Soma Records (U.S. label)
Encyclopedia
Soma Records was an American record company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota
, and owned by wholesale record distributor Amos Heilicher. The Soma name was "Amos" spelled backwards. Heilicher, along with his brother Danny, was also in the jukebox
business and owned the Musicland
chain of retail music stores. Started in 1957, Soma began mainly recording polka
music, old-time, country and western
and jazz
groups. Their first hit was Bobby Vee
's 1959 "Suzie Baby", which was a giant regional smash before Liberty Records
bought up the master and issued it nationally.
Among hits released by Soma were "Mule Skinner Blues
" by The Fendermen
, "Liar, Liar" by The Castaways
, "Run, Run, Run" by The Gestures
and "Surfin' Bird
" by The Trashmen
. The last record was on the Garrett label and was distributed by Soma. George Garrett was an engineer who ran the board on many Soma recordings. Soma recorded many local and regional rock groups during the 1960s, including The Accents, Gregory Dee and The Avanties, The Underbeats, and The Del Counts, as well as distributing other smaller labels (Garrett, Bangar, Golden Ring, Studio City to name a few). Country singer Dave Dudley
's first album containing his biggest hit "Six Days on the Road
" was released on Golden Ring records in 1963 and distributed by Soma until Mercury Records
bought the rights.
Heilicher had some ownership in the local studio "Kay Bank", where most of Soma's recordings were made.
The Soma label continued releasing recordings until 1967, when the co-owned record distributing company was merged into Pickwick Records
.http://web.archive.org/web/20091022043243/http://geocities.com/marcapreguntas/soma.htm
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, and owned by wholesale record distributor Amos Heilicher. The Soma name was "Amos" spelled backwards. Heilicher, along with his brother Danny, was also in the jukebox
Jukebox
A jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that will play a patron's selection from self-contained media...
business and owned the Musicland
Musicland
The Musicland Group, Inc. was an entertainment company which ran Sam Goody, Suncoast Motion Picture Company and the Media Play Superstore Chain. Musicland filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in January 2006. Trans World Entertainment which runs FYE, and sells CDs, DVDs, and video games, purchased...
chain of retail music stores. Started in 1957, Soma began mainly recording polka
Polka
The polka is a Central European dance and also a genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas. It originated in the middle of the 19th century in Bohemia...
music, old-time, 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
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...
groups. Their first hit was Bobby Vee
Bobby Vee
Robert Thomas Velline , known as Bobby Vee, is an American pop music singer. According to Billboard magazine, Vee has had 38 Hot 100 chart hits, 10 of which hit the Top 20.-Career:...
's 1959 "Suzie Baby", which was a giant regional smash before Liberty Records
Liberty Records
Liberty Records was a United States-based record label. It was started by chairman Simon Waronker in 1955 with Al Bennett as president and Theodore Keep as chief engineer. It was reactivated in 2001 in the United Kingdom and had two previous revivals.-1950s:...
bought up the master and issued it nationally.
Among hits released by Soma were "Mule Skinner Blues
Mule Skinner Blues
"Mule Skinner Blues" is a classic country song written by Jimmie Rodgers; "George Vaughn" is sometimes listed as co-author; the name is a pseudonym for Vaughn Horton, who wrote Bill Monroe's "New Mule Skinner Blues" the second version recorded by Monroe.The song was first recorded by Rodgers in...
" by The Fendermen
The Fendermen
The Fendermen were a pop/rockabilly duo in the early 1960s.At the time The Fendermen formed, the group was primarily composed of Jim Sundquist , and Phil Humphrey...
, "Liar, Liar" by The Castaways
The Castaways
The Castaways are an American garage rock band from the Twin Cities in Minnesota.Their first and only hit single was "Liar, Liar". Written by band leader James Donna and Denny Craswell, produced by Timothy D. Kehr and released by Soma Records, it reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in...
, "Run, Run, Run" by The Gestures
The Gestures
The Gestures were a teenage American rock group based out of Mankato, Minnesota.They are primarily known for their chart hit "Run, Run, Run" from the fall of 1964...
and "Surfin' Bird
Surfin' Bird
"Surfin' Bird" is a song performed by the American surf rock band The Trashmen; it is also the name of the album that featured this hit single. It was released in 1963 and reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100...
" by The Trashmen
The Trashmen
The Trashmen are a rock and roll band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1962. The group's original lineup was Tony Andreason on lead guitar and vocals, Dal Winslow on guitar and vocals, Steve Wahrer on drums and vocals, and Bob Reed on bass guitar...
. The last record was on the Garrett label and was distributed by Soma. George Garrett was an engineer who ran the board on many Soma recordings. Soma recorded many local and regional rock groups during the 1960s, including The Accents, Gregory Dee and The Avanties, The Underbeats, and The Del Counts, as well as distributing other smaller labels (Garrett, Bangar, Golden Ring, Studio City to name a few). Country singer Dave Dudley
Dave Dudley
Dave Dudley , born David Darwin Pedruska, was an American country music singer best-known for his truck-driving country anthems of the 1960s and 1970s and his semi-slurred baritone. His signature song was "Six Days on the Road," and he is also remembered for "Vietnam Blues," "Truck Drivin'...
's first album containing his biggest hit "Six Days on the Road
Six Days on the Road
"Six Days on the Road" is an American song written by Muscle Shoals Sound Studio songwriter Carl Montgomery and Earl Green, made originally famous by country music singer Dave Dudley...
" was released on Golden Ring records in 1963 and distributed by Soma until Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
bought the rights.
Heilicher had some ownership in the local studio "Kay Bank", where most of Soma's recordings were made.
The Soma label continued releasing recordings until 1967, when the co-owned record distributing company was merged into Pickwick Records
Pickwick Records
Pickwick Records was an American record label and distributor known for its budget album releases of sound-alike recordings, bargain bin reissues and repackagings under the brands Design, Bravo , Hurrah, Grand Prix, and children's records on the Cricket and Happy Time labels.The label is also...
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