Robbins Closes Nashville Offices; Stark Departs

David M Ross • April 13, 2009 [print-me target="div.post-title, div.post-meta, div.post-body" do_not_print=".twitterLink, .sharedaddy, .jp-relatedposts, .fb-comments-title, .fb-comments-text, .fb-comments, .post-comments" tag="span" class="print-me-container"]

Phyllis Stark

[updated 4/13/2009]

Robbins Entertainment president Cory Robbins has issued the following statement clarifying information released last Thursday:

“Robbins Nashville is not closing. It is�correct that we�are closing our Nashville office, but we are continuing�in the country format with the same commitment.”We will be partnering with an outside promotion firm to work our records.

“Details about our next release, Ward Davis’ ‘Don’t Open That Door,’�will be announced in the coming weeks.”

Robbins Nashville will close its Music City office at the end of April and VP A&R Phyllis Stark will exit her position. About one month ago the label’s decision� to outsource its promotion department resulted in the departure� (3/11) of promo executives VP Tony Benken� and Dir. National Promotion Joe Redmond. Label President Cory Robbins was in Nashville during CRS, (3/5) meeting with independent promotion companies and announced the label had signed artist Ward Davis. The New York-based label intends to release another country single during this quarter.

Stark will continue to work with Robbins Nashville as a part time consultant, but is searching for her next career opportunity and freelance writing work. (p.stark@comcast.net). She joined the label in April 2007 and previously serving as Billboard Nashville Bureau Chief.