Argo Records
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music industry |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Founder | Chess Records |
| Fate | Renamed to Cadet Records in 1965 |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Jazz, pop, blues, calypso records |
| Parent | Chess Records |
Argo Records was a record label established in 1955 in Chicago as a subsidiary of Chess Records. Originally called Marterry, the label adopted the name Argo after bandleader Ralph Marterie raised objections to the initial title.
While Chess concentrated on blues music, Argo dedicated itself primarily to jazz, signing notable musicians such as Gene Ammons, Kenny Burrell, Ahmad Jamal, and Ramsey Lewis. The label's output also included pop, blues, and calypso genres. Clarence "Frogman" Henry’s 1956 track "Ain't Got No Home" became its first significant hit. By 1960, Argo's roster expanded to feature rhythm and blues performers like Etta James and the Dells.
In 1965, the label changed its name to Cadet Records upon discovering another Argo Records operating in the UK. Today, both Argo's and its parent company's catalogs are owned by Universal Music Group. The label was among those that suffered loss of master tapes during the 2008 Universal fire.
Jazz Series (1956–1965)
| Catalog number | Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| LP-601 | Melodies by Al Hibbler | Template:Sortname |
| LP-602 | Chamber Music of the New Jazz | Template:Sortname |
| LP-603 | Flute 'n the Blues | Template:Sortname |
| LP-604 | Lonely One | Pinky Winters |
| LP-605 | Without Sauce | Template:Sortname Quartet |
| LP-606 | Doorway to Dixie | Template:Sortname, Miff Mole and Mike Simpson |
| LP-607 | Norman Simmons Trio | Template:Sortname |
| LP-608 | Zoot | Template:Sortname Quartet |
| LP-609 | Chicago Scene | Template:Sortname, Sandy Moose and Eddie Baker |
| LP-610 | Count 'Em 88 | Template:Sortname |
| LP-611 | Ramsey Lewis and his Gentle-men of Swing | Template:Sortname |
| LP-612 | Young John Young | Template:Sortname Trio |
| LP-613 | Moody's Mood for Love | Template:Sortname |
| LP-614 | Chubby's Back | Template:Sortname |
| LP-615 | Dick Lane Quartet | Template:Sortname Quartet |
... [list continues with similar formatting] ...
LP-757 The In CrowdTemplate:Sortname Trio LP-758 ExtensionsTemplate:Sortname LP-759 Musty RustyTemplate:Sortname LP-1078 Complete Live at the Spotlite Club 1958#At the Spotlite Club Vol. 1Template:Sortname Trio| Catalog number | Title | Artist |
|---|
Pop/Blues/Folk Series (1961–1965)
LP-4000 The Eyes of Love Osborne Smith LP-4001 Johnny Hamlin Quintet Johnny Hamlin Quintet featuring Marci Miller LP-4002 Space FlightSam Lazar LP-4003 At Last!Etta James LP-4004 Misty NightKing Fleming Trio LP-4005 The Three Souls The Three Souls LP-4006 Morris Grants Presents JUNK Various Artists LP-4007 Drum Sum Buck Clarke Quintet LP-4008 Drums, Drollery And Drivel Professor Paradiddle LP-4009 You Always Hurt the One You LoveClarence "Frogman" Henry LP-4010 Brilliant! The Trumpet of Don Goldie Don Goldie LP-4011 The Second Time Around Etta James LP-4012 Dodo's Back!Dodo Marmarosa LP-4013 Etta James Etta James LP-4015 Playback Sam Lazar LP-4016 For the First Time Shelley Moore LP-4017 Brown Gal Bonnie Graham LP-4018 Etta James Sings for Lovers Etta James LP-4019 Stand By! King Fleming Trio LP-4020 House Warmin'!Howard McGhee and the Blazers LP-4021 The Buck Clarke SoundBuck Clarke LP-4022 Let Me In/Music, Music, MusicThe Sensations LP-4023 The Campus Singers at the Fickle Pickle The Campus Singers LP-4024 I'm on My Way Willie Wright LP-4025 Etta James Top Ten Etta James LP-4026 The Blues, Volume 1 Various Artists LP-4027 The Blues, Volume 2 Various Artists LP-4028 Cheer Up Me Lads The Outsiders LP-4029 Martin Yarbrough Showcase Martin Yarbrough LP-4030 Folk Swinger Dean DeWolf LP-4031 Folk Festival of the Blues Various Artists LP-4032 Etta James Rocks the House Etta James LP-4033 Road of Blue The Campus Singers LP-4034 The Blues, Volume 3’’ Various Artists LP-4035 ’’High Tide: The Folk Songs of Dean DeWolf’’ Dean DeWolf LP-4036 ’’Dangerous Dan Express’’ The Three Souls LP-4037 ’’The Soul of Blues Harmonica’’ \’Shakey Horton\' LP-4038 ’’Composer's Choice’’ Johnny Nash LP-4039 ’’Make Way for Jean DuShon’’ Jean DuShon LP-4040 ’’The Queen of Soul’’ Etta James LP-4041 ’’Dick Williams Kids Sing for Big People (and Little People Too)’’ Dick Williams LP-4042 ’’The Blues, Volume 4’’ Various Artists| Catalog number | Title | Artist |
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