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{{short description|US record label; imprint of ABC Records, Inc.}} {{For|the unrelated record label of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC Music}} {{Infobox record label <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Music --> | name = ABC Records | image = [[File:ABC Records logo.png|100px|class=skin-invert]] | image_size = 100px | parent = [[American Broadcasting Company]] | founded = {{start date and age|1955}} | founder = | defunct = {{end date and age|1979}} | status = Sold to [[MCA Records]]: Defunct | distributor = Self-distributed (US), [[EMI]] (international), [[Anchor Records]] (UK), [[Sparton Records]] (Canada), [[Polydor Records]] (Canada), [[GRT Records|GRT]] (Canada) | genre = Various | country = United States | location = New York City | url = }} '''ABC Records''' was an American record label founded in [[New York City]] in 1955. It originated as the main popular music label operated by the Am-Par Record Corporation. Am-Par also created the [[Impulse! Records|Impulse!]] jazz label in 1960. It acquired many labels before ABC was sold to [[MCA Records]] in 1979. ABC produced music in a variety of genres: [[Pop music|pop]], [[Rock and roll|rock]], [[jazz]], [[Country music|country]], [[rhythm and blues]], [[Soundtrack album|soundtrack]], [[Gospel music|gospel]], and [[polka]]. In addition to producing records, ABC licensed masters from independent record producers, and purchased regionally released records for national distribution. The label was initially called '''Am-Par Records''' (1955), but quickly changed to '''ABC-Paramount Records''' (1955–1966), and then renamed '''ABC Records''' in 1966.<ref name=":1">{{Cite magazine|date=September 24, 1955|title=Am-Par Alters Label Name to ABC-Param't|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DCMEAAAAMBAJ&q=Am-Par+records+billboard+1955&pg=PA11|magazine=Billboard|pages=11}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine|date=June 18, 1966|title=ABC-Paramount Is Now abc Records|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0igEAAAAMBAJ&q=ABC+Records+1966+billboard&pg=PA3|magazine=Billboard|pages=3}}</ref> ==History== ===Background=== In the 1940s and early 1950s, the [[Federal Communications Commission]] took action against the [[antitrust|Anti-competitive practices]] of movie studios and broadcasting companies, forcing the [[Radio Corporation of America]] (RCA) to sell the [[Blue Network]], the sister network of [[NBC Red Network]], in 1943. The Blue Network was purchased by [[Edward J. Noble]], who changed the company's name to the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in 1946. In 1953, ABC merged with [[United Paramount Theatres]], the divested former exhibition/cinema division of [[Paramount Pictures]], with the newly-merged corporation, [[American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres]] (AB-PT) chaired by former Paramount Theaters executive [[Leonard Goldenson]] and headquartered at [[1501 Broadway]] in New York City, above the Paramount Theater in [[Times Square]].<ref name="Kahn">{{cite book|last1=Kahn|first1=Ashley|title=The House That Trane Built: The Story of Impulse Records|date=2006|publisher=Granta|location=London|isbn=1-86207-646-4|pages=15–16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KsLLDAAAQBAJ&q=federal+antitrust+actions+taken+against+the+movie+studios+and+broadcasting+companies+in+the+1940s+and+early+1950s.&pg=PT585|title=The Movie Business Book|last=Squire|first=Jason E.|date=August 5, 2016|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=9781317221593|language=en}}</ref> ===ABC-Paramount Records=== [[File:ABCParamount78rpmlabelandsleeve.jpg|right|thumb|ABC Paramount 78rpm record and original sleeve]] American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres formed a records division, incorporating the Am-Par Record Corporation on {{dts|1955|6|14}} with Samuel H. Clark as its first president.<ref name=bb>{{cite news|title=ABC: Brief History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kCkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA43 |publisher=Billboard |date=September 12, 1970 |access-date=September 9, 2011|pages=abc2–abc3}}</ref><ref name=nysc>{{cite web|title=Entity Information: ABC Records, INC.