Jeff Hanson (music executive)

Jeff Hanson is an artist and producer manager, A&R consultant and founder and chief of the Silent Majority Group label. He is the former manager of Creed, Paramore and Sevendust, In 2006 he set up the independent Orlando, Florida-based label Silent Majority Group, which is now home to Framing Hanley, Candlebox and Tantric amongst others.

Career

Hanson discovered Creed in December 1996 when they played live at Floyd's Music Store in Tallahassee, Florida. ^[1] At the time the band was unknown and their set-list contained mostly covers and two original songs. Jeff signed Creed to his artist management company, JHMP, soon after he asked friend John Kurzweg, to produce the band's first record and according Jeff, in an interview with HitQuarters, the album cost only $6,000 to make and eventually sold around 6 million copies.^[1] Creed went on to sell over 35 million records and millions of tickets worldwide. During this time, Jeff Hanson served as executive producer of both The Scorpion King and Scream 3 soundtracks.

Jeff served as A&R consultant for Island Def Jam during Lyor Cohen’s tenure in the early 2000s.^[2]

Between 2001 and 2004 Jeff also took on artists: Sevendust, Alterbridge, Virgos Merlot and Full Devil Jacket. During this time, Jeff Hanson released his first independent label with artist Storewide B in a partnership with Gotee / EMI and achieved multiple Christian Rock top 10 hits.

In 2002, Jeff was awarded Orlando's Leukemia and Lymphoma Society "Man of the Year" award for raising a significant contribution for the children's charity.

In 2003, Jeff was asked to manage the, then, 14-year-old Hayley Williams ^[3] Williams was then taken to Atlantic Records and signed to the label by Jason Flom.

In 2004, Jeff Hanson created the first new artist 360 deal together with entertainment lawyers Kent Marcus and Jim Zumwalt between Paramore and Atlantic Records. Paramore.^[3]

In 2006, Jeff Hanson founded and was the chief A&R representative for the Silent Majority Group label. He was joined by radio program director Rick Schmidt and fianceé Rebecca Foulke.^[2]

In 2007, Silent Majority Group entered into an exclusive promotion and distribution deal with Warner Music Group’s Independent Label Group, being distributed by ADA.^[2]

In 2008, Jeff Hanson negotiated a deal for Silent Majority Group to be distributed by ADA Global, a Warner Music Group company.

In 2009, Silent Majority Group's first signing Framing Hanley received a Gold certification for their single "Lollipop".

In 2010, three of Jeff Hanson's Silent Majority Group signings, Tantric, Candlebox, and Framing Hanley reached sales of over 100,000 albums.

In 2010, Jeff Hanson was named President of Phonegreetings, a new technology company consisting of audio and video messages delivered directly to voicemail and via SMS.

In 2011, Jeff Hanson was named the judge for the Fedex Underground Music series.

In July 2011, Jeff Hanson left Phonegreetings to manage the music assets and interests of Jesus Daily Group, an offshoot of the most interactive Facebook page in the world www.facebook.com/Jesusdaily.

In December 2011, Jeff Hanson A&R'd two compilations for Jesus Daily Group "an E-Pop Christmas" and "A Classic Christmas" that included numerous established and emerging Christian artists including Wintley Phipps, Charles Billingsley, Everlife, The Tractors, and Gary Chapman. Hanson also produced a two-hour concert special that aired on TBN's 'Praise The Lord".

In March 2012, Jeff Hanson formed "Multi Platinum Mentors" to service emerging artists with relationships and tools to develop themselves further in the music industry. Jeff Hanson partnered with industry veterans Mark Goff / Vocal & performance coach, Mark O'Toole / Worldwide tour & production manager, & Andy Raut / College Music & film business instructor.

In April 2012, Jeff Hanson was named to the voting panel of the worldwide "Voice of McDonalds" singing competition.

In December 2012, Jeff Hanson signed two active rock artists Farewell 2 Fear and Blacklite District to the SMG label and apparently to JHMP management company. Both reached number one on Sirius / XM's "Octane" Channel. Blacklite District with "Take me to the grave" and Farewell 2 Fear with "Fire".

In January 2013, in a return to the management company arena, Jeff Hanson signed platinum-selling rock band, Saving Abel, to the JHMP management company.

In June 2013 SMG / JHMP's Farewell 2 Fear appears on the Howard Stern radio show.

In October 2013 Blacklite District's second single "With Me Now" again reaches number one on Sirius / XM's "Octane" Channel.

In 2014 Jeff Hanson signed platinum rock act Saving Abel to JHMP and also helped the act to form their own label Tennessippi Whiskey Records.

In April 2014, Jeff Hanson partnered with industry and radio promotion veteran Barry Lyons founder of Rent-A-Label, to form The Singles Syndicate, a company specializing in short term promotion and distribution agreements to promote and distribute to over 500 digital outlets including satellite and internet radio sites as well as terrestrial radio stations for the digital EP and single formats. The distribution is accompanied by personal promotion to the outlets rather than the "template" based format used by Tunecore and CD Baby.

References