Local businessman Brian Johnson today announced the launch of Highway 9 Records, focused on helping emerging artists create, record, and market debut and early stage recording projects, as well as build core audiences. Highway 9 records is headquartered just south of downtown Alpharetta on GA Hwy 9 at 11775 Northfall Lane, Suite 203, Alpharetta, GA.

Johnson, who will serve as Highway 9’s executive producer, has partnered with music industry veteran producer and musician Heber Pampillon to run the label. Pampillon will be Highway’s 9’s director of artist development. Pampillon will also serve as producer for Beth Ballinger’s debut album.

“There are more avenues than ever before for musicians to create and distribute their music,” says Johnson. “However, the sheer quantity of these opportunities has diluted quality immensely, and led some people to believe that they should only seek out and take the shortcuts on the path to becoming a professional musician or to producing ‘radio-ready’ music. We want to help new artists understand and take full advantage of the current and ever-changing DIY (do it yourself) toolset, but to do so in the context of a comprehensive, disciplined and proven artist development framework.”