Montgomery Ward Records
| Company type | Proprietary record label |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1933 |
| Founder | Montgomery Ward |
| Defunct | December 1941 |
| Fate | Distribution agreement with RCA Victor ended |
| Products | Records (country, jazz, popular, classical) |
| Owner | Montgomery Ward |
Montgomery Ward Records served as the proprietary record label of the American retail giant Montgomery Ward. The label's offerings were distributed at prices below the prevailing market rates through the company's retail outlets and mail-order catalogs. Throughout its extensive operation, the label became known for issuing numerous significant recordings in the genres of country and jazz.
History
The label's inception dates back to 1933 when it was launched as an internal budget brand. This was made possible through a partnership with RCA Victor, granting Montgomery Ward access to a comprehensive range of musical styles from Victor’s extensive catalog.[1][2] RCA Victor pressed the initial releases, which encompassed popular tunes, country (including Cajun styles), race records, and ethnic selections. These records bore catalog numbers starting at M-4200, designed to correspond with and supplant (often featuring different performers) those previously issued by Broadway Records. Although not exclusive to Montgomery Ward, Broadway Records had been heavily promoted by them.[1][2] A separate series beginning at M-6000, also recorded and pressed by Victor, specialized in classical music selections.[2]
Montgomery Ward briefly entered into a contract with Decca Records, which led to the release of both Decca-originated and some Gennett Records material licensed to Decca.[2] These Decca-derived records are identifiable by their catalog numbers lacking the "M" prefix.[2] Additionally, a short-lived M-3000 series featured recordings from Eli Oberstein's United States Record Corporation (including Varsity and Royale labels), encompassing older tracks from Crown Records, alongside material from Paramount Records, Gennett, and various international labels whose ownership claims by Oberstein were questionable.[2][3]
The production of Montgomery Ward Records concluded in December 1941 when the longstanding distribution agreement with RCA Victor was terminated.[1][2]
Released material
Montgomery Ward's catalogs, which had extensive reach in rural communities, featured a significant selection of country music, including numerous releases that are highly valued by collectors. The pricing of these records was notably affordable, set at 21 cents each or $1.79 for a set of ten, well below the typical market rates. Recordings from earlier artists such as Henry Burr and Cal Stewart—which maintained popularity in rural markets—were also issued. The majority of these releases originated from sessions initially recorded for Bluebird Records; however, many were never distributed under that label, making Montgomery Ward the exclusive source for those particular recordings.
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