Cindy Mabe, the former Chair and CEO of Universal Music Group Nashville, has launched a new entertainment company called Joan of Arc Music.
The Nashville-headquartered venture spans artist management, label services, publishing, TV/film production and philanthropy.
It has also secured a distribution partnership with Warner Records Nashville.
Mabe left UMG Nashville in February 2025, after more than a decade at the company, during which time she oversaw the careers of artists including Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Luke Bryan, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, and George Strait.
“Country music is at a crossroads,” said Mabe, Founder and CEO of Joan of Arc Music. “We risk losing the very essence of what makes country music special – its authentic storytelling, its connection to people’s real lives, and its deep cultural roots. Joan of Arc Music exists to be warriors for creators and protect artistry.”
“This partnership with Cris Lacy and the team at Warner Records Nashville amplifies our mission.”
cindy mabe, Joan of Arc Music
Mabe added: “Cris is a Nashville veteran whose commitment to the legacy of country music aligns with our vision of preserving the genre’s authentic storytelling while embracing innovative distribution and marketing strategies. Together, we’re creating a powerful platform for both emerging and established artists to reach global audiences.”
Joan of Arc Music is structured around four divisions: Joan of Arc Entertainment, which covers artist management, label services and publishing; Joan of Arc Studio Works, focused on TV/film production and audio content; Joan of Arc Ventures, a strategic investment arm; and the Joan of Arc Music Preservation Foundation, a philanthropic division supporting the preservation of country music heritage.
The foundation has announced inaugural partnerships with the CMA Foundation, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and Porter’s Call, a nonprofit providing mental health services to touring musicians and their families.
The distribution deal with Warner Records Nashville gives Joan of Arc Music access to Warner Music Group‘s global distribution network.
Mabe‘s industry recognition includes being named Billboard‘s 2019 Country Power Players Executive of the Year. She has appeared on Billboard‘s Women in Music list annually from 2015 to 2024, and has received the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum‘s Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum Award.
The Joan of Arc Music leadership team includes Lori Christian, Dawn Gates, Harper Grae, Leigh Morrison and Allison Winkler, who the company says bring combined experience across artist development, marketing, business operations and strategic partnerships.
Elsewhere in Nashville, Cris Lacy was appointed Chair and President of Warner Records Nashville in November 2025.
Lacy now oversees Warner’s Nashville operations — the division that has struck a distribution partnership with Cindy Mabe’s newly launched Joan of Arc Music.
Music Business Worldwide