George Fontaine, Jr. (Gamma–Georgia ’01) is following in his father’s footsteps by co-founding Normaltown Records, a record label in Athens, Georgia that provides full-label services and focuses on developing emerging artists.
Fontaine, Jr. grew up in the business. Not only is his father the co-founder of New West Records which is the pinnacle of modern Americana, but after graduating from the University of Georgia in 2004, Fontaine, Jr. worked for two years in New West’s Los Angeles office. After a stint working for a small indie label in Atlanta, Fontaine, Jr. returned to New West in 2008 and began dreaming up ideas for an Athens office which opened in 2010.
Normaltown Records was kicked around for a number of years before being launched in 2012 as a sister company to New West.
“It gives us an avenue to sign and patiently develop some younger artists that we believe in,” commented Fontaine, Sr. co-founder of Normaltown. “It’s more about the long-term vision. The idea is to work with them and grow with them until they do reach that point.”
Normaltown’s current artists include Parker Gispert, T. Hardy Morris, White Violet, Ronnie Fauss, New Madrid, and Ruby the Rabbitfoot.
Photo by Jason Thrasher of George Jr. and George Sr. at New West Records.
