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soulster
06-30-2013, 03:53 AM
In another thread, the subject of Sussex Records came up, and it was mentioned that Clarance Avant owned it. I never knew that. Cool! A Black record company, and it never gets mentioned as such. All you ever hear about is Motown and P.I.R..

It got me wondering: besides the following, what were some other Black owned record companies in the 60s and 70s? Starting in 1972, Stax owner and founder Jim Stewart entered into a partnership with Al Bell.

Vee-Jay
Philadelphia International [[Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff)
T-Neck [[Isley Brothers, the company was absorbed into CBS, Inc. in 1984)
Sussex [[Clarance Avant)
Tabu [[Clarance Avant)
Motown [[Berry Gordy sold it in 1988 to Boston Ventures/MCA)
Gamble [[Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff)
Curtom [[Curtis Mayfield)
Philly Groove [[Stan Wilson, Thom Bell, Kenny Bell)
Paisley Park [[Prince)
American Recording Company [[Maurice White)
Sugarhill [[Sylvia and Joe Robinson)
All-Platinum [[Sylvia and Joe Robinson)
Hot Wax/Invictus [[Eddie Holland, Lamont Dosier, Brian Holland)

What else? There were tons of them in the 60s and early 70s before the majors realized how much money there was in soul music.

splanky
06-30-2013, 09:14 AM
Great question, I have to say, soulster. Eventually virtually all black owned companies were
swallowed up by either Motown and/or thw white owned ones. That's America...Anyway,
two other ones that stood out to me were Revilot where George Clinton's Parliaments made
their first recordings and Calla...I'll try to think of others...

Kamasu_Jr
06-30-2013, 10:39 AM
SUE RECORDS OWNED BY JUGGY MURRAY before he sold it to United Artists/EMI ; VEE JAY OWNED BY CALVIN & VIVIAN CARTER

Nothing But Soul
06-30-2013, 11:59 AM
Don't forget the legendary Bobby Robinson, who owned or co-owned labels like Red Robin, Fire, Fury and Enjoy. Bobby's glory years were definitely in the 50s, but he did have hits in the sixties with the likes of "Every Beat of My Heart" by Gladys Knight and the Pips, "Need Your Lovin'" by Don Gardner and Dee Dee Ford and "Soul Twist" by King Curtis.

jobeterob
06-30-2013, 12:57 PM
Are there any left?

Or should the question be.............are there any small ones?

Or are there thousands, each trying to flog a CD or two?

There doesn't seem to be all that much left of the big ones even.

roger
06-30-2013, 04:03 PM
It seems that Vee-Jay co-owner Randy Woods went on to own Mirwood/Mira records in L.A. so presumably they can be added to the list...

http://www.bsnpubs.com/veejay/veejayinternationalstory.html

Roger

StuBass1
06-30-2013, 10:53 PM
Nat Tarnopol was a Jewish white guy...

soulster
07-01-2013, 12:23 AM
Nat Tarnopol was a Jewish white guy... I'll fix that...

gary_james
07-01-2013, 12:33 AM
What about labels James Brown founded, like Try Me Records and People Records.

roger
07-01-2013, 04:54 AM
Another one .. Arctic records .. owned by D.J. JIMMY BISHOP ..

http://www.broadcastpioneers.com/bp9/wdas1971.html

http://www.bsnpubs.com/philadelphia/jamie/arctic.html

Roger

timmyfunk
07-12-2013, 06:13 PM
Uncle.Jam Records owned by George Clinton and his manager Archie Ivy and Hump Records which released It's Too Funky In Here and Hydraulic Pump.

gary
07-12-2013, 08:43 PM
Golden World/Ric Tic records in Detroit. Owned by Ed Wingate and Joanne Bratton.

timmyfunk
07-13-2013, 11:52 PM
SUE RECORDS OWNED BY JUGGY MURRAY before he sold it to United Artists/EMI ; VEE JAY OWNED BY CALVIN & VIVIAN CARTER

Vee-Jay was founded in Gary, Indiana, in 1953 by Vivian Carter and James C. Bracken, a husband-and-wife team who used their initials for the label’s name.

