Florida Georgia Line Finds New Publishing Home With Their Own Tree Vibez Music: ‘It’s A Dream Come True’

Florida Georgia Line have accomplished more in the past few years than most artists do in a lifetime. Five years since being named Forbes’ 30 Under 30, Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley continue to push genre lines and industry standards as artists, label executives, publishers and producers.

On the heels of celebrating the one-year anniversary of their label Round Here Records, Florida Georgia Line exclusively reveal to Forbes that they are the newest writers signed to their own Tree Vibez Music roster. “It’s a dream come true to call Tree Vibez Music our publishing home,” Kelley and Hubbard tell me. “We’ve been extremely blessed to be able to build a company and a staff, alongside [general manager] Leslie DiPiero, that we feel confident will continue to help us grow as writers. We look forward to the next chapter of our songwriting journey with our TVM family.”

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The pair met at Nashville’s Belmont University where they pursued their joint passion of songwriting. Hubbard, 33, has 13 No. 1 songs to his name including the country genre’s first diamond certification and 11-times platinum 2012 debut single “Cruise” and 9-times platinum crossover hit “Meant to Be” with Bebe Rexha, while Kelley, 34, has amassed 11 chart toppers with “Cruise” and cuts by Jason Aldean (“Lights Come On”) and Cole Swindell (“Hope You Get Lonely Tonight”). After creating their publishing company Tree Vibez Music in 2015, Hubbard says signing there is a “full circle” moment.

“We both believe that the foundation of any great career is songs,” Hubbard says. “After college, we both pursued being songwriters first, and that was our dream. Because of another publishing company who signed us and believed in us, we were able to pursue our dream and chase music, and we’re really thankful for that. Ultimately, having started a publishing company has probably been at the top of that list as far as things that we’ve done in the last five years that we’re really proud of.”

Adds Kelley, “When you get to work with songwriters, hear the songs they’re turning in day after day, week after week, and watch their growth and be a part of that, it’s super fulfilling.”

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Like most in the music industry, the novel coronavirus has affected Hubbard and Kelley’s livelihoods. With large gatherings on hold for the foreseeable future, the duo has pivoted from touring and writing on the road to Zoom co-writes and working on acquiring new production skills.

“I’ve been in the studio, trying to get better at producing, building tracks and writing songs,” says Hubbard, who shares an executive co-producer credit with Kelley on Chris Tomlin’s latest release Chris Tomlin & Friends. “It’s been a time of growth for everybody, [we’re] evolving with the times.”

In May, Florida Georgia Line released the feel-good EP 6-Pack. The six tracks include upbeat single “I Love My Country,” which is currently at No. 6 and rising on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. Explaining that it was their responsibility to share uplifting music with fans during Covid-19, the pair also gifted $1,000 to each employee at their Nashville restaurant and bar FGL House. “It just felt necessary. We had to do it. We wanted to do it,” Kelley says of the decision to help the restaurant’s staff. FGL hint that they will continue to drop new music throughout the rest of 2020. “It’s us doing our part during this time,” Hubbard adds.

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Aug. 15 marks one year since the launch of Round Here Records, which is the label home to Canaan Smith and RaeLynn. With the goal to provide an artist-first mindset at the label, the men offer a unique perspective for its growing roster.

“To be in the middle of our artist career and have the artist perspective, and to be able to do business deals based around what’s best for the artist always — that’s our motto,” Kelley says. “That’s ultimately another reason we started Round Here Records: to create opportunities that always have the artist’s best interest at heart.”

Hubbard and Kelley continue to pursue new ventures outside of music including business and entertainment space meet + greet, fashion line Tribe Kelley, Old Camp Whiskey, and Wolf Moon Bourbon with Jason Aldean. The men aim to “continue to be disruptors” in the business and pride themselves in changing the country model and pushing boundaries with each new venture.

“We want to continue to push and reinvent ourselves. We want to do something original, something different. That’s at the core of everything we do,” Kelley says. “We’re excited about the rest of our career. The next 10 years are going to be better. They’re going to be different. We’re looking forward to seeing what every day brings, and continuing to see what else is out there for our brand and for our music and for our lives. Having an open mind and willingness to push and to continue to show up — the sky’s the limit.”