|url=http://appext20.dos.ny.gov/corp_public/CORPSEARCH.ENTITY_INFORMATION?p_nameid=125168&p_corpid=103889&p_entity_name=ABC%20Records%2C%20Inc&p_name_type=%25&p_search_type=BEGINS&p_srch_results_page=0|website=Corporation & Business Entity Database|publisher=New York State Division of Corporations|access-date=April 6, 2015}}</ref> By August 1955, the unit was organized with AMPCO ([[ASCAP]]) and PAMCO ([[Broadcast Music, Inc.|BMI]]) as subsidiary publishing units.<ref name=bb1>{{cite news |title=ABC-Paramount Through the Years |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/60s/1965/Billboard%201965-09-18.pdf |access-date=November 15, 2018 |work=Billboard |issue=38 |date=September 18, 1965 |volume=77 |page=32}}</ref> Though the record label was established as Am-Par, no records were released until after the division's name was changed to ABC-Paramount in September 1955.<ref name=":1" /> [[Eydie Gorme]] was the company's first signed artist. The company recorded its first single record, "Sincerely Yours" and "Come Home", both by Gorme. Alec Templeton's "Smart Alec" was the company's first LP recorded, also in September 1955.<ref name=bb1/> One of Gorme's singles was its first release in January 1956.<ref name=bb1/><ref>{{cite news |title=The First Decade|url= https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/60s/1965/Billboard%201965-09-18.pdf |access-date=November 15, 2018 |work=Billboard |issue=38 |date=September 18, 1965 |volume= 77 |page=32}}</ref> "[[Chain Gang (1955 song)|Chain Gang]]" by Bobby Scott in February 1956 was the company's first national hit. George Hamilton IV's "A Rose and a Baby Ruth" single was Am-Paramount's first million-selling single in October 1956.<ref name=bb1/> In 1957, the company had two million-selling singles: in June with "Diana" by Paul Anka and in October with "At the Hop" by Danny & the Juniors. Am-Paramount Records in May 1958 debuted the Apt subsidiary label with its first million-selling single, "Little Star" by the Elegants, released the same month.<ref name=bb1/> [[Chancellor Records]] had Am-Par Record Corporation handle its distribution starting in 1957 and started a trend. Am-Par purchased [[Grand Award Records]] including the newly formed [[Command Records]] label, in 1959.<ref name="bb1" /> The company started a second label for jazz, [[Impulse! Records]], in November 1960.<ref name="bb1" /><ref>{{cite news| last1=Montagne |first1=Renee |title=Impulse Records: 'The House That Trane Built' |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5452186 |access-date=April 11, 2018|work=NPR.org|date=June 6, 2006|language=en}}</ref> Impulse released its first four records in January 1961.<ref name="bb1" /> The company had artists that earned three Grammy Awards in 1960.<ref name="bb1" /> While in January 1961, the company purchased Westminster Records, a classical label. Thus Am-Par Record had a label for each music genre.<ref name="bb1" /> Am-Par Record Corporation was renamed to ABC-Paramount Records, Inc. on December 7, 1961.<ref name=nysc/> The company opened a Los Angeles office in January 1962. [[Ray Charles]] formed Tangerine Records in March 1962 and arranged for ABC-Paramount to distribute Tangerine's records. The company formed Jet Record Distributors based in Long Island City, N.Y. as its local distributor. Also in 1962, the company had acquired Music Guild label and library for Westminster Records.<ref name="bb1" /> In 1965, Clark was promoted to vice-president in charge of AB-PT's non-broadcast operations. National sales manager [[Larry Newton]] was named ABC-Paramount president.<ref name=bb/> On January 4, 1965, vice-president in charge of sales Larry Newton was promoted to president of ABC-Paramount Records. The previous president, Sam Clark was promoted to director of theater operations for American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres. Newton's first action as president was to restart Apt Records as a teen-oriented West Coast base label under Irwin Garr.