Just wanted to clear that up.

robb_k
07-16-2013, 03:38 AM
Really too many to list-there were hundreds-just in Chicago and Detroit alone [[I won't even bother with New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore, Atlanta, New Orleans, other Southern cities. I don't have time. To pay someone to compile such a list would cost a fortune in labour time.


Johnnie Mae Matthews
Northern, Northern-Del-La, Reel, Big Hit, Audrey

Diamond Jim Riley
Diamond Jim, Big D, Riley's

Wilbur Golden
Correc-Tone, SonBert [[together with Robert Bateman and Sonny Sanders)

Herman Griffin
Hit, Hit Sound

Don Davis
DaCo, Thelma, GeGe [[with Robert and Hazel Coleman), Groovesville, Groove City[[with LeBaron Taylor)Revilot, Solid Hit

Popcorn Wylie
Soulhawk, Pamline, HIB

Dave Hamilton
Temple, TLC, Topper,

Ollie McLaughlin
Ruth, Karen, Carla, Moira

Ewart Abner
Constellation [[with Bill "Bunky" Sheppard)

Bill "Bunky" Sheppard
Bunky

Carmen Murphy
House of Beauty[[HOB),Spartan, Soul, Starmaker

Mike Hanks
MAH's, D-Town, Wheelsville USA, Wheel City, MRC

Juggy Murry
Sue, Symbol, Crackerjack, Juggy

Bob Catron
[[with Bill Ehrman)Cortland, Witch, Katron

Eddie Thomas
Thomas

Chuck Colbert Sr., Chuck Colbert, Jr.
Tip Top, Nike, Jive, Chapel

Gwen Gordy, "Roquel" Billy Davis
Anna

Gwen Gordy, Harvey Fuqua
Tri-Phi, Harvey, HPC, Message
Vivian Carter, Jimmy Bracken, Ewart Abner
Vee Jay, Abner, Tollie, Vivid, J-V, Exodus

Robert West
Flick, Bumble Bee, Contour, Lu Pine,

Leaner Brothers
One-derful, Mar-V-Lus, M-Pac

I could go on for hours with just Detroit and Chicago owners-but I haven't the time.

robb_k
07-19-2013, 02:55 AM
Doesn't anyone know even one more of the hundreds of Black-owned record companies of the '60s and '70s? I spent over 45 minutes adding to this list, and it just died. I was the kiss of death.

splanky
07-21-2013, 11:42 AM
Honestly, robb k, I am finding it very very hard to believe that there ever were literally
"hundreds" of black owned record companies in America at anytime and I've never seen
any evidence of it. Are you sure you don't mean something else?...

roger
07-22-2013, 04:01 AM
Honestly, robb k, I am finding it very very hard to believe that there ever were literally
"hundreds" of black owned record companies in America at anytime and I've never seen
any evidence of it. Are you sure you don't mean something else?...

I suspect that Robb is correct Splanky, a lot of successful [[or merely aspiring) singers, producers and songwriters thought that the next step in their career was to start their own record label.

For example ...
GENE CHANDLER had "Mr Chand" [[SIMTEC & WILLIE) and "Bamboo" [[MEL & TIM).
JAMES BROWN has already been mentioned.
WILLIAM BELL had "Peachtree".
ISAAC HAYES had "H.B.S." [[Hot Buttered Soul).
OTIS REDDING had "Jotis".

And I'm sure there are a whole lot more ...

Most of these ventures didn't last long or were distributed nationally/internationally by larger companies and so it wasn't always obvious which was the original label.

