Cochran
DOMINO Born Antoine Domino May 10th, 1929 New Orleans, Louisiana
The New Orleans style of rhythm and blues that Harrison Verrett, taught Fats to play the piano. By Antoine “Fats” Domino grew up playing instantly be age 10, Fats was following in the illustrious footsteps came part of that brand-new thing called rock and of such New Orleans piano greats as Professor Long roll. So, to reach the burgeoning young music audi hair and Amos Milburn, performing for small change ence, Fats never had to break away from what was for in local honky-tonks. At 14, Fats got serious: he him a family tradition. dropped out of school, took a day job at a bedspring Although he was a Fifties star who could sell more factory and spent his nights in the dubs, often playing records than almost anyone but Ellvis Presley, Fats alongside his musical mentors. It was at the Hideaway was more inspirational than insurrectionary. Never Club that bandleader Bill Diamond dubbed him theless, even he couldn’t help generating som e contro “Fats,” for obvious reasons. It was also at the Hide versy. A 1955 dance at the Ritz Ballroom in Bridge away that Fats met trumpeter, bandleader and Impe port, Connecticut, at which Fats was scheduled to rial Records A&R rep Dave Bartholomew. Their first perform, was canceled by police because “rock and session together in 1949 produced “The Fat Man,” roll dances might be featured” — raising the specter of Fats’ first R&B hit: “They call me the Fat Man/Be- riots to the officers of the law. cause I weigh 200 pounds.” This marked the start of Many pop artists covered Fats’ hits. In 1955, Pat a cowriting relationship that would span 2 0 years of Boone released a rather more polite version of his hits. “Ain’t That a Shame” the very same week that Fats’ Fats could be wistful — even smug, in a good- rendition hit Number One on the R&B chart. Rick natured way. The remembrance of thrills past in Nelson covered “Pm Walking” as the B-side of his “Blueberry Hill” was matched by the come-and-get-it fast-selling debut in 1957; a month earlier, it had charm of “Whole Lotta Loving.” Fats’ string of hits been a Number One R&B and Number Four pop hit resulted in 23 gold singles and dimaxed in 1960 with for Fats. his last million-seller, “Walkin’ to New Orleans.” As a Fats Domino was raised in a musical family. His fa performer, he has continued to purvey the sound of ther played violin, and his brother-in-law, guitarist the town he has always called home. THE S U R P H ^ OF AN AMERICAN MUSIC BY LENNY KAYE
Mickey and Sylvia Scream in’ Jay Hawkins But I can’t remember wfteihl^or when . . . merely secondhand musicians — though sacrificial life-is-art swan song at the Alamo did rock and roll begin? that’s how they were generally regarded by offered some grander purpose than mere Was a new era dawning oil July Stb, 1954, their professional peers. Primitive or not, prosperity? James Dean’s meteoric rise to when Sam Phillips spokelthe immortal these were aware and dehhpilStWereators — fame in the six months between his March words - “That’s fine, man. Hell, that’s A f often driven visionaries — whbse goal was 1955 screen appearance in East o f Eden and ferent. T h at’s a pop song n
Moonglows
Chantéis expanded its rock and roll record chart from 3(^to 100 songs on November 12th, 1955 — nht so coincidentally, the same month that^Colonel Tom Parker signed El vis to recor^ihg giant RCA-Victor. Pop musics older guard had initially tried to subvert rock’s emotional intensity with sanitized cover versions; they hoped that all this loud bravado would soon go away. But they never stood a chance. The swapfest between rhythm, hlues, country, western and plain old Tin Pan Alley contin successful on a nationwide scale,” writes ued wildly apace. In the hands of maverick Charlie Gillett in The Sound of the City, independent labels and their equally unruly and small wonder, since it managed to touch artists, a marketplace free-for-all was initi so many reference points along the way. ated that harked hack to the days of the Add to rock and roll the manic exhibi frontier West. tionism of youthful exuberance, the sense of “This is what makes rock and roll so in contrariety that kept the music moving fur triguing,” Nick Tosches notes in his chroni ther out on its own limb of the family tree, cle of the “dark and wild” years before El and the outrage (and subsequent attraction) v is, Unsung Heroes of Rock ’n’ Roll. it could provoke, and the result was music “Whether one regards it as art or as busi that had an explosive impact on America in ness, its history — one of greed and inno the Fifties. It would be a nigh-exclusive na cence, tastelessness and brilliance, the ri presented as a strikingly original concept tional phenomenon until the decade turned. diculous and the sublime (not to mention when it came along, it was a product of the At that point, it would be reflected back sex, violence and pink silk suits) — is a fun- same frantic bartering of style that has across the Atlantic with a vengeance by the house-mirror reflection of the American characterized American music since there British Invasion, and it would take over the dream gone gaga.” was an American music to speak of. Elvis pop charts to the extent that rock and