<ref>{{cite news |title=ABC-Paramount will Reactivate Apt Label |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E0UEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Apt+Records%22++ABC-Paramount+Records&pg=PA3 |access-date=November 15, 2018 |work=Billboard |issue=2 |date=January 9, 1965 |volume = 77|language=en}}</ref> ===Apt Records=== '''Apt Records''' was a sub-label from ABC-Paramount Records. The label was started in 1958 and released only singles until it was shelved in 1966. ABC briefly reactivated Apt twice, in 1969 and 1972, and also used the Apt name on a line of budget-priced 8-track and cassette tapes in 1970.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kCkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA17|title=ABC/Dunhill in Budget Mart|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=1970-09-12}}</ref> The name was derived from ABC-Paramount's parent company, [[American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres]]. Label variants included: *1958-1966: Black label with multi-color logo at top *1965: Black and white label with new logo at left (in conjunction with the above label) *1969-1972: Yellow label with orange APT logo and "abc RECORDS" logo at top ===ABC Records=== In June 1966, the label was renamed ABC Records,<ref name=":0" /> and the company acquired New Deal Record Service Corp., a rack-jobbing and record distribution company, along with its affiliates.<ref>{{cite news |title=ABC-Paramount Is Now abc Records |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0igEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22abc+records%22&pg=PA3 |access-date=January 16, 2019 |work=Billboard |date=June 18, 1966 |page=3 |language=en}}</ref> In 1967, [[Dunhill Records]] was purchased from [[Lou Adler]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Adler made rock history without ever picking up an instrument|url=http://www.goldminemag.com/articles/adler-made-rock-and-roll-history-without-ever-needing-an-instrument|access-date=April 11, 2018|work=Goldmine Magazine|date=June 20, 2013}}</ref> In 1970, ABC and Dunhill moved its headquarters to Los Angeles. Newton was promoted to vice-president in charge of [[ABC Pictures]]. Dunhill co-owner Jay Lasker was named president and referred to the combined operations as ABC/Dunhill. At that time ABC had another five labels: Westminster, Command, Probe, Impulse!, and Bluesway.<ref name=bb0>{{cite news|title=New Home, Face, Philosophy - ABC/Dunhill on 15th Anniversary |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kCkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA43 |publisher=Billboard |via=Books.google.com |date=September 12, 1970 |access-date=September 10, 2011|pages=abc4–abc8}}</ref> At the August 29, 1970 Directors Guild meeting, ABC/Dunhill launched a number of marketing initiatives. The company planned to have writers create a broader music for the catalog market. Imprints [[Probe Records|Probe]] and Apt were relaunched, Probe as a label which held the international rights to ABC's albums and Apt as a label which released budget cassettes and 8-track tapes. Jazz dropped from Impulse!'s cover for a new slogan: "University Series of Fine Recordings" and two new series were launched: Audio Treasury and Westminster Gold for classic and youth fare, respectively.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Tiegel|first1=Eliot|title=New Marketing Approaches Key ABC/Duill 55-LP Meet|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kCkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA17|access-date=April 11, 2018|work=Billboard|date=September 12, 1970|language=en}}</ref> By May 1972, ABC formed the ABC Leisure Group, which included ABC Records, Anchor Records, and ABC Records and Tape Sales, plus a new retail record-store division.<ref>{{cite news|title=ABC Records 73 Sales, Earnings Up from 1972|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bwkEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22ABC+Leisure+Group%22+records&pg=PA8|access-date=April 1, 2015|work=Billboard|issue=19|date=May 11, 1974|volume = 86|pages=8, 80}}</ref> Lasker left ABC to join [[Ariola America Records]] in 1975.