Editing Scepter Records

{{Short description|US record label}}
{{Infobox record label <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Music -->
| name        = Scepter Records
| image       = The Shirelles - I Met Him on A Sunday 1966.jpg
| image_size  = 200px
| parent      = [[Gusto Records]]
| founded     = {{Start date|1959}}
| founder     = [[Florence Greenberg]]
| status      = <!-- leave blank unless "Inactive" or "Defunct" -->
| distributor = <!-- distributors, separate with commas or <br /> -->
| genre       = [[Pop music|Pop]], [[soul music|soul]]
| country     = U.S.
| location    = New York City
| url         = <!-- such as "{{URL|www.atlanticrecords.com}}" -->
}}

'''Scepter Records''' was an American record company founded in 1959 by [[Florence Greenberg]].

==History==
[[Florence Greenberg]] founded Scepter Records from the $4,000 she received after she sold [[Tiara Records]] and [[the Shirelles]] to [[Decca Records]]. When the Shirelles didn't produce any hits for Decca, they were given back to Greenberg, who promptly signed them.<ref name= "Greenberg">{{cite news |last=Thomas |first=Robert McG. Jr. |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1995/11/04/arts/florence-greenberg-82-pop-record-producer.html |title=Florence Greenberg, 82, Pop-Record Producer |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=November 4, 1995 |access-date=January 1, 2019}}</ref>

By 1961, Greenberg had launched a subsidiary, [[Wand Records]]. Through the two labels, she launched the careers of not only the Shirelles, but [[Dionne Warwick]], [[Chuck Jackson]], [[The Kingsmen]], [[B.J. Thomas]], [[Joey Dee]], [[Maxine Brown (soul singer)|Maxine Brown]], [[The Esquires]], [[Tommy Hunt]], [[The Guess Who]], [[Tammi Terrell]], [[The Independents (vocal group)|The Independents]] and [[B. T. Express]], and gave [[The Isley Brothers]] their famous hit "[[Twist and Shout]]', which was later covered by [[The Beatles]]. Other Scepter/Wand subsidiary labels include: Bamboo, Bunky, Cap City, Captain, Citation, Garrison, Jet Stream, Lanie, Madtad, Marlu, Mosaic, Pepper, Realm, Roadshow, Rock'N, Sonday, Spokane, Stop, Tiffany, Toddlin' Town and Treat.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Scepter/Wand Story |url=https://www.bsnpubs.com/scepter/scepterstory.html |access-date=2024-05-12 |website=www.bsnpubs.com}}</ref>

In 1965, Scepter moved its offices to 254 West [[54th Street (Manhattan)|54th Street]] in [[Manhattan]], New York City (a building now famous for housing the legendary [[Studio 54]] [[discothèque|disco]]). The building included warehouse space and its own [[recording studio]]. Though few albums of note were recorded at Scepter Studios, one was the influential [[experimental rock]] album ''[[The Velvet Underground & Nico]]'', much of which was recorded there in April 1966, by engineer John Lakata under the supervision of [[Andy Warhol]] and Norman Dolph.<ref name= "Velvets">{{cite magazine |last=Newman |first=Jason |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/rare-velvet-underground-record-sold-for-25k-up-for-auction-100758/ |title=Rare Velvet Underground Record Sold for $25k Up for Auction |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=May 20, 2014 |access-date=January 1, 2019}}</ref> 
The album was ranked number 13 on ''[[Rolling Stone]]''{{'}}s list of the "[[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|500 Greatest Albums of All Time]]" in 2003, re-positioned to number 23 on the 2020 updated list.<ref name="RS500">{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |issue=937 |date=December 11, 2003 |title=Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938174/the_rs_500_greatest_albums_of_all_time |access-date=July 18, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090104131142/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938174/the_rs_500_greatest_albums_of_all_time/ |archive-date=January 4, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/the-notorious-b-i-g-ready-to-die-3-1063211/ | title=The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time | magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] | date=December 31, 2023 }}</ref> In 2006, it was inducted into the [[National Recording Registry]] by the [[Library of Congress]] for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".<ref>[https://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2007/07-039.html March 6, 2007&nbsp;– Recordings by Historical Figures and Musical Legends Added to the 2006 National Recording Registry] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029210655/http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2007/07-039.html |date=October 29, 2013 }}, News from the Library of Congress, 2006 National Recording Registry&nbsp;– The Library Today (Library of Congress).</ref>

Scepter was one of the earliest record labels to release [[12-inch single]]s intended for the nascent [[disco]] market.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Aletti|first=Vince|date=1975|others=As appear in Tim Lawrence book "Love Saves the Day: A History of American Dance Music Culture, 1970-1979"|title=Disco File column|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qIdH2yR41bIC&q=Vince+Aletti+%22scepter%22&pg=PA213|journal=Record World|isbn=0822385112}}</ref> During this revival of the label during the disco era in the 1970s, the label featured LTG Exchange, [[South Shore Commission]], Ultra High Frequency, [[General Crook (musician)|General Crook]], [[Southside Movement]], Armada Orchestra and Bobby Moore.