roll If we can’t pinpoint our opening “where was hardly a surprise, given all that had became the dominant American music. Bill or when” question, the who, what and how come before. What was amazing was how board acknowledged the transition when it that make up the raw materials of this Rock much he foreshadowed all that was yet to <§mme. Beginning almost twoicenturies ago, social hne^- be theydravpii along class, racial or economic boundaries — have proved most porous whereflihusic is concerned. This melting pot orsound has brought vitality to American music - be it folk, jazz, country, western, blue! or other - which sees styles evdfve h | a vimilent democracy at a some times bewuderi|ig pace. / For those whq think in terms of black and nvhite, there are only shades of gray. Per formance styles and rhythms imported di rectly from Africa found Anglo-Irish har monies and melodies greeting them on their arrival to the new continent. Playing the game of one-upping dozens, rudiments of style were exchanged, helped along by a growth in mass communication that made once-regional styles accessible to a national audience. By the late Forties, this had resulted in several unique genres, most still considered Diablos m
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y Í 0 M oil transcontinental railway of a nascent rock. gan. In calling it rock and roll, a sensibility Longitudinally, the music moved up the of separation was initiated that helped the m Mississippi River from New Orleans, against bandwagon move under its own propulsive the current. From out of the heart of gumbo power. Disc jockey Alan Freed, tipped by ya-ya, the insistent piano-roll triplets of record-store owner Leo Mintz of the across- Professor Longhair gave way to Fats Domi the-board appeal of rhythm and blues, “of ■ k no and Little Richard. An arc stretching ficially” changed the music’s name, in effect ■ from Texas across the Carolinas brought defining this new audience. Thus given its the proverbial bop that wouldn’t stop to own fork in the road, rock proceeded to hundreds of thousands of fans — a crescent strike off resolutely on its own. s of beat centered on two and four. The catchall phrase Freed chose was a Country music, tying together the perso combination of two R&B slang expressions nae of Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams, that had been around for at least three dec ■ M had settled its first pioneer generation in ades. Like jazz, it was yet another synonym honky-tonkin’ towns throughout the South, for that most musical of interpersonal acts. having their children and watching a whole Nick Tosches has traced it back to the fall of new genealogy of musicians come of age. 1922, when blues singer Trixie Smith re IkThey, too, caught tjprejamped-up fever of the corded “My Daddy Rocks Me (with One Elvis Presley times, sticking theirjdancing feet into Carl Steady Roll)” for Black Swan. By the For and Roll Hall of Fame are more readily Perkins’ “Blu^SueJe Shoes” and doing the ties, “rock” (not to mentionf“roll”) had be available. Their names and facesMegendarj^ “Be-Bop-a*iula” to Gene Vincent. Under come a full-fledged adjective denoting a hits and divine misses, not only prefigure the genejrfc name
y^The air of supernatural possession was rbest summed up by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You,” from 1956. By then, rock andfroll was doubling back on itself, influencing its source musics, a dizzying clo- verleaf that never did find a straightaway. ™ g ^ s >»3 As pop music had opened to rhythm and blues ahdhcountry, these styles in turn l ^ s g M i JstSk opened to pop/the^ension of their compro mise broadening the struggle between real and surreal, lost and found. Groups like the Coasters ¿ria the Drift the Charms’ “Hearts of Stone.” If this was Lymon ancUme Teenagers, from upper ers; solo artists like 'Clyde M cPhatter, Jack commercial, an event like Freed’s Moondog Manhattan*; the Cleftones, from Jamaica, ie Wilgon and Ben E. King; instrumentalists Coronation Ball showed the tip of a demo Queens; Dion and Ihe Belmonts, from the like Duane Eddy and King Curtis; resolute graphic iceberg. Held in March 1952 at the Belmont Avenue subway station in the bluqpmen like B.B. King and Bobby “Blue” Cleveland Arena, it allowed the audience to Bronx; the Mystics, the Passions abd the Bland; superb voices like La Yern Baker glimpse one another in the flesh and witness Paragons, from Brooklyn; or the Ele&ants and Joe Turner; teen idols like Ricky Nel- their own power. Instead of the expected ca from Staten Island. Their “hitting nores” son and Dion; Hank Ballard’s blue side of pacity crowd of 10,000, there were 30,000 were shaped to nonsense chants and chimed rhythm; Johnny Otis’ rhythm side of blues; eager fans pouring through the turnstiles, thirds, bass through high tenor. t i e “C.C. Rider” of Chuck Willis and the which resulted in rock’s first riot. They were heard by the tunesmiths of the ’ / “Sleep” of Little Willie John; the orches- Once the floodgates were declared open, Brill Building on Broadway, who sculpted f trated heads-and-tails of Bobby Darin and things began to, ah, roll. The public’s imagi for them songs whose pantheonic scrollwork Roy Orbison; the yet-to-come of Marvin nation