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/06/13/obituaries/jay-lasker-recording-executive-65-dies.html |title=Jay Lasker, Recording Executive, 65, Dies |work=The New York Times |date=June 13, 1989 |access-date=September 10, 2011}}</ref> He was succeeded by Jerry Rubinstein, who served as company head until 1977.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i0UEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22abc+records%22%2B+losses&pg=PA4 |magazine=Billboard |page=4 |title=ABC Records 2B Losses |date=December 10, 1977 |access-date=January 19, 2016}}</ref> In November 1972, ABC bought country music company Cartwheel Records.<ref>{{cite news|title=ABC Nove Epitomizes Expansions|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QgkEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22ABC+Leisure+Group%22+records&pg=PA6|access-date=April 7, 2015|work=Billboard|date = 10 August 1974|page=70}}</ref> In 1974, ABC switched British distribution from [[EMI]] to the EMI-distributed [[Anchor Records]], allowing ABC recordings to be issued on the ABC label in the UK, and Anchor records to be distributed by ABC on the Anchor label in the US.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uAcEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22abc+dunhill%22&pg=PT83 |title=ABC, Anchor Deal in U.K.|magazine=Billboard |date=September 21, 1974 |access-date=September 9, 2011}}</ref> Also in 1974, ABC acquired [[Famous Music|Famous Music Records Group]] including Nashville based Dot Records<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kirsch |first1=Bob |title=Famous Labels Bought By ABC |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QgkEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22famous+music%22++++%22abc+records%22&pg=PA1 |access-date=February 19, 2020 |work=Billboard |date=August 10, 1974 |language=en}}</ref> then began releasing ABC country music under the ABC/Dot label until January 1979.<ref name="bb2">{{cite web|title=ABC Buy Boosting Power |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LiUEAAAAMBAJ&q=february+%2B+1979+%2B+billboard |work=Billboard |via=Books.google.com |date=February 10, 1979 |pages=1, 14 |access-date=January 19, 2016}}</ref> In December 1977, [[Don Biederman (attorney)|Don Biederman]] was appointed vice president of legal affairs and administration and Richard Green was appointed vice president of business affairs at ABC Records.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1977-12-31 |title=East Coastings/Points West: 1977 In Review |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1977/CB-1977-12-31.pdf |access-date=2025-02-28 |work=CASHBOX |pages=98}}</ref> As a cost-cutting measure, ABC Records discarded many master tapes in the 1970s to save storage space. When these recordings were reissued on [[compact disc]] in the 1980s, CD versions were often taken from master copies which had less than optimal sound quality.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bsnpubs.com/abc/abcstory.html |title=ABC-Paramount Records Story |publisher=Bsnpubs.com |access-date=September 9, 2011}}</ref> The company's last president, Steve Diener, was named to that job in 1977 after serving as head of ABC Records' international division.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aCQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT89 |magazine=Billboard|title=Inside Track |date=June 18, 1977 |access-date=September 9, 2011}}</ref> Because of financial problems except for its Nashville office, ABC Records was sold on January 31, 1979 to MCA Records with ABC Records being its third label likely under a different name.<ref name="bb2"/> Instead, MCA discontinued ABC Records on March 5, 1979 and<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mEIfDZtsVyAC&q=%22ray+charles%22+%2B+%22abc+records%22&pg=PA194 |title=Billboard's hottest hot 100 hits |year=2003 |page=194 |isbn=9780823077380 |access-date=September 9, 2011|last1=Bronson |first1=Fred }}</ref> albums in the ABC catalog still selling well were reissued on MCA.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bsnpubs.com/abc/abcstory.html |title=ABC-Paramount Records Story |publisher=Bsnpubs.com |access-date=September 9, 2011}}</ref> Diener died in April 2019, aged 80.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/music/news/stephen-i-diener-former-abc-records-president-dead-1203204479/|title=Stephen Diener, Former ABC Records President, Dies at 80|work=Variety|date=May 3, 2019}}</ref> ==Acquisitions== ABC Records sub-labeled Apt to release singles. In the early 1960s, it bought [[Westminster Records|Westminster]], a classical music label. For jazz it created [[Impulse! Records|Impulse!]]. Led by [[Creed Taylor]] and [[Bob Thiele]], Impulse! developed a reputation for innovative releases, including albums by [[John Coltrane]] from 1961 until his death in 1967. ABC created [[Bluesway Records|Bluesway]] for blues music. [[Tangerine Records (1963)|Tangerine]] was formed by [[Ray Charles]] to produce his albums and those he produced. ABC Records bought Dunhill in the summer of 1967, forming ABC Dunhill Records. It also bought [[Don Robey]]'s record labels, including [[Duke Records|Duke]], [[Peacock Records|Peacock]], [[Back Beat Records|Back Beat]], and [[Song Bird Records|Song Bird]] on May 23, 1973. In 1974 ABC bought the [[Famous Music]] record labels from [[Gulf and Western Industries|Gulf and Western]], the parent company of Paramount. This acquisition gave ABC [[Dot Records|Dot]], [[Blue Thumb Records|Blue Thumb]], and a distribution deal with Sire, which released the first album from the [[Ramones]]. ABC purchased all labels from [[Enoch Light]] in October 1959. It acquired [[Audition Records|Audition]], [[Command Records|Command]],<ref name="command">{{cite magazine |title=Command, a Premium Price Label, to Deb |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PQoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA2 |magazine=Billboard |access-date=October 17, 2018 |page=2 |date=August 10, 1959}}</ref> [[Colortone Records|Colortone]], and [[Waldorf Music Hall Records|Waldorf Music Hall]].<ref name="grand">{{cite magazine |title=Am-Par Acquires Grand Award Label |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SwoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA3 |magazine=Billboard |access-date=October 17, 2018 |page=3 |date=October 5, 1959}}</ref> In 1979, ABC was acquired by [[MCA Records|MCA]] for $30 million.<ref name="Kahn" /> It operated briefly as a separate division. MCA was absorbed by the [[Universal Music Group]], which currently distributes recordings for ABC's current sister company, [[Disney Music Group]], worldwide except for Russia. This is not the same ABC Records that operates in Australia, which is run by the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]], although the Ampar label was distributed in Australia in the 1950s and 1960s, first by [[W&G Records]] (1955–60) and then by [[Festival Records (Australia)|Festival]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.milesago.com/Industry/wandg.htm |title=Industry - Record Labels - W&G Records |publisher=Milesago |access-date=September 9, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.globaldogproductions.info/a/ampar-oz-main-festival-series.html |title=45 Discography for Ampar/ABC Paramount Records - OZ |publisher=Globaldogproductions.info |access-date=September 9, 2011}}</ref> Nor is it the sub-label of [[Voiceprint Records|Voiceprint]]. ==ABC-Paramount/ABC Records label variations== * 1955–1961: Black label, "ABC-PARAMOUNT" around top perimeter of label in yellow, red, and blue (repeating in that sequence) Venus medium font, with silver print for singles and the company's name in all white letters in Venus medium and silver print for albums and logo consisting of color spectrum [[Möbius strip]] and white jagged line (representing a sound wave). Bottom perimeter of label reads: "A PRODUCT OF AM-PAR RECORD CORP." * 1961–1966: Same label as above, but disclaimer at bottom of label now reads: "A PRODUCT OF ABC-PARAMOUNT RECORDS, INC." * 1966–1967: Label name now shortened to ABC Records. Black label with large white circle at top with "abc" in black letters and the "Möbius strip and sound wave" logo under the letters. This variant was used only for singles. * 1967–1974: Black label with small white "abc" circle logo in color spectrum box at top (In conjunction with this label, a