Roger

splanky
07-22-2013, 09:00 AM
Okay Roger, well then I guess for me it's a matter of semantics and a question of what are
all of the logistics of individual labels. For instance under the umbrella of Motown Records
there were individual labels Tamla, Gordy, Soul,etc but they more or less used the same stable of house musicians [[The Funk Brothers,i.e) backing vocalists [[The Andantes) and teams of writers [[HDH, The Corporation, Strong and Whitfield,etc). I'm wondering how much
autonomy those "hundreds" of black labels had...

daddyacey
07-22-2013, 08:27 PM
The Robinsons , [[Sylvia and Joe)
Turbo ,Stang , All Platinum, Sugarhill

SOUL TRAIN Records--Dick Griffy and Don Cornilious
SOLAR--Dick Griffy

Neptune-Gamble and Huff

Philly Groove-- Stan Watson [[The Man)

Hotspurman
07-23-2013, 02:26 PM
A few off the top of my head:
Barry White – Unlimited Gold
Stevie Wonder – Wondirection
Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis – Perspective
Ray Charles – Tangerine
War - Lax

robb_k
07-23-2013, 06:34 PM
Honestly, robb k, I am finding it very very hard to believe that there ever were literally
"hundreds" of black owned record companies in America at anytime and I've never seen
any evidence of it. Are you sure you don't mean something else?...
Well, there were certainly hundreds of Black owned record labels. A lot of them operated out of a house, and didn´t have but 0,1, or 2 employees. Maybe you wouldn't consider them "companies", but they were "labels".

robb_k
05-17-2016, 09:20 PM
11348
Bobby and Danny Robinson in New York City [[Harlem), owned Robin/Red Robin, Holiday, Everlast, Vest, Fury, Fire, Enjoy and Fling Records, and were partners with Jerry Blaine in Whirlin' Disc Records.

Joshie Armstead and Mel Collins owned Chicago's Giant, Globe and Gamma Records.

Ric Williams owned Chicago's Zodiac and Aquarius Records.

Raynoma Liles/Gordy/Singleton and Eddie Singleton owned D.C.'s Shrine Records.

Cleveland Brown player, Jim Brown was co-owner of Way-Out and Big Jim Records.

New York Giant players, Rosie Grier and Roosevelt Brown owned Tac-Ful Records.

Lawyer, Johnny Cochran owned Phelectron Records in L.A.

Flash Records was owned by an owner of a camera shop and record shop in South Central Los Angeles, in the '50s. There were many, many small, Black-owned labels in New York, Chicago , Detroit, Los Angeles.

Randy Wood, who co-owned VJ in 1965-66, was Caucasian.

marv2
05-17-2016, 11:16 PM
More great information! Thank you Robb!!!

robb_k
05-24-2016, 09:25 PM
11364
Dootsie Williams -Dootone/Dooto, Authentic
John Dolphin - Recorded in Hollywood, Lucky, Cash, Money, Ball, Jerk, Ten Star, Wife co-owned Call Me
Sam Cooke & J. W. Alexander - SAR, Derby
Sidney Barnes - Shee
Cassius Clay - Sonji
Carl Jones [[Chicago) - C.J., Colt, Firma, Capri
Al Benson [[Chicago DJ) - Parrot, Blue Lake, Crash, Glow Star, Mica, The Blues
Richard Pegue [[Chicago DJ) - Penny, Nickel, Janis,
Jack Daniels - Bright Star, 4 Brothers, Jadan, Hit Sound [[Chicago), Chi-City
Leo Austell [[Chicago) - Renee, Sta-Set, Conduc, Mar-Jan
Ruth Moore [[Chicago) - Lu-Cee, Vick
Sonny Thompson [[Chicago) - Knight, Pink Cloud
Sebons Foster [[Chicago) - Nation, Nation Time, Salem
Syl Johnson - Twinight
Jack Ashford & Lorraine Chandler - Ashford, Sepia, maybe part owners in Detroit's Giant [[not to be confused with Joshie Armstead's Chicago label of that name).
Abner Spector [[NY/Boston) - Tuff
Zell Sanders & Abner Spector [[NY) - J & S
Zell Sanders alone - Zell's, Sprout
Al Jackson [[Det.) - Al-Jack
Gino Washington - Washpan, Atac, Perfecta, and co-owned Amon
Arthur Abney [[Det.) - Dynamics
Leon Rene - Excelsior, Exclusive, Class, Spry Records
Herman Griffith [[L.A. DJ) - Joker
Eugene Dozier - Flaming Arrow
Bill Cosby - Tetragrammaton [[co-owner)
Bunny Jones [[NY) - Bunny, Big Bunny, Master
Romeo Taylor [[Det. , L.A.) - Me-O
Joe Von Battle [[Det.) - JVB, Von, Battle
Ernest Kelly [[Det. , NY) - Geneva
Hank & Dusty Wilson [[Det.) - Zebra, Bronse
Charles Stokes [[Det.) - Cha-Tok, Mas-Tok
Preston Carnes - Astra
Fred Brown [[Det.) - Kable
Theoda Moore [[Det.) - Theoda

