Editing Bellmark Records (section)

{{short description|American independent record label}}
'''Bellmark Records''' was a small [[United States|American]] [[independent record label]], based in [[Los Angeles, California]].<ref name="reynolds">{{cite magazine |last1=Reynolds |first1=J.R. |title=Al Bell Turns Bellmark into a 'Beautiful Experience' |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TAgEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22bellmark+records%22&pg=RA1-PA74 |access-date=2021-04-14 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=May 21, 1994 |pages=1, 74}}</ref> It was formed in 1989 by [[Al Bell]], who was one of the driving forces behind [[Stax Records]], having been its chairman and CEO, and who had also been president of [[Motown Records]].<ref name="reynolds"/> The company's name was derived from the phrase "Al Bell Marketing".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Haring|first1=Bruce|date=September 21, 1993|title=A Soul Man from the '60s Is Back in the Groove Again|page=F1|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-09-21-ca-37603-story.html|access-date=April 15, 2021}}</ref> Initially, Bellmark's records were distributed by [[CEMA (record label distributor)|CEMA]], but the company switched to independent distribution in 1991.<ref name="reynolds"/>

The Bellmark Records organization included the Bellmark Records label itself, which was intended to be used for gospel and spiritual music, as well as the Life Records imprint, which was intended for other genres of African-American music; however, the overall manufacturing and marketing arm of the corporation went by the "Bellmark" name.<ref name="reynolds"/> Bellmark also had manufacturing, marketing, and distribution arrangements with a variety of labels, among them TMR Records.<ref name="nathan">{{cite magazine |last1=Nathan |first1=David |title=Industry Vet Bell Marks a Whoomp!-ing Good Year |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=January 8, 1994 |page=20}}</ref> Bell said in a 1994 profile that he wanted to emphasize "positive, fun, entertaining party music".<ref name="nathan"/>

The biggest hit records distributed by Bellmark were "[[Dazzey Duks]]" by [[Duice]], on the TMR label, which was certified [[RIAA_certification#Singles|double platinum]]; "[[Whoomp! (There It Is)]]" by [[Tag Team (group)|Tag Team]], on the Life label, which was certified [[RIAA_certification#Singles|quadruple platinum]]; and "[[The Most Beautiful Girl in the World (Prince song)|The Most Beautiful Girl in the World]]" by [[Prince (musician)|Prince]], on the NPG label.<ref name="reynolds"/> When Prince secured permission from [[Warner Bros. Records]] to release the latter song independently, [[Levi Seacer]], president of Prince's [[NPG Records]], arranged with Bellmark to distribute "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" as a single, as well as ''[[The Beautiful Experience]]'', an EP of remixes of the song.<ref name="reynolds"/> "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" was a #3 hit in the U.S. on the [[Billboard Hot 100]] and was certified [[RIAA_certification#Singles|gold]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Whitburn |first1=Joel |title=The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits |date=2010 |publisher=Billboard Books |location=New York |isbn=9780823085545 |page=526 |edition=rev. & expanded 9th}}</ref> "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" was Prince's last top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 of his lifetime.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Trust |first1=Gary |title=Prince, Breaking Records, Turns the Hot 100 Purple |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=May 14, 2016 |page=3}}</ref>

Some of Bellmark's [[gospel music|gospel]] artists received Grammy nominations: [[The Rance Allen Group]] was nominated for [[Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album|Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album]] for ''Phenomenon'' (1991),<ref>{{cite magazine |title=34th Annual Grammy Awards Final Nominations|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=January 18, 1992 |page=15}}</ref> [[Walter Hawkins]] and the Hawkins Family were nominated for [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album|Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album]] for ''New Dawning'' (1996),<ref name="39th">{{cite magazine |title=39th Annual Grammy Awards: Final Nominations|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=January 18, 1997 |pages=84, 85}}</ref> and the [[Edwin Hawkins]] Music & Arts Seminar was nominated for [[Grammy Award for Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album|Best Gospel Album by a Choir or Chorus]] for ''All Things Are Possible'' (1996).<ref name="39th"/><ref>{{cite book |last1=O'Neil |first1=Thomas |title=The Grammys |date=1999 |publisher=Berkley |location=New York |isbn=0399524770 |page=629}}</ref>

In 1994, Bellmark collaborated with [[Walt Disney Records]] on an album titled ''Mickey Unrapped'', which featured parodies of rap songs, among them "Whoomp! (There It Went)", performed by Tag Team with Disney characters.<ref name="rosen">{{cite magazine |last1=Rosen |first1=Craig |title=Mickey, Tag Team Are New Disney/Bellmark Rap Team |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=August 20, 1994 |pages=4, 18}}</ref> This was the first time Walt Disney Records had collaborated with another record label on a non-soundtrack release.<ref name="rosen"/>

In 1997, Bellmark Records filed for bankruptcy.<ref name="oneill">{{cite web |last1=O'Neill |first1=Stephen |last2=Glorioso |first2=Alessandra |title=Whoomp! There It Is: A Copyright Judgment Creditor's Final Recovery |url=https://thetmca.com/whoomp-there-it-is-a-copyright-judgment-creditors-final-recovery/ |website=TheTMCA |publisher=[[Dorsey & Whitney]] |access-date=2021-04-14 |date=October 13, 2017}}</ref> As a result, DM Records, Inc. purchased substantially all of Bellmark’s assets for $166,000 in 1999.<ref name="oneill"/><ref>[https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-5th-circuit/1687394.html In re Isbell Records, Inc.], No. 13–40878 (5th Cir. 2014).</ref>