- Imperial Records
:"This article is about the Imperial Records label currently owned by
EMI .":"For the previous record labels called Imperial Records, seeImperial Records (1900) andImperial Records (1920) .":"For the Japanese record label, seeTeichiku Records ."infobox record label
name = Imperial Records
image_bg = black
parent =EMI
founded = 1947
founder = Lew Chudd
distributor =Capitol Music Group (In the US)
genre = (historic) various
(current) Urban
country =United States
url = http://www.imperialrecords.com/ http://www.myspace.com/imperialrecordsImperial Records is a United States based label started in 1947 by
Lew Chudd and reactivated in 2006 by label ownerEMI .The independent and Liberty Records years
Imperial was famous for recordings of
rhythm & blues and earlyrock & roll likeFats Domino andRicky Nelson . Imperial was licensed toLondon Records in the UK. In 1960 Lew Chudd bought Aladdin Records.Minit Records was acquired in 1963.Later in 1963, after Imperial lost Fats Domino and Ricky Nelson to rival labels, Chudd sold the label to
Liberty Records . Under Liberty's management, the label enjoyed success from such artists as holdoverIrma Thomas as well asJohnny Rivers ,Jackie DeShannon ,Classics IV andCher .During the
British Invasion years, Liberty (whose recordings were distributed by EMI in the UK) licensed artists includingThe Hollies ,Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas andThe Swinging Blue Jeans from EMI for release on the Imperial label. Recordings by Liberty UK actThe Bonzo Dog Band were issued in the USA on the Imperial label.By 1970 the label became part of Liberty's merger with United Artists, but was phased out shortly thereafter with its artists being transferred to United Artists. EMI now owns the Imperial Records catalogue.
Label variations
*Early to mid-50s -- Maroon label, IMPERIAL at top
*Late 50s-1963 -- Black label with stars under IMPERIAL at top
*1964-1966 -- Black, white and magenta label. I-R logo in black box on left side, IMPERIAL shown under logo. Disclaimer at bottom of label shows "A SUBSIDIARY OF LIBERTY RECORDS"
*1966-1969 -- Black and lime green label, I-R logo in red box on left side, IMPERIAL shown under logo, "A PRODUCT OF LIBERTY RECORDS" shown under IMPERIAL. Disclaimer changed to "A DIVISION OF LIBERTY RECORDS"
*1970 -- Black and lime green label, I-R logo in red box on left side, IMPERIAL shown (in slightly larger letters than the previous label) under logo. Disclaimer reads "LIBERTY/UA, INC"Revival
Throughout the 1990s, EMI released various CD compilations of Imperial artists. For nostalgia, the compact discs featured the various Imperial labels.
In June 2006, EMI re-activated the Imperial Records imprint and announced that it will be the full-service Urban Music division of
Caroline Distribution , part ofVirgin Records , spearheaded by urban music veteran Neil Levine.The first signing to the imprint is
Raptivism Records . Fat Joe has signed with Virgin Records and Imperial Records.The revived Imperial is a full service label group that offers promotions, marketing and digital services for the independent urban music market. Imperial also provides additional resources for developing urban artists within
EMI 's major labels includingCapitol Records and Virgin Records which were merged on January 2007 into the Capitol Music Group.Imperial Records artists (1947-1970)
*
Jeff Alexander
*Dave Bartholomew
*Lee Bedford, Jr.
*Elmer Bernstein
*Joe Bill (DeAngelo)
*The Bonzo Dog Band
*Mel Carter
*Cher
*Petula Clark
*Classics IV
*Clay Cole
*Sonny Criss
*Sonny Curtis
*Wild Bill Davis
*Mel Day
*Eva Decker
*Von Dexter
*Jackie DeShannon
*Fats Domino
*Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames
*Fantastic Baggys
*Fender IV
*Freddy Fender
*Ralph Flanagan
*Ernie Freeman
*Peppermint Harris
*Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
*Bob Harrington
*Ray Harrison Orchestra
*Adolph Hofner
*The Hollies
*Betty Kay
*Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas
*Smiley Lewis
*George Liberace
*Harley Luce
*The Majors
*Warne Marsh Quintet
*Reginald G. Marshall
*Garnet Mimms & The Enchanters
*Bill Mooney and his Cactus Twisters
*Carl Myles
*Ozzie & Harriet Nelson
*Ricky Nelson (Rick Nelson )
*Sandy Nelson
*James O'Flynn
*Frankie Ortego
*Bo Rhambo
*Johnny Rivers
*Leonard Rosenman
*Huey "Piano" Smith
*April Stevens
*The Spiders
*The Sunshine Company
*The Swinging Blue Jeans
*The Teddy Bears
*Irma Thomas
*T-Bone Walker
*Slim Whitman
*Tim Whitsett
*Lew Williams Current artists
*
Joe Hound
*Evidence
*Fat Joe
*Bizzy Bone
*Jin
*Case
*Anthony Hamilton
*Rasheeda
*Cyssero
*Dirtbag
*Cool & Dre
*Yukmouth
*Thug LordzExternal links
* [http://www.myspace.com/imperialrecords Imperial Records Myspace]
* [http://www.bsnpubs.com/imperial/imperiala.html The Imperial Records Story]
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