Update: USA Today reports, the contracts have not been inked yet, but Casey will be signing with Sony Nashville. Read more HERE. Country music blog mostly rehashes, but they also confirm HERE.
The rumors have been swirling for weeks. Now the LA Times is also reporting that Casey James is about to be signed by Sony Nashville:
“American Idol’s” Casey James is about to sign with Sony Nashville, Pop & Hiss has learned. The Season 9 heartthrob, who finished third behind winner Lee DeWyze and runner-up Crystal Bowersox (and was often positioned as cougar bait, thanks to his shirtless audition in Denver last summer encouraged by judge Kara DioGuardi), joins “Idol” alums Carrie Underwood and Danny Gokey on its roster, though “no label designation” has been made yet, says a Sony insider. The news comes a week after “American Idol” signed a distribution deal with Universal Music Group for future seasons of the series.
Casey first met with Sony Nashville back in June when he made a one-day trip to Music City during a post-Idol break.
One month later, Sony Nashville’s chairman and chief executive, Gary Overton, flew to New York to catch Casey in concert with the “American Idol Live! Tour.
Hans Ebert, a record executive out of Hong Kong has been following Casey’s career ever since the Idol guitar virtuoso stepped onto the Idol stage earlier this year. Ebert was the first to blog about Casey’s talks with Sony Nashville shortly after the Idol finale.
Ebert has also been reporting on Casey’s progress with Sony Nashville. He says that Bill Leopold (Melissa Etheridge) & The Collective are both interested in managing the Season 9 finalist.