I could easily die before finishing this list!

marv2
05-24-2016, 10:03 PM
incredible!!!

robb_k
05-24-2016, 11:24 PM
incredible!!!
11369
What we've listed so far has barely scratched the surface.

marv2
05-25-2016, 12:30 AM
11369
What we've listed so far has barely scratched the surface.

Now I am starting to wonder . What the heck happened to all of those businesses?

robb_k
05-25-2016, 02:56 AM
11371
Most of them never had a chance to do well. The distributors almost never paid them, unless they had two giant major hits in a row. They were still doing that in the early 89s, and never paid us [[Airwave) a penny despite our Delia Renee record selling over 200,000. The only cash we ever took in was direct sales in dance clubs, and upfront fees from selling foreign rights.

marv2
05-25-2016, 09:40 AM
11371
Most of them never had a chance to do well. The distributors almost never paid them, unless they had two giant major hits in a row. They were still doing that in the early 89s, and never paid us [[Airwave) a penny despite our Delia Renee record selling over 200,000. The only cash we ever took in was direct sales in dance clubs, and upfront fees from selling foreign rights.

Oh that is terrible. I thought at least the labels made a little bit of money, the artists not so much. I guess now I have a great appreciation of what Barney Ales did at Motown. Thank you Robb.

robb_k
05-30-2016, 03:16 AM
11382
Gene Redd, Jr.
Redd, Stephanye, co-owned 2nd Stephanye with Ed Wingate, Redd Coach
Several labels in New Orleans owned by Alain Toussaint

ady_croasdell
10-11-2019, 07:57 AM
Terrific info Robb, I agree about 100s and could add a lot. The Randy Wood who owned Mirwood was black, the one who owned Dot was white. Also I saw on another site that you reckoned Spry was owned by Leon René and presumably Cenco. Is there any evidence on that?

marv2
10-11-2019, 08:53 AM
There were many small, local record companies spread throughout the U.S. in those days. I believe there were a few even in Toledo.

robb_k
10-11-2019, 01:08 PM
Are there any left?

Or should the question be.............are there any small ones?

Or are there thousands, each trying to flog a CD or two?

There doesn't seem to be all that much left of the big ones even.
16334
There are literally thousands you didn't mention. I would die before I could finish listing them. I know literally hundreds in Chicago, L.A., New York, Detroit, each, alone. There ARE many other big ones. But, I haven't got time to mention them now.

robb_k
10-11-2019, 01:38 PM
Terrific info Robb, I agree about 100s and could add a lot. The Randy Wood who owned Mirwood was black, the one who owned Dot was white. Also I saw on another site that you reckoned Spry was owned by Leon René and presumably Cenco. Is there any evidence on that?
16335
I was probably wrong about Cenco.For Spry, I think he may have been a co-owner. But have no concrete evidence.

