Indigo Records
| Company type | Record label |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | September 1960 in Hollywood, California, United States |
| Founder | Don Wayne, Vic Gargano |
| Defunct | 1962 |
| Headquarters | Hollywood, California , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Don Wayne, Vic Gargano, Jim Lee (A&R Director) |
| Products | Pop music records (singles and LPs) |
Indigo Records was a United States-based pop record label launched in 1960. Within just two years, the label had issued close to 50 singles along with five LPs.
Origin
Founded in Hollywood, California, in September 1960, Indigo Records was the brainchild of record promoters and producers Don Wayne and Vic Gargano. The year prior, they had co-established Inferno Records, which produced only a limited number of releases. Gargano then initiated Indigo with a focus on pop music. Jim Lee, an artist promoter and manager, was appointed to lead the label’s A&R department.
The Innocents
Among Indigo’s earliest and most prominent performers was the Innocents, a vocal trio hailing from the Sun Valley area of Los Angeles. Originally called the Echoes, they had previously recorded several tracks under Herb Alpert's Andex Records. After further refinement, the Innocents presented their song "Honest I Do" to Kim Fowley and Gary Paxton at American Studios. The track was recorded there, with the master subsequently acquired by Indigo. Jim Lee, serving as A&R Director, signed the group to both a recording contract and personal management.
In October 1960, "Honest I Do" climbed to number 1 on local Los Angeles charts and reached number 28 on national rankings. Their next single, "Gee Whiz," also attained number 28 on the national charts in January 1961.
Kathy Young
Jim Lee discovered Kathy Young during an appearance by the Innocents at Santa Monica’s Pacific Ocean Park. He introduced her to "A Thousand Stars," a 1953 song written by Gene Pearson and originally performed by the Rivileers. The Innocents spontaneously joined Young during the recording session. Released under "Kathy Young with The Innocents," this single peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1960, only trailing behind Elvis Presley's "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" and Floyd Cramer's "Last Date."
Young’s subsequent single, "Happy Birthday Blues," reached number 30 on the Hot 100 in 1961. However, later releases such as "Magic Is the Night" and "The Great Pretender" did not break into the Top 40.
Decline
Although Indigo achieved notable success with both the Innocents and Kathy Young, financial overreach led to its closure in late 1962.
In 1963, Don Wayne briefly took on management of the Everly Brothers for their Canadian tour and maintained his role with them for nine years thereafter.
Vic Gargano remained active in the music business by establishing several follow-up labels including Magenta, Lavender, Invicta, Condor, and Blue Fin. In 1974, he briefly resurrected Indigo to oversee and produce Chameleon, a husband-and-wife quartet promoted as the 'American Abba.' Gargano retired in the early 1980s and passed away in August 2004.
Foreseeing Indigo’s downturn, Jim Lee departed in late 1961. He went on to create Monogram Records, continuing his production work for Kathy Young and discovering talents like Chris Montez.
Legacy
The artists associated with Indigo have left an enduring mark on pop music since their original recordings.
In 1992, Ace Records released a 25-track CD titled The Innocents: The Complete Indigo Recordings, compiling sessions from The Innocents.
Kathy Young’s catalog was gathered into a 24-track CD named A Thousand Stars, issued by Crystal Ball Records in 2014.
Selected Singles
| Performer | Track(s) | Catalog Number | Release Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Innocents | Honest I Do | IND-105 | 1960 |
| Kathy Young with The Innocents | A Thousand Stars / Eddie My Darling | IND-108 | 1960 |
| The Innocents | Gee Whiz | IND-111 | 1960 |
| The Crystals | Dreams And Wishes / Mr. Brush ? | IND-114 | 1961 |
| Kathy Young with The Innocents | Happy Birthday Blues | IND-115 | 1961 |
| The Innocents | Kathy / In The Beginning | IND-116 | 1961 |
| Pat Zill | Pick Me Up On Your Way Down / La Mirada ? | IND-119 | 1961 |
| Kathy Young with The Innocents | Just As Though You Were Here | IND-121 | 1961 |
| Kathy Young with The Innocents | Magic Is The Night | IND-125 | 1961 |
| Pat Zill | Bouquet Of Roses / Hold Tight | IND-126 | 1961 |
| Jody Reynolds and The Storms | Thunder / Tarantula ? | IND-127 | 1961 |
| The Innocents | Donna | IND-128 | 1961 |
| The Innocents | Pains In My Heart | IND-132 | 1961 |
| Flash Terry | Cool It / Her Name Is Lou | IND-135 | 1961 |
| Kathy Young with The Innocents | Great Pretender / Baby Oh Baby | IND-137 | 1961 |
| Frankie Erwin | Detour | IND-138 | 1961 |
| Little Mojo | Mojo Theme | IND-139 | 1962 |
| Daddy Dewdrop and The Sugar Plum Sassafrass Bubble Gum Band | Here Come The Judge | IND-4444 | 1968 |
| Cleaveland Jones | Loreen / In Spite of Myself | IND-4445 | 1968 |
Source: https://www.discogs.com/label/126251-Indigo-Records-4
Selected Albums
- The Bob Rogers Orchestra – All That And This Too (GBM-1501A) – 1961
- Los Camperos – Puro Mariachi (IND-LP-501) – 1961
- Cy Coleman – Selections from Wildcat (GBM-502/GBST-502) – 1961
- The Innocents – Innocently Yours (IND-LP-503) – 1961
- Kathy Young with The Innocents – The Sound Of Kathy Young (IND-LP-504) – 1961