may have been captured by Elvis, was astonishing. These pop masterminds in Gaye and Smokey Robinson; the live-fast- but the vast legions of musicians and entre stantly turned to packaging a Teen Idol pro die-young of Eddie Cochran and Johnny preneurs were ready, willing and able to fol totype, though fittingly enough it was in Ace; Ruth Brown, Lloyd Price, Jimmy low him through the pearly gates of enter Philadelphia, home of Dick Clark’s tele Reed. . . . tainment paradise. Suddenly unleashed, vised American Bandstand, that the Fabi The list could go on and on. And still rock burst over America in a great wave, ans and Frankie Avalons were launched to does. carrying with it a grand sense of possibility, ward a heartthrobbing multitude. Along Welcome to the Rock and Roll Hall of of the new taking over the old. with the cheese-steak hero, Philly was also Fame. Perhaps that’s the way it seems at the start of a revolution. Maybe a revolution al ways reacts against what came before, at once predictable and shocking. Surely, oth er radical fusions of form had taken place in American music. What made rock and roll so different was its sudden flaring into con sciousness, heralded by a modern communi cations media with an ability to drum the message throughout the technological world. Everybody wanted to be a rocker, and ‘the distinction between fan and performer was blurred by the music’s accessibility. Th ree chords and stardom. Throughout America, each geographic region contribut ed a particular legacy to the rock and roll mythos. In New York, a doo-wop group held court on every street corner in the five bor oughs — whether the Harptones or Frankie
G ene Vincent and his Blue Caps « O
Major companies have seemed to control ists - along with Nat King Cole, the Mills the industry, almost from the dawn of re Brothers, the Ink Spots, the Andrews Sis corded music — as far back as cylinder re ters, Louis Jordan and Eddy Howard - cordings, when Edison Bell had a virtual were among the most consistent pop sellers monopoly on the market. Yet of the 41 art of the postwar years. However, new musical ists nominated for induction into the Rock trends were beginning to take root as a re and Roll Hall of Fame, only two began their sult of developments that date back to the recording careers on a major label (Buddy early Thirties, when the Depression caused Holly on Coral, a subsidiary of Decca, and a great migration of Southern rural blacks Gene Vincent on Capitol). The remaining 39 and whites to the industrial cities, taking artists were discovered and signed by the their music with them. The economic boom small independent labels which began to after World War II not only accelerated this emerge just after World War II and which, shift in population, but brought records and I t } by the early Fifties, were flourishing in cit phonographs within the reach of more peo ies throughout the United States. ple than ever. With the introduction of the flat-disc gramophone, the tendency of the majors to control the marketplace continued. Within ten years, the Victor Talking Machine Com pany and American Gramophone (Colum bia) dominated the American marketplace, with the Gramophone Company (HMV) and its then-subsidiary, Deutsche-Gramophone, in control of the U.K. and Germany respec tively. A similar situation existed with Pathe in France. 0 .
BY SEYMOUR STEIN V. important early leaders and are worthy of mention. The country field, too, has had its share of great indies. King, for example, started Although the independent labels were ac as a country label, before branching out tive in all areas of music, the vast majority more successfully into R&B. Other impor specialized in “race” or rhythm and blues tant early country labels were Abbott, Today, the world record market is virtu recordings. The majors, for the most part, which discovered Jim Reaves ; Four Star, ally controlled by six major multinationals ignored this field, especially the up-and- whose roster included Webb Pierce, Rose and their subsidiaries. But for about a doz coming artists whose music had a new beat. Maddox and T. Texas Tyler; and Starday, en years, from the early Fifties to the mid- As the Fifties began, the big labels’ ros whose founders discovered George Jones. Sixties, things were different. ters had swelled to include pop mainstays ATLANTIC was set apart from its com There were scores of small companies in like Patti Page, Eddie Fisher, Les Paul and petitors in that it was indeed the first truly New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadel Mary Ford, Guy Mitchell, Teresa Brewer, professionally run indie in the R&B field. phia, Cincinnati, Houston and just about the Ames Brothers, the Four Aces, Joni The label was founded in 1948 by Ahmet every major American city, and they collec James, Tony Bennett, Doris Day, Frankie Ertegun and Herb Abramson — joined later tively reigned over the music scene. These Laine and Mario Lanza. Victor and Colum by Jerry Wexler, and later still by Nesuhi independent labels nurtured rock and roll bia, the two largest companies, survived a Ertegun — at a time when older, more estab and set the trends, paving the way for a new battle of the speeds, with both Victor’s 45 lished indies like Savoy, King and