Wasn't the guy who owned Ranwood and managed VJ's L.A. office the White guy from Tennessee, who had previously owned Dot Records? Did the Black Randy Wood, Mirwood owner own any other labels other than Mira, and any other Keymen-distributed L.A. labels?

ralpht
10-11-2019, 05:00 PM
Anyone mention Thelma Records? Mr. and Mrs. Robert Coleman.Great people.

robb_k
10-11-2019, 06:09 PM
Terrific info Robb, I agree about 100s and could add a lot. The Randy Wood who owned Mirwood was black, the one who owned Dot was white. Also I saw on another site that you reckoned Spry was owned by Leon René and presumably Cenco. Is there any evidence on that?
16385
I knew Cenco was just owned by Gradney. I thought Spry might have been co-owned by Gradney and Rene because of Gradney's use of Class Music, and the fact that Gradney had released records on Johnny Moore's Blazers and Roy Milton, both of whom had also been recorded by Rene. But, now I realise that Class was just Gradney's, because Rene never used "Class Music", - only Class Records, as a label.

theDynamics
03-01-2020, 11:00 AM
You guys are forgetting about Golden World. And don't forget about United Sound. There was one more but it was not complete Me On by black people. There was a husband and wife team that was white and black. My memory is failing me a little bit because I can't remember whether it was on 2nd or 3rd in Detroit.

robb_k
03-02-2020, 01:34 PM
You guys are forgetting about Golden World. And don't forget about United Sound. There was one more but it was not complete Me On by black people. There was a husband and wife team that was white and black. My memory is failing me a little bit because I can't remember whether it was on 2nd or 3rd in Detroit.
16863
Gary listed them. Had he not, I would have listed "Ed Wingate's and JoAnn Bratton's Golden World, Ric Tic, Wingate, Maltese[[partner with George Kerr), Love[[partner with Herman Griffin), Standout[[partner with Andre Williams), and then there were DJs- Chicago's Richard Stamz - Fox, Foxy, Paso, Sign) , E. Rodney Jones had a couple, I already mentioned Al Benson's, James Shelton's Daran, Jay-Wes, JDO, New Breed, - Claude Johnson's Trans World Sound, June Bug - George Redmon's Blue Light and Moneytown, etc. There were over 100 more in Chicago, alone, I haven't mentioned yet [[and will not). I don't have time to rifle through all my records. And I have ONLY glanced at the Detroit and Chicago record walls. There are STILL hundreds more little Black-owned "ma and pa" labels run out of homes in New York/NJ Metro Area, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Baltimore, Miami, Atlanta, Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, Houston, Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Diego I haven't mentioned [[and won't). And even for Chicago and Detroit, I only mentioned 1960s Black-owned labels. There might have been even more than existed during the '60s existing in both cities in the '70s [[which might even be true for all the other major US cities).

arr&bee
03-03-2020, 11:02 AM
11348
bobby and danny robinson in new york city [[harlem), owned robin/red robin, holiday, everlast, vest, fury, fire, enjoy and fling records, and were partners with jerry blaine in whirlin' disc records.

Joshie armstead and mel collins owned chicago's giant, globe and gamma records.

Ric williams owned chicago's zodiac and aquarius records.

Raynoma liles/gordy/singleton and eddie singleton owned d.c.'s shrine records.

Cleveland brown player, jim brown was co-owner of way-out and big jim records.

New york giant players, rosie grier and roosevelt brown owned tac-ful records.

Lawyer, johnny cochran owned phelectron records in l.a.

Flash records was owned by an owner of a camera shop and record shop in south central los angeles, in the '50s. There were many, many small, black-owned labels in new york, chicago , detroit, los angeles.

Randy wood, who co-owned vj in 1965-66, was caucasian.hey robb,there was-dc international in the seventies,do you know if it was black owned?

ralpht
03-03-2020, 11:41 AM
Here is one I don't think was mentioned: Bill Cosby's Tetragrammaton

robb_k
03-03-2020, 01:57 PM
hey robb,there was-dc international in the seventies,do you know if it was black owned?
16866
I'm pretty sure D.C. International WAS African-American owned. But I can't remember the owner[[s).

robb_k
03-03-2020, 01:58 PM
Here is one I don't think was mentioned: Bill Cosby's Tetragrammaton
16868
Good one, Ralph! I don't know how I could have overlooked that one.

ralpht
03-03-2020, 05:13 PM
No problem, Robb. Your awesomeness remains intact with me.

robb_k
03-03-2020, 05:48 PM
16874
Here are some more:
Curtom/Mayfield[[Chi) - Curtis Mayfield & Eddie Thomas, Windy C - Curtis Mayfield Co-owned
Con-Lo Records[[Phil) - Jerry Butler co-owner
Double-L Records[[NY) - Lloyd Price & Harold Logan
T-Neck Records - The Isley Brothers
Sussex Records - Clarence Avant
Solar Records - Don Cornelius
Tri-City Records [[Saginaw, Mich) - Choker Campbell
Velgo Records [[Det.) - Roger Bass & Tom Wilson
Teek Records [[St.L) - Fred Bosley
Carrie, Ricare, Staff [[Det)- Rev. James Hendrix
LaBeat, Mary Jane, Cool School[[Det) - Lou Beatty
Fulton[[Det) - James Fulton
Rendezvous - Leon René
Excelsior - Otis René
Exclusive - Leon René
Spinit - Leon René
Class - Leon & Googie René
Maurci - Maurice Jackson

ralpht
03-05-2020, 07:59 AM
Okay Rob.....now you're scaring me.

arr&bee
03-05-2020, 11:16 AM
16866
i'm pretty sure d.c. International was african-american owned. But i can't remember the owner[[s).thanks robb.

Boogiedown
03-10-2020, 02:02 PM
No problem, Robb. Your awesomeness remains intact with me.

me too ! wow! great knowledge!

Boogiedown
03-10-2020, 11:06 PM
I'm thinking of a couple: Cecil Holmes from Casablanca Records had this imprint:

Chocolate City:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3a-ZmuWuvg

Boogiedown
03-10-2020, 11:08 PM
And Harvey Fuqua had Honey over at Fantasy Records:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlncLbXLfi8

Boogiedown
03-12-2020, 01:10 PM
11364
Dootsie Williams -Dootone/Dooto, Authentic



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phQaNTZOxxA


wiki:

Williams was born in Mobile, Alabama [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile,_Alabama), in 1911, and by 1918 had moved with his family to Los Angeles [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles).[1] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dootsie_Williams#cite_note-bare-1) He was a leader of the Harlem Dukes band in the 1940s. While performing at gigs, he came up with the idea of recording other artists.[2] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dootsie_Williams#cite_note-Black-Culture-2)

In 1949, Williams founded the Blue Records label. Two years later he changed the name to Dootone [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dootone_Records). One of the first artists he recorded on Dootone was a violinist named Johnny Creach [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papa_John_Creach), who years later would become popular as Papa John Creach.[3] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dootsie_Williams#cite_note-Doo-Wop-3) In 1954, he recorded a local group called The Penguins [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Penguins), who would have a huge hit with "Earth Angel [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Angel)".[3] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dootsie_Williams#cite_note-Doo-Wop-3)
While the label would record a wide variety of music, it would be best known for a series of comedy recordings by Redd Foxx [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redd_Foxx).[4] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dootsie_Williams#cite_note-Discography-4) Williams saw the comedian perform at the Brass Rail, a local Los Angeles nightclub, and signed Foxx to a recording contract. Laff of the Party, the first of many albums that Foxx recorded for Williams, became a cult favorite and helped establish him as a national star.

Boogiedown
03-16-2020, 02:26 PM
that's some funny stuff from Redd Foxx!:D

then there was Greg Carmichael's Red Greg label out of NYC that fiddled a lot with something new and developing in the music scene ; Synthesizers:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04AAhcgP7-4

Boogiedown
03-22-2020, 01:10 PM
Patrick Adams was very active at Red Greg , but also had his work pressed on his own P& P records which I believe represented the first initials of Patrick[[Adams) & Peter [[Brown):


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z7CepnkFwU .

cool label!

