David Adam Byrnes Awarded Judgement Against Silverado Records
This story has been updated.
Traditional Texas country artist David Adam Byrnes has been awarded a $24,000 judgement against independent label Silverado Records after he says the label refused to meet their obligations. His recent single “Beer Bucket List” went #1 on the Texas Regional Radio charts in March, and was supposed to coincide with the release of a new album, Neon Town produced by Trent Willmon.
“The present legal dispute arose primarily over the course of last year when my manager and I began to voice concerns to the label about my music and things that we believed the label should and shouldn’t be doing,” says David Adam Byrnes. When his concerns continued to go unaddressed, Byrnes filed a lawsuit in the Davidson County, Tennessee General Sessions Court on February 8, 2019 against Silverado Records.
A trial date in the matter was originally set for April 15, 2019, but the court granted a motion from Silverado Records to delay the trial date until May 20, 2019. Additionally, Byrnes and his lawyers filed suit against Scott Thomas, CEO of Silverado Records, and Aaron Chesling, President of Silverado Records, since according to the Tennessee Secretary of State, Silverado Records Inc. was administratively dissolved on August 8, 2018, despite the company continuing to do business under the Silverado Records name.
On May 20th, both David Adam Byrnes and his lawyers were in court for the trial, but the owners of Silverado Records did not appear, resulting in the court offering a default judgement against Silverado Records and its President and CEO for $24,520.50. “We were surprised that the defendants didn’t show,” says Chase LanCarte of LanCarte Law who represents Byrnes. “They went to such measures to prevent the first trial setting from occurring, and then, they didn’t even show up after they picked the date.”
However the win for David Adam Byrnes was short lived, and he has yet to receive payment. After the default judgement, the defendants appealed the judgment of the Davidson County General Sessions Court to the Davidson County Circuit Court. Byrnes and his lawyers now believe that the label representatives are purposely trying to stall through the continued legal proceedings.
“We relied on Silverado’s representation that it would be available to attend trial on May 20, but obviously, we now believe that Silverado had no intentions of attending any trial setting before the General Sessions Court, and its prior motion for continuance was arguably sought merely for delay,” says lawyer Chase LanCarte. “For Mr. Byrnes, this is a critical time in his career. He can’t afford to just let his legal matters languish. Mr. Byrnes just had his first #1 single, and he needs to keep the momentum going by having the freedom to release new music. Justice may have been delayed by this appeal, but justice is coming.”
Saving Country Music reached out to Silverado Records for comment on the claims by David Adam Byrnes and received the following statement: “Silverado Records, a division of Exegan Media & Entertainment, is a champion for independent artists. We are not commenting on ongoing legal matters or litigation and wish all artists signed to the label, past and present, the best in their future endeavors.”
Saving Country Music was also able to confirm that Silverado Records has been administratively dissolved in the office of the Tennessee Secretary of State, though that does not necessarily mean they are no longer a business. “They did not file the annual report that was required by this office in the amount of time past the due date,” said a representative from the Tennessee Secretary of State. “So when that happens this office will place the entity in an inactive, administratively dissolved status.”
Silverado Records was founded in 2016 by the Exegan Music Group out of Las Vegas as an independent label taking a different approach to promoting artists by focusing on social media and streaming services as opposed to radio singles. The label soon had signed David Adam Byrnes, Ali Morgan, Tyler Jordan, and 90’s country star Joe Diffie. Numerous of the releases from the label have been compilation albums featuring their artists, including a recently-released 7-song covers album called The Silverado Cover Sessions with artists singing older rock hits. The label also launched an imprint called Silverado Texas based out of Dallas in April of 2018.
David Adam Byrnes moved to Nashville after high school, playing honky tonks on lower Broadway and signing a development and publishing deal, eventually releasing a debut album in 2011, Premium Country. Byrnes cites George Strait as his primary influence, and has opened for Hank Williams Jr., Chris Stapleton, Eric Church, Cody Johnson, Aaron Watson, and Joe Nichols over his career.
UPDATE (9/28/19): A statement from Silverado Records reads, “David Adam Byrnes and Silverado Records have amicably resolved all disputes between the parties. At this time Silverado Records wishes David the very best going forward, and David wishes the same for the label.”
June 10, 2019 @ 6:42 pm
That’s crap actually really like this guy stuff this voice and everything I’ve been playing already high like crazy this year. Terrible that a guy like this is being held up in legal battles.