The label worked with several music industry notables of the period, [[Marvin Schlachter]] joined Scepter as a partner in 1960, he became overall vice president and later sold his interest in the label in 1969.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=July 26, 1969 |title=Schlachter Is President Of Janus, Pye & GRT's U.S. Disk Operation |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/60s/1969/CB-1969-07-26-OCR-Page-0007.pdf#search=%22schlachter%20scepter%22 |journal=[[Cash Box]] |volume=XXX |issue=52 |pages=7 |quote=Schlachter joins Janus after nine years with Scepter Records, having served as executive vp. He sold his interest in the label to Scepter.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=July 5, 1969 |title=Schlachter Sells Scepter Holdings |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Record-World-IDX/IDX/60s/69/Record-World-1969-07-05-OCR-Page-0003.pdf#search=%22schlachter%20scepter%22 |journal=Record World |pages=3}}</ref> Schlachter then ran several other major labels before opening up [[Prelude Records]] in 1977.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=August 27, 1960 |title=Schlachter Leaves The Cash Box; Joins Scepter Music |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/60s/1960/CB-1960-08-27-OCR-Page-0029.pdf#search=%22schlachter%20scepter%22 |journal=[[Cash Box]] |volume=XXI |issue=50 |page=31 }}</ref> Scepter's main 1960s producer, [[Luther Dixon]], was unparalleled in his field as a songwriter for years.<ref name= "Dixon">{{cite news |last=Leigh |first=Spencer |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/luther-dixon-songwriter-and-producer-responsible-for-a-slew-of-hits-including-16-candles-1844161.html |title=Luther Dixon: Songwriter and producer responsible for a slew of hits including '16 Candles' |work=[[The Independent]] |date=December 18, 2009 |access-date=January 1, 2019}}</ref> It was also at Scepter that [[Burt Bacharach]] came into prominence as a writer and producer. [[Mel Cheren]] joined in 1970 as head of production, and together with the vice president for sales Ed Kushins launched [[West End Records]] in 1976.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mel Cheren on Apple Music |url=https://music.apple.com/us/artist/mel-cheren/24257019 |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Apple Music - Web Player |language=en-US}}</ref> Cheren worked with [[Tom Moulton]] to create some of the [[Twelve-inch single#Discotheque era|first disco remixes]] on Scepter's early 12 inch discs in 1975.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Disco Gold |url=https://acerecords.co.uk/disco-gold |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Ace Records}}</ref>

Greenberg decided to retire from the business in 1976, and sold her record labels to Springboard International. When Springboard went bankrupt, [[Gusto Records]] acquired the catalog. Dionne Warwick arranged to buy her own [[Audio mastering|masters]], and the Kingsmen won control of their masters via a highly publicized lawsuit.

In March 2011, the musical ''[[Baby It's You!]]'', which told the story of Greenberg and the development of Scepter Records, premiered on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] to lukewarm-to-poor reviews.<ref name= "Baby">{{cite news |last=Rooney |first=David |url= https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/baby-you-theater-review-182679 |title='Baby It's You': Theater Review |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=April 27, 2011 |access-date=January 1, 2018}}</ref>

==Roster==
* [[Maxine Brown (soul singer)|Maxine Brown]]
* [[B. T. Express]]
* [[Joey Dee]]
* [[The Esquires]] (Bunky)
*Great Bear
* [[The Guess Who]] ([[Chad Allan & the Expressions|Chad Allan & The Expressions]])
* [[Roy Head]]
* [[Tommy Hunt]]
* Jimmie Raye
* [[The Independents (vocal group)|The Independents]]
* [[The Isley Brothers]]
* [[Chuck Jackson]]
* [[The Kingsmen]]
* [[Loretta Long]]
* LTG Exchange
* [[Merrilee Rush]]
* [[The Shirelles]]
* [[South Shore Commission]]
* [[Tammi Terrell]]
* [[B. J. Thomas]]
* Ultra High Frequency
* [[Dionne Warwick]]
* [[The Rocky Fellers]]
* [[Beverly Bremers]]
* Cooker

==See also==
* [[List of record labels]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.bsnpubs.com/scepter/scepterstory.html The Scepter Records Story]
*[http://www.globaldogproductions.info/s/scepter.html 45 Discography]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:American record labels]]
[[Category:Record labels established in 1959]]
[[Category:Record labels disestablished in 1976]]