NEW YORK, N.Y. — Central South Distribution, Inc., which has been the number one independent faith based record distributor in the world for the past decade, has formed a partnership with Lataillade Entertainment, headed by contemporary gospel label/publishing/marketing guru Vicki Mack-Lataillade and her husband, Claude Lataillade, and Grammy nominated songwriter/producer Rene Moore, head of Ruff Town Entertainment Group. The multi-million dollar stock purchase marks the first time in history that African Americans will have a principal stake and partnership in a major contemporary music distribution company. Randy Davidson, founder and CEO of Central South, Inc., made the milestone announcement today, which is effective immediately.
Vicki Mack-Lataillade, Claude Lataillade, and Rene Moore, will serve on Central South’s Board of Directors along with Davidson, Chuck Adams, co-founder and President of Central South, and Greg Davidson, the company’s Vice-President of Finance. Central South is a private and family owned business that has been based in Nashville, Tennessee, since 1970. On top of being the #1 independent faith based distributor, they rank #2 behind Sony/BMG/Provident/Integrity as the leading distributor of faith based music in the U.S. Over the past decade, Central South built a chain of 90 retail stores that grossed $100 million in volume.
They are credited with successfully crossing a product line comprised of 80 percent urban contemporary gospel and faith based music into major retail chains like Wal-Mart, Target, and Best Buy. The Lataillade’s built the most successful independent gospel label ever, Gospo Centric Records, (which launched superstar Kirk Franklin, among others), and along with several other companies generated over $100 million dollars. Vijay Chandran, President of the Cauvery Group, Inc., arranged the financing for the acquisition.
“The paradigm for the way contemporary music is sold on the retail level is in a constant state of flux and is extremely challenging at the moment,” noted Davidson. “The merger with Lataillade Entertainment and Ruff Town Entertainment Group is a natural progression for Central South, and the vast experience and expertise of our unparalleled management team will help us to expand our dominant market share.”
“This is really a dream come true opportunity,” remarked Vicki Mack-Lataillade. “Our relationship with Central South gives us a chance to be more than just aggregators of content. We’ll be able to fully utilize our creativity and marketing savvy,” and she added, “artists will be given to opportunity to sell music products, and music related products as well.”
“We share a common vision with Central South of maintaining our independent spirit, staying streamlined, and seeking viable partnerships with other companies that will help us grow a multi-media distribution platform for a wide range of faith based and secular products,” infused Claude Lataillade. “We also intend to take an aggressive posture in expanding and our digital strategy, and further developing our roles as creators/providers and distributors of digital content.”
“We’re in the very unique position of creating a label/distribution template that’s a first on every level,” stated Rene Moore. “I’m excited and thrilled to be part of a partnership and company that ultimately can become a haven and nurturing place for talented artists from all music genres.”
Since selling Gospo Centric to BMG/Sony/Zomba in 2005, Vicki, CEO, and Claude, CFO, have built a wide spectrum of entertainment properties under the banner of Lataillade Entertainment, which include Mack Entertainment, a record label, Lilly Mack Publishing, (gospel music’s #1 music publishing company) a couple of the television series/properties, “The Lilly Mack Sing-A-Long,” and “Soulaughable,” a comedy/variety show on The Word Network, and Muscapes, an entity that serves as a digital arm for all its products.
Rene Moore is most noted for his starring role in “Rene & Angela,” considered one of the most influential duets in the history of R&B and hip-hop music. In the late eighties, the duo scored a series of classic hits, including, “You Don’t Have To Cry,” “Your Smile,” and “Save Your Love,” which was a #1 hit. Moore also enjoyed a decade of writing and producing with the late Michael Jackson, and received a Grammy nomination for “Song Of The Year,” for “Jam” which he penned for Jackson. His thriving career as songwriter/producer also includes penning songs for Janet Jackson, and Jay Z, among others. In 1997, he launched Ruff Town Entertainment Group in 1997 with radio mogul Kevin Wagner and rapper JT Money. The company includes a burgeoning record label and a highly successful publishing company.
Central South’s offices will remain in Nashville. President Chuck Adams remarked, “Combining our track record with the vast talents of Vicki, Claude, and Rene gives us chance to rewrite yet another chapter in our company’s ongoing success story.”
More information: www.centralsouthdistribution.com .
