Cobblestone Road Taps Mike Kraski As General Manager

Full-service artist development, touring, and recording company Cobblestone Road Entertainment launched last month, and today, co-founders Casey Barile and Laura Turner-Barile have announced the hiring of music industry veteran Mike Kraski as the company’s General Manager. Cobblestone Road Entertainment is based in Nashville and includes booking, publishing, state-of-the-art recording facilities, and more.

“When we formed Cobblestone Road Entertainment, we were very specific about the qualities we wanted in our staff like leadership, experience, proven track record and esteem,” said Casey and Laura, who serve as President and Managing Partner, respectively. “Mike filled all of those qualities and more. We’re excited about the foundation we’re building, and thrilled to have Mike in the driver’s seat orchestrating all of the great things to come.”

For more than 30 years, Mike Kraski has been at the forefront of the music business and is the epitome of what is known as an “industry veteran.” He began his career at CBS Records and eventually made his way to Sony Music Nashville, where he rose in ranks to become Executive Vice President and General Manager. In his 28 years with the company, he was instrumental in guiding and directing the careers of the Dixie Chicks, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette, Patty Loveless, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Montgomery Gentry, Travis Tritt, among many others.

In 2003, Kraski left Sony and formed an artist friendly label that was aptly named Equity Records. As President and CEO, he launched the career of Little Big Town. Their debut Equity release sold over 1.5 million units and was Billboard Magazine’s number one Independent Album of the Year. Since 2007, Mike has worked in artist management, artist development and entertainment consulting. He is currently the managing partner for New Vision Artist Management.

He served as a consultant and talent buyer for Logstill Distillery beginning in 2020. Under his oversight, he developed and launched the 2500 seat Amp at Logstill and the 800-seat indoor venue, The Legacy, rising to General Manager for both venues. Mike has been a member of the Academy of Country Music’s board of directors for 20 years and also serves on the board of directors for N-Ovation Music.

“This opportunity is a dream come true for me,” said Kraski. “Not only do Casey and Laura understand the music business, they’ve lived it. Their purity of intent to help artists realize their hopes and dreams is nothing less than inspiring, and I take very seriously their vision for this company.”

The Bariles formed Cobblestone Road Entertainment with a mission to empower and uplift artists and musicians on their journey to success with a belief every artist has a unique story to tell. They share a deep passion for helping young artists establish themselves to the point where they can make a consequential living from touring and making music while providing financial backing imbued with integrity, decency and an honest vision toward meaningful musical success.