Singer/songwriter Michael McDonald [ tickets ], actor Jeff Bridges [ tickets ], and producer Chris Pelonis have co-founded Ramp Records. Bridges said that they plan to build an "eclectic roster" for Ramp, though the label's current emphases are releases by McDonald and Bridges.

''Obsession Blues,'' McDonald's first album in seven years, will be an R&B effort featuring original compositions, as well as covers of Neil Young's ''Down by the River'' and Marvin Gaye's ''Ain't That Peculiar,'' according to the label publicist. Three tracks were produced for the Ramp album, while the rest come from McDonald's last album for Warner Brothers, which was not released.

McDonald said that the label would sell discs through Amazon.com and promote his own album on radio stations and websites with a four-song EP. ''Obsession Blues'' is due in stores on Feb. 21.

Ramp is also releasing actor Jeff Bridges' debut CD ''Be Here Soon.'' A free promo track ''She Lay Her Whip Down'' is available in the music section of Bridges' website. The track is an easy-going, '70s-style guitar/organ-based groove with Bridges on vocals. Six of the disc's cuts were written by Bridges; others were written by Nashville songwriter John Goodwin.

When the label was first announced, its publicity firm received several dozen calls a day from artists who wanted to send in their demos. When the firm asked McDonald and Bridges what they should do with their requests, the co-founders responded, ''Do nothing,'' according to a publicist at the firm.

''They haven't said they're seeking talent,'' the publicist said. ''They're just concentrating on the Michael McDonald and Jeff Bridges releases right now.''