Aladdin musical era. rpm and Columbia’s 33-1/3 rpm accepted. dominated the R&B scene. They boldly To comprehend this phenomenon, we But the death knell had sounded for the 78. printed on the backs of their singles sleeves must go back to the years just following Record sales hit an all-time high, with no the statement “ Atlantic leads the field in World War II and the decline of the big end in sight. Sales for country and western rhythm and blues,” along with caricatures bands. The majors — RCA Victor, Colum and for rhythm and blues had increased to of their major artists. Merely a boast in bia, Decca and Capitol — retained virtual the point that Billboard and Cashbox were 1950, this became reality in 1954 and cer control of the industry, although certain devoting weekly sections and compiling tainly remained true well into the Sixties. In well-financed new labels, such as Mercury best-seller charts in both categories. The addition to Atlantic’s 11 nominees — Ray in Chicago, MGM (the first film company to majors had maintained control of the pop Charles, La Vern Baker, Ruth Brown, the enter the record sweepstakes) and London and country fields, and were little bothered Coasters, King Curtis, Bobby Darin, the (owned by Sir Edward Lewis, of British that rhythm and blues music was now total Drifters, Ben E. King, Clyde McPhatter, Decca), were gaining a foothold in the pop ly in the hands of the indies. Joe Turner and Chuck Willis — the label’s market. These early R&B leaders are responsible other great stars of that period included Ivo The big bands may have gone, but many for 23 of the 41 nominees. Atlantic leads the ry Joe Hunter, the Clovers and the Cardi of the pop stars who’d been featured vocal way with 11, followed by King with 4, Chess nals. Atlantic was also perhaps the first com ists with these ensembles back in the Thir with 3, Specialty and Imperial with 2 pany to recognize the benefit of ties and Forties — Perry Como, Frank Sina apiece, and Modern and Savoy each with 1. independent production through its ground tra, Jo Stafford, Dinah Shore and Vaughn Although none of their artists was nominat breaking deals with Jerry Leiber and Mike Monroe — remained on the scene. These art- ed, Alladin, Apollo and Jubilee were also Stoller and, later, Phil Spector, Bert Berns, Clockwise: Lester Sill, Duane Eddy and Lee Hazelwood
Alan F reed...in the beginning
H enry G lover
H ank Ballard and Syd Nathan
Morty Kraft of Melba Records
Dave Miller (Essex Records), Martin Block and Don Howard. Martin Block promised to eat a record if it became a hit.
Ahmet Ertegun, Joe Turner and Jerry Wexler Jim Stewart and A1 Bell of Stax, and Buddy Killen of Dial Records. SAVOY was the first and one of the oldest R&B labels to consistently come up with hit product. Savoy was founded in Newark in 1942 by Herman Lubinsky, whose strong will and tenacity were rivaled only by fellow pioneer Sydney Nathan of King Records. The label’s golden years were from 1949 to 1951, when they virtually monopolized the R&B charts with hits by Hall of Fame nomi nee Johnny Otis (“Double Crossing Blues,” “Mistrustin’ Blues,” “Deceivin’ Blues”), as well as “The Hucklebuck,” by Paul Will iams, and “Deacon’s Hop,” by Big Jay McNeely. In later years, Savoy became m ore prominent in the gospel field, with art ists like James Cleveland and Marion Will iams. APOLLO, the same vintage as Savoy, was operated by Ike and Bess Berman. Although Apollo first recorded one of the field’s top groups, the Five Royales, and later record ed Solomon Burke, the label will always be best remembered for discovering the leg endary gospel artist Mah alia Jackson. KING RECORDS, begun in 1945, was the first self-contained independent. Based in Cincinnati, label founder Sydney Nathan set up his own fiefdom, which included pressing, plating and studio facilities. King was also the first nonmajor with a network of company-owned branches. During its peak years, there were 32 of these branches spread across the country. King pioneered the system of A&R label and product man agers in the early Fifties. Henry Glover ran King, Ralph Bass oversaw Federal, and Henry Stone guided the DeLuxe label. In addition to nominees James Brown, Hank Ballard and Little Willie John, the King ros ter’s most active names over the years in cluded Billy Ward and the Dominoes (the group that spawned nominees Jackie Wilson and Clyde McPhatter), Wynonie Harris, Bill Doggett, Earl Bostic, Bullmoose Jackson, Otis Williams and the Charms and Freddy King. SPECIALTY, one of the older and more successful Los Angeles-based indies, was founded in 1945 by Art Rupe and had its first success with R&B artists like Joe Lig- gins (“Pink Champagne,” “The Honeydrip- per” ) and Roy Milton. It was Specialty’s more rock-oriented artists, however, who gave the label its reputation. The first of these was nominee Lloyd Price, whose “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” was a Number One smash in 1952. In 1955, the label broke the pop/R&B barrier with a string of hits by in ductee Little Richard, starting with “Tutti- Frutti” and “Long Tall Sally.” Another great Specialty artist was Larry Williams. The label had an equally impressive gospel roster. Perhaps the most viable of these acts was the Soul Stirrers, whose lead singer, Sam Cooke, went on to fame and immortal ity. ALADDIN, although best remembered é
