Westerland Records was started in the year 2002 by David Brake, Laura Finke, and Melissa Luther with the help of the professionals listed below. The idea was to build a company that could serve as a profitable vehicle for original music, while still maintaining artistic freedom.

Michele M. Stanton CPA is the accountant for Westerland Records. After working for other firms for over 20 years, Michele founded her own CPA firm in September 2000 in Houston. She has worked in the private and public sectors for large international accounting and consulting firms and for the Enforcement Division of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Michele is also the author of "Guide to Fraud Investigations," a manual for accountants and investigators conducting investigations.

David Zager, Attorney at Law, is Westerland Records' legal counsel. He is a well-respected Entertainment Attorney in Nashville, and his guidance and solid record industry experience has proven invaluable. We won't give the names of some of the people he represents, but let's just say we've all heard of them.

Promoter Peter Hay, with Twin Vision Promotions, currently handles national Americana and AAA radio promotions. Peter has 32 years of professional experience in the music industry in A&R, promotion, publicity, marketing, and operations management. Again, he's worked with people we've all heard of, and many of us grew up listening to.

Texas radio promotions are currently handled by Debbie Green Promotions in San Antonio. Debbie also comes with a lot of experience and established relationships in the business. She promotes mainly to the Texas Music Chart stations, and is highly recommended by many of the radio station program directors.

Westerland Records primarily focuses on and promotes music which can be defined as Americana influenced, but is non-genre specific. Westerland Records is about tearing down the traditional boundaries that define what the music has to be, so there is the freedom to create each song with it's own style and vision. Our goal is to grow with our artists and their fans.

The "Spin Around" and "Lean Mean Texas Machine" projects are the most interesting I have ever done in musical terms," says David Brake. "I'm not sure I would have been allowed this kind of freedom on a large corporate label. I believe we have accomplished something very unique." Judging from the more than positive response we have received at Westerland Records, he is not alone in this belief.

- Melissa Luther / Westerland Records