Apollo Records (1944)
Encyclopedia
The third and best known Apollo Records to exist was an independent record label
in business from 1944 until 1962 in the United States
. It was formed in New York City
in 1944 by Bess Berman and her husband Isaac "Ike" Berman together with Hy Siegel and Sam Schneider. Apollo is most remembered for early doo-wop recordings from groups such as The Larks
and The "5" Royales, blues artists such as Champion Jack Dupree
, Duke Henderson
and Doc Pomus
and for releasing gospel records, particularly those by Mahalia Jackson
.
, the Bermans issued some prospective discs with plain labels bearing no company identity; Hy Siegel served as Apollo's first president. Initially Apollo employed three primary product lines, including a 300 series featuring principally Rhythm & Blues and jazz artists and a 100 series which was more of a catch-all for a variety of genres; Gospel, Calypso, Western, Jewish comedy records and the like. By about issue #188 the 100 series shifted exclusively towards Gospel. The third line, starting at #750, was dubbed "Jazz Masterworks;" a popular 1000 series was undertaken a little later in 1945.
In 1946, the Bermans signed Mahalia Jackson to a recording contract; although she was already regarded as "The Queen of Gospel" based on her personal appearances, Jackson had previously known only scant contact with recording. With the release of Jackson's two-part "Move On Up a Little Higher" in January 1948, Apollo discovered they had a major hit on their hands, and overtime shifts were added to keep up with the demand for the record. At an Apollo board meeting held on May 27, 1948, Hy Siegel stepped down and Bess Berman was installed as president. Berman was among a very few women serving in an executive capacity in the 78 era and apparently the only company head. Ike Berman was no longer directly affiliated with the company, but ran the pressing plant that manufactured the Apollo Records and continued in that capacity; ultimately, they separated as a couple.
, The Robert Anderson
Singers, The Professor Alex Bradford Singers, Rev. B. C. Campbell and his Congregation, The Daniels Singers and the Two Gospel Keys, among others. Rev. James Cleveland
made some of his first recordings with Apollo in a group called The Gospelaires and in The Gospel All-Stars, a session he led and arranged. As a result, while Apollo continued to record R&B throughout this period, before 1950 the label had little contact with secular vocal groups of the kind that were becoming popular elsewhere.
, Berman re-christened a Gospel group generally known as The Selah Jubilee Singers
, but recording for her as the Southern Harmonaires, as The Larks
and began to record them in popular material. The Larks scored a #5 spot on the R&B chart with "Eyesight To The Blind" in 1951, along with a couple of other numbers, but the group split in 1952. Berman stuck to her guns and renamed the Royal Sons Quintet The "5" Royales whose success even succeeded that of The Larks. In 1954, Apollo established a subsidiary called Lloyd's Records exclusively devoted to doo-wop, including recordings of a new edition of The Larks organized under their only remaining member, Gene Mumford.
, a major blow to Apollo from which it never truly recovered; likewise The "5" Royales went off to King Records
. At this time, Bess Berman began to suffer from health issues as well, and a development in May 1955 would not serve to make her feel any better; that month, Hill & Range
announced they were suing Berman, Apollo and Lloyd's for infringement. Hill & Range cited 20 records where copyrighted songs by Thomas A. Dorsey
and others were issued on Berman's labels credited to Berman and Mahalia Jackson. Jackson swiftly responded with a letter denying all knowledge of such an arrangement, and Berman was left to contend with the consequences. As the music press did not follow up on the story, the matter was likely settled out of court.
The second edition of The Larks failed to chart, and in 1955, broke up. The following year Apollo ceased production of 78 rpm records, and with it, its entire gospel recording program, focusing on producing 45s for the pop market. They produced many singles in this period beloved of doo-wop and early rock 'n roll collectors by groups such as The Opals, The Romeos, The Gentlemen and The Casanovas, but very few of these efforts had an impact commercially. About the last Apollo Record to score in that sense was The Chesters' "The Fire Burns No More" (Apollo 521) in 1957. "Handy Man" was first recorded for Apollo in 1959 by The Sparks of Rhythm, but did not become a hit until lead singer Jimmy Jones
recorded it for Cub Records
in 1960. By that time, Apollo had stopped making recordings altogether and was concentrating heavily on reissues, even in the 45 market; after The Chesters' renamed themselves Little Anthony and the Imperials and became stars for another record company, their Apollo releases reappeared, billed as Little Anthony records. One important artist who appeared late in the Apollo game was Solomon Burke
, who was featured on several singles and was the subject of a rare Apollo LP.
