BBR Execs Shedd & Leymon Retiring
• BMG/BBR Music Group is honored to announce the retirement of two longtime executives: Rick Shedd, who served as the label group’s General Manager for more than 20 years, and Renee Leymon, who has been with the label group for nearly a decade and most recently served as VP of Radio Syndication & Group Strategy.
“After an entire career making my living within the music business, it’s time to step back to pursue some personal goals like traveling and reconnecting with friends,” said Shedd. “I’m eternally grateful to have had a career that combined so many fun experiences and the opportunity to make lifelong friendships with people that I met along the way. So grateful to those who were supportive and loyal to me on this journey.”
“Rick has been with BBR from nearly the beginning and has played an important role in our growth and success all along the way,” said Jon Loba, President of BMG Nashville. “His steady hand and demeanor were the perfect balance for a scrappy, upstart independent. He’s also been an amazing friend to me and the entire staff. We will miss having him in the office greatly, but so happy he gets to enjoy a well-deserved retirement.” Your best wishes can be sent to Shedd at Summerrick606@gmail.com.
Leymon (left) started her music industry career in the mid-’90s as a receptionist and A&R assistant at Arista Records. In 1998 she landed a promotion job at Lyric Street Records, where she spent the next 12 years, rising to Sr. Director of National Promotion. Leymon later worked at Bigger Picture and New Revolution Entertainment until 2014, when Arista Nashville hired her as Regional Promotion Director. The following year Leymon joined BBR Music Group as VP of Promotion for Red Bow Records, and she was elevated to her current post in 2016.
“It feels good going out riding on the wings of being the No. 1 airplay label in Country music for 2022,” Leymon. “I’ve been blessed way more than I deserve and am thankful for every second of my music business life. I would consider it my biggest professional accomplishment to leave a trail of successors that I might have influenced and that they are better for it. Most of all, thank you to the people that got me here and enabled me to realize a dream beyond my imagination… you know who you are.”
Loba remarked, “Renee was always one of the most tenacious and accomplished promotion executives in the business. When she was given the VP of Syndication and Group Strategy stripes, she truly defined what the role was and played a significant part in Broken Bow becoming the #1 Radio Airplay Label last year. We will all miss her asking each of us, ‘Are you mad at me?,’ but excited she gets to reinvent herself working with her son in a different industry.”
SVP of Promotion Carson James added, “Renee has been such an integral part of our team here for so many years. I’m going to miss working with her every day. The passion she has for our artists and the music they create is like nothing else. Renee, we love you, we’ll miss you, and we hate to see you go.” Leymon can be congratulated at calebsmeme1@aol.com.