June 10, 2019 @ 7:08 pm
Well, the label is full of former execs from your favorite labels Trig, Curb and Big Machine:
bout Silverado Records: Launched earlier this year, Silverado Records hosts offices in Nashville and Las Vegas and has become a haven for established and rising country artists hoping to carve their own path in the music industry. Founder and CEO Scott Thomas, a serial entrepreneur and entertainment industry veteran, is also the CEO of Silverado’s parent company, Exegan Music Group, which owns or controls more than a dozen other record label catalogs. Thomas is joined on the Silverado Records team by accomplished industry professionals with storied careers at landmark labels and organizations. A&R Director Aaron Chesling formerly served as Logistics Coordinator for Big Machine Records and Heather Cramsie serves as the Marketing Director after a successful run as the Director of Southeast Promotion at Sidewalk/Curb Records. Social Media Director Tim Stewart hails from Las Vegas where he did freelance social media seminars for tech startups in Silicon Valley, now working out of the Exegan Music headquarters.
June 10, 2019 @ 8:48 pm
His music is great but Byrnes is the angriest and most petty person I encountered in my twelve years in Nashville. My guess is that theres two sides to this story and that Byrnes and his crew are fabricating a dust storm to cover his arrogance…
June 11, 2019 @ 4:26 am
He looks like someone pissed in his cornflakes.
June 11, 2019 @ 8:10 am
Hey this doesn’t quite pass the sniff test, y’all. If you take two second to add this up, the math is fuzzy. Theres a quote from David himself, and a quote from David’s attorney. We have a bio and historical references on the artist (his birthday, oh my), but we only have a canned statement from the record label. It sure feels like David put out a press release. And anyone with a basic legal background would wonder out loud why would he put out a press release for a default judgement that was immediately appealed. Seems like a premature victory lap. You could almost justify it, if it weren’t for the fact that the attorney acknowledges the appeal by Silverado. Its weird and self-serving. Its also weird that Saving would publish this considering the painfully obvious bias it presents with. But what do I know? I think it was Will Rogers that said “People are getting smarter nowadays; they are letting lawyers, instead of their conscience, be their guide.”
June 11, 2019 @ 8:51 am
First, no reference to the birthday of David Adam Byrnes was included in this article.
The management of David Adam Byrnes did put out a press release about this issue, but I wouldn’t characterize it as a “victory lap.” The reason for the press release was likely to put pressure on Silverado Records to release David’s album, and to settle this matter since they believe Silverado is purposely trying to stall the release of his music indefinitely via court proceedings. Saving Country Music spoke to both the Davidson County Court, and the Tennessee Secretary of State to independently corroborate and verify all the claims of Byrnes and his lawyer. Then Saving Country Music reached out to Silverado Records for comment. If their statement feels “canned,” then that’s on Silverado Records. Any information they were willing to provide in this matter, including their own quotes or clarifications would have most certainly been included here, and verified just like they were from David Adam Byrnes.
Also, this is considered to be an ongoing matter. As more information becomes available, it may be published here as well.
June 11, 2019 @ 10:47 am
this all leaves too much to the immagination, wonder why “pressure” is needed to release his album. wonder why the label isn’t talking about it. wonder why david fled nashville. wonder why anyone would care about a has-been artist or a two bit baby label. wonder why were not talking about lil nas x instead or how eric church failed to save country music.
June 11, 2019 @ 2:40 pm
ha ha you should see the way David walks into these Ft. Worth bars! Dude is cocky as crap and acts like he’s been a Texan his whole life, but you won’t find a photo of him WITH a cowboy hat prior to late 2018… #fakecowboy
June 11, 2019 @ 4:14 pm
I grew up with David and he’s one of my best friends. You never saw him without a cowboy hat until stupid record labels made him to take it off so maybe check your facts there. He also makes it known he’s a proud Arkansan so check your bitter at the door.
June 11, 2019 @ 11:28 pm
is that what he told you? the labels made him do it? my facts feel pretty straight to me. he walks in like he owns the place now. not saying he doesn’t belong in Texas, but Texans can spot a phony from a hundred yards out, and that chip on his shoulder don’t fly too well down here. if you truly grew up with him then you are lying to yourself if you wanna act like you don’t know what I am talking about. side note, he looks like he needs to take a dump in this photo.
June 18, 2019 @ 11:09 am
Phony? He’s a guy who loves a style of country music that Nashville didn’t seem to support. He was sick of trying to be something he wasn’t so he came to Texas where he could be himself again. Sounds to me like you’re some jealous person or someone from Silverado that just wants to talk smack. Of course since you supposedly see him so often in the Fort Worth bars you could ask him for yourself. Something tells me the only “phony” here is you.