Apollo Records closed for good in 1962, but as soon as the "closed" sign went over the door a mysterious subsidiary, Kenwood Records, appeared. Over the next decade, the label -- which never issued a stereo recording -- reissued practically all of the Apollo Records albums and added a few more compilations, hanging around long enough to release a Mahalia Jackson memorial album when she died in 1972. While the owner or partner in the Kenwood concern is not known, it is assumed that Bess Berman was also the likely party behind this label. While the Apollo records catalog has seen little exploitation in the digital era, several doo-wop compilations have been coming out since the 1980s through Relic Records and also some of Apollo's jazz material has appeared on Delmark Records
. Berman herself died in 1997; in a sense, Cash Box had already memorialized her in 1954 by stating that Berman "was the only woman ever to break through with outstanding success in the male-dominated recording industry."
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
in business from 1944 until 1962 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was formed in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1944 by Bess Berman and her husband Isaac "Ike" Berman together with Hy Siegel and Sam Schneider. Apollo is most remembered for early doo-wop recordings from groups such as The Larks
The Larks
The Larks were an African American vocal group, active in the early 1950s. They were not the same group as the Los Angeles-based Larks featuring Don Julian.-Original members:...
and The "5" Royales, blues artists such as Champion Jack Dupree
Champion Jack Dupree
William Thomas Dupree, best known as Champion Jack Dupree, was an American blues pianist. His birth date is disputed, given as July 4, July 10, and July 23, in the years 1908, 1909, or 1910. He died on January 21, 1992.-Biography:...
, Duke Henderson
Duke Henderson
Duke Henderson , born Sylvester C. Henderson, was an American blues shouter and jazz singer in the mid-1940s. His styles included West Coast blues and jump blues. In the late 1940s he renounced his past and began broadcasting as a minister and gospel DJ...
and Doc Pomus
Doc Pomus
Jerome Solon Felder, better known as Doc Pomus , was a twentieth-century American blues singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lyricist of many rock and roll hits. Pomus was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the category of non-performer in 1992. He was also inducted into...
and for releasing gospel records, particularly those by Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson – January 27, 1972) was an African-American gospel singer. Possessing a powerful contralto voice, she was referred to as "The Queen of Gospel"...
.
Early History
In the early 1940s, the Bermans and Siegel were working at the Rainbow Record Shop in Harlem, located on 125th Street. Before naming their label after the nearby Apollo TheaterApollo Theater
The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous, and older, music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with Black performers...
, the Bermans issued some prospective discs with plain labels bearing no company identity; Hy Siegel served as Apollo's first president. Initially Apollo employed three primary product lines, including a 300 series featuring principally Rhythm & Blues and jazz artists and a 100 series which was more of a catch-all for a variety of genres; Gospel, Calypso, Western, Jewish comedy records and the like. By about issue #188 the 100 series shifted exclusively towards Gospel. The third line, starting at #750, was dubbed "Jazz Masterworks;" a popular 1000 series was undertaken a little later in 1945.
In 1946, the Bermans signed Mahalia Jackson to a recording contract; although she was already regarded as "The Queen of Gospel" based on her personal appearances, Jackson had previously known only scant contact with recording. With the release of Jackson's two-part "Move On Up a Little Higher" in January 1948, Apollo discovered they had a major hit on their hands, and overtime shifts were added to keep up with the demand for the record. At an Apollo board meeting held on May 27, 1948, Hy Siegel stepped down and Bess Berman was installed as president. Berman was among a very few women serving in an executive capacity in the 78 era and apparently the only company head. Ike Berman was no longer directly affiliated with the company, but ran the pressing plant that manufactured the Apollo Records and continued in that capacity; ultimately, they separated as a couple.
