ABOUT
Jeff Walker, AristoMedia Group President
The success of a business is often closely tied to the philosophy of the individual that started it. In the perpetual uncertainty that defines the entire breadth of the music industry today, Jeff Walker remains a self-professed “glass half-full kind of guy.”
When the Australian-born Walker first came to Nashville in 1974, the music business was a different animal, driven by the radio single and almost a decade away from the arrival of the music video. The AristoMedia Group would prove to be a pioneer in that emerging format and play a key role in the overall development of the music video industry in Nashville.
Walker’s natural instinct and versatility as a businessman have been critical to his company’s longevity. “You simply won’t survive in this industry unless you’re able to adapt,” he says. “Most people’s job descriptions today aren’t the same as they were even two years ago.”
As his company celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2010, that recurring theme of adaptability has proven to be a cornerstone of Walker’s success and a philosophy that has helped solidify The AristoMedia Group as a prominent name in Nashville for three decades.
* * *
Born and raised in Australia, Walker graduated with a degree in Economics from the University of Sydney and quickly earned his Chartered Accountants certification, the Australian equivalent of a Certified Public Accountant. After moving to Nashville to pursue a career in finance with Price Waterhouse, the lure of American country music proved too strong, and Walker took a position with Con Brio Records and Publishing.
Walker admits he is too much of a “people person” to be stuck behind a desk crunching numbers. “I think I was initially drawn to the networking element of public relations,” Walker says. “As things developed, I began to envision the idea of an ‘umbrella company’ that would house different functions of the industry.”
Before that vision materialized, however, Walker was promoted to Vice President of Operations for Con Brio. During his tenure, the label saw considerable growth, charting over forty records in a remarkable three-year period. In April of 1980, Walker took his experience and a leap of faith and formed The AristoMedia Group. He integrated the word “aristocrat” into the company’s name to communicate his vision of a company that prided itself on upholding the highest standards of excellence.
The initial success of AristoMedia as an independent publicity firm (branded today as Aristo P.R.), prompted Walker to expand his business into video promotion in 1983. His foresight and willingness to embrace this new format was a key move in the development of both his company and the music video market in Nashville. Through the company’s new video promotion branch, AristoMedia played an integral role in launching the careers of some of Nashville’s biggest names, including Shania Twain, Keith Urban, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and Sugarland. The company also incorporated Christian artists into their roster, providing publicity and video promotion for prominent acts like Michael W. Smith, Third Day, Point of Grace and Relient K.
Walker made his next major expansion in 1991, founding Marco Promotions. The company name is a reference to the Italian radio inventor, Guglielmo Marconi. Not surprisingly, this new branch was created specifically for radio promotion operations. Over the past seventeen years, Marco Promotions has played a significant role in garnering national and regional hit records for artists like Garth Brooks, Taylor Swift, Gretchen Wilson, The Dixie Chicks and Trisha Yearwood.
His company continued its growth in the ‘90s, with Walker forming The Goodland Group in 1994 and Jeff Walker & Associates in 1995. The Goodland Group was set up to provide video duplication services, while Jeff Walker & Associates remains a special interest branch that offers international and domestic consultation services.
As the industry evolved, so did The AristoMedia Group. Rapid technological advances and corporate consolidation only accelerated Walker’s growth. He realized there was a virtually untapped market for dance club promotion, so he created Marco Club Connection in 2004 to increase exposure for clients with dance-oriented material. The company had already seen previous success with their involvement in videos like “Achy Breaky Heart” and “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy),” so the transition was a logical move. He followed with a New Media department the following year, calling it AristoWorks. The division serves as an important lynchpin to integrate the various departments of The AristoMedia Group. Both recent ventures continue to thrive in an otherwise unpredictable industry.
If it seems overly ambitious for one company to manage so many interests, one only has to look to Music Row magazine, which voted AristoMedia “Best Independent Publicity Company” for three consecutive years as proof that Jeff Walker has an uncanny knack for adapting to the latest trends. The newest frontier, he says, is developing overseas.
“Over the years, Nashville has largely ignored the country music being made in other countries,” he notes. “They’ve been preoccupied with the artists here, which is understandable, but I think they’re starting to think more globally now in that respect.”
Walker certainly has his finger on the pulse of the international country market. Since 2005, he’s been responsible for hosting and coordinating the annual Global Events that take place the week of the CMA Music Festival. The Global Events are a series of showcases sponsored each year by AristoMedia and the CMA, bringing the best international talent together in Nashville for the premier country music festival in the U.S. For many of the artists, it’s the first time they’ve ever been to Music City. Walker cites this involvement in the global community as one of the things he’s most proud of in his 30 years in the business.
