Proper Music Group has launched a dedicated press and promotions department, which is headed up by Jo Donnelly.
Based in the independent distributor's Surrey Quays office, the new division will cover UK media, including print (national and regional), online publications, radio and television. It will be available to add promotional muscle to campaigns across genres for distributed labels and the Proper Records roster.
The first batch of projects includes releases from Richard Thompson, Macy Gray and Ethan Johns.
The department will also absorb Proper’s existing classical and jazz PR division and become the point of contact for freelancers working on selected Proper Records releases.
Donnelly began her career at Columbia Records/Sony Music where she was head of press for over a decade up to the mid-‘90s, working with artists including Bruce Springsteen, Mariah Carey, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and Leonard Cohen. At UK-based independent Grapevine Records, she ran global marketing campaigns for Emmylou Harris, Mary Black and Joan Baez, before taking a position as artist manager with JD Management. In 2012, she established her PR and artist management company, which included clients Ryan Bingham, Seth Lakeman, AwolNation and Langhorne Slim.
We’re really excited to be able to further expand our offering to our partners
Drew Hill
Alongside her new role at Proper, Donnelly will continue to manage US band Kolars, who perform at The Islington on July 18 following last night’s (July 10) support slot with LP at Somerset House.
Proper has seen continued expansion in recent years, which led to the move to an expanded warehouse facility in November 2017.
Proper MD Drew Hill said: “We’re really excited to be able to further expand our offering to our partners and am pleased to welcome Jo on board. Her wealth of experience will be invaluable for promoting the profile of both our in-house labels and our distributed labels alike.”
Donnelly added: “I am delighted to join Drew and his team at Proper and look forward to helping shape and develop this exciting new department while Proper itself continues to grow and develop.”
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