CMT News

John Michael Montgomery has created his own record label, Stringtown Records, and will serve a chief executive officer of the new company. The first scheduled release is a new album Montgomery will record with producer Byron Gallimore, who produced his 2004 album, Letters From Home. Sessions have not begun on the project, and no release date has been set. During his tenure on Atlantic Records, Montgomery enjoyed seven No. 1 singles, including 1993's "I Love the Way You Love Me" and 2000's "The Little Girl." Former Decca Records head Shelia Shipley Biddy will serve as Stringtown's president while continuing to work as an artist manager at Hallmark Direction Company, which also represents Montgomery. The new label is expected to sign other artists after the release of Montgomery's album.