G ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁Z om ba ▁purchased ▁yet ▁another ▁Christian ▁music ▁affili ated ▁company , ▁the ▁B enson ▁Music ▁Group , ▁from ▁Music ▁Entertainment ▁Group . ▁ ▁B enson ▁became ▁Z om ba ' s ▁third ▁label ▁to ▁focus ▁on ▁Christian ▁music ▁following ▁Br ent wood ▁Music ▁and ▁Re union ▁Records . ▁ ▁An ▁important ▁asset ▁of ▁the ▁Br ent wood ▁ac quisition ▁was ▁the ▁publishing ▁arm , ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 2 , ▁that ▁included ▁ 4 6 , 0 0 0 ▁copy right s ▁from ▁artists ▁such ▁as ▁El vis ▁Pres ley , ▁Dol ly ▁Part on , ▁L inda ▁Ron stadt , ▁and ▁Will ie ▁Nelson . ▁ ▁In ▁reaction ▁to ▁the ▁sur ge ▁in ▁Christian - orient ed ▁labels ▁gathered ▁over ▁so ▁few ▁years , ▁Z om ba ▁created ▁the ▁Prov ident ▁Music ▁Group ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁ ▁The ▁Nash ville - based ▁group ▁was ▁led ▁by ▁Jim ▁Van ▁Hook ▁and ▁was ▁essentially ▁a ▁continu ation ▁of ▁the ▁Br ent wood ▁group ▁and ▁an ▁am alg am ation ▁of ▁the ▁other ▁Christian - orient ed ▁labels . ▁ ▁The ▁group ▁consisted ▁of ▁the ▁B enson , ▁Br ent wood ▁and ▁Re union ▁groups , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁Br ent wood / B enson ▁Publishing ▁Group ▁and ▁newly ▁formed ▁Prov ident ▁Music ▁Distribution ▁arms . ▁ ▁This ▁new ▁group ▁allowed ▁the ▁three ▁main ▁sub labels ▁to ▁have ▁un