COUNTRY AIRCHECK: SKY IS LIMITLESS FOR QUAYLE, KANE

The little Rebel Engine that did, Stephanie Quayle, took control of her career in 2013 through the launch of her own label and entertainment company. Quayle enlisted Carli McLaughlin Kane in 2015 and, by Oct. 2017, Kane was running the business. On the heels of announcing their more widely focused new venture Big Sky Music (CAT 2/2), the duo spoke with Country Aircheck about mission, identity and goals for 2021 and beyond. “This is something Carli and I had been discussing this past year – how much change we were wanting to create,” begins Quayle. “Things we wanted to leave behind, some of the lessons we’ve learned, what we envisioned as the next part of our business partnership.”

Quayle is the label’s flagship artist, although they’ve already received submissions, while Kane is running the company and eyeing expansion. “We’re putting in a structure and plans to take on more artists and be a home for great talent,” says Kane.

The mission of being a “safe, inclusive, supportive home” for artists and creators with an emphasis on collaboration was born from Quayle’s personal experience in the industry … good and bad. “It goes back to when I first moved to town,” she says. “People would come into my life and say, ‘You’re great, now let’s change everything.’” This, coupled with seeing young, female artists being signed, shelved and dropped, drove Quayle to create another way, not only for herself, but for others. “That was part of the [previous] name, I mean, I’m the little Rebel Engine,” she laughs.