Erin Kelly-Burkett

Erin Kelly-Burkett is a name you may not be familiar with. She's the woman behind the stage at Fat Wreck Chords, who's been quietly making everything work for the last 28 years. She started the label with her (now) ex-husband, Fat Mike Burkett of NOFX and Me First and The Gimme Gimmes, and they have been running the company together ever since. The pair met in college, bonded over a love of punk music, and started the label more as a hobby than a business…a means to put out NOFX music without anyone telling them what to do. That 'hobby' went on to release over 300 studio albums by bands such as Lagwagon, No Use For A Name, Against Me!, and Descendents. Their unique business model of signing bands to one-album deals or no contract at all, has helped FAT create one of the most successful and influential independent labels to date.