for its mid-Fifties crossover hits like “Let routinely covering hit country songs like the Good Times Roll,” by Shirley and Lee, “Any Time” and “Cold, Cold Heart.” An and “Little Bitty Pretty One,” by Thurston other country classic — “Tennessee Waltz,” Harris, was actually founded in 1945 by Ed by Patti Page — was perhaps one of the most die and Leo Mesner. Their early successes successful early multitrack recordings, as included classic hits by Peppermint Harris, high-fidelity sound took a major step for Charles Brown and Amos Milbum, as well as ward. As the Fifties progressed, R&B the Five Keys. eclipsed country and became an even more MODERN, another of the early Califor frequent target of pop covers like “ Sh- nia indies, can be credited with launching Boom,” “Dance with Me, Henry,” “Ko the career of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame KoMo,” “Tweedle Dee,” “Hearts of Stone” nominee B.B. King back in 1951. Modern and “Ain’t That a Shame.- and its subsidiaries — RPM, Flair, Crown For the most part, however, the majors and Kent — were run by the Bihari family, continued to ignore R&B artists, despite with brothers Jules and Saul most active in their growing appeal among young pop-re G eorge G oldner the early years. Blues artists who got their cord buyers. The two companies most suc start with Modern include Pee Wee Crayton cessful at covering R&B hits were Mercury, and John Lee Hooker. Later, between 1955 by now a full-fledged major label, and Dot, and 1957, Modern released some of the the first of a new wave of pop companies most important pop/R&B records from the formed in the early Fifties. Most of the small West Coast, including “Why Don’t You companies of the Forties that tried to com Write Me?” by the Jacks; “Eddie My Love,” pete directly with the majors found it impos by the Teen Queens; “ Goodnight, My sible, but pop music, influenced by both Love,” by Jesse Belvin; and the classic rhythm and blues and country, was begin “Stranded in the Jungle,” by the Cadets. ning to undergo dramatic changes. Other They were also the first to record Etta early pop labels included Essex, Cadence, James’ version of “Dance with Me, Henry,” Liberty, Kapp and Era. Between them, back in 1955. these companies account for three nomi CHESS, the great Chicago-based indie nees. founded by brothers Leonard and Phil New companies specializing in rhythm Chess, will be remembered for popularizing and blues were cropping up all over the blues nominee Muddy W aters, Howlin’ Sfibuntry. Among them were Herald, Old- Wolf, Little Walter and Elmore James, to town, Rama, Melba and Baton in New gether with such rhythm and blues main York; Duke/Peacock in Houston; Excello in stays as inductee Chuck Berry and nominee Nashville; Ace in Jackson, Mississippi; and Bo Diddley. Other important Chess acts in Vee Jay in Chicago. These companies ac cluded Harvey Fuqua and the Moonglows, count for four Hall of Fame nominees. the Flamingos, Lee Andrews and the Hearts, DOT was founded by Randy Wood as an Billy Stewart and Etta James. offshoot of his highly successful mail-order JUBILEE was founded in 1948 by Jerry and record-shop operation in Gallatin, Ten Blaine, a pioneer of independent distribu nessee. After initial success with Billy tion. (His Cosnat operation was the first Vaughn and the Hilltoppers, Dot launched chain of distributors, stretching from New the career of Pat Boone, one of the biggest York to the Midwest.) Although not among pop stars of the Fifties. Boone’s first seven the nominees, Jubilee’s Sonny Til and the hits were R&B covers — e.g., “Ain’t That a Orioles were one of the earliest doo-wop Shame” (Fats Domino) and “Long Tall Sal groups and were the first R&B group to en ly” (Little Richard). Dot’s skillful use of cov ter the pop charts, with “Crying in the Cha er material was also successful in the careers pel” in 1953. Other Jubilee artists included of Gale Storm and the Fontane Sisters. In the Ravens, the Cadillacs, Bobby Freeman, retrospect, these covers, while lacking the Don Rondo and Della Reese. fervor and authenticity of the originals, Although IMPERIAL dates almost back were instrumental in bringing rhythm and as far as the other L.A.-based indies, its ear blues music to the attention of many young, ly years were devoted entirely to the release white consumers. Only Mercury was able to of Mexican recordings. In the early Fifties, match Dot’s ability in this field, with success the label’s president, Lew Chudd, hired ful covers by Georgia Gibbs, the Diamonds R&B writer-producer Dave Bartholomew, and the Crew Cuts, whose cover of “Sh- who found and recorded inductee Fats Boom” held the Number One position on Domino, as well as Smiley Lewis. Imperial the pop charts for two months in 1954. always maintained a small roster, which in CADENCE — spawned in New York in the cluded country artist Slim Whitman and mid-Fifties and owned and operated by Ar teen-idol nominee Rick Nelson. chie Bleyer, musical director of the success Despite the apparent popularity of ful Arthur Godfrey radio and TV shows — rhythm and blues music, which, by the ear was most definitely a straight-ahead pop-re ly