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Jubilee Records

From Alfawiki
Jubilee Records
Company typeIndependent record label
IndustryMusic
Founded1946
FounderHerb Abramson, Jerry Blaine
Defunct1970
FateSold to Viewlex; later catalog owned by Roulette Records and Warner Music Group
Headquarters
New York City
,
United States
ProductsRhythm and blues, novelty music records

Jubilee Records was a U.S.-based independent record label that primarily focused on rhythm and blues and novelty music. Established in New York City in 1946 by Herb Abramson alongside partner Jerry Blaine, the label came under Blaine’s sole ownership in 1947 after Abramson departed to co-found Atlantic Records with Ahmet Ertegun. The enterprise functioned as Jay-Gee Recording Company, which was a branch of the Cosnat Corporation, a company involved in wholesale record distribution.

History

Jubilee made history as the first independent label to penetrate the mainstream white audience with a black vocal group when the Orioles’ track "Crying in the Chapel" climbed into the Top Twenty of the Pop charts in 1953.

Starting in 1953, The Four Tunes began their association with Jubilee. One of Jubilee’s earliest significant successes was indeed the Orioles' "Crying in the Chapel." The following year, 1954, saw the creation of Josie Records, a subsidiary designed to spotlight more upbeat tunes. Josie produced notable hits such as "Speedoo" by the Cadillacs (which reached No. 3 on R&B and No. 17 on Pop charts) and "Do You Want to Dance" by Bobby Freeman (No. 2 R&B, No. 5 Pop). The label's most commercially triumphant release was J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers' "Last Kiss", which sold over a million copies and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964. In the late 1960s, New Orleans-based session ensemble The Meters delivered several R&B instrumental hits including "Cissy Strut", which attained No. 4 on R&B and No. 23 on Pop charts. Jubilee’s last notable rock-and-roll success was the Royaltones’ R&B instrumental double-sided single "Poor Boy"/"Wail!" that reached No. 17 in 1957.

Beyond its rhythm and blues catalog, Jubilee also gained recognition for novelty records, including blooper compilations produced by Kermit Schaefer and comedic albums by Rusty Warren. Additionally, the label managed Gross Records, a specialized imprint created for Doug Clark and the Hot Nuts, whose explicit lyrics prevented use of the Jubilee or Josie branding.

Financial strains led to the sale of Jubilee/Josie in 1970 to Viewlex, which also owned Buddah Records, resulting in Blaine’s exit from the company. Subsequently, ownership of the catalog shifted to Roulette Records. Jubilee ultimately filed for bankruptcy in 1971.

By the late 1980s, Roulette was co-owned by Rhino Records and EMI, with Rhino later acquired by Time Warner during the 1990s. Presently, global rights to the Roulette/Jubilee catalog belong to Warner Music Group, following its acquisition of Parlophone in 2013; prior to this, EMI maintained rights outside North America.

Roster

Below is a compilation of notable recording artists who have released music under the Jubilee Records label:

Josie Records artists

Among the prominent musicians who released records under the Josie Records imprint are:

See also

External links

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