Diamond Records
Encyclopedia
Diamond Records was a record label, based in New York City
, which was founded in 1961 by former Roulette Records
executive Joe Kolsky. Another Roulette exec Phil Kahl joined Kolsky in the venture the following year.
Success for the label was slow but they got their first big hit in 1962 with "Loop De Loop" by Johnny Thunder
. That record led to a distribution deal with EMI
to distribute Diamond recordings on Stateside Records
in the UK. Diamond recordings were issued in Canada by Apex Records
. The only consistent hit maker for the label was Ronnie Dove
who had a string of hits for Diamond from 1964 to 1969.
Kolsky and Kahl sold their interest in Diamond Records in 1968 to the Edwin H. Morris Corporation which sold it in 1970 to Certron Corporation. The label folded by 1972. The fate of the Diamond catalog is unknown, but Ronnie Dove's recordings are widely available on CD, mostly from Collectables Records
.
The label released a total of eight albums in its entire history. The first album was by Johnny Thunder and the remaining albums were all by Ronnie Dove.
In 1987 Dove revived the label to release a couple of singles. He claims ownership of his own recordings made for the label.
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...
, which was founded in 1961 by former Roulette Records
Roulette Records
Roulette Records is an American record label, which was founded in late 1956, by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Khals, with creative control given to producers and songwriters Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore. Levy was appointed as director...
executive Joe Kolsky. Another Roulette exec Phil Kahl joined Kolsky in the venture the following year.
Success for the label was slow but they got their first big hit in 1962 with "Loop De Loop" by Johnny Thunder
Johnny Thunder (singer)
Johnny Thunder is the professional stage name of Gil Hamilton . He is an American R&B and pop singer, whose biggest hit was "Loop De Loop" in 1963.-Life and career:...
. That record led to a distribution deal with EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
to distribute Diamond recordings on Stateside Records
Stateside Records
Stateside Records is a British record label which initially released licenced American recordings and is now a reissue label....
in the UK. Diamond recordings were issued in Canada by Apex Records
Apex Records (Canada)
Apex Records was a Canadian record label owned by the Compo Company which lasted as late as 1980.Compo established the Apex label in July, 1921 in Toronto. It released American recordings from Okeh Records and Gennett Records among others...
. The only consistent hit maker for the label was Ronnie Dove
Ronnie Dove
Ronnie Dove is an American pop and country musician.Born in Herndon, VA, Ronnie began his singing career in the clubs of Baltimore. He formed a group, The Belltones, and they played Baltimore and the East Coast for four years...
who had a string of hits for Diamond from 1964 to 1969.
Kolsky and Kahl sold their interest in Diamond Records in 1968 to the Edwin H. Morris Corporation which sold it in 1970 to Certron Corporation. The label folded by 1972. The fate of the Diamond catalog is unknown, but Ronnie Dove's recordings are widely available on CD, mostly from Collectables Records
Collectables Records
Collectables is a reissue record label founded in 1980 by Jerry Greene. Greene was previously associated with New York City's Times Square Record Shop, Philadelphia's Record Museum retail chain, and the Lost Nite and Crimson record labels....
.
The label released a total of eight albums in its entire history. The first album was by Johnny Thunder and the remaining albums were all by Ronnie Dove.
In 1987 Dove revived the label to release a couple of singles. He claims ownership of his own recordings made for the label.