Boogiedown
03-23-2020, 05:48 PM
In 1967, Chicago's Carl Davis began his label DAKAR [[ Tyrone Davis, Bohannon, Barbara Aiken).

Its biggest hit was the #3 :


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-opxZJvIZ0

robb_k
03-23-2020, 06:07 PM
In 1967, Chicago's Carl Davis began his label DAKAR [[ Tyrone Davis, Bohannon, Barbara Aiken).

Its biggest hit was the #3 :


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-opxZJvIZ0

Who is Barbara Aiken??? Did you mean Barbara Acklin?

Boogiedown
03-23-2020, 06:14 PM
I do !! thank you! And maybe Barbara was on BRUNSWICK proper....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFIFLSntWwg

Boogiedown
03-26-2020, 12:42 PM
Juggy Murry
Sue, Symbol, Crackerjack, Juggy

Robb who is Juggy Murry. Did you mean Juggy Murray ?:p:rolleyes:

Don't forget his label of the mid seventies JUPITER , which featured this wild creation of his:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ctur2c4F1KM

Boogiedown
03-27-2020, 01:49 PM
HOW is it possible ! on a Motown fansite!!, that this one remains unnamed!!!:eek:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePXUWxl0OWA

Boogiedown
04-11-2020, 03:42 AM
then there's Logan Westbrooks' SOURCE records which right off the bat had a #1 [[four weeks) soul hit with:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsWfbDDEt08

robb_k
04-11-2020, 03:53 AM
17131
I forgot to list Mickey Stevenson's Stepp Records [[Detroit):
17132

Boogiedown
04-17-2020, 02:10 PM
Junior Records:

Established in Philadelphia in '57 by Kae Williams and prospered for about ten years:


https://i.ebayimg.com/thumbs/images/g/JbIAAOSw1~JZQDve/s-l225.webp

Boogiedown
05-18-2020, 01:48 AM
A year past the seventies, in 1980, Hamilton Bohannon's Phase II Records:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8trRcZ9UFU

robb_k
05-18-2020, 12:23 PM
Robb who is Juggy Murry. Did you mean Juggy Murray ?:p:rolleyes:

Don't forget his label of the mid seventies JUPITER , which featured this wild creation of his:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ctur2c4F1KM
17422
Yes, typo, light touch on the "a"- weak left pinkie.:p

BrendaNS
10-04-2023, 01:23 PM
Hi everyone - new member here!
I discovered this thread a couple of years ago while doing a "curatorial" appraisal of a large 78rpm and 45rpm collection of post-WWII Black music [[primarily R&B but also blues and gospel). I was able to identify many Black-owned labels in the collection, which piqued my interest in the topic [[FYI, that collection is now at UCSB). Anyways, fast forward, I am now retired and decided to take this on as a project. Using the info here as well as Discogs, 45Cat [[much appreciation to Mickey Rat), other online and print sources as well as colleagues, I have started compiling a list of Black-owned labels from post-WWII to 1970. I figured that was a good place to cut off for now, keeping in mind Robb-K's comment "There are literally thousands you didn't mention. I would die before I could finish listing them." I'm finding he may be right!

My current goal is to focus primarily on LA/SF, Chicago, Detroit and NY - adding other regional labels when found - and then make the list publicly available for additional crowdsourcing. Though I've been able to add some original research, I really envision this project as a compilation of sources that don't currently exist in one place. However, I haven't yet determined the best way to accomplish this. I'm currently dumping info into a Word doc and then transferring to Google sheets once confirmed. I'm including links to source info plus images [[labels/owners), and also have a separate bibliography plus a discography of label compilations. I love doing the research, but not sure if I want to maintain a website or blog. I could just compile lists in 45cat, but don't think this would reach students, scholars and the general public.

