Lofton Creek Records

American record label

Record label

Lofton Creek Records

Founded| 1999
Founder| Harold Shafer, Vicky Shafer, Mike Borchetta, Martha Borchetta
Genre| Country
Country of origin| U.S.
Location| Nashville, Tennessee

Lofton Creek Records was an American independent country music record label. The label is notable for releasing "I Loved Her First", a number-one single for the band Heartland.

## History

[edit]

Harold Shafer and his wife Vicky founded Lofton Creek Records in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1999. Three years later, Mike Borchetta (father of record executive Scott Borchetta[1]) and his wife Martha joined as business partners.[2][3] The label was based in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2003, they also distributed the Big Al label, which was founded by country singer J. Michael Harter.[4] By 2004, the Borchettas owned a twenty percent stake in Lofton Creek, and the label had just signed Jeffrey Steele.[5] The label had its first chart entry in 2004 with Keith Bryant's "Ridin' with the Legend", a tribute song to Dale Earnhardt.[6] This song charted at number 47 on Billboard Hot Country Songs in late 2004.[7]

The label achieved a number-one single on the same chart in 2006 with Heartland's "I Loved Her First,"[8] which also got nominated for the Academy of Country Music Award for Single Record of the Year. The label signed Gwen Sebastian in 2009.[9] American Idol finalist Carmen Rasmusen also recorded for the label.[1] Mark Chesnutt signed with Lofton Creek in 2007 and released his album Rollin' with the Flow that year.[10] Gwen Sebastian signed with Lofton Creek in 2009 prior to her becoming a contestant on The Voice.[11]

Harold Shafer died in 2011 after complications from a stroke. The label had no releases after this.[6]

## Notable artists

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* Keith Bryant
* Mark Chesnutt
* Drew Davis Band
* J. Michael Harter
* Heartland
* Shawn King
* Billy McKnight
* Allison Paige
* Carmen Rasmusen
* Shane Sellers
* Jeffrey Steele
* Doug Stone

## References

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1. ^ a b "15 Overlooked Gems From 'American Idol' Singers". Billboard. June 16, 2020. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
2. ^ "Local record label looking at good odds". Jacksonville Business Journal. February 28, 2003. ProQuest 233208705. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
3. ^ "Borchettas click with Lofton Creek Records". Wilson Post. September 28, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
4. ^ Stark, Phyllis (2004-03-11). "J. Michael Harter Bows Big Al". Billboard. Retrieved 2008-09-06.
5. ^ Jeanne Anne Naujeck (May 23, 2004). "A bumper crop". The Tennessean. pp. 1E, 2E. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
6. ^ a b "Industry Ink: Dierks, Lifenotes, HealthTrust Dinner". MusicRow. August 29, 2011. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
7. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2017). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2017. Record Research, Inc. p. 61\. ISBN 978-0-89820-229-8.
8. ^ Morris, Edward (2006-11-13). "Heartland Scores a No. 1 Its First Time Out". CMT.com. Archived from the original on October 31, 2013. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
9. ^ "Lofton Creek Debuts New Acts". MusicRow. November 3, 2009. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
10. ^ "Mark Chesnutt Signs to Lofton Creek". CMT. June 28, 2007. Archived from the original on November 1, 2017. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
11. ^ "Gwen Sebastian to play the Belle". The Bismarck Tribune. October 31, 2014. pp. 1C. Retrieved June 25, 2022.

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