Era Records
Encyclopedia
Era Records was an independent American record label
located in Hollywood, California. It was founded by Herb Newman and Lou Bedell in 1955
as a pop
, country and western
and jazz label. Era had a #1 hit in 1956 with Gogi Grant
's "The Wayward Wind
", written by Newman. In 1959 Bedell sold his interest in the label to Newman. Artists who experienced hits on Era include Ketty Lester ("Love Letters"), Larry Verne ("Mr. Custer"), Donnie Brooks ("Mission Bell"), Dorsey Burnette ("Tall Oak Tree"), Art & Dotty Todd ("Chanson D' Amour") and The Castells ("So This Is Love"). Era distributed other labels including Monogram, Gregmark and Eden. From 1969 to 1971, Era was associated with Happy Tiger
, which reissued and distributed some of Era's oldies. In 1972, Newman added the RTV label, which released the MU album. In the mid-1970s Newman sold the Era label and catalog to K-tel
. In 1993, K-tel began reissuing some of the early Era material using the original Era label and logo.
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
located in Hollywood, California. It was founded by Herb Newman and Lou Bedell in 1955
1955 in music
-Events:*January 1 – RCA Victor announces a marketing plan called "Operation TNT." The label drops the list price on LPs from $5.95 to $3.98, EPs from $4.95 to $2.98, 45 EPs from $1.58 to $1.49 and 45's from $1.16 to $.89...
as a pop
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
, country and western
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 jazz label. Era had a #1 hit in 1956 with Gogi Grant
Gogi Grant
Gogi Grant is an American popular singer.-Life and career:Grant was born Myrtle Audrey Arinsberg in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the age of 12, she moved to Los Angeles, California, where she attended Venice High School. In California, she won a teenage singing contest and appeared on television...
's "The Wayward Wind
The Wayward Wind
"The Wayward Wind" is a country song written by Stanley Lebowsky and Herb Newman.In 1956 versions were recorded by Gogi Grant, Tex Ritter, and Jimmy Young, of which Grant's was the biggest seller in the United States and Ritter's in the United Kingdom...
", written by Newman. In 1959 Bedell sold his interest in the label to Newman. Artists who experienced hits on Era include Ketty Lester ("Love Letters"), Larry Verne ("Mr. Custer"), Donnie Brooks ("Mission Bell"), Dorsey Burnette ("Tall Oak Tree"), Art & Dotty Todd ("Chanson D' Amour") and The Castells ("So This Is Love"). Era distributed other labels including Monogram, Gregmark and Eden. From 1969 to 1971, Era was associated with Happy Tiger
Happy Tiger Records
Happy Tiger Records was an independent American record label that was owned by the Flying Tiger Line air freight company. Happy Tiger only operated from 1969 to 1971, but during this time managed to produce more than two dozen albums by such notable artists as Count Basie, Mason Proffit, Red...
, which reissued and distributed some of Era's oldies. In 1972, Newman added the RTV label, which released the MU album. In the mid-1970s Newman sold the Era label and catalog to K-tel
K-tel
K-tel International is an "As-Seen-On-TV" company, which is most noted for its compilation music albums, such as "The Super Hits" series, "The Dynamic Hits" series and "The Number One Hits" series...
. In 1993, K-tel began reissuing some of the early Era material using the original Era label and logo.
Notable artists
- Jewel AkensJewel AkensJewel Akens is an American singer and record producer.-Biography:He first recorded with Eddie Daniels as Jewel and Eddie on the Silver Records label in 1960. A number of his recordings featured Eddie Cochran on guitar.He later went solo and recorded "The Birds And The Bees" in 1965, on the Era...
- Donnie BrooksDonnie BrooksDonnie Brooks was an American pop music singer. Brooks is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame....
- Dorsey BurnetteDorsey BurnetteDorsey Burnette was an early Rockabilly singer. With his younger brother, Johnny Burnette, and a friend named Paul Burlison, he was a founder member of The Rock and Roll Trio.-Background and early career:Dorsey Burnett was born on December 28, 1932 to Willie May and Dorsey Burnett Sr...
- The CastellsThe CastellsThe Castells were a male vocal quartet from Santa Rosa, California best remembered for their hits "Sacred" and "So This Is Love" , both released on Era Records....
- Gogi GrantGogi GrantGogi Grant is an American popular singer.-Life and career:Grant was born Myrtle Audrey Arinsberg in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the age of 12, she moved to Los Angeles, California, where she attended Venice High School. In California, she won a teenage singing contest and appeared on television...
- Ketty LesterKetty LesterKetty Lester is an American singer and actress, who is best known for her 1962 hit single, "Love Letters", which reached the Top 5 of the charts in both the United States and the United Kingdom.-Life and career:...
- The MomentsThe MomentsThe Moments may refer to:*The Moments, an American R&B vocal group later known as Ray, Goodman & Brown*The Moments , an English group of the early 1960s who featured Steve Marriott...
- Johnny RiversJohnny RiversJohnny Rivers is an American rock and roll singer, songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. His styles include folk songs, blues, and revivals of old-time rock 'n' roll songs and some original material...
- Mike SmithMike Smith (singer-songwriter)Larry Michael Smith, commonly known as Mike Smith, was born October 3, 1939 and lived in various small towns in Kansas until moving to Hollywood in 1958. Smith first appeared on Decca Records in 1960 with a rockabilly backbeat song, "Sara Ruth" which was written as a joke for a high school friend...
- Larry VerneLarry VerneLarry Verne was an American novelty song singer. Verne scored two U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart hit singles in 1960: "Mister Livingston" and "Mr. Custer" . "Mr. Custer" was written by Fred Darian, Al DeLory, and Joe Van Winkle. The record sold over one million copies, earning a gold disc. In the...
- Ty Wagner
Other labels and artists associated with Era
- Dore RecordsDore RecordsDoré Records, pronounced "dorrie" and with an accent on the "e" was a sublabel of Era Records.It was founded in 1958 by Herb Newman and Lou Bedell. Their first big hit was "To Know Him Is To Love Him" by The Teddy Bears, written by Phil Spector who was a member of the group. Among the early staff...
(Teddy Bears, Jan & Dean, Hudson & LandryHudson & LandryHudson & Landry were an American comedy team who wrote and recorded four gold albums on the Dore Records label in the 1970s: "Hanging In There" , "Losing Their Heads" , "Right Off" , and "The Weird Kingdom"...
) - Happy Tiger RecordsHappy Tiger RecordsHappy Tiger Records was an independent American record label that was owned by the Flying Tiger Line air freight company. Happy Tiger only operated from 1969 to 1971, but during this time managed to produce more than two dozen albums by such notable artists as Count Basie, Mason Proffit, Red...
(Mason ProffitMason ProffitMason Proffit was a folk rock band from Chicago, Illinois that released five albums between 1969 and 1973.-History:Brothers Terry Talbot and John Michael Talbot played together in several local bands around Indianapolis, Indiana and later in Chicago...
, ThemThem (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...
) - Monogram Records (Chris MontezChris MontezChris Montez , is an American singer.-Early life:Montez grew up in Hawthorne, California, influenced by the Latino-flavored music of his community and the success of Ritchie Valens....
, Kathy YoungKathy YoungKathy Young is an American teen pop singer during early 1960s, whose rendition, at age 15, of "A Thousand Stars", rose to No. 3 on Billboard Hot 100....
) - RTV
- Trey Records
- Zen Records (Pastel Six)