SHERREE LEE, CREATIVE Talent Manager and Director of A&R, top photo. Joan Sullivan, President of Urban Ideas (left), and daughter Ashley Sullivan, A&R and Artist Manager for Chicago Creed.
Billboard Magazine named Kingdom Records, Inc., founded in 2003, and the exclusive label for Shekinah Glory Ministry, as one of the top ten indie labels in 2009 and 2010; as well as citing the company as being responsible for multiple Platinum and Gold-selling records.
In its beginning stages, CEO/President Joan Sullivan helped develop the label with Michael Towns, a music industry executive with Kingdom Records and Urban Ideas.
Vice President/A&R Director Bernie McLean, who taught Sullivan the music business, was also a part of the conglomerate.
Known as Joan’s “right hand,” Towns was an integral part of Kingdom’s operation, which eventually grossed over $12 million in retail sales.
In addition to Kingdom’s gospel catalog, Towns also worked with its affiliated secular imprints Urban Creed, Chicago Creed and Indie Chart Music. In 2012, Towns and Sullivan founded Urban Ideas, a boutique consulting practice specializing in entertainment and entrepreneurship coaching. “He [Towns] was a visionary, an excellent business person and an integral part of our operations,” said Sullivan.
Over a 20-year span, Kingdom Records worked with major artists, such as The Whispers, Shekinah Glory Ministry, Kim Stratton, Phil Tarver and many more.
Afterward, they launched Urban Creed Music and Chicago Creed Music labels. With over 10 years of working with indie artists nationally and locally, they have a roster of talented musicians, which includes Diamond Pynk, Chicago South Sider D Lylez, Adam Emil, Leo W3st and Chicago Soul Revue, among others.
Led by Ashley Sullivan, Sherree Lee and Lindsey Evans, Chicago Creed is a quiet giant in the industry and has built an award-winning legacy in tandem with Kingdom Records.
The family-led business is a unique industry connection that has bridged the generational gap within music, like many other family legacies. With major distribution through Universal Music Group and Virgin Music, Chicago Creed’s long-standing reputation for signing major talent will be the future of the music industry.
As an entrepreneur, Ashley Sullivan’s main focus is creating a space for local artists to make a name for themselves in Chicago, without them having to go to other cities.
While wanting to create change and rise above the challenges that Chicago faces with violence and corruption, Ashley envisions music to be untouched by those issues and allow artists to thrive within their creativity.
She takes the initiative by scouting talent for Chicago Creed by attending local shows and face-to-face interactions. The label offers artists with exclusive distributions, financial support and development opportunities.
Evans has been a noteworthy leader in the music industry for over 20 years, notably as a member of Kingdom Records. Her work has been recognized in marketing, A&R, sales, and distribution divisions.
All combined the collective companies are a one-stop shop.
“We produce the project, we market it, we promote it. We have public relations, and so, we package that together for all of the artists, and that’s how we help to move them to the next level,” said Joan Sullivan to CBS News.
Other principals also shared with CBS News, with Evans citing one negative of working with a smaller label as artists working for a long time and feeling owned by that larger label.
Sherree Lee, creative director, said that they pour into the artists for their individual art and creativity. The company is simply the engine.
Find out more about Chicago Creed by visiting chicagocreed.com.
