Here's the take on it from Nashville:

Rounder Records plans move to Nashville; Historic label, a subsidiary of Concord Music Group, will likely hire in 2014

Nate Rau
The Tennessean
Oct. 11, 2013

Rounder Records, the independent roots music label that's home to a wide range of artists such as Alison Krauss, George Thorogood and Mary Chapin Carpenter, is moving its headquarters from suburban Boston to Nashville in 2014. And the label will be hiring when it arrives.

Rounder Records, which is a subsidiary of Concord Music Group, was founded in 1970 amid the folk music explosion in Cambridge, Mass., where it was headquartered until moving its operation to the Boston suburb of Burlington a few years ago.

"It struck me often that this was not a place business was being done," said Scott Billington, Rounder's vice president of artist and repertoire, who has been with the label since the late 1970s. "By moving to Nashville, we're going to one of the few places in the country where there is a vibrant music business."

Rounder currently has about 12 full-time employees and will be looking to fill some positions when it arrives early next year, said John Virant, the label's president. The first step is finding office space, and Rounder is searching the Gulch and other areas, Virant said, adding that the label has pondered a move to Nashville for many years.

"We've been coming to Nashville and spending time there forever," Virant said. "I've been going down there for 20 years. A number of our artists are there — Alison Krauss and others. Much of the history and heritage of our label is tied into Nashville in terms of the kinds of music we do — roots and Americana."

The label releases music from an array of genres, especially blues, folk, bluegrass, Cajun and Celtic. Albums from the likes of Woody Guthrie, Bela Fleck, Riders in the Sky and indie rockers Delta Spirit have been released on Rounder.

Nashville-based music historian Robert Oermann said it was important for the city to land Rounder because of the label's heritage.

And Oermann said it was an important get for another reason — the arrival of Rounder means that Concord Music Group, the fifth-largest label in the country and home to Paul McCartney, will also have a permanent presence in Nashville.

"It's probably the most important American roots label. They're home to George Thorogood and the Destroyers, Alison Krauss, innumerable bluegrass bands, most significant modern New Orleans records, blues records. It's a real, real important company."

Billington said being headquartered in Nashville would also make it simpler for the label to scout Music City artists to add to its roster. He hinted there are artists here the label is already pursuing, though he wouldn't be specific.

"I think it'll make it easier to develop relationships with artists and managers who are based there," said Billington, who is a Grammy-winning producer. "I have had quite a few discussions, and am getting to know more people.

"I've got a couple lines in the water I'm hoping will land. I can't tell you yet. ... It's a very exciting time."