20th Century Fox Records

[jsmith]

This label had a bit of a checkered history up until 1973 when Barry White / Love Unlimited kicked off a long spell of hits for the label.
Most movie companies also had record labels, though some only really ran them to have an 'in-house' outlet for their movie soundtracks.
20th Century Fox Records at least had an interest in current pop & soul material and in the 60's ran two offices; one in New York and [[for a short period) also one in LA. No doubt the company's main execs dished out / oversaw the monies used to run the record label and so I guess a dry spell [[hit wise) would quite quickly threaten the jobs of the label's staff.
In August 1967, top execs took the decision to close down the labels west coast office ..........
Attachment 2079
This decision must have had a detrimental effect on Jesse James' recording career that year even though he went on to enjoy a national hit 45 in September 67 -- “Believe In Me Baby” [[20th Cent #6684). The guys in 20th Cent Records west coast office [[Hosea Wilson, etc) had funded a full album on Jesse but following his hit 45 I guess their New York office took over responsibility for his releases. His album was released and 2 further 45's were lifted from it ........
“Thank You Darlin / Bring My Baby Back” -- 20th Cent #6700 ..... released early Dec 1967.
“Green Power / If You’re Lonely [[Take My Hand)” -- 20th Cent #6704.
After those outings, Jesse seems to have stayed with his old production team & just moved onto 'green pastures' label wise [[Uni & then Hosea Wilson's own Zea Records).
Jesse would enjoy a number of other national hits including a further one released on 20th Century [[in July 75).

But back to the 1960's .......... the New York office of 20th Century Fox Records had overseen the career of Mary Wells in 1964 / 65 [[not that well to be truthful) and in 1968 they had outfits such as the Fashions [["I.O.U. A Lifetime of Love" -- #6703 issued around April 68 and "Only Those In Love" -- #6710 issued in August 68) and Benny Troy & the Maze [["I Don't Know You Anymore" -- #6699 in Dec 67) on their books.
The likes of Dave Appell [[ex of Cameo Parkway) and Joe Renzetti were working out of the label's NY office during that period ..... but who was making the management decisions there back then ??
.................. Anyone here know ???

[jsmith]

Reviews of some 45 releases from early December 1967 .........
... amongst them is a Jesse James 20th Century Fox 45 .......
Attachment 2080
Sugar Pie Desantos was a co-writer of his song !!!!!

Other decent 45's reviewed that same week [[but not predicted to go Top 20) included outings by James Bounty [[Compass), Jean Wells [[Calla), Exsaveyons [[Smoke) & the Soul Brothers Six [[Atlantic).

[timmyfunk]

20th Century swallowed up Westbound Records in 1975, and then got swallowed by Polygram a couple of years later.

[soulster]

But, in 1972, 20th Century Records reopened their West Coast division. That's when they signed Barry White, The DeFranco Family, and had two hit singles from Maureen McGovern the following year. They had other artists and hits by the likes of Kenny Nolan and Carl Douglas, but Barry White carried that company until they were absorbed by Polygram the same they gobbled up Casablanca. Carl Carlton was about the last artist on 20th century to have hits in 1981 with "She's A Bad Mama Jamma".

Didn't Jesse James do a stint with Jamie Records [[Phil-L.A. of Soul) in 1976, 1968 and 1969 with "The Horse" themed sides, and The Fantastic Johnny C.?

By 1973, it seemed over half the record industry was in Los Angeles. In the 70s, you had the majors operating in three main places: New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Philadelphia, Atlanta, and South Florida were secondary.

I miss those days. Music was happinin' everywhere!

[jsmith]

Different Jesse James -- there was the SanFran one [[on 20th Century, Zea, Zay, 20th Century, etc) and then there was the Philly guy [["The Horse" & more).

[soulster]

I did not know that. Thanks!

[mark speck]

Which Jesse did the great deep number "Ain't Much of a Home" for Uni?

Best,

Mark

[jsmith]

FROM I PIECE I WROTE on the SanFran Jesse James .........
“Green Power” was the side of his 3rd 20th Century 45 that was promoted, however it’s the flip, “If You’re Lonely [[Take My Hand)”, that has really stood up to the test of time. By now Hosea Wilson had taken over as his manager and when Hosea went to work for Uni Records, Jesse found himself having a release on the label. That deal fizzled out and so, with help from Roulette Records, Hosea started his own label [[Zea Records).

[jsmith]

I guess no one knows who was making the management decisions in the label's NY office back in 1967/68.
The news piece on the label states that they had 20 acts under contract back then.
I wonder who some of the others were [[I guess with the closure of the LA office, not all of them will have managed an actual release) ??
Which other producers / arrangers worked on the tracks that actually managed to make it onto vinyl ??