Philo Records was founded in 1973 by half-brothers Bill Schubart and Michael Couture to record and distribute folk

Folk music

Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....

 and traditional music

Traditional music

Traditional music is the term increasingly used for folk music that is not contemporary folk music. More on this is at the terminology section of the World music article...

. Over the course of its nine-year history, before its sale to Rounder Records

Rounder Records

Rounder Records, originally of Cambridge, Massachusetts, but now based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is a record label founded in 1970 by Ken Irwin, Bill Nowlin and Marian Leighton-Levy, while all three were still university students...

 in 1982, Philo produced roughly 100 albums of folk, traditional, and later, 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...

, world, and new music from a converted barn-studio in North Ferrisburg, Vermont

Vermont

Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...

. Philo’s allure to many established and emerging artists was its policy of giving them full control over their productions and repertoire.

The Beginning

Philo Records (as distinct from the Philo Records founded in California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

 in 1945 by Eddie, Leo and Ira Messner, a jazz and R&B label) was founded in 1973 in a barn in North Ferrisburg, Vermont by half-brothers Bill Schubart and Michael Couture. The two brothers shared a love of eclectic music and Couture was himself a performing musician, while Schubart had long dabbled in recording various folk and classical groups. Schubart bought a vacant dairy barn on eight acres in 1969 that had been recently used to raise pigs, steam-cleaned it and elicited the help of an architect friend, Arthur Norcross, to create a home recording studio

Recording studio

A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...

. The studio opened as Earth Audio Techniques in 1972, Schubart and Couture founded Philo Records

Philo Records

Philo Records was a short-lived record label founded in 1945 by the brothers Eddie, Leo, and Ira Messner. Later its name changed to Aladdin Records. There was another Philo Records, founded by Bill Schubart and Michael Couture in Vermont. It is still active under the ownership of Rounder Records....

 to produce and distribute some of the music they had recorded at Earth Audio.
The first two releases in 1973 were Philo 1000 The UVM Choral Union performing The Psalmody and Fuguing tunes of Justin Morgan (of Morgan Horse fame) and Philo 2000 Louis Beaudoin, the soon to become renowned French-Canadian fiddler. These two releases loosely defined the 1000 series of more popular releases and the 2000 series that was more strictly roots or traditional music. In 1979, the 9000 series was added to include jazz, world and new music releases.

Philo’s aesthetic hallmark was its artist-centered culture. The prevailing industry employment of A&R (artists & repertoire) executives whose choose material, hire arrangers and sidemen, and then oversee the production of market-ready music was never adopted at Philo. Schubart and Couture chose musicians, not for only their renown, but for their ability to perform live outside the studio. They often opted to record unknown artists whose work they respected and gave them full control over their own production and choice of sidemen. Their goal was to capture on LP the artist’s own vision of their music. There was no proscribed company vision. This, of course, cut both ways. The company produced a number of releases that received significant critical acclaim but sold only a few hundred copies. It also led to considerable success and the debut of a number of new faces in the folk, traditional and, later, new music fields such as: Tom Mitchell, Kilimanjaro, Mary McCaslin

Mary McCaslin

Mary McCaslin is an American folk singer who wrote, recorded and performs contemporary folk music. She recorded primarily for Philo Records and traveled and performed with her husband, Jim Ringer....

 and Jim Ringer

Engineers

Resident engineers included co-founders Michael Couture and Bill Schubart, and also Chas Eller and David Green. Gregg Lamping served as the technical engineer.

Artists

Philo’s better known artists included Mary McCaslin, Jim Ringer, Jean Carignan (Canada), Dave van Ronk, Rosalie Sorrels, Jean Redpath, The Boys of the Lough, Utah Phillips, The New Black Eagle Jazz Band, Bill Staines, Kilimanjaro, Patty Larkin, and Nancy Griffith.

Bought by Rounder Records

Rounder Records

Rounder Records, originally of Cambridge, Massachusetts, but now based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is a record label founded in 1970 by Ken Irwin, Bill Nowlin and Marian Leighton-Levy, while all three were still university students...

In 1979, the music industry suffered major losses from piracy and the collapse of the two-tier distribution system. In that year, Philo saw two of its major distributors fail and the significant loss of receivables triggered a chapter 11 filing under which Philo sought bankruptcy protection. The label limped along for two and a half more years continuing to pay down its debts and then sold itself to Rounder Records

Rounder Records

Rounder Records, originally of Cambridge, Massachusetts, but now based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is a record label founded in 1970 by Ken Irwin, Bill Nowlin and Marian Leighton-Levy, while all three were still university students...

 which assumed the label name and catalog of artists.
Rounder proved to be a good steward, keeping many of the albums available and converting many to the then-new CD format. Rounder added other well-known artists to the roster including: Ray Wylie Hubbard

Ray Wylie Hubbard

Ray Wylie Hubbard is an American Texas Country singer and songwriter.-Early life:Hubbard grew up in southeastern town of Hugo, Oklahoma. His family moved to Oak Cliff in south Dallas, Texas in 1954. He attended W. H. Adamson High School with Michael Martin Murphey, who had his own band at the time...

, Ellis Paul

Ellis Paul

Ellis Paul is an American singer-songwriter and folk musician. Born in Aroostook County, Maine, Paul is a key figure in what has become known as the Boston school of songwriting, a literate, provocative and urbanely romantic folk-pop style that helped ignite the folk revival of the 1990s...

, Bill Morrissey

Bill Morrissey

Bill Morrissey was an American folk singer/songwriter from New Hampshire. Many of his songs reflect the harsh realities of life in crumbling New England mill towns.-Career:Morrissey was born in Hartford, Connecticut...

, Iris Dement

Iris DeMent

Iris DeMent is an American singer and songwriter. DeMent's musical style encompasses the genres country and folk music.-Early life:...

, Carrie Newcomer

Carrie Newcomer

Carrie Newcomer is an American singer and songwriter.-Early life and education:Carrie Newcomer was born in Dowagiac, Michigan, and raised in Elkhart, Indiana. She attended Goshen College and received a B.A...

, Christine Lavin

Christine Lavin

Christine Lavin is a New York City-based singer-songwriter and promoter of contemporary folk music. She has recorded numerous solo albums, and has also recorded with other female folk artists under the name Four Bitchin' Babes...

, Vance Gilbert

Vance Gilbert

Vance Gilbert is an American folk singer/songwriter. He started out as a jazz singer, then switched to folk music, performing on the open mike circuit in Boston. His career took off when he toured with Shawn Colvin. He has recorded eight albums, including Side of the Road, a duo album with friend...

 and Cliff Eberhardt

Cliff Eberhardt

Cliff Eberhardt is an American folk singer-songwriter. He is a founding member of the Fast Folk Music Cooperative in New York City. Eberhardt joined Red House Records in 1997 and has recorded five albums for the label, the most recent in 2009, 500 Miles: The Blue Rock Sessions...

. In the continuing consolidation of a collapsing music media industry, Rounder itself was sold to Concord Music Group

Concord Music Group

Concord Music Group is a record company owned by Village Roadshow formed in 2004 by the merger of Concord Records and Fantasy Records. In 2005, the company acquired the classics and jazz label Telarc International. On December 18, 2006, Concord announced the re-launch of the soul label Stax;...

in April 2010.

Master List / Discography

Philo 1000 Vermont Harmony I: UVM Choral Union , arr. Dr. James Chapman (1973)

Philo 1001 Margaret MacArthur

Philo 1002 Craig Morton: The Liverpool Judies (1973)

Philo 1003 Jim Brewer, 1974

Philo 1004 Utah Phillips: Good Though (1973)

Philo 1005 Owen McBride: Fiddler’s Green

Philo 1006 10th Annual Old Time Fiddlers Conference at Craftsbury (1973)

Philo 1007 Lazy Bill Lucas

Philo 1008 Kenny Hall (1974)

Philo 1010 Eric & Marty Nagler (Beers family)

Philo 1011 Mary McCaslin: Way Out West (1974)

Philo 1012 Jim Ringer: Good to Get Home (1974)

Philo 1013 Billy Vanaver and Livia Drapkin

Philo 1014 Priscilla Herdman: the Water Lily

Philo 1015 Bodie Wagner

Philo 1016 Utah Phillips: Good Though

Philo 1017 Glenn Ohrlin: Cowboy Songs

Philo 1019 Rev. Baybie Hoover & Virginia Brown

Philo 1020 Sara Cleveland (1975)

Philo 1021 Jim Ringer Any Old Wind (1974)

Philo 1022 Ted Ashlaw: Adirondack Woods Singer

Philo 1023 Jay & Lynn Ungar

Philo 1024 Mary McCaslin: Prairie in the Sky

Philo 1026 The Boys of the Lough: Live at Passim (1975)

Philo 1027 Tom Mitchell (1976)

Philo 1028 National Folk Festival

Philo 1029 Rosalie Sorrels

Philo 1030 Fred Holstein: Chicago & Other Ports (1977)

Philo 1031 Boys of the Lough: Lochaber No More (1976)

Philo 1032 Lew London

Philo Utah Phillips: The Telling Takes Me Home (1976)

Philo 1033 Rosalie Sorrels: Moments of Happiness (1976–77)

Philo 1034 Doris Abrahams: Labor of Love (1976)

Philo 1036 Dave van Ronk: Sunday Street

Philo 1037 Jean Redpath The Songs of Robert Burns Vol. I, arr. Serge Hovey (1976)

Philo 1038 VT Choral Union: Vermont Harmony II, cond. Dr. James Chapman (1976)

Philo 1040 Jay and Lynn Ungar

Philo 1041 Martin Grosswendt: Dog on a Dance Floor (1979)

Philo 1042 Boys of the Lough: The Piper’s Broken Finger

Philo 1044 Bill Lucas

Philo 1045 John Lutz

Philo 1046 Mary McCaslin: Old Friends (1977)