Gospel
Although Apollo is known today primarily for its work in R&B and doo-wop, Gospel was Apollo's main bread and butter during its years of peak production, from 1948-1952. In addition to Mahalia Jackson, established by 1948 as Apollo's biggest seller and the artist they recorded the most often overall, Apollo also issued recordings by the Roberta Martin Singers, The Dixie HummingbirdsThe Dixie Hummingbirds
The Dixie Hummingbirds are an influential American gospel music group, spanning more than 80 years from the jubilee quartet style of the 1920s, through the "hard gospel" quartet style of Gospel's golden age in the 1940s and 1950s, to the eclectic pop-tinged songs of today.-History:Formed in 1928 in...
, The Robert Anderson
Robert Anderson (singer)
Robert Anderson was an American gospel singer and composer.-Early years:Robert Anderson was born in Anguilla, Mississippi, and moved to Chicago with his family as a child. During his childhood, Anderson learned piano by ear and assisted Roberta Martin with coaching the Sunday school choir at the...
Singers, The Professor Alex Bradford Singers, Rev. B. C. Campbell and his Congregation, The Daniels Singers and the Two Gospel Keys, among others. Rev. James Cleveland
James Cleveland
The Reverend Dr. James Cleveland was a gospel singer, arranger, composer and, most significantly, the driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound, bringing the stylistic daring of hard gospel and jazz and pop music influences to arrangements for mass choirs...
made some of his first recordings with Apollo in a group called The Gospelaires and in The Gospel All-Stars, a session he led and arranged. As a result, while Apollo continued to record R&B throughout this period, before 1950 the label had little contact with secular vocal groups of the kind that were becoming popular elsewhere.
Doo-Wop
Captivated by the popularity of secular vocal groups named after birds, such as The OriolesThe Orioles
The Orioles were a successful and influential American R&B group of the late 1940s and early 1950s, one of the earliest such vocal bands who established the basic pattern for the doo-wop sound....
, Berman re-christened a Gospel group generally known as The Selah Jubilee Singers
Selah Jubilee Singers
The Selah Jubilee Singers was an American gospel vocal quartet, who appeared in public as a gospel group but who also had a successful recording career as a secular group in the 1930s & 1940s.-History:...
, but recording for her as the Southern Harmonaires, as The Larks
The Larks
The Larks were an African American vocal group, active in the early 1950s. They were not the same group as the Los Angeles-based Larks featuring Don Julian.-Original members:...
and began to record them in popular material. The Larks scored a #5 spot on the R&B chart with "Eyesight To The Blind" in 1951, along with a couple of other numbers, but the group split in 1952. Berman stuck to her guns and renamed the Royal Sons Quintet The "5" Royales whose success even succeeded that of The Larks. In 1954, Apollo established a subsidiary called Lloyd's Records exclusively devoted to doo-wop, including recordings of a new edition of The Larks organized under their only remaining member, Gene Mumford.
Decline
In 1953, Hy Siegel left to form his own company, Timely Records, and this was the beginning of a domino effect that would prove the undoing of Bess Berman and Apollo. In 1954, Mahalia Jackson defected to Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, a major blow to Apollo from which it never truly recovered; likewise The "5" Royales went off to King Records
King Records
is a Japanese record company, founded in 1931 as a division of Japanese publisher Kodansha. It became and began operating as an independent entity in the 1950s, but remains part of the publisher's Otowa Group...
. At this time, Bess Berman began to suffer from health issues as well, and a development in May 1955 would not serve to make her feel any better; that month, Hill & Range
Hill & Range
Hill & Range is a music publishing company which was particularly responsible for much of the country music produced in the 1950s and 1960s, and had control over the material recorded by Elvis Presley over that period....
announced they were suing Berman, Apollo and Lloyd's for infringement. Hill & Range cited 20 records where copyrighted songs by Thomas A. Dorsey
Thomas A. Dorsey
Thomas Andrew Dorsey was known as "the father of black gospel music" and was at one time so closely associated with the field that songs written in the new style were sometimes known as "dorseys." Earlier in his life he was a leading blues pianist known as Georgia Tom.As formulated by Dorsey,...
and others were issued on Berman's labels credited to Berman and Mahalia Jackson. Jackson swiftly responded with a letter denying all knowledge of such an arrangement, and Berman was left to contend with the consequences. As the music press did not follow up on the story, the matter was likely settled out of court.
