PHIL THORNTON NAMED SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
Phil Thornton. Photo by Wardell Malloy.
HIGHLY REGARDED MUSIC EXECUTIVE TO HAVE BROAD PORTFOLIO WITHIN THE COMPANY
Highly-regarded music executive Phil Thornton has been appointed Senior Vice President of Capitol Christian Music Group (Capitol CMG), it was announced today by the company’s co-presidents, Brad O’Donnell and Hudson Plachy, to whom Thornton reports. In his newly created position, Thornton will focus on New Business development, signing talent and the development of label, media and touring partnerships on behalf of Capitol CMG artists. Thornton assumes his new position on May 3, and will be based at Capitol CMG’s headquarters in Nashville.
According to O’Donnell and Plachy, “We are thrilled to welcome Phil to the Capitol CMG team. He has an amazing track record for finding, developing and breaking artists and an entrepreneurial approach that we know will benefit our entire roster. We couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead for all of us.”
CMG Chair & CEO Michelle Jubelirer added, “I’ve known Phil almost since he started in our business, and I’ve watched him channel his ideas, abilities and energies into a great career as a music executive. I’m thrilled that he’s joined Capitol CMG as its Senior Vice President, and I know that his contributions will make the best company in faith-based music an even better one. I look forward to working closely with him, Brad and Hudson in the years ahead.”
Thornton said, "I want to thank Brad, Hudson and Michelle for this incredible opportunity to work at a label group that is the undisputed leader in faith-based music. Joining the Capitol CMG/CMG family, I’ll be working with an amazing array of forward-thinking artists and partners, and drawing upon all of my experience, to create opportunities that will continue to grow our market and impact culture on a global scale. I can’t wait to get started.”
Prior to joining Capitol CMG, Thornton was Senior Vice President/General Manager of RCA Inspiration—the Nashville-based Gospel music label that operates under Sony Music’s Provident Music Group—a position he held since 2016. Among his many recent accomplishments at that label, Thornton signed a deal with Mariah Carey to release a new Christmas tune, “Fall In Love At Christmas” (featuring Khalid and Kirk Franklin) via her MARIAH imprint; he paired H.E.R. and Tauren Wells (now signed to Capitol CMG) for the GRAMMY-nominated collaboration, "Hold Us Together (Hope Mix)"; collaborated with The Orchard to sign Tribl Records, home to genre superstars Maverick City Music worked with Republic Records and Quality Control Music/Motown for the recording and launch of Lil Baby’s and Kirk Franklin’s “We Win (Space Jam: A New Legacy”; partnered with Pharrell Williams for his Voices Of Fire choir, which was chronicled in a Netflix documentary series.
Thornton also paired Kirk Franklin with Live Nation Urban for his Exodus Music & Arts Festival, developed and produced Kirk Franklin’s Good Words podcast, partnered with Snoop Dogg for his devotional Bible Of Love album, and signed breakout artist Koryn Hawthorne.
Previously, Thornton served as Vice President and General Manager of Urban Inspirational at eOne Music from 2012 through 2016, where he oversaw a diversified list of Gospel and R&B artists, including Erica Campbell, Shirley Caesar, Jonathan McReynolds, Tweet and Lalah Hathaway, whose album, Lalah Hathaway Live, held the Number 1 spot on the R&B radio chart for nine weeks and won three Grammy awards.
In 2007, Thornton settled in Los Angeles and partnered with Marcus Spence and Paul Coy Allen to form the successful Ten2One Entertainment, a multimedia, television production, and artist management company. While there, Thornton led the management team and guided the careers of Michael B. Jordan, Faith Evans, Michelle Williams, Kenny Lattimore, and Mack Wilds. After graduating from Norfolk State University in 2003 and moving to New York City, Thornton started his first company, Bright Star Entertainment, an artist management/consultancy firm where he represented artists such as Bad Boy Records’ GRAMMY® award-winning group 112 and singer Lil’Mo.
Phil Thornton was born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, and graduated from Norfolk State University in 2003 with a degree in Marketing.
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About Capitol Christian Music Group
An unwavering vision combined with a commitment to excellence and an arsenal of exceptional talent continues to make Capitol Christian Music Group the leader in the faith-based entertainment industry. Representing such iconic artists as Amy Grant, We The Kingdom, NF, Hillsong UNITED, Chris Tomlin, Tye Tribbett and TobyMac, Capitol CMG is a multi-faceted company whose assets include such legendary brands as Sparrow and ForeFront Records as well as an award-winning publishing division whose writers pen chart-topping hits on both the Christian and mainstream music charts.
Capitol CMG is a division of Capitol Music Group, a Universal Music Group company. Over the years, the venture has grown from a scrappy family-owned independent label that was formed 45 years ago to a multi-faceted business that includes Sparrow Records, ForeFront Records, sixstepsrecords, Hillsong Music, Motown Gospel and Worship Together. The company’s roster features the top names in the Christian and gospel communities, among them Jeremy Camp, Kari Jobe, Danny Gokey, Jonathan Traylor, Riley Clemmons, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Tauren Wells, Hillsong Young & Free, Anne Wilson and Crowder.
CCMG is also engaged in key strategic partnerships with such high-profile companies as Lionsgate Films, Gaither Music Group, Big Idea Entertainment, sixstepsrecords, Maranatha Music and Centricity Music, home of top-selling singer/songwriter Lauren Daigle.
In addition to the record division, Capitol CMG has a successful publishing enterprise that is home to such noted writers as Tommee Profitt, Jonas Myrin, Ellie Holcomb, Ben Glover, Brenton Brown and Kirk Franklin.
