Jerden Records
| Company type | Independent record label |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | May 1960 |
| Founder | Jerry Dennon, Bonnie Guitar |
| Defunct | April 1971 |
| Headquarters | Seattle , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Jerry Dennon, Bonnie Guitar |
| Products | Records |
Jerden Records was an independent record label headquartered in Seattle, active from May 1960 until April 1971. The company was predominantly owned by Jerry Dennon and Bonnie Guitar, both of whom had connections to Dolton Records and the achievements of The Fleetwoods. Jerden was established after a disagreement with Dolton concerning artistic direction. Certain Jerden releases were distributed through Liberty Records.
Following its inaugural year, the label ceased operations as Dennon and Guitar pursued individual paths—Guitar advancing her career as a performer with RCA Victor Records and Dot Records, while Dennon worked in promotion for Era Records. After completing his military service, Dennon reinstated Jerden in late 1962 as the sole proprietor, reissuing earlier tracks including a single by Bonnie Guitar.
The label’s most significant accomplishment during this revival was the million-selling 1963 hit "Louie Louie" by The Kingsmen. Jerden refreshed its label design in 1964 and, in 1965, entered into a distribution agreement with ABC-Paramount Records, which lasted until 1968.
Jerry Dennon also created Panorama Records in 1964 and Piccadilly Records in 1966; these were regional labels aimed at testing artists exclusively within the Northwest before licensing successful acts for national release. Both labels discontinued operations by 1968.
In 1967, Dennon introduced Burdette Records to succeed Jerden for broader national distribution; Burdette was distributed by Tower Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records. The Jerden label ultimately ceased operations in 1970 but experienced a brief revival from 1992 to 2001, during which it issued Beatles interviews, presidential speeches, and collections focused on the Northwest region.