New West Taps Two

GO WEST, YOUNG MEN: A pair of veteran talent execs have been promoted at New West Records by label founder/owner George Fontaine. Gary Briggs is upped to SVP A&R and Artist Relations, while Peter Jesperson is named VP Catalog and Production. The Austin, TX-based Briggs will be responsible for discovering and developing new talent while continuing to manage relations for the current roster, including John Hiatt, Steve Earle, Kris Kristofferson and newer signings Robert Ellis and Buxton. Briggs, who has been with New West since 2006, previously oversaw all Triple A radio promotion campaigns in addition to producing the Live from Austin TX CD and DVD line. He was previously Owner/President of Beyond Rust Management, representing Lucinda Williams, M Ward and Beth Orton in partnership with Azoff Music Management. Briggs also served as President of Vapor Records, a label founded by Neil Young and his managers, Elliot Roberts and Frank Gironda. Prior to that, he was of Artist Relations/Creative Marketing at Warner Bros. Records, working with Wilco, Chris Isaak, Eric Clapton, Don Henley, Mark Knopfler and Neil Young. In Jesperson’s new role, he will develop content for reissues, box sets and limited edition vinyl titles from the label catalog, which now includes the recently acquired Antone's and Watermelon labels. The L.A.-based Jesperson and former Twin-Tone Records founder will continue his work coordinating content for packaging and final audio for current releases, while transitioning from A&R and the world's biggest Replacements fan into this new role. (10/10p)