T-Neck Records
Encyclopedia
T-Neck Records was a record label
founded by The Isley Brothers
in 1964.
It's notable for having the Isleys (O'Kelly
, Rudolph
and Ronald
) becoming the first R&B band to form a record label, a rarity in black music. During the label's early years, the Isleys issued the records "Testify" and "Move Over And Let Me Dance", which showcased a young Jimi Hendrix
on guitar. After those songs failed to chart, the Isleys ended up temporarily folding the label to sign with Motown Records
. After that brief tenure, the Isleys reactivated the label in 1968 and kept churning albums and singles under the name well into the early-1980s finding success in the process.
The label was allowed to be distributed first by Buddah Records
between 1969 and 1972 and then by Epic Records
between 1973 and 1983.
Named after the Isleys' Teaneck, New Jersey
home base, the label was mostly a showcase for their later work as a top-selling group of the 1970s and 1980s. Outside acts signed to the label included Judy White, Baby Cortez, Privilege, the Five Stairsteps, the Sweet Cherries, the Young Tempts (which featured future Temptations
member Damon Harris
as the group's lead singer) and Bloodstone, whose 1982 soul
ballad, "We Go a Long Way Back", was produced by the Isleys.
The label folded after 1983's Between the Sheets but continue to show up on the back covers of later Isley Brothers records such as 1996's Mission to Please
and 2003's Body Kiss
. T-Neck's back catalog (pre-1983), in the meanwhile, are currently controlled by SonyBMG via Epic Records/Legacy Recordings
.
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,...
founded by The Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers are a highly influential, successful and long-running American music group consisting of different line-ups of six brothers, and a brother-in-law, Chris Jasper...
in 1964.
It's notable for having the Isleys (O'Kelly
O'Kelly Isley, Jr.
O'Kelly Isley, Jr. , better known as Kelly Isley, was an American singer and one of the founding members of the legendary family group, The Isley Brothers.-Biography:...
, Rudolph
Rudolph Isley
Rudolph Bernard Isley , better known as Rudy Isley, is an American singer-songwriter and is one of the founding members of the legendary family group, The Isley Brothers.-Biography:...
and Ronald
Ronald Isley
Ronald Isley is an American singer and is known as the lead singer and founding member of the family music group The Isley Brothers.-Career:...
) becoming the first R&B band to form a record label, a rarity in black music. During the label's early years, the Isleys issued the records "Testify" and "Move Over And Let Me Dance", which showcased a young Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
on guitar. After those songs failed to chart, the Isleys ended up temporarily folding the label to sign with Motown Records
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
. After that brief tenure, the Isleys reactivated the label in 1968 and kept churning albums and singles under the name well into the early-1980s finding success in the process.
The label was allowed to be distributed first by Buddah Records
Buddah Records
Buddah Records was founded in 1967 in New York City. The label was born out of Kama Sutra Records, an MGM Records-distributed label, which remained a key imprint following Buddah's founding...
between 1969 and 1972 and then by Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
between 1973 and 1983.
Named after the Isleys' Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
home base, the label was mostly a showcase for their later work as a top-selling group of the 1970s and 1980s. Outside acts signed to the label included Judy White, Baby Cortez, Privilege, the Five Stairsteps, the Sweet Cherries, the Young Tempts (which featured future Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
member Damon Harris
Damon Harris
Damon Harris is a three-time Grammy Award-winning African-American soul and R&B singer. He is most notable as a member of The Temptations from 1971 to 1975. Twenty years old when he joined the group, Harris was the youngest member of The Temptations during his tenure in the group...
as the group's lead singer) and Bloodstone, whose 1982 soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
ballad, "We Go a Long Way Back", was produced by the Isleys.
The label folded after 1983's Between the Sheets but continue to show up on the back covers of later Isley Brothers records such as 1996's Mission to Please
Mission to Please
Mission to Please is a 1996 album by The Isley Brothers on Island Records. This album was a return to commercial glory for the band in the years following their last platinum-certified album, 1983's Between the Sheets as it also was certified platinum based on the strength of the charted singles...
and 2003's Body Kiss
Body Kiss
Body Kiss is the twenty-ninth studio album by The Isley Brothers on the DreamWorks label. Almost solely written, arranged, composed and produced by longtime collaborator R...
. T-Neck's back catalog (pre-1983), in the meanwhile, are currently controlled by SonyBMG via Epic Records/Legacy Recordings
Legacy Recordings
Legacy Recordings is Sony Music Entertainment's catalog division. It was founded in 1990 by CBS Records under the leadership of Jerry Shulman, Richard Bauer, Gary Pacheco and Amy Herot to handle reissues of recordings from the vast catalogues of Columbia Records, Epic Records and associated...
.