Gretchen Peters’ ‘Blackbirds’ Tops UK Country Chart; Also Enters Top 40 Albums Chart
- Nashville’s Gretchen Peters took #1 in UK Country Artists Chart with new album ‘Blackbirds’- Released through UK’s Proper Records for world (excl North America)- Other Proper releases include Allison Moorer and Asleep At The Wheel18th March 2015, London:- UK-based Proper Records is celebrating after acclaimed country star Gretchen Peters’ new album Blackbirds took the #1 spot in the UK Official Country Artists Albums Chart. So far the album has notched up over four weeks in the Country Chart Top 10, also entering the UK Official Top 40 Album Chart.Signed to Proper for the world (excluding North America), recent Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Peters is the label’s first artist to reach #1 in the Country Artists Albums Chart. Blackbirds is one of the UK’s biggest selling independently distributed country records, as well as one of the genre’s biggest sellers, so far this yearA revered songwriter who’s worked with many top drawer artists, from Martina McBride to Neil Diamond, Peters’ critically acclaimed career includes winning the Country Music Association (CMA) award for Song of the Year, plus two GRAMMY nominations and a Golden Globe nomination.Country music in the UK is booming with a market share of 2.3% in 2014 - it’s highest since 2007 -and this year is expected to be even bigger. Proper is also working with a number of other prominent names within the genre including Academy Award and GRAMMY nominated singer-songwriter Allison Moorer whose new record, Down To Believing, was released this week.Meanwhile the nine times GRAMMY award winning Asleep At The Wheel saw their latest album, Still The King: Celebrating the Music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, enter the UK Official Country Artists Albums Chart at #10. Proper has also just signed up-and-coming Nashville duo John & Jacob, who will be supporting UK Top 10 pairing The Shires on their upcoming tour.In the past Proper has worked with such renowned artists as Bonnie Raitt, Nanci Griffith, Tom Russell, Elizabeth Cook, Diana Jones, and Tim O’Brien.Gretchen Peters said: “I'm thrilled at the success ‘Blackbirds’ is enjoying in the UK. Since the release of my first album in 1996, I've seen my UK audience grow steadily. I'm so grateful to them and to the team at Proper Records for making ‘Blackbirds’ a success.”Drew Hill, Managing Director at Proper Records, added: “Having personally worked with Gretchen for a number of years, I’m really happy to see ‘Blackbirds’ getting such great attention. We’re extremely proud to be working with artists of this calibre to bring their music to a wider audience, be that UK and Ireland, Europe, or the rest of the world.”Proper Records is part of Proper Music Group, which was recently listed in the London Stock Exchange Group’s (LSEG) report, 1000 Companies To Inspire Britain 2015, which highlights some of the fastest-growing and most dynamic small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK. About Proper Music GroupSince 1988 Proper Music Distribution has grown to become the largest totally independent distributor in the UK with annual sales of over £25million. In recent years it has been a frequent winner of the coveted ‘Music Week Awards – Best Distribution Team’.Proper is renowned for having the knowledge, experience and personal service demanded of an independent specialist coupled with the reach and power of a major.Incorporating UK physical distribution, a worldwide digital service, a label services division and comprehensive international export networks, Proper delivers all music formats in the widest possible market.The Proper team effortlessly handles new releases and catalogue titles from many of the world’s finest independent labels working across all genres including Alternative, Americana, Blues, Classical, Electronic, Folk, Jazz, Pop, Reggae, Rock, Singer-Songwriter, Urban, and World.It is a subsidiary company of Proper Music Group Limited, which is listed in the 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain 2015 report compiled by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG).http://www.properdistribution.com/