Apollo Records (1944)
| Company type | Independent record label |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music industry |
| Founded | 1944 |
| Founder | Hy Siegel and Ted Gottlieb |
| Defunct | 1962 |
| Fate | Discontinued operations |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Hy Siegel (co-founder, president until 1948), Bess Berman (president from 1948), Ike Berman (pressing plant overseer) |
| Products | Records (blues, doo-wop, gospel, jazz, rock and roll) |
Apollo Records was a New York City-based record label and company established in 1944 by Hy Siegel and Ted Gottlieb. The following year, ownership transferred to Ike and Bess Berman. Apollo gained recognition for its contributions to blues (Doc Pomus), doo-wop (The Larks), gospel (Mahalia Jackson), jazz, and rock and roll genres.
Early years
During the early 1940s, Siegel and the Bermans were employed at the Rainbow Record Shop located on 125th Street in Harlem. The label’s name was inspired by the nearby Apollo Theater. Siegel initially held the position of Apollo’s president. The company launched three distinct product lines: a 300 series dedicated to rhythm and blues and jazz performers; a 100 series that encompassed various styles such as gospel, calypso, Country music, and Jewish comedy—though by issue #188 this line focused solely on gospel; and a third series beginning at #750 titled "Jazz Masterworks." Early Apollo recordings included rhythm and blues artists like Dinah Washington and Wynonie Harris before their rise to prominence on other labels.
In 1947, Dean Martin briefly recorded with Apollo.
The Bermans signed Mahalia Jackson in 1946, despite her having few prior recordings despite her reputation as "The Queen of Gospel." Her 1948 single Move On Up a Little Higher became a significant success, prompting extended production hours to satisfy demand. At an Apollo board meeting on May 27, 1948, Siegel resigned, leading to Bess Berman’s appointment as president—making her one of the rare female executives of that period. Ike Berman oversaw the pressing plant responsible for manufacturing Apollo records.
Gospel
Between 1948 and 1952, Apollo concentrated primarily on gospel music. Mahalia Jackson stood out as the label’s best-selling artist. Other gospel acts released included the Roberta Martin Singers, The Dixie Hummingbirds, The Robert Anderson Singers, The Professor Alex Bradford Singers, Harold Ivory Williams with the Ivory Gospel Singers, Rev. B. C. Campbell and his Congregation, The Daniels Singers, and The Two Gospel Keys. Early recordings by Rev. James Cleveland were made with Apollo as part of The Gospelaires, and he also led sessions with The Gospel All-Stars.
Doo-wop
Recognizing the commercial appeal of African American vocal ensembles named after birds, such as The Orioles and The Ravens, Bess Berman rebranded the Selah Jubilee Singers as The Larks and recorded popular tunes with them. In 1951, The Larks reached number five on the R&B charts with "Eyesight to the Blind" but disbanded by 1952. Subsequently, Berman renamed the Royal Sons Quintet as The "5" Royales, who enjoyed greater success. In 1954, Apollo introduced Lloyd's Records, a subsidiary focused on doo-wop music, reviving The Larks with Gene Mumford as the only remaining original member.
Decline
Co-founder Hy Siegel departed in 1953 to establish Timely Records. In 1954, Mahalia Jackson moved to Columbia Records. The "5" Royales signed with King Records. Hill & Range filed a lawsuit against Berman, Apollo, and Lloyd's for copyright infringement involving 20 records attributed to Berman and Jackson; Jackson denied any involvement.
The second iteration of The Larks failed to achieve chart success and dissolved in 1955. By 1956, Apollo discontinued production of 78 rpm records and gospel releases, shifting focus toward 45 rpm singles targeting the pop market. Although groups like the Opals, Romeos, Gentlemen, and Casanovas released material during this period, few records yielded profits. One of the last notable successes was "The Fire Burns No More" by the Chesters in 1957. Apollo originally recorded "Handy Man" in 1959 with the Sparks of Rhythm; however, it only became a hit after Jimmy Jones re-recorded it for Cub Records in 1960. By then, Apollo had transitioned primarily to reissuing titles even within the 45 rpm market. After achieving fame elsewhere under the name Little Anthony and the Imperials, the Chesters’ earlier Apollo recordings were reissued under their new moniker. Additionally, Solomon Burke appeared on several singles and an LP during Apollo’s later period.
LPs and subsequent developments
Beginning in 1954, Apollo Records issued only a handful of LPs each year, primarily consisting of reissued material, and never ventured into stereo formats. Among its last releases in 1962 was Mahalia Jackson's album titled Apollo Records Requests the Honor of Your Presence at the Command Performance of Mahalia Jackson, Re-Creating Her European Concert Tour, which compiled tracks from the 1940s and early 1950s. This record was designed to simulate a live recording from Jackson’s 1961 tour, positioned as a competitor to a comparable release by Columbia Records.
Apollo Records discontinued its operations in 1962. Throughout the 1970s, Kenwood Records re-released most of Apollo’s catalog and introduced several compilations, including a tribute album commemorating Mahalia Jackson following her passing in 1972. Although Kenwood’s proprietorship remains ambiguous, it is widely believed that Bess Berman played a role in its management.
While digital editions of Apollo’s recordings have been sparse, various doo-wop collections have been issued since the 1980s through Relic Records, and some jazz selections have appeared on Delmark Records. Bess Berman, recognized by Cash Box in 1954 as "the only woman ever to break through with outstanding success in the male-dominated recording industry," passed away in 1997.
On May 4, 1989, George Hocutt acquired Apollo Records along with its associated publishing arm, Bess Music. By January 1990, Hocutt transferred half of his ownership stake to Couch and Madison Partners affiliated with Malaco Music Group based in Jackson, Mississippi.
The Apollo Records Collection, which includes master acetate disc sound recordings, is preserved within the Southern Folklife Collection at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
See also
Bibliography
- Broven, John. Record Makers and Breakers: Voices of the Independent Rock n' Roll Pioneers, University of Illinois Press, 2009
- Komara, Edward, ed. Encyclopedia of the Blues, Routledge, 2006
- Zolten, J. Jerome. Great God A'Mighty! The Dixie Hummingbirds: Celebrating the Rise of Soul Gospel Music, Oxford University Press, US 2003
External links
- The Online Discographical Project
- Apollo 45 rpm discography
- Apollo Records Collection, Southern Folklife Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Apollo Records on the Internet Archive's Great 78 Project