Diana King Island Records, a Division of UM
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Austin Jenkins
Island Records just tapped Weatherford native Austin Jenkins to take on the role of vice president of A&R at the label’s Nashville division this week.
If you’re familiar with Jenkins’ name it might be from his days as the founding guitarist and songwriter for the seminal Texas rock band, White Denim. This four-piece band, formed out of Austin, played various genres of music including psychedelic rock, punk rock, blues, soul, and jazz to name a few. Jenkins, who left the band along with fellow member Josh Block, in 2014, stepped away from the stage to co-found local recording studio Niles City Sound here in Fort Worth, with Chris Vivion.
Jenkins and Block would go on to discover a little-known artist at that time by the name of Leon Bridges. In fact, Niles City Sound helped co-produce, record, and mix Bridge’s platinum-certified debut album Coming Home, earning Bridges the 2016 GRAMMY Award nomination in the category of “Best R&B Album.” Jenkins actually played guitar and bass on Coming Home, eventually touring with Bridges as part of his band while he was just beginning to catch on with audiences nationally and internationally.
Jenkins started working with Island in 2023, after he’d already established himself as a pillar of both Nashville’s local music scene and the broader community altogether. After jumping on board at Island, Jenkins hit the ground running, playing a key role in the label’s signing and development of artists like Wyatt Flores and Medium Build. In his new role, Jenkins will lead Island’s Nashville operations, including identifying, signing and cultivating talent for the label, according to a release.
“Austin's love of music and the creative community is infectious," said Justin Eshak and Imran Majid, co-CEOs of Island Records. "He's a magnet for artists and his presence [is] critical to the label's culture and future. We're thrilled he'll continue his work at Island in an elevated role representing the label in Nashville and beyond."
For those of you who aren’t familiar with what an A&R (artists and repertoire) position is or does, it’s a department within a record label or music publishing company that's responsible for scouting and developing artists and songwriters. A&R representatives, also known as A&R reps or scouts, are critical figures in the music industry. Their main responsibilities include, finding and developing new talent, acting as a liaison between the label and the artists, or publishing company, and handling all activities related to artists up to and including album release.
"Justin and Imran have architected an environment where true artistry flourishes and risk-taking isn't just encouraged; it's championed," Jenkins says. "We have the latitude to really make some noise and amplify the voices of incredible and innovative artists. I'm looking forward to what the future holds in this position."
