At the record labels' inception, the goal was to create an atmosphere centered around the inventive talents of a variety of highly skilled Nashville studio musicians and songwriters.[5] In the distribution announcement for the new company, it was noted that the releases would not be marketed under any specific categories. This meant that artists would be free to record whatever styles they wanted, regardless of how the recordings would fit into the existing commercial formats of the early 1970s country music scene.[1]
Allen Reynolds was brought on as vice-president from the outset, and he can be credited with bringing on Don Williams to J-M-I records in 1972.[2] The labels initial offerings were considered more modern fare by the commercial press, and Williams' first single, released in the summer of 1972, became the first official "country music" release by the label.[7] Williams released his first two albums with J-M-I, but moved to ABC-Dot Records when that company purchased J-M-I's catalog.[2]
Big Ken Smith of Tennessee Pulleybone spoke of the demise of J-M-I Records in a 2002 interview:
'"Our single, “The Door's Always Open,” did well. It was #1 in all the major markets, but never at the same time because JMI didn’t have the distribution. Our 3rd single got some airplay, but it didn’t get the airplay that “The Door's Always Open” did. Right after that, JMI folded because without distribution, it’s tough. Allen Reynolds, who was at JMI at the time, was going to go do a distribution deal with one of the big labels, but it never panned out."[8]
Contributions
Partial List of Artists that have recorded and worked with J-M-I Records: