Madison Records
Encyclopedia
Madison Records was a United States
-based record label
. It was also sold in the United Kingdom
through the F.W. Woolworth dime store chain. It was a subsidiary of Grey Gull Records
, produced from 1926
through 1931
(almost a year after the last record on the Grey Gull label was issued). General opinion among the knowledgeable record collectors of this era is that Madison, being sold at Woolworth's, survived for awhile after Grey Gull and their other labels due to fulfilling the Woolworth contract.
Like Grey Gull, Madison records were often poorly recorded and made from the same cheap material. Much of Madison's material duplicates other Grey Gull labels issues, but some material appeared only on Madison. Unlike the other Grey Gull subsidiaries, Madison Records labels and advertising made no reference to the parent company.
Issues include popular dance music and songs of the time, mostly recorded by studio musicians in New York City
. There are a few jazz
sides of interest, as well as some Hawaiian music and Wurlitzer organ solos on Madison records. Audio fidelity, is about average to somewhat below average for the era, pressed in below average quality shellac
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-based record label
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,...
. It was also sold in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
through the F.W. Woolworth dime store chain. It was a subsidiary of Grey Gull Records
Grey Gull Records
Grey Gull Records was a record label based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America from 1919 through 1930. According to the Massachusetts Department of Corporation and Taxation, Grey Gull was officially incorporated on 31 December 1919. It was dissolved on 31 March 1934 Grey Gull...
, produced from 1926
1926 in music
-Events:*January - Blind Lemon Jefferson makes his first recordings.*April 9 - Leopold Stokowski conducts the world premiere of Edgar Varèse's Amériques, with the Philadelphia Orchestra....
through 1931
1931 in music
-Events:*May 21 - RCA Victor's first commercially issued 33⅓ rpm record, "Salon Suite, No. 1" by The Victor Salon Orchestra, directed by Nathaniel Shilkret, was recorded*Roy Rogers' musical career begins*Mary Garden retires from the Chicago Opera...
(almost a year after the last record on the Grey Gull label was issued). General opinion among the knowledgeable record collectors of this era is that Madison, being sold at Woolworth's, survived for awhile after Grey Gull and their other labels due to fulfilling the Woolworth contract.
Like Grey Gull, Madison records were often poorly recorded and made from the same cheap material. Much of Madison's material duplicates other Grey Gull labels issues, but some material appeared only on Madison. Unlike the other Grey Gull subsidiaries, Madison Records labels and advertising made no reference to the parent company.
Issues include popular dance music and songs of the time, mostly recorded by studio musicians 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...
. There are a few jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
sides of interest, as well as some Hawaiian music and Wurlitzer organ solos on Madison records. Audio fidelity, is about average to somewhat below average for the era, pressed in below average quality shellac
Shellac
Shellac is a resin secreted by the female lac bug, on trees in the forests of India and Thailand. It is processed and sold as dry flakes , which are dissolved in ethyl alcohol to make liquid shellac, which is used as a brush-on colorant, food glaze and wood finish...
.