Leedon Records
| Company type | Subsidiary (from 1960) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music, entertainment |
| Founded | 1958 |
| Founder | Lee Gordon |
| Defunct | 1969 |
| Fate | Acquired by Festival Records in 1960; ceased operations in 1969 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Key people | Lee Gordon (founder), Johnny O'Keefe (A&R manager from 1959) |
| Products | Records, singles, albums |
| Parent | Festival Records (from 1960) |
Leedon Records was an Australian record label that operated from 1958 until 1969. It was established in early 1958 by Lee Gordon, an American-Australian businessman and promoter.
Formation and Initial Releases
During the late 1950s and early 1960s in Australia, major record companies such as His Master's Voice, London Records, Pye, and Parlophone, along with domestic labels like Coronet and W&G Records, primarily concentrated on British and American performers or mainstream local vocalists. There were relatively few Australian rock'n'roll artists represented.
The creation of Leedon Records in 1958, shortly following the introduction of Australia's first Top 40 charts, played a crucial role in expanding the nation's rock and pop music scene. This influence grew further after Festival Records acquired Leedon in 1960.
Lee Gordon entered the Australian entertainment market in 1955 by organizing a record-breaking tour featuring US singer Johnnie Ray. He subsequently promoted major jazz and pop tours showcasing legends such as Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, and Thelonious Monk. In 1957, Gordon was responsible for Australia's inaugural rock'n'roll tour headlined by Bill Haley & the Comets. Utilizing his American industry connections, he obtained the Australian distribution rights for the US-based Roulette Records label and arranged a pressing and distribution agreement with the Australian Record Company (which later became part of CBS Records).
Among Leedon's earliest releases were "Oh, Oh I'm Falling in Love Again" by pop vocalist Jimmie Rodgers and "(Make With) The Shake" by The Mark IV. Additional initial singles included recordings by artists such as Duane Eddy, Huey Piano Smith, Dion & the Belmonts, Dick Dale, and Little Junior Parker. While most releases were from international performers, Leedon also issued local material like Johnny Rebb & The Rebels' 1958 single 'Hey Sheriff'.
Johnny "Scat" Brown
One of Leedon's early significant releases featured singles attributed to the mysterious Johnny 'Scat' Brown—namely "Indeed I Do" (Leedon 514) and "Mama Rock" (Leedon 518). The flip sides of these records included tracks by different musicians, despite some listings crediting Johnny Scat Brown. Another release (#008) contained covers of Sheb Wooley's "The Purple People Eater" and David Seville's "Witch Doctor", although audio analysis indicates a different artist performed these.
These recordings, made in the United States, showcased a vocalist bearing a strong resemblance to Elvis Presley. The identity of this singer was unknown to Leedon's staff because Lee Gordon sent the tapes without any accompanying information. Alan Heffernan, the company's manager, created the alias Johnny "Scat" Brown to attribute these tracks. According to former Leedon employee Max Moore, Heffernan’s cousin later uncovered that rockabilly musician Johnny Powers was actually the voice behind "Indeed I Do" and "Mama Rock".
Johnny O'Keefe Appointed A&R Manager
In 1959, prominent Australian rock'n'roll artist Johnny O'Keefe took on the role of Leedon's A&R manager. Although still under contract with Festival Records, O'Keefe acted as a consultant for Leedon, signing leading local talents such as Lonnie Lee, The Delltones, and Warren Williams. According to Max Moore, who worked at Leedon, O'Keefe did not receive payment for this position but earned higher fees for his performances on Gordon's "Big Show" tours, where he was one of the headline acts.
Acquisition by Festival
By 1960, Lee Gordon's enterprises were incurring substantial financial setbacks. Without involving Heffernan—Leedon's general manager and chief accountant for Gordon's Big Show Pty Ltd—Gordon proceeded to sell the label to Festival Records for approximately AU£10,000. Following the acquisition, Leedon functioned as a subsidiary under Festival until 1969. Gordon passed away in London in 1963.
The inception of the Leedon "LK" series occurred in June 1961 with Lonnie Lee's "You're Gonna Miss Me," signaling a strategic focus on predominantly Australian performers, with Johnny O'Keefe prominently featured among them.
On the international front, Leedon's most notable signing was the British-born vocal trio, the Bee Gees, who produced several singles and an LP under the label. Although they penned successful songs for other artists, their own releases through Leedon failed to achieve commercial acclaim. By 1966, Festival intended to drop the group; however, their manager Nat Kipner, recently appointed head of Sydney's Spin Records, facilitated their transition to Spin. In return, Festival obtained Australian distribution rights for the Bee Gees' forthcoming recordings—a profitable arrangement that persisted even after the band relocated back to the UK in 1967 and signed with the Robert Stigwood Organisation and Polydor.
During the mid-1960s, Leedon issued classic beat-era singles and albums from bands such as Ray Brown & the Whispers, The Showmen, The Pogs, and The Amazons, featuring Johnny Cave (also known as William Shakespeare) alongside bassist Harry Brus. The label's final release was a reissue of Johnny O'Keefe's 1959 song "She's My Baby."
By the time it ceased operations in 1969, Leedon had issued a total of 420 singles.
The Leedon LK Series played a crucial role in launching numerous leading Australian artists including Barry Stanton, Booka Hyland, Warren Williams, Ian Crawford, Paul Wayne, Jerry J. Wilder, The Barry Sisters, The Dee Jays, The Crescents, and The Taylor Sisters—talents whom Leedon actively promoted through concerts and live performances.
See also
References
- Hank B. Facer, Downunder Discography M.I.R.L. Discography No. 22, August 1981