I read Timmy's sticky on 50 golden years at Motown. I thought I'd remind my fellow music historians befo' Motown, there was VEE-JAY Records out of Gary IN.()

Jimmy Reed,
Memphis Slim
John Lee Hooker
the Spaniels,
Dells,

1960s saw the label became a major soul label with

The Four Seasons
The Dells
Jerry Butler
Gene Chandler
Dee Clark
The Pips who became Gladys Knight and the Pips in 1962
Little Richard
Jimmy Hendrix
Billy Preston.
Wynton Kelly
Lee Morgan
Wayne Shorter
Sid McCoy.
The Staple Singers,
The Argo Singers,
Swan Silvertones
Maceo Woods
Dick Gregory,
Mason Williams - Yes, the same Mason of "Classical Gas" fame.

AND, that lil' band out of Liverpool England called, The Beatles.
http://www.dermon.com/Bea...Veejay.htm

What might have a been: If Ms. Vivan Carter her husband Mr. James Brickman, and her brother Clavin had been aboutthe business of business instead of stylin n' profilin' in L.A. Timmy would've had sticky celebrating the first black owned recorded company, Vee-Jay 55 Golden Years.
[Edited 2/11/09 21:35pm]

Thanks for that posting, TD3. This was the first label to publish recordings by Gladys Knight & the Pips, the Dells and Billy Preston and also one of the first to release the Beatles recordings here in America.

But yeah, it's interesting how history works, huh? If I was a member earlier, I'd also post the 50th anniversary of Stax Records.

Anyway, nice post.

Timmy84 said:

Thanks.

I have to me in the right kinda of mood to talk about Vee-Jay Records. Timmy, did you ever see the documentary about this label? I'm not sure if it was a local Chicago/Gary PBS offering are not.
[Edited 2/11/09 21:56pm]

TD3 said:

It probably was just Chicago because I didn't see it.