“I think AristoMedia has provided a lot of opportunities for new artists over the years, and that certainly applies to global entertainers, as well,” Walker says. His company’s success with artists like Keith Urban and Shania Twain is affirmation of that statement.
His efforts in the country music business go beyond the singular needs of his company, however. Walker’s contributions to the community in general have spanned several decades. He continues to serve on numerous boards, including those of the Country Music Association, Country Radio Broadcasters, Academy of Country Music and NARAS, among others. His international involvement has led to voluntary board positions for the Canadian Country Music Association and the Contemporary Country Music Coalition in Australia. In addition, Walker served as Executive Producer and Talent Coordinator for the CMA Music Festival’s Daytime Stages from 2003-2008.
In 2009, AristoMedia co-developed its DownCast service with veteran Nashville-based television production company, Travis Television Productions. The service distributes broadcast-quality video content and a variety of other materials to a network of nearly 10,000 outlets through its own dedicated server. In an industry turned practically upside down, it’s proof that Walker’s opportunistic nature hasn’t diminished over the years.
The philosophy and diversity of The AristoMedia Group has led to an enviable position in Nashville, as Walker’s company remains one of the few independent “one-stop shops” in the business. Its success in publicity, marketing, video and radio promotion, consulting, event coordination, new media relations and dance club promotions has created a truly unique reputation in the music business.
This perpetual multi-tasking only means more opportunities for Walker’s company in the future. “Necessity is the mother of invention,” he says in his typical easygoing fashion. “As long as we remember that content is king and continue to provide professional niche market media services, the future looks bright.”
One thing is certain, however. As opportunity knocks, Jeff Walker will be there to answer the door.The success of a business is often closely tied to the philosophy of the individual that started it. In the perpetual uncertainty that defines the entire breadth of the music industry today, Jeff Walker remains a self-professed “glass half-full kind of guy.”
When the Australian-born Walker first came to Nashville in 1974, the music business was a different animal, driven by the radio single and almost a decade away from the arrival of the music video. The AristoMedia Group would prove to be a pioneer in that emerging format and play a key role in the overall development of the music video industry in Nashville.
Walker’s natural instinct and versatility as a businessman have been critical to his company’s longevity. “You simply won’t survive in this industry unless you’re able to adapt,” he says. “Most people’s job descriptions today aren’t the same as they were even two years ago.”
As his company celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2010, that recurring theme of adaptability has proven to be a cornerstone of Walker’s success and a philosophy that has helped solidify The AristoMedia Group as a prominent name in Nashville for three decades.
Born and raised in Australia, Walker graduated with a degree in Economics from the University of Sydney and quickly earned his Chartered Accountants certification, the Australian equivalent of a Certified Public Accountant. After moving to Nashville to pursue a career in finance with Price Waterhouse, the lure of American country music proved too strong, and Walker took a position with Con Brio Records and Publishing.
Walker admits he is too much of a “people person” to be stuck behind a desk crunching numbers. “I think I was initially drawn to the networking element of public relations,” Walker says. “As things developed, I began to envision the idea of an ‘umbrella company’ that would house different functions of the industry.”
Before that vision materialized, however, Walker was promoted to Vice President of Operations for Con Brio. During his tenure, the label saw considerable growth, charting over forty records in a remarkable three-year period. In April of 1980, Walker took his experience and a leap of faith and formed The AristoMedia Group. He integrated the word “aristocrat” into the company’s name to communicate his vision of a company that prided itself on upholding the highest standards of excellence.
The initial success of AristoMedia as an independent publicity firm (branded today as Aristo P.R.), prompted Walker to expand his business into video promotion in 1983. His foresight and willingness to embrace this new format was a key move in the development of both his company and the music video market in Nashville. Through the company’s new video promotion branch, AristoMedia played an integral role in launching the careers of some of Nashville’s biggest names, including Shania Twain, Keith Urban, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and Sugarland. The company also incorporated Christian artists into their roster, providing publicity and video promotion for prominent acts like Michael W. Smith, Third Day, Point of Grace and Relient K.
Walker made his next major expansion in 1991, founding Marco Promotions. The company name is a reference to the Italian radio inventor, Guglielmo Marconi. Not surprisingly, this new branch was created specifically for radio promotion operations. Over the past seventeen years, Marco Promotions has played a significant role in garnering national and regional hit records for artists like Garth Brooks, Taylor Swift, Gretchen Wilson, The Dixie Chicks and Trisha Yearwood.
His company continued its growth in the ‘90s, with Walker forming The Goodland Group in 1994 and Jeff Walker & Associates in 1995. The Goodland Group was set up to provide video duplication services, while Jeff Walker & Associates remains a special interest branch that offers international and domestic consultation services.
