Berkalin Records was founded in 2006 by Brian and Pam Kalinec, just prior to Brian’s debut CD, Last Man Standing, released in early 2007. Early on, it was contemplated that the label would primarily be a vehicle for Brian’s subsequent releases. However, in 2008, Brian, Pam, and Brian’s manager, Charlie Stewart began to entertain the idea of adding other artists to Berkalin.

Bob Cheevers, an Emmy-winning songwriter who opened for Johnny Cash at Cash’s request on his last American tour, had just moved from Nashville to Austin. Cheevers, who also tours extensively in the UK, was looking for a label for his US release of Fiona’s World and signed with Berkalin in 2008. Later that same year the label inked two other storied Texas songwriters–George Ensle, who was admired by the late Townes Van Zandt, and Tim Henderson, who has earned praise from luminaries like Tom Paxton, Townes Van Zandt, and Peter Yarrow. George’s “Build a Bridge” was released in 2008 and Tim’s “Winds of Texas” was released in early 2010.

In 2009, Berkalin signed young, acclaimed Matt Harlan, whose debut CD “Tips and Compliments” garnered #1 on the EuroAmericana charts. The Austin duo of Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus, who have also earned significant recognition for their songwriting are veterans of the East Coast music scene. Patton and Brokus moved to Texas in the 90’s. They signed with Berkalin in 2010, issuing their “Ray of Hope” CD in early 2011. One of the legendary great Texas songwriters, the late Tim Henderson, released his final CD on the Berkalin label in 2010.   In late 2010, Jeff Talmadge, another highly-regarded singer-songwriter with a long list of songwriting accolades, joined the Berkalin family and released his CD in early 2011.  Kalinec, who himself has been recognized in major song competitions across the country, released his most recent CD in 2012.  More recently artists including C. Daniel Boling, Libby Koch, Bernice Lewis, Curtis McMurtry, Ordinary Elephant, Jordi Baizan, Randy Lewis Brown and Randy Palmer have joined the label and have a number of releases on Berkalin.

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