Fifties was on the radio in almost every cord company, with artists like the Chor- major market in the country, the pop-music dettes, Julius La Rosa, Bill Hayes and, later, scene remained virtually unchanged at the Andy Williams. Still, Cadence will always be majors. A&R chiefs like Victor’s Hugo Win remembered for signing and developing Herman Lubinsky, president of Savoy Records, Newark, terhalter and Columbia’s Mitch Miller were rock’s greatest duo, Hall of Fame inductees New Jersey the Everly Brothers. older, more established neighbor, Chess, ESSEX RECORDS was just one of a for control of the blues m arket with acts like string of labels started in the early Fifties by Hall of Fame nominee Jimmy Reed, John Dave Miller of Philadelphia. The first of Lee Hooker, Gene Allison and Roscoe Gor these labels, Victoria, debuted the Four don. Aces’ hit “(It’s No) Sin.” The Aces left soon DUKE/PEACOCK, another black-owned after for Decca. A year later, Miller was indie, operated out of the Southwest during back on the scene with another Number the early Fifties. The labels, founded by Don One smash, “Here in My Heart,” by A1 Mar Robey, first gained national attention in tino, on Miller’s BBS label. Martino also left 1953 with the Number One hit “Hound after one record to sign with Capitol. Miller Dog,” by Willie Mae Thornton. One of tried again a year later, this time with the Duke’s greatest stars was nominee Johnny Essex label and Bill Haley and the Comets. Ace, who three times in 1955 hit the Num Their first record, “Crazy Man Crazy ber One spot on the R&B charts with “My barely reached the Top Fifteen, though it Song,” “The Clock” and “Pledging My signaled imminent changes in pop music. Love.” In later years, Duke would discover Haley, too, left Essex for Decca. Earlier in nominee Bobby “Blue” Bland, Little Junior 1952, Essex released “Oh Happy Day,” by Parker and O.V. Wright. Like many other Don Howard, which made it to Number R&B companies, Duke/Peacock was a ma Three and was regarded by many as an im jor force in the gospel field, with names like portant transitional record between the pop the Dixie Hummingbirds, the Sensational and rock era of the early Fifties. Nightingales and the Five Blind Boys of Mis LIBERTY, under the direction of A1 Ben sissippi. nett and Si Waronker, was the first impor EXCELLO RECORDS, another South tant label to be launched in Los Angeles ern indie with strong roots in R&B and gos since Capitol’s debut more than a decade pel, was founded by Ernie Young as an ad earlier. Liberty was also the first label to de junct to his record-shop operation in velop a truly West Coast, teen-oriented Nashville. sound. In addition to nominee Eddie Coch ACE, founded by Johnny Vincent and run ran, the label boasted the services of such out of Jackson, Mississippi, was responsible pop-rock greats as Johnny Burnette, Bobby for discovering such artists as Huey “Piano” Vee, Jan and Dean and, on their Dolton la Smith and Frankie Ford. bel, the Fleetwoods and the Ventures. SUN RECORDS was the legendary Mem RAMA and GEE RECORDS grew out of phis-based company founded by Sam Phil the Tico label, one of the most influential lips, who discovered and recorded Hall of Latin record companies. They were found Fame inductees Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee ed in the early Fifties by George Goldner, Lewis and nominee Roy Orbison, as well as who in 1954 discovered the Crows and re Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Charlie Rich, corded “Gee,” regarded by many as the first Billy Justis and countless other country and rock and roll record. That success led to re rockabilly greats. Equally at home with gional hits with New York groups like the rhythm and blues, Phillips also produced Cleftones and the Valentines. In 1956, the first sessions by Little Milton, Rufus Goldner scored big with the nationwide Thomas and Little Junior Parker. Many of smash “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?,” by these early R&B recordings, including the Hall of Fame nominees Frankie Lymon and sensational “Rocket 88,” by Jackie Bren- the Teenagers. Goldner later helped form ston, were licensed to the Chess label. What Roulette Records with Morris Levy; King, Chess, Atlantic, Vee Jay and others launched his own Gone and End labels; and, did collectively to break down the barriers finally, worked alongside Jerry Leiber and between R&B and pop, Sun achieved single- Mike Stoller at Red Bird Records. handedly with country and pop. HERALD/EMBER RECORDS, founded Cover recordings gave rock and roll its by A1 Silver, was another influential New initial popularity in 1954. By 1955, original York R&B indie in the Fifties. Their first recordings by artists like Fats Dominoy major success was with Faye Adams, who Chuck Berry, the Penguins, and the Moon- had three Number One R&B hits in a row, glows and others began to appear regularly starting with “Shake a Hand” in 1954. The on the Billboard charts. During this period, labels were among the leading exponents of most of the major companies chose to sit the doo-wop sound, with artists like the Nut back, figuring rock and roll (a.k.a. “the big megs, the Turbans and the Five Satins, beat” ) was just a fad that would run its whose “I’ll