Team behind Southbound launch record label, sign Shannon Noll

Paul Paoliello’s Top Dog Group – the management company behind this week’s chart-topping band on the official country airplay chart – has launched a new record label.

Red Dog Recordings will focus on country, rock and pop music, with former Sony Music executive Tim Holland named general manager. David Simon is A&R director and Michael Lifson is CFO.

Its first signing is Shannon Noll, who this week appeared atop the TMN Country Hot 50 as a featured artist on Southbound’s latest radio hit ‘Find Our Way’.

That track was co-written by two members of the Sony Music-signed Darling Brando, also managed by Top Dog, along with Coterie on Island Records and Peach PRC on Republic Records.

Top Dog also manages producers Peter Holtz, Erik Lewander, Craig Porteils and Greg Stace.

Paoliello, a 30 year veteran of the music business, has worked in both major and indie labels.

“We are hoping to establish a recognisable label brand that inspires the same level of passion as other much-loved Australian labels like Mushroom, Alberts, Future Classic and Unified,” he said.

“A label that attracts the most exciting musical talent, which will appeal to international audiences and especially in the US where we have already established a presence.”

Also on the new label is emerging country/pop singer-songwriter Rachael Fahim, who is currently Australia’s most-streamed female country artist with over 10 million streams.

Fahim’s first release with Red Dog – ‘Middle Ground’ – drops this Friday, November 13, and Noll’s first solo release with the label – ‘Wonderful’ – is out on Friday, November 20.

Southbound is also signed to Red Dog, which means the label launches with a #1 hit.

The group have already established a global footprint by partnering with industry heavyweights like The Kennel, Kobalt, Believe, Sony Music and Universal Music.

Holland, who helped establish ABC Music as the leading country label for local artists and created the highly successful Hit Country compilation brand while at Sony Music, said he has his sights firmly set on breaking Australian acts internationally – especially Nashville.

“We have a great opportunity to build something really special off the back of the amazing ecosystem established by Top Dog Group and our fantastic relationships in Nashville which will help create genuine international pathways for our artists,” Holland said.

Holland is also a board member of the Country Music Association of Australia, manages Jasmine Rae and Abby Christo, and hosts the Tone Countrycast podcast for The Brag Media.