UMG Nashville's Owen forms mgmt. co, inks Shania

COME ON OVER: Jason Owen has announced the launch of Sandbox Entertainment, described in a UMG press release this morning as a full-service management and entertainment company. The Nashville-based company will open for business Sept. 7 with flagship client Shania Twain. Owen was most recently SVP Artist Development and Marketing at UMG Nashville, and he’ll continue his nearly decade-long association with the label in a consultancy role, working with top dawg Luke Lewis, who acknowledged his former colleague for the “tremendous job [he’s done] in helping us to guide the careers of many of our artists.” Said Owen, “Shania and I have been together for over eight years in my role at UMG, and to start this new journey with her is a true privilege for me,” adding that “We have some exciting plans in the works that will expand her worldwide career into new areas of music and entertainment.” (8/25a)