Remember (In the Still of the course. Night)” remains a doo-wop classic. The majors’ continued aloofness was VEE JAY, one of the great Chicago-based somewhat understandable. During the early indies, was also the first black-owned and - Fifties, many new pop names were operated label to achieve sustained success launched, and a large number of them sus both in the pop and R&B fields. Formed in tained themselves with a steady string of 1953 by James Bracken and his wife, Vivian best sellers. It was only natural for their la Carter, the label had early success with Chi bels to remain solidly behind them. In addi cago-based groups like the Spaniels, the tion, albums began to account for a large Dells and the El Dorados. They rivaled their percentage of the total volume of sales, as Sydney Nathan (King Records), Carl Haverlin (presi evidenced by the formation of the Columbia dent, BMI) and Herman Lubinsky (Savoy Records) at a Record Club in 1955. BMI Awards dinner Of the majors, Decca was perhaps the Hy Weiss with A rthur Prysock most attuned to what was happening in rock and roll through the success of Bill Haley Archie Bleyer with the Everly Brothers and the Comets. By mid-1955, they had be George and Susan Gobbler, Sydney Nathan, Seymour come rock’s hottest attraction. “ Rock Stein around the Clock,” although not a hit the Top Row: Buddy Johnson, Norman Orleck of Cashbox first time out in 1954, was given a new lease magazine, Ella Johnson, Joe Turner, Lou-Willie Turner, on life with the release of the film The Jackie F reed Bottom Row: Jerry Wexler, Alan Freed, Ahmet Ertegun Blackboard Jungle. “Rock around the Clock” was the summer hit of 1955, enjoy Lester Sill and the Coasters accepting a gold record for ing an eight-week stay at the top of the “Yakety Yak” charts. Finally, in late 1955, RCA made its big move with the purchase, for less than $40,000, of Elvis Presley’s contract and masters from Sam Phillips. The other ma jors, most notably Columbia, remained al most totally committed to their pop rosters. W ithout question, 1956 was a monumental year for rock. It was the year of Elvis Pres ley and “ Heartbreak Hotel,” “ I Want You, I Need You, I Love You” and probably the greatest two-sided single of all time, “Don’t Be Cruel” and “ Hound Dog. Other country-rock stars had their initial breakthrough in 1956, among them Gene Vincent, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins. This paved the way for country-pop cross overs one year later by established country stars like Jim Reeves, Patsy Cline, Marty Robbins and Bobby Helms. It heralded the breakthrough of country-rock acts like the Everly Brothers and Brenda Lee as well. Rhythm and blues became established in the pop field with the success of such artists as the Platters, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters, Little Willie John, Frankie Lymon and the Teen agers and many more. More indie labels than ever were scoring high on the charts, and many new indies came into existence as well, including Roulette, Cameo and Chan cellor. By 1957, there was no looking back. Each year produced new independents like Lau rie, Fire/Fury, Sue, Carlton, Scepter, Ja mie, Swan, Del-Fi, Challenge, Keen, Monu ment, Philles, Hickory, Motown, Minit, Canadian American, Coed, Musicor, Fra ternity and Stax/Volt. These labels account for the remaining indie-company record nominees to the Hall of Fame. The first two singles on ROULETTE — “Party Doll,” by Buddy Knox, and “Pm Stickin’ with You,” by Jimmy Bowen — were hits. Roulette was fortunate to have so many talented people involved early on, including George Goldner, founder-president Morris Levy and A&R men Hugo and Luigi. CAMEO, started 1^1956 by Bernie Lowe, and its PARKWAY subsidiary bene fited more than any of the other Philadel phia labels from a close association with American Bandstand and the various dance crazes that emanated from that city in the late Fifties and early Sixties. Their first suc cess, however, was with “ Butterfly,” by p j s M ä k x m
Charlie Gracie, in 1957. SCEPTER RECORDS was formed in Keene was also the first to make successful CHANCELLOR, also based in Philadel early 1959 by Florence Greenberg, primar pop records with Sam Cooke as a solo artist. phia, was run by Bob Marcucci and Pete de ily as a vehicle for her group, the Shirelles. Such hits as “You Send Me,” “Only Six Angelis. It scored with two of the biggest The group’s and the label’s success were teen” and “Wonderful World” appeared on male vocalists of the teen-idol period, phenomenal. Other Scepter acts from that his Keen label. Frankie Avalon and Fabian. period were Chuck Jackson and Maxine Although PHILLES was more legendary Of the Philadelphia companies of the late Brown. As the label grew, Marv Schlachter in the Sixties, it is impossible to exclude Fifties, JAMIE — initially operated by Har was brought in as a partner, and the compa mention of Phil Spector, whose career dates old Lipsius and Harry Finfer — will be re ny enjoyed even greater success in the early back to the mid-Fifties, most notably for the membered most as the label that guided the Sixties. Number One smash “To Know Him Is to career of Hall of Fame nominee Duane MOTOWN, the first label whose name de Love Him,” which he wrote and