brief interim label was used from 1973 to 1974 consisting of three children's blocks spelling out ABC and one block with the "abc" logo in a white triangle at the top). * 1974–1978: Yellow, orange, red and purple "sunburst" label with "abc Records" (black "abc" circle logo) between two black lines at top. (Note: The other ABC labels would also adopt this label, such as Dunhill, Dot, Blue Thumb with its logo next to the "abc" logo, and Backbeat and Impulse! with a green background rather than a yellow background, but the circles were the same.) * 1978–1979: Same multi-colored label as above, but with 1/8 note featuring "abc" inside the bottom of the note. Late pressings show "Mfg. & Dist. by MCA Distributing Corp..." at the bottom perimeter, just before the ABC label was discontinued and its artists transferred to MCA. ==Artists associated with ABC Records and its labels== {{div col|colwidth=25em}} * [[Amazing Rhythm Aces]] * [[Paul Anka]] * [[Louis Armstrong]] * [[The Atlantics]] * [[Kevin Ayers]] * [[Florence Ballard]] * [[Count Basie]] * [[Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers]] (US/Canada) * [[Joe Bennett and The Sparkletones]] * [[Stephen Bishop (musician)|Stephen Bishop]] * [[Art Blakey]] * [[Blood, Sweat & Tears]] * [[Bobby Bland]] * [[The Brass Ring]] * [[Tom Bresh]] * [[Charles Brown (musician)|Charles Brown]] * [[Roy Brown (blues musician)|Roy Brown]] * [[Jimmy Buffett]] * [[Solomon Burke]] * [[Shirley Collie Nelson|Shirley Collie]] * [[Carl Carlton]] * [[Betty Carter]] * [[Johnny Carver (musician)]] * [[Ray Charles]] * [[Kvitka Cisyk]] * [[Roy Clark]] * [[Ornette Coleman]] * [[John Coltrane]] * [[John Conlee]] * [[Billy "Crash" Craddock]] * [[Jim Croce]] * [[Crosby and Nash]] * [[Crowfoot (band)|Crowfoot]] * [[The Crusaders (Houston group)|The Crusaders]] * [[Danny & the Juniors]] * [[Dalton and Dubarri]] * [[James Darren]] * [[Billy Davis Jr.]] * [[The Del-Vikings]] * [[The Dells]] * [[Fats Domino]] * [[Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods]] * [[The Dramatics]] * [[The Dubs]] * Duke and the Drivers * [[The Elegants]] * [[Lu Elliott]] * [[Mario Escudero]] * [[Donna Fargo]] * [[Narvel Felts]] * [[Freddy Fender]] * [[Ferrante & Teicher]] * [[Mickie Finn's]] * [[The Floaters]] * [[Frank Fontaine]] * [[Four Tops]] * [[Ferrante & Teicher]] * [[The 5th Dimension]] * [[Lefty Frizzell]] * Gabriel (band) * [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]] (US/Canada) * [[Eydie Gormé]] * [[The Grass Roots]] * [[George Hamilton IV]] * [[Bobby Hammack]] * Christian Harmonizers * [[Richard Harris]] (US/Canada) * [[Coleman Hawkins]] * [[Isaac Hayes]] * [[Roy Head]] * [[Hello People]] * [[Levon Helm]] * [[Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs]] * [[Eddie Holman]] * [[John Lee Hooker]] * [[Freddie Hubbard]] * [[James Gang]] * [[The Impressions]] * [[Jackie and Roy]] * [[Johnny Kidd and the Pirates]] (US/Canada) * [[B.B. King]] * [[Kracker]] * [[Frankie Laine]] * [[Julius La Rosa]] * [[Denise LaSalle]] * [[Yusef Lateef]] * [[Steve Lawrence]] * J B Loyd * [[Eddie Lund]] * [[Barbara Mandrell]] * [[The Mamas and the Papas]] * [[Barry Mann]] * [[Charles Mann (songwriter)|Charles Mann]] * [[Shelly Manne]] * [[Guy Marks]] * [[The Marvelows]] * [[Marilyn McCoo]] * [[Brownie McGhee]] * [[Barry McGuire]] * [[Mighty Clouds of Joy]] * [[Charles Mingus]] * [[The O'Kaysions]] * [[The Oak Ridge Boys]] * [[Tommy Overstreet]] * [[Pavlov's Dog (band)|Pavlov's Dog]] * Paxton Brothers * [[Poco (band)|Poco]] * [[The Pointer Sisters]] * [[The Poni-Tails]] * [[Lloyd Price]] * [[Rare Bird]] * [[Jimmy Reed]] * [[Emitt Rhodes]] * [[Rhythm Heritage]] * [[Cliff Richard]] (US/Canada) * Sue Richards * [[Howard Roberts]] (Impulse!) * [[Tommy Roe]] * [[Sonny Rollins]] * Jeris Ross * [[Royal Teens]] * [[Rufus (band)|Rufus featuring Chaka Khan]] * [[Jimmy Rushing]] * [[John Wesley Ryles]] * [[Sabicas]] * [[Soupy Sales]] * [[The San Lucas Band]] * [[The Sapphires (American band)|The Sapphires]] * [[Bobby Scott (musician)|Bobby Scott]] * [[Jack Scott (singer)|Jack Scott]] * [[Shirley Scott]] * [[The Shadows]] (US/Canada) * [[Archie Shepp]] * [[Beverly Sills]] * [[Smith (band)|Smith]] (featuring [[Gayle