her artists and team have the resources necessary for continued success in an evolving environment.”

Prior to launching Soundly Music, where she worked with artists such as Maggie Rose and Pony Bradshaw, Hudacek was GM of Riser House Records in Nashville, working in the country and Americana realms. Before that, she was an artist and tour manager, working with the likes of Joan Baez and Darrell Scott. For the past two years, Hudacek also doubled as president of Late August Records.

“It is an unbelievable honor to be able to lead Rounder Records,” Hudacek said in a statement. “Throughout its history, Rounder has shown an uncompromising devotion to great, authentic artistry, which has made it a natural home for artists seeking the same. That is a tradition I am thrilled to carry on.”

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