produced Eddy. Eddy was brought to the label by pro scribed a musical style, was formed by Ber for the Teddy Bears in 1958. ducers Lee Hazlewood and Lester Sill. Sill, ry Gordy Jr. in 1960. Gordy actually start In choosing inductees for the Rock and former manager of the Coasters, was an ed as a songwriter-producer years before Roll Hall of Fame, the nominating commit original partner with Phil Spector in the for R&B great Jackie Wilson. Next, Gordy tee was restricted to artists who were suc Philles label, and Jamie was the label’s na wrote for and produced Marv Johnson for cessful in the Fifties, or who had at least one tional distributor in its early days. United Artists. For a short time in 1959, he record released prior to December 31st, SWAN, the last of the Philadelphia quar was involved with the Anna label, whose one 1959. It is for this reason that this article tet of record companies of this period, was major hit was the Gordy composition “Mon has focused on companies active before the run by Bemie Binnick and Tony Mammar- ey,” by Barrett Strong. Among Motown’s Sixties. ella. The label’s earliest hits were by Billy earliest successes were the Miracles and Along with the main Hall of Fame catego and Lillie, and included “La Dee Dah” and Marvin Gaye, both Hall of Fame nominees, ry, and the one for pioneering artists active “Lucky Ladybug.” Swan struck real pay dirt as well as Mary Wells, the Marvelettes and, prior to 1950, the Foundation has chosen to in 1959, however, with the release of “Tal later, the Supremes, the Temptations, Stev honor nonperformers as well. Although this lahassee Lassie,” by Freddy Cannon, whose ie Wonder and a long fist of stars. category includes disc jockeys, record pro hit streak continued well into the Sixties. STAX/VOLT turned the whole world on ducers, songwriters and managers, it is not LAIJRIE, one of the most important New to the Memphis soul sound. The label, ini surprising that the vast majority of people York indies of the late Fifties, was run by tially called Satellite because of its distribu considered this year came from the ranks of Gene Schwartz. It first gained national tion arrangement with Atlantic, started pro independent record companies. These en prominence in 1958 with the release of “I ducing hits in the early sixties with Carla trepreneurs of R&B, rockabilly, rock and Wonder Why,” by Dion and the Belmonts. Thomas and the Mar-Keys, although, like roll, gospel and pop were our industry’s Hall of Fame nominee Dion had a hit streak, Motown, they really flourished later in the closest equivalent to the early movie moguls both with and without the Belmonts, that decade. of Hollywood. Their careers closely paral continued well into the Sixties. The MONUMENT label was founded in leled and continually entwined with their CARLTON, also based in New York, was Nashvill in 1958 by Fred Foster. Although artists, including those nominated for in formed by music-industry veteran Joe Carl Hall of Fame nominee Roy Orbison first re duction. Moreover, these independent com ton and is best remembered for Jack Scott, corded for Sam Phillips’ Sim label, he had panies, and those that followed in the Sixties who first scored in 1958 with hits like “My his greatest success on Monument. The la and Seventies, have been both on the pe True Love” and “Goodbye Baby.” bel’s earliest hit was the country rocker riphery and at the forefront of almost every COED, run by Marvin Caine, was a New “Gotta Travel On,” by Billy Grammer. new trend, creative change and develop York label whose roster included local DEL-FI, owned by Bob Keene, was an ment in pop music over the past 35 years. groups like the Crests, the Rivieras and the other Los Angeles-based indie. Its main art They built their companies with music the Duprees. ist, Ritchie Yalens, had two hit singles*^ majors had little or no time for, proving MUSICOR, run by former Mercury A&R “C’mon, Let’s Go” and “Donna” — before a that the esoteric, indigenous and segregated chief Art Talmadge, was responsible for tragic plane crash killed him, along with music of one decade can rapidly evolve into m ore than 20 chart records by Gene Pitney. Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper, in 1959. the mainstream popular music of the next. BIG TOP RECORDS was an adjunct of the Hill and Range publishing company, whose biggest artist was Del Shannon, cer ^ C l 3 INC tainly a contender for future Hall of Fame honors. SUE, along with the FIRE and FURY la bels, were among the first successful black- owned-and-operated labels in New York. Founded by Henry “Juggy” Murray in the mid-Fifties, Sue was the first to record Ike and Tina Turner. Fire and Fury and a host of other labels, including Whirlin’ Disc, Holiday and Enjoy, were started by Bobby and Danny Robinson as an outgrowth of their small record shops on 125th Street in Harlem. Among the first to record with the Robinsons were the Teen Chords (a group fronted by Frankie Lymon’s younger broth er Louis), the Kodaks, the Channels and the Phil Spector with the Ronettes Charts. The company’s greatest hit single was the Number One dual-market smash
“Kansas City,” by Wilbert Harrison, in Earl Bostic does an early “in store” at 1959. B&M Records on 125th S treet in H arlem .