As we told you in a Breaking News email earlier today, Big Machine President/CEO Scott Borchetta has launched Valory Music Company. The roster includes Jewel, Jimmy Wayne and Justin Moore. Distribution is through UMG, which also handles Big Machine.

Former BBR VP/Promotion Jon Loba heads the promo staff of Chris Loss (National/West), Jo Jamie Hahr (SE) and Miranda Williams (SW). Explaining his move to VMC, Loba told Country Aircheck, "I loved my time at BBR. The artists and staff there are amazing and it took something very special for me to leave. At a time where there is a lot of 'doom ad gloom' in our industry, Scott's passion, energy, work ethic and committment to his artists was too much to resist. The decision to leave BBR was a tough one, but I have never been more excited and optimistic about a professional opportunity than I am now."

Loss, previously the West Coast Regional for Lyric Street said of his decision to join VMC, "I can't say enough about Lyric Street, [President] Randy Goodman, [VP/Promotion] Kevin Herring and everyone else there. But with the acts and the team that Scott has assembled, this is an opportunity to be in on the ground floor of something that I feel is going to be huge."

VMC expects to deliver music to Country radio for all of its acts in the first quarter of 2008.