Katie Armiger: “I Never Quit Country Music”

After more than six months of silence, Katie Armiger has released a statement regarding the bizarre events of last summer. If you recall, in June Armiger’s label released a statement to radio that stated the singer-songwriter “has decided to take a breather and decide her next career aspirations.” Then things got really weird. Posts began appearing and quickly disappearing from Armiger’s social media. Sounds Like Nashville reported screenshots of the messages that Armiger was attempting to post in June that disputed the claims of her label.

“I never quit country music. I haven’t spoken because I wasn’t able to,” Armiger said in statement released today (Jan. 27). “My label filed suit against me, but I kept hoping for an amicable solution. Now, everyone can see my response. The answer I filed with the federal court speaks for itself.”

Armiger goes on to explain that the problem with her former label has to do with how she was instructed to interact with men in the music industry.

“I’ve worked hard and I’m proud of what I’ve done musically and personally,” Armiger said. “My label had expectations for how I should behave to get ahead, particularly how I should interact with influential men in the industry. I just wasn’t willing to take that approach. I wanted to make it with integrity and I still do. I know that there are good people in this business and particularly in country radio, and I’m so grateful to those who support my career and play my music.”

She added, “I didn’t think I should have to do the things my label wanted me to do to ‘make it.’ It should be about the music.”

Pete O’Heeron, the president of Armiger’s former label Cold River, responded to her statement today.

“Cold River is saddened and disappointed to learn of Katie Armiger’s malicious and completely false statements against the label,” he wrote. ” It is interesting to note that this story never surfaced until Cold River was forced to sue Ms. Armiger for refusing to perform the remainder of her contracts with the label. Certainly, Ms. Armiger never made these false and malicious claims when Cold River was pouring a tremendous amount of money into promoting her career. It appears that Ms. Armiger is simply attempting to use these false claims to get out of her contracts and to gain publicity for her career, at Cold River’s expense. Her assertions are completely without merit and fabricated.”

Please note that Armiger lost control of her social media accounts in June before legal action had been taken.

O’Heeron goes on to attack Armiger’s efforts to promote herself since separating from the label: “In addition, while Ms. Armiger complains that Cold River promoted her career by focusing on her appearance rather than purely her music, it should be noted that, since refusing to perform the remainder of her contracts with Cold River, Ms. Armiger and her new ‘team; have actively campaigned for her to become Country Weekly’s Hottest Bachelorette. This paradoxical behavior belies the sincerity of Ms. Armiger’s claims and further evidences that she is simply trying to get out of her contracts with Cold River and generate free publicity for her career. Cold River looks forward to clearing its name in court and, when that day comes, hopes that Ms. Armiger will be as vigorous in apologizing to the label as she was in smearing its name.”

Armiger goes on to promise that she is moving forward with her country career, saying, “I’m eager to share some new music very soon. I love country music. This is where I want to be.”

She is currently about the A Girl Thing Tour with Jamie O’Neal, Hannah Blaylock and newcomer Andrea Pearson.