McCormick]]) * [[Soft Machine]] (Probe/ABC) * [[Otis Spann]] * [[Arnold Stang]] * [[Dusty Springfield]] (US/Canada) * [[Joe Stampley]] * [[Red Steagall]] * [[Silk (group)|Silk]] * [[Steely Dan]] * Diane Steinberg * [[Steppenwolf (band)|Steppenwolf]] * [[Stepson (band)|Stepson]] * [[Sonny Terry]] * [[B. J. Thomas]] * [[Lucky Thompson]] * [[Three Dog Night]] * [[Buck Trent]] * [[Big Joe Turner|Joe Turner]] * US Radio Band * [[Eddie Vinson]] * [[Bobby Vinton]] * [[T-Bone Walker]] * [[Joe Walsh]] * [[Wha-Koo]] * [[Josh White]] * Chico Williams * [[Lenny Williams]] * [[Jimmy Witherspoon]] * [[Bobby Wright]] * [[O. V. Wright]] * The Ziontones {{div col end}} ==Labels associated with ABC Records== {{div col|colwidth=18em}} * [[20th Century Fox Records]] * Addison Records * [[Anchor Records]] * Apt Records * [[Back Beat Records]] * [[Bigtop Records]] * [[Blue Thumb Records]] * [[Bluesway Records]] * Boom Records * [[Dunhill Records|Buluu Dunhill Records]] * [[Chancellor Records]] * Cimarron Records * [[Colonial Records]] * [[Command Records]] * [[Dot Records]] * [[Duke Records]] * [[Dunhill Records]] * Equinox Records * Fargo Records * [[Grand Award Records]] * [[GTO Records]] * [[Hickory Records]] * Hot Buttered Soul Records * Hunt Records * [[Impulse! Records]] * [[Jerden Records]] * [[LHI Records]] * Montel Records * [[Myrrh Records]] * Oliver Records * [[Passport Records]] * [[Peacock Records]] * [[Probe Records]] * Senate Records * [[Shelter Records]] * [[Sire Records]] * [[Song Bird Records]] * [[Tangerine Records (1963)|Tangerine Records]] * [[Westminster Records]] * Wren Records {{div col end}} ==Management of ABC Records catalog today== The catalogs of ABC Records and its sub-labels are now controlled by Universal Music Group. UMG also distributes Disney Music Group, which is owned by ABC's current parent, [[The Walt Disney Company]], with the following exceptions: * The [[Paul Anka]] ABC-Paramount catalog is controlled by Anka himself. Distribution is done by [[Universal Music Enterprises]] and its Canadian counterpart UMusic. * The [[Jim Croce]] catalog is controlled by the Croce estate and R2M Music, and is distributed by [[BMG Rights Management]]. * The [[Ray Charles]] catalog is controlled by the Charles estate and is currently licensed to [[Concord Records]]. Concord's recordings are distributed by UMG. * The [[Amazing Rhythm Aces]] catalog and the recordings that former [[The 5th Dimension|5th Dimension]] members [[Marilyn McCoo]] and [[Billy Davis Jr.]] made for ABC are controlled by Sony Music. * [[Lawrence Welk]] acquired his Dot recordings (prior to ABC acquiring the label) which were reissued on his [[Ranwood Records]] label.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qwoEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22ranwood+to+release+21+Welk+top+sellers%22&pg=PA3|title=Ranwood to Release 21 Welk Top Sellers |magazine=Billboard |date=April 20, 1968 |access-date=September 9, 2011}}</ref> Like Concord, Ranwood is also distributed by UMG. The following labels manage different genres: * Pop, rock, R&B: Geffen * Jazz: Impulse!, Impulse!/Verve * Country: Universal Music Group Nashville * Classical: Deutsche Grammophon * Musical theater: Decca Broadway These labels also produce releases from labels absorbed into ABC. For example, MCA Nashville's catalog includes country releases on Dot Records. Deutsche Grammophon's catalog includes the Westminster Records catalog, as well as soundtracks released by Dot and Paramount Records. ==See also== * [[American Broadcasting Company]] * [[List of record labels]] ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.bsnpubs.com/abc/abcstory.html The ABC-Paramount Records story] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20120509012104/http://www.globaldogproductions.com/ Singles discography for Apt Records] {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Abc Records}} [[Category:Defunct record labels of the United States]] [[Category:Record labels established in 1955]] [[Category:Record labels disestablished in 1979]] [[Category:American Broadcasting Company]] [[Category:1955 establishments in New York City]]
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