As the industry evolved, so did The AristoMedia Group. Rapid technological advances and corporate consolidation only accelerated Walker’s growth. He realized there was a virtually untapped market for dance club promotion, so he created Marco Club Connection in 2004 to increase exposure for clients with dance-oriented material. The company had already seen previous success with their involvement in videos like “Achy Breaky Heart” and “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy),” so the transition was a logical move. He followed with a New Media department the following year, calling it AristoWorks. The division serves as an important lynchpin to integrate the various departments of The AristoMedia Group. Both recent ventures continue to thrive in an otherwise unpredictable industry.
If it seems overly ambitious for one company to manage so many interests, one only has to look to Music Row magazine, which voted AristoMedia “Best Independent Publicity Company” for three consecutive years as proof that Jeff Walker has an uncanny knack for adapting to the latest trends. The newest frontier, he says, is developing overseas.
“Over the years, Nashville has largely ignored the country music being made in other countries,” he notes. “They’ve been preoccupied with the artists here, which is understandable, but I think they’re starting to think more globally now in that respect.”
Walker certainly has his finger on the pulse of the international country market. Since 2005, he’s been responsible for hosting and coordinating the annual Global Events that take place the week of the CMA Music Festival. The Global Events are a series of showcases sponsored each year by AristoMedia and the CMA, bringing the best international talent together in Nashville for the premier country music festival in the U.S. For many of the artists, it’s the first time they’ve ever been to Music City. Walker cites this involvement in the global community as one of the things he’s most proud of in his 30 years in the business.
“I think AristoMedia has provided a lot of opportunities for new artists over the years, and that certainly applies to global entertainers, as well,” Walker says. His company’s success with artists like Keith Urban and Shania Twain is affirmation of that statement.
His efforts in the country music business go beyond the singular needs of his company, however. Walker’s contributions to the community in general have spanned several decades. He continues to serve on numerous boards, including those of the Country Music Association, Country Radio Broadcasters, Academy of Country Music and NARAS, among others. His international involvement has led to voluntary board positions for the Canadian Country Music Association and the Contemporary Country Music Coalition in Australia. In addition, Walker served as Executive Producer and Talent Coordinator for the CMA Music Festival’s Daytime Stages from 2003-2008.
In 2009, AristoMedia co-developed its DownCast service with veteran Nashville-based television production company, Travis Television Productions. The service distributes broadcast-quality video content and a variety of other materials to a network of nearly 10,000 outlets through its own dedicated server. In an industry turned practically upside down, it’s proof that Walker’s opportunistic nature hasn’t diminished over the years.
The philosophy and diversity of The AristoMedia Group has led to an enviable position in Nashville, as Walker’s company remains one of the few independent “one-stop shops” in the business. Its success in publicity, marketing, video and radio promotion, consulting, event coordination, new media relations and dance club promotions has created a truly unique reputation in the music business.
This perpetual multi-tasking only means more opportunities for Walker’s company in the future. “Necessity is the mother of invention,” he says in his typical easygoing fashion. “As long as we remember that content is king and continue to provide professional niche market media services, the future looks bright.”
One thing is certain, however. As opportunity knocks, Jeff Walker will be there to answer the door.
• 1980 Aristo Music Associates formed, initially as publicity and PR firm
• 1984 Expanded to include Country music video promotion department (AristoVideo)
• 1989 Branding changed to AristoMedia; expanded into Christian market by offering Christian music video promotion services
• 1991 Established the Marco Music Group and its promotion division, Marco Promotions (secondary radio promotion)
• 1994 Formed The Goodland Group, a division of AristoMedia
• 1995 Formed Jeff Walker & Associates
• 2000 Twenty-Year anniversary of The AristoMedia Group
• 2003 Re-launched Walkerbout Music, the publishing arm of The AristoMedia Group
• 2004 Established Marco Club Connection, the dance venue promotion division of Marco Promotions
• 2005 The AristoMedia Group's 25-year anniversary
• 2005 Created and hosted the first Aristo Global Showcase, an international artist showcase held each year during CMA Music Festival week in downtown Nashville, Tenn.
• 2006 Launched AristoWorks (new media), branded Christian video services division as AristoVision
• 2006 Recognized for third consecutive year by Music Row magazine as Nashville's "Best Independent Publicity Company"
• 2007 Launch of GMV Nashville, an online record label offering digital downloads of classic and contemporary Country artists.
• 2009 In partnership with Travis Television Productions, co-developed the DownCast service, a video content and electronic press kit distribution service.
• 2010 Celebrated The AristoMedia Group's 30-year anniversary.