By way of introduction, I am a music archivist by profession, served as editor of the blog Black Grooves, and have been active in the Assoc. for Recorded Sound Collections for over 35 years. One caveat, I am not a private collector myself and sadly my brain is not capable of storing and recalling labels and catalog numbers at will, lol.

robb_k
10-04-2023, 11:03 PM
Hi everyone - new member here!
I discovered this thread a couple of years ago while doing a "curatorial" appraisal of a large 78rpm and 45rpm collection of post-WWII Black music [[primarily R&B but also blues and gospel). I was able to identify many Black-owned labels in the collection, which piqued my interest in the topic [[FYI, that collection is now at UCSB). Anyways, fast forward, I am now retired and decided to take this on as a project. Using the info here as well as Discogs, 45Cat [[much appreciation to Mickey Rat), other online and print sources as well as colleagues, I have started compiling a list of Black-owned labels from post-WWII to 1970. I figured that was a good place to cut off for now, keeping in mind Robb-K's comment "There are literally thousands you didn't mention. I would die before I could finish listing them." I'm finding he may be right!

My current goal is to focus primarily on LA/SF, Chicago, Detroit and NY - adding other regional labels when found - and then make the list publicly available for additional crowdsourcing. Though I've been able to add some original research, I really envision this project as a compilation of sources that don't currently exist in one place. However, I haven't yet determined the best way to accomplish this. I'm currently dumping info into a Word doc and then transferring to Google sheets once confirmed. I'm including links to source info plus images [[labels/owners), and also have a separate bibliography plus a discography of label compilations. I love doing the research, but not sure if I want to maintain a website or blog. I could just compile lists in 45cat, but don't think this would reach students, scholars and the general public.

By way of introduction, I am a music archivist by profession, served as editor of the blog Black Grooves, and have been active in the Assoc. for Recorded Sound Collections for over 35 years. One caveat, I am not a private collector myself and sadly my brain is not capable of storing and recalling labels and catalog numbers at will, lol.

21057
An ambitious project, to be sure. But why did you leave out Philadelphia labels? There were many Black-owned labels there as well. Philly seems a lot more in the league with your big 4 [[in a big 5), than down in the second rung with Washington/Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Memphis, Nashville, St. Louis, Houston, Kansas City, etc.
Good luck!

BrendaNS
10-05-2023, 08:56 AM
Excellent point Robb. I certainly have Philly high on my list but figure it will take some time just to do a deep dive of LA/SF, Chicago, Detroit before I move on to the East Coast. Those cities were selected as a starting point due to the amount of initial data, and perhaps I'll make faster progress once cold weather sets in. As you can imagine, research on one label almost always uncovers additional labels. My Word doc dump has all of the second tier cities you mention, but mostly the more obvious labels.

robb_k
10-06-2023, 02:43 AM
Excellent point Robb. I certainly have Philly high on my list but figure it will take some time just to do a deep dive of LA/SF, Chicago, Detroit before I move on to the East Coast. Those cities were selected as a starting point due to the amount of initial data, and perhaps I'll make faster progress once cold weather sets in. As you can imagine, research on one label almost always uncovers additional labels. My Word doc dump has all of the second tier cities you mention, but mostly the more obvious labels.
21058
Glad to learn that you'll include Philadelphia and other cities in your tabulation. By the way,...... are you originally from Nova Scotia? [[The NS in your moniker)

BrendaNS
10-07-2023, 10:22 AM
Nope, not originally from Nova Scotia but opposite coast [[PNW). NS just initials.

Graham Jarvis
11-08-2023, 01:40 PM
Thanks Robb, I had your list of Black Owned record companies, there are so many. However leaving aside Berry , my favourite is "Fat Jack Taylor" the owner of Rojac

21116


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuKeohlZ-2M

BrendaNS
11-11-2023, 08:57 PM
Graham - thanks for that! Is the photo by any chance from Stuart Cosgrove's book, Harlem 69? I must find a copy after reading the description on 45cat.