Hi Everyone,

Happy New Year. I hope you all had a good holiday season.

This week we are back in the office and getting back into the swing of what is the start of 2025, which still feels weird to type.

It is devasting to watch what is happening in California, so today I am immediately thinking of all our friends and family being affected by the fires. I hope everyone is safe and with your loved ones.

Also, since this is my first chart of the year, I wanted to acknowledge the loss over the holidays of our dear friend Paul Roper, President of Dualtone Music Group, after his long and beyond courageous battle with cancer.

Paul was such a fighter that I really had started to believe that maybe he was invincible.

He was so passionate about his love of music, the artists, our stores, and over the years he was always one of the first to be there to help champion our community.

I remember back in 2020 when the pandemic hit- Paul called us to try to brainstorm any ideas we could come up with that he and Dualtone could help support our stores. We worked together to design (because he wanted to make sure that he had our input and it was a design we loved) and they pressed an awesome custom shirt to help raise money for the stores, quicker than you could snap your fingers. That is just one of the many examples where he was there for our indie retail community over the years. Paul fought long and hard and for all the things and people in his life that he loved.

We lost a special one.

On behalf of CIMS and CIMS HQ, I want to say how much we appreciate him and everything he has done for us over the years.

Sending love to Paul’s family, friends and our Dualtone family as well.
Andrea

Here is the statement from Dualtone:

IN MEMORY OF PAUL ROPER (1979 – 2024)

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of Paul Roper, President of Dualtone Music Group, who passed away Tuesday after a courageous battle with cancer. Paul is survived by his beloved wife and their four children. His loss will be deeply felt by his family, colleagues, artists, the Nashville music community, and the music industry at large.

Paul joined Dualtone Music Group in 2002 as an intern and quickly became a driving force within the label, rising through the ranks to President and Partner. He played an integral role in the signing and release of over 200 albums, garnering Americana Music Association award wins, multiple Grammy nominations and four Grammy wins. Paul championed critically acclaimed albums by The Lumineers, Gregory Alan Isakov, Mt. Joy, Shakey Graves, Shovels & Rope, flipturn, Brett Dennen, Langhorne Slim, Wilder Woods, Guy Clark, Chuck Berry, Mouse Rat, and June Carter Cash, among many others. Paul was a proud graduate of Sewanee: The University of the South.

Paul was a visionary leader and a pioneer in a music space he called Amerikinda, celebrating great songwriting in a wide variety of genres. Known for his tireless advocacy for artists, Paul believed that the creative process and the music always came first. His passion for nurturing both emerging and established voices will be remembered by all who had the privilege of working with him.

Jeremiah Fraites of The Lumineers recalls: "When we started touring in our 15-passenger van, we used to park at the venue and bide our time until it was time to load in. We didn't have money for hotels and we'd usually be splitting Subway sandwiches or Clif Bars between us. I'll never forget when Paul Roper showed up to the parking lot behind the venue in Nashville and met us with beer and pizza. It was a small gesture on his side, but a massive one to us. I'll never forget that."

Under Paul’s leadership, the label thrived, earning its reputation as a trusted partner for artists and a leader in independent music. In the wake of the East Nashville tornado of 2020 that destroyed the Dualtone office, Roper reflected: “The spirit of this company has always been bigger than any person or place. We had a lot of great memories in that building, but the heart of Dualtone is the music, the artists, the staff, the community. No storm could ever take that away.”

Paul’s vision and unwavering commitment continued to define the heart and soul of Dualtone. He led Dualtone and his team with dedication, authenticity, humor, and kindness and he will be terribly missed by all of us.

Paul’s family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to
Corner to Corner in his memory.

Paul Roper’s legacy of kindness, integrity, and deep love for music will continue to inspire us all.