Philo 1047 Jim Ringer: Tramps & Hawkers (1977)

Philo 1048 Jean Redpath: Songs of Robert Burns Vol. II, arr. Serge Hovey (1980)

Philo 1049 Rosalie Sorrels

Philo 1050 Utah Phillips The Telling Takes Me Home(1979)

Philo 1051 The Boys of the Lough

Philo 1052 Eric von Schmidt: Champagne Don’t Hurt Me Baby

Philo 1053 Huxtable, Christensen & Hood: Wallflowers (1980)

Philo 1054 Jean Redpath: Song of the Seals (1978)

Philo 1055 Jim Ringer & Mary McCaslin: The Bramble and the Rose

Philo 1056 Do’a Light Upon Light (1978)

Philo 1058 Winnie Winston: Steel Wool

Philo 1061 Jean Redpath: Father Adam

Philo 1062 VT Choral Union: An Early New England Christmas (1978)

Philo 1065 Dave van Ronk (1979)

Philo 1066 Jean Redpath Lowlands

Philo 1068 Jean Redpath, Lisa Neustadt & The Angel Band: Shout for Joy

Philo 1071 Jean Redpath: The Songs of Robert Burns Vol. III arr. Serge Hovey

Philo 1072 Jean Redpath: The Songs of Robert Burns Vol. IV arr by Serge Hovey

Philo 1075 Mary McCaslin: the Best of… (1981)

Philo 1076 Utah Phillips: unreleased (1983)

Philo 1078 Robert J. Lurtsema: Christmas Stories

Philo 1079 Mason Daring

Philo Bill Staines (1981)

Philo 1082 Jean Redpath w Abby Newton: Haydn Scottish Songs

Philo 1086 The New Black Eagle Jazz Band: At Symphony Hall (1982)

Philo 1087 Patty Larkin: I’m Fine // Redpath?

Philo PHC 1091 Jim Ringer & Mary McCaslin: Bramble and the Rose (1978)

Philo 1092 Jon Gailmor

Philo 1093 Jean Redpath : The Songs of Robert Burns Vol. V, arr. Serge Hovey (1983-4)

Philo 1096 Nanci Griffith: Once in a Very Blue Moon

Philo 1097 Nanci Griffith There’s a Light Beyond These Woods

Philo 1099 Mary McCaslin: Sunny California (Leased to Mercury as SRM-1-3772 Produced by Philo)

Philo Patty Larkin: Step Into the Light (1985)

Philo PH 1118 Bill Staines (1987)

Philo Ray Wylie Hubbard Dangerous Spirits

Philo Maura O’Connell: Just in Time 1988

Philo Nanci Griffith: Last of the True Believers (1986)

Philo Ray Wylie Hubbard Crusdaes of the Restless Knight

Philo Ray Wylie Hubbard Eternal & Lowdown

Philo Ray Wylie Hubbard Delirium Tremolos (2005)

Philo 9000 Do’a Ornament of Hope (digital)

Philo 9001 Kilimanjaro (1980)

Philo 9002 Lar Duggan: The Lake Studies (1980)

Philo 9003 Laurie Spiegel: The Expanding Universe (1977)

Philo 9004 Do’a Ancient Beauty (1981)

Philo 9005 Kilimanjaro II

Philo 9006 Ancient Future

Philo 9007 Tony Vacca & Tim Moran w Don Cherry: City Spirits (1985)

Philo 9008 Elements with Mark Egan and Danny Gottlieb

Philo 9009 Do’a: Companions of the Crimson Ark

Philo 2000 Louis Beaudoin

Philo 2001 Jean Carignan

Philo 2002 Henri Landry

Philo 2003 Pilippe Bruneau

Philo 2004 Joe Heaney

Philo 2005 John McGreevy and Seamus Cooley (1974)

Philo 2006 Philippe Bruneau: Danses pour veillées canadiennes

Philo 2007 La Famille Verret

Philo 2008 Joe Heaney

Philo 2009 Collection Québécoise

Philo 2012 Jean Carignan

Philo 2013 La Bolduc

Philo 2014 Jean d’Arc Charlebois (1975)

Philo 2015 Jean Redpath: First Flight

Philo 2018 Jean Carignan

Philo 2019 Shetland Fiddling

Philo 2022 La Famille Beaudoin

Philo 41069 Lil Labbe

Philo 01DT Mary McCaslin/ Jim Ringer Live at the Bottom Line

EP 001 The Decentz

Philo 41067 Norwegian Fiddling

Fretless 114 Papa John Kolstad & Wildman Turk: Beans Taste Fine

Fretless 115 Peter & John Isaacson

Fretless 119 Rodney & Randy Miller: Castles in the Airs (1975)

Fretless FR 134 Lui Collins Made in New England (1978)

Fretless 138: Lisa Neustadt & the Angel Band: Angels Hovering Round

Fretless: 154 Lisa Neustadt & the Angel Band: Anywhere is Home