Country Music Visionary Cindy Mabe Launches Joan of Arc Music to Preserve Legacy and Champion Future of Country Music

Joan of Arc Music is a 360 Entertainment Ecosystem Focusing on Artist Development and Media Innovation

Joan of Arc Records Announces Strategic Distribution Partnership with Warner Records Nashville

NASHVILLE, TN – April 14, 2026 – Music industry trailblazer Cindy Mabe today announced the launch of Joan of Arc Music, a comprehensive entertainment company dedicated to preserving the legacy of country music while championing its future through artist development, label services, publishing, management, TV/film production, next generation technologies and philanthropic impact. Joan of Arc Music protects artistry, cultivates innovation and builds long-lasting careers by bridging heritage with the future of entertainment.

Mabe brings decades of proven success in developing country music’s biggest stars to her new venture. She has guided the careers of superstars including Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Luke Bryan, Darius Rucker, Brad Paisley, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, and George Strait, among countless others.

“Country music is at a crossroads,” said Mabe, Founder and CEO of Joan of Arc Music. “We risk losing the very essence of what makes country music special – its authentic storytelling, its connection to people’s real lives, and its deep cultural roots. Joan of Arc Music exists to be warriors for creators and protect artistry.”

Joan of Arc Music operates through four integrated pillars that work cohesively:

Joan of Arc Entertainment – Comprehensive artist management, recorded music/label services, project development and marketing, and publishing services with a focus on breaking new talent and developing established careers

Joan of Arc Studio Works – Multi-platform content creation including TV/film production, audio content, and short-form monetization

Joan of Arc Ventures – Strategic investments in innovative partnerships and equity-backed ventures

Joan of Arc Music Preservation Foundation – Philanthropic division that defines the company’s ethos from day one, protecting the timeless legacy of Country music while championing its continued evolution. Every project across the JOA ecosystem directly supports the Foundation’s work through charitable initiatives that benefit the Country music community.

Inaugural partnerships include:

CMA Foundation – advancing music education in underserved communities
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum – contributing to the ongoing cataloguing, preservation and digitization of historical assets for public access
Porter’s Call – providing mental health and wellness services to touring musicians and their families

In a significant industry move, Joan of Arc Music has secured a comprehensive distribution partnership with Warner Records Nashville, one of country music’s most prestigious labels. This strategic alliance provides Joan of Arc with Warner’s global distribution network ensuring maximum reach and impact for the company’s artist roster. The partnership represents Warner Nashville’s commitment to supporting innovative approaches to artist development and legacy preservation.

“This partnership with Cris Lacy and the team at Warner Records Nashville amplifies our mission,” shares Mabe. “Cris is a Nashville veteran whose commitment to the legacy of country music aligns with our vision of preserving the genre’s authentic storytelling while embracing innovative distribution and marketing strategies. Together, we’re creating a powerful platform for both emerging and established artists to reach global audiences.”

Mabe’s industry recognition includes being named Billboard’s 2019 Country Power Players Executive of the Year, Billboard Women in Music list (2015-2024), receiving the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum Award, SOURCE Hall of Fame member and serving on the boards of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Belmont University Alumni Association.

Leading Joan of Arc Music is a seasoned leadership team including Lori Christian, Dawn Gates, Harper Grae, Leigh Morrison and Allison Winkler. This Joan of Arc leadership team brings decades of combined experience across all facets of the music industry, from artist development and marketing to business operations and strategic partnerships.

Joan of Arc Music is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. The company plans additional announcements in the coming weeks regarding TV projects, label and management signings, partnerships and ventures.

Cindy Mabe

Cindy Mabe is one of Music Row’s most respected music executives and distinguished marketers. A trailblazer throughout her career, she became Nashville’s highest ranking woman label executive when she was appointed UMGN President in 2014. She made history again in 2023 by becoming the first woman to serve as Chair & CEO of a Nashville-based major label group. During her tenure at UMG Nashville, the label group which included Capitol Records Nashville, EMI Records Nashville, MCA Nashville, and Mercury Nashville, Mabe helped guide and grow the careers of some of country music’s biggest stars including Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Jordan Davis, Mickey Guyton, Sam Hunt, Alan Jackson, Parker McCollum, Reba McEntire, Kacey Musgraves, Jon Pardi, Chris Stapleton, George Strait, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Brothers Osborne, and Little Big Town, among countless others.

Also, during her tenure at UMGN, Mabe launched a new comedy-centered imprint in 2023, Capitol Comedy Nashville, with Grammy-recognized flagship comedian Nate Bargatze. That same year, Mabe unveiled Silver Wings Records, a distribution and independent artist services arm of the label group, and Sing Me Back Home Productions, a TV and Film production company. Sing Me Back Home executive produced the NBC special Toby Keith American Icon which was the highest rated live special on NBC for 2024.

Mabe joined UMGN in 2012 as Senior Vice President, Marketing responsible for leading marketing across Capitol Records Nashville, EMI Records Nashville, MCA Nashville, and Mercury Nashville and UMG Nashville’s expanded suite of country labels following its acquisition of EMI. Prior to that, Mabe spent five years at Capitol Records Nashville, where she held the position of SVP, Marketing and played an integral role in the long-term creative and commercial success of the label that saw it named Billboard magazine’s “Country Label of the Year” consecutively for seven years from 2005 – 2012.

A North Carolina native, Mabe attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and graduated from Belmont University in Nashville with a B.S. in Business Administration. She began her music career as promotions coordinator at RCA Nashville, before shifting to sales and then artist marketing and development, during which time she worked with artists including Clint Black, Martina McBride, and Alabama. She later served as Senior Director, Marketing and Artist Development at Arista Records Nashville from 1999-2007 working with the likes of Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Brooks & Dunn, and Diamond Rio before joining Capitol Records Nashville in 2007.

Mabe’s dedication and tremendous work for her artists and her countless contributions to the music community have earned the industry leader multiple awards and honors including the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum Award, the SOURCE Hall of Fame Award, and recognition by Save The Music Foundation. Mabe was named as one of Billboard’s Women in Music 2015-2024 and landed on Billboard’s Country Power Players list every year since its inception in 2015 including earning 2019’s Billboard Country Power Players Executive of the Year. Mabe also serves on the Country Music Hall of Fame board. Mabe is also the recent recipient of “The First Responders Children’s Foundation Corporate Hero Award.” Her ongoing commitment to philanthropic leadership led to the creation of the Joan of Arc Music Preservation Foundation, dedicated to protecting the timeless legacy of Country music while championing its continued evolution. Defining JOA’s ethos from day one, every project across its ecosystem supports the Foundation through charitable initiatives that benefit the Country music community.