Meet Terry Sartor | Music Label Founder and Music Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with producer/singer-songwriter/DJ Terry Sartor of the Valiant Horizon music label and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Terry, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?

I started DJing as a college student while attending Emory University here in Atlanta. I had a show on Emory’s radio station WMRE. From there, I started DJing professionally in Atlanta’s trendy Buckhead area. After graduating from Emory, I decided to move down to South Florida. I landed in South Beach where I lived for around six years. At that time, South Beach was an epicenter of the global dance music scene. I had DJ residences at venues down there including Amnesia International and in South Beach. I also had DJ residencies at Sea Monster and End Up – which were two major venues in Fort Lauderdale at that time. Fast forward…I decided to move back to Atlanta. After years of DJing and playing the music of others, it was time to make my own mark with my own original music! I needed a platform to release my music on…and my music label Valiant Horizon was born! I came up with the name Valiant Horizon because I felt those two words together sounded inspiring and forward looking in a very positive way.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

Valiant Horizon is an emerging and independent one. I don’t have the deep financial pockets of a major label like Columbia, Atlantic or Warner Brothers. However, I do have a lot of flexibility though as an independent label. So that’s good. Also, streaming has become so ubiquitous these days. As a result, it can be hard to break even with music projects as artists can often not make much at all for their release. As a result, those of us in the music industry have to look for other revenue streams in order to at least break even and/or make money. This includes touring, merchandising and music licensing. You have to be innovative and creative on multiple fronts!

Despite challenges in today’s music industry, I still have a strong passion for it. Valiant Horizon turned ten years old last year! Woohoo! Not only does Valiant Horizon provide a platform for the release of my music…it has become an outlet for both emerging and established artists around the world to release their music on as well. The Valiant Horizon roster includes musicians from the UK, Netherlands, Germany and of course the USA. Valiant Horizon provides an opportunity for musicians of varying types to present their artistry to the world and shine.

For me, I’m very proud of my own Valiant Horizon singles. My rock anthem “Hidden Fences” is a standout for me. It was produced by fellow Valiant Horizon artist Bill Trieshmann. Plus, I also have an electro-pop song out called “From the Heart” – which I consider a signature sound of mine and was produced by NYC musician Steven Shewbrooks of the band Kyven. I’ve also had the pleasure of producing/remixing other artists as well including Jeff Timmons (of 98 Degrees!), Will Hutcheson, Knox Peake and Kyle Brylin. In addition, I have an exciting music production project now called Fast Trackers with seasoned music producer and fellow Valiant Horizon artist David McClintick Roberts of Rye Catchers. I have a lot going on!

Positivity is such an important driving force behind my Valiant Horizon brand. It’s not only a platform for me and my music but also other musical artists across a wide array of genres. That is why Valiant Horizon promotes positive messages alongside inspired life-affirming statements plus self-empowerment themes all meshed together with hot music!

To promote the Valiant Horizon brand, I create advertising campaigns for certain periods of time. The 2023-24 brand platform is “Made For This” – which was preceded by the “Keep Going” slogan. It’s important to “keep going” whenever you have an inspired vision and strong purpose even if it seems like it is against all odds…and as the current Valiant Horizon slogan goes I am “Made For This” indeed…

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in Atlanta. I would like to take that person to some of the popular Atlanta neighbors that I adore – which include The Highlands, Little 5 Points and my own neighborhood Old Fourth Ward. There are lots of cute shops and venues amongst these neighborhoods. Also, the BeltLine is a must-see for visitors and locals alike. It’s like a boardward but no ocean!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to thank all of the supporters and artists of the Valiant Horizon music label.

Website: http://valianthorizon.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valianthorizon

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/valiant-horizon

Twitter: https://twitter.com/valianthorizon

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valianthorizon

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@valianthorizon/videos