Emerald Music is an independent record label

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:...

 specialising in Irish

Irish people

The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...

, Scottish

Scottish people

The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...

 and Celtic music

Celtic music

Celtic music is a term utilised by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic people of Western Europe...

. It is based in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

.

Background

Emerald Music was founded in 1964

1964 in music

-Events:*January 1 – Top of the Pops is broadcast for the first time, on BBC television.*January 3 – Footage of the Beatles performing a concert in Bournemouth, England is shown on The Jack Paar Show....

 by Mervyn Solomon, who was the first person to record Rory Gallagher

Rory Gallagher

William Rory Gallagher, ; 2 March 1948  – 14 June 1995, was an Irish blues-rock multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and bandleader. Born in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland, and raised in Cork, Gallagher recorded solo albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s, after forming the band Taste...

 and Van Morrison

Van Morrison

Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...

 of the R & B group Them

Them (band)

Them were a Northern Irish band formed in Belfast in April 1964, most prominently known for the garage rock standard "Gloria" and launching singer Van Morrison's musical career...

. The label now specialises in Irish traditional and country music

Country music

Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...

, and compilation album

Compilation album

A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...

s. It also covers a range of Scottish music, including some of Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

's most famous pipe bands. The company has an extensive back catalogue and claims to be one of the most comprehensive Irish and Scottish record labels.
George Doherty started working with Mervyn Solomon in Emerald's new studios during September 1975. The studios were called Hydepark Studios. George and Mervyn had many successes including 2 UK top twenty albums with Scottish singer Ann Williamson. During 1989 George teamed up with John Anderson and together they produced what proved to be the backbone for the first 4 Jive Bunny

Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers

Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers were a 1980s and early 1990s novelty pop music act from Rotherham, Yorkshire, England. The face of the group was Jive Bunny, a cartoon rabbit who appeared in the videos, and also did promotional appearances for them...

 hits. Three UK number 1's and the 4th Single went to number 4 in the UK Music Week singles chart. The Jive Bunny

Jive Bunny: The Album

Jive Bunny: The Album is the debut album by Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers. It was released in 1989 by Telstar Records and peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart...

album was number 1 in the UK and went triple platinum with over 900,000 sales. Jive Bunny was also a top ten hit in many countries around the world including the USA.

George and John then bought the studios and label from Mervyn Solomon in 1992 and in the year 2000 John Anderson left to pursue his dream of writing a musical for stage.
George Doherty continued with a new partner called Martin McBurney and at this time, November 2011 they are both continuing to carry on the business.

Artists

Artists on this label included Jim Armstrong, and John Wilson who both played with Them, and the John Anderson Big Band, who played on the Jive Bunny

Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers

Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers were a 1980s and early 1990s novelty pop music act from Rotherham, Yorkshire, England. The face of the group was Jive Bunny, a cartoon rabbit who appeared in the videos, and also did promotional appearances for them...

 hit records. Their current catalogue includes 1980s Irish rock band Bagatelle, 1950s singer Bridie Gallagher

Bridie Gallagher

Bridie Gallagher , is an Irish singer, affectionately known as The Girl from Donegal. She shot to fame in 1956 with her recording of A Mother's Love's A Blessing and achieved international acclaim with her legendary rendition of The Boys From County Armagh...

, Scottish singers Andy Stewart

Andy Stewart (musician)

Andrew "Andy" Stewart MBE was a Scottish singer and entertainer.-Career:The use of tartan patriotism and stereotypical Scottish humour goes back to Sir Harry Lauder and music hall songs. In the 1960s this strand was continued by the entertainer Andy Stewart.He was born in Glasgow, Scotland in...

, techno

Techno

Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...

 duo Celtic Pride, Irish folk groups Cu Chulainn and Usnagh and singer Malachi Cush

Malachi Cush

Malachi Cush, also recording as Malachi, , is a singer/songwriter from Donaghmore, a small village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Coming from a large musical family, he started singing and playing Irish traditional music at an early age. He appeared on the first series of Fame Academy and has...

, Ulster comedy group Clubsound

Clubsound

Clubsound were one of the more successful showband groups from Northern Ireland during the 1960s and 1970s. The original line-up of the band featured George Jones and drummer Tommy Thomas who wrote all the comedy material...

 and Dance DJ Micky Modelle

Micky Modelle

Micky Modelle is a Disc jockey and Record producer from Ireland, born in 1972.-Career:He came in to the media spotlight in 2006, when he had he had a top ten hit with Flemish singer Jessy, Dancing in the Dark was originally released by Jessy in 2004 in Belgium. However after meeting jessy, he...