The second edition of The Larks failed to chart, and in 1955, broke up. The following year Apollo ceased production of 78 rpm records, and with it, its entire gospel recording program, focusing on producing 45s for the pop market. They produced many singles in this period beloved of doo-wop and early rock 'n roll collectors by groups such as The Opals, The Romeos, The Gentlemen and The Casanovas, but very few of these efforts had an impact commercially. About the last Apollo Record to score in that sense was The Chesters' "The Fire Burns No More" (Apollo 521) in 1957. "Handy Man" was first recorded for Apollo in 1959 by The Sparks of Rhythm, but did not become a hit until lead singer Jimmy Jones
Jimmy Jones
Jimmy Jones may refer to:*Jimmy Jones , American jazz pianist*Jimmy Jones , American singer/songwriter*Jimmy Jones , footballer who played for Stoke...
recorded it for Cub Records
Cub Records
Cub Records was a subsidiary of MGM Records started in 1958 for rhythm and blues releases.Artists who released records on Cub included The Impalas , Jimmy Jones , The Stereos , and Jimmy Velvit . The label lasted through 1968.-External links:...
in 1960. By that time, Apollo had stopped making recordings altogether and was concentrating heavily on reissues, even in the 45 market; after The Chesters' renamed themselves Little Anthony and the Imperials and became stars for another record company, their Apollo releases reappeared, billed as Little Anthony records. One important artist who appeared late in the Apollo game was Solomon Burke
Solomon Burke
Solomon Burke was an American singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, mortician, and an archbishop of the United House of Prayer For All People. Burke was known as "King Solomon", the "King of Rock 'n' Soul", and as the "Bishop of Soul", and described as "the Muhammad Ali of soul", and as "the most...
, who was featured on several singles and was the subject of a rare Apollo LP.
LPs and After
Apollo employed a very modest campaign of LPs, and never issued a stereo recording; appearing at the rate of only one or two releases a year from 1954 forward and these were almost exclusively reissues of material that had already appeared as singles, or masters leased from other labels. Mahalia Jackson figured very prominently in this reissue program, and one of Apollo's last releases from 1962 were two LPs titled Apollo Records Requests the Honor of Your Presence at the Command Performance of Mahalia Jackson, Re-Creating Her European Concert Tour. Packaged to look like a live recording taken from Jackson's 1961 tour -- and therefore, competing directly with Columbia album Mahalia Jackson Recorded in Europe During Her Latest Concert Tour -- it consisted of recordings made for Apollo in the 40s and early 50s.Apollo Records closed for good in 1962, but as soon as the "closed" sign went over the door a mysterious subsidiary, Kenwood Records, appeared. Over the next decade, the label -- which never issued a stereo recording -- reissued practically all of the Apollo Records albums and added a few more compilations, hanging around long enough to release a Mahalia Jackson memorial album when she died in 1972. While the owner or partner in the Kenwood concern is not known, it is assumed that Bess Berman was also the likely party behind this label. While the Apollo records catalog has seen little exploitation in the digital era, several doo-wop compilations have been coming out since the 1980s through Relic Records and also some of Apollo's jazz material has appeared on Delmark Records
Delmark Records
Delmark Records is an independent American jazz and blues record label, based in Chicago since 1958. The label originated in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1953 when owner Bob Koester released a recording of the Windy City Six, a traditional jazz group, under the "Delmar" imprint.-History:Born in 1932 in...
. Berman herself died in 1997; in a sense, Cash Box had already memorialized her in 1954 by stating that Berman "was the only woman ever to break through with outstanding success in the male-dominated recording industry."
See also
- List of record labels
- Apollo RecordsApollo RecordsApollo Records may refer to:* Apollo Records - US based company* Apollo Records - US based company* Apollo Records - US based company* Apollo Records - Belgian-based company* Apollo Records - US based company...
- Solomon BurkeSolomon BurkeSolomon Burke was an American singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, mortician, and an archbishop of the United House of Prayer For All People. Burke was known as "King Solomon", the "King of Rock 'n' Soul", and as the "Bishop of Soul", and described as "the Muhammad Ali of soul", and as "the most...
- James ClevelandJames ClevelandThe Reverend Dr. James Cleveland was a gospel singer, arranger, composer and, most significantly, the driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound, bringing the stylistic daring of hard gospel and jazz and pop music influences to arrangements for mass choirs...