Columbia Records Group has named A&R veteran Tim Devine to head up its Santa Monica-based operations as West Coast general manager.
Devine, who reports to Columbia chairman Don Ienner and president Will Botwin, also will hang on to his post as senior vice president of A&R at the Sony Music label – a position he has held since signing on at Columbia in 1996.
The executive will continue signing and developing artists on the West Coast, but also now will act as a liaison to the region’s creative community, cultivating contacts in the music, film and TV worlds.
Devine’s track record in the A&R department at Columbia includes such signings as platinum hard-rock acts Train and Crazy Town, plus pop talent like Cake and Evan and Jaron. He’s also worked with upcoming singer-songwriters Pete Yorn and John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting.
Before coming to Columbia, Devine was vice president of A&R at Capitol Records, signing Bonnie Raitt, Blind Melon and Mazzy Star among others. He also has held various posts at A&M, MCA and Warner Bros.
