History
Omnivore's name was chosen to reflect the company's inclusive attitude toward the music it releases, which spans a wide variety of genres spanning the history of popular music. [7]
In its fifteen year history, Omnivore has released over 600 albums, including archival music by acts including Arthur Alexander, America, the Bangles, the Beach Boys, Big Star, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Tim Buckley, Sandy Bull, Camper Van Beethoven, Alex Chilton, Gene Clark, Dennis Coffey, Continental Drifters, Culture, Bobby Darin, Dion, Dr. John, The Dream Syndicate, David "Honeyboy" Edwards, Fastball, Maynard Ferguson, Neil Finn, Game Theory, Allen Ginsberg, Andrew Gold, Vince Guaraldi, Arlo Guthrie, Woody Guthrie, Merle Haggard, John Wesley Harding, Judy Henske, Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey, Wanda Jackson, Jan and Dean, Bert Jansch, Jellyfish, George Jones, Paul Kelly, The Knack, Lone Justice, Malo, Iain Matthews, Les McCann, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, The Motels, Bob Mould, Harry Nilsson, NRBQ, Old 97s, Buck Owens, Van Dyke Parks, Jaco Pastorius, Art Pepper, The Posies, Alan Price, Raspberries, Bobby Rush, Leon Russell, Soul Asylum, The Staple Singers, John Stewart, 10,000 Maniacs, Richard Thompson, Townes Van Zandt, Hank Williams and Brian Wilson, as well as vintage comedy recordings by Ernie Kovacs and Edie Adams. The label has also issued new music by Cindy Lee Berryhill, The Bo-Keys, Cait Brennan, Peter Case, Lloyd Cole, Jeffrey Gaines, Luke Haines and Peter Buck, The Long Ryders, The Muffs, Chris Price, Pugwash and Steve Wynn. [8] [9]
Omnivore was launched in 2010 by a quartet of music industry veterans:
- Cheryl Pawelski, a Grammy-winning producer of archival and reissue albums [10] [11] [12] who had previously worked with EMI-Capitol Records, Rhino Entertainment and Concord Music Group, where she oversaw reissue and boxed set projects by The Band, The Beach Boys, Big Star, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, Judy Henske, Bette Midler, Willie Nelson, Otis Redding, Nina Simone, Rod Stewart, Richard Thompson, Wilco and Warren Zevon, as well as the Grammy-nominated boxed sets Rockin' Bones: 1950s Punk & Rockabilly, Woodstock 40 Years On: Back To Yasgur's Farm and Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets: 1965–1968 . [1] [13] [14]
- Greg Allen, a graphic designer and photographer whose previous work included major-label box sets by Ray Charles, John Coltrane, Alice Cooper, Miles Davis, Little Richard, Gram Parsons and Wilco. [1] [15]
- Dutch Cramblitt, former vice president at Rhino Entertainment and Nettwerk Entertainment. [1] [16]
- Brad Rosenberger, former head of strategic marketing for Warner Chappell Music. [1] [17]
The company also includes industry veterans Lee Lodyga (formerly of EMI-Capitol, Universal and Rhino) and Glenn Schwartz (formerly of Sony Music, Zomba Recording Corporation and Rhino), who work on record production and licensing. [18] [19]
Omnivore's initial releases were a pair of limited-edition vinyl issues for Record Store Day on April 16, 2011: the Big Star album Third [Test Pressing Edition] , [20] and the 7″ single "Close Up the Honky Tonks" by Buck Owens. [21]
The label releases recordings in a wide variety of formats, including but not limited to CD, digital, vinyl, flexi discs, cylinders and more. Some are limited editions; however, most are widely available through regular retail outlets worldwide. [5] Billboard noted the "great historical significance" of Omnivore's limited-edition release in April 2012 of a rare recording of Buck Owens performing at the White House for President Lyndon Johnson in 1968. [22]
Omnivore also acquires vintage master recordings and publishing catalogues from defunct companies. These include the Nighthawk Records, Chariot Records and Ru-Jac Records labels, [23] and the Blackheart Music Publishing catalog and others. [24] [3]
In December 2023, Omnivore signed a distribution deal with Warner Music Group's ADA Worldwide. [25]
