Shreik Recording

Sheik Recording was an independent record label based in Tupelo, Mississippi owned and operated by Tupelo native Matthew Abelson. The label specialized in releasing local blues and rockabilly, with an emphasis on the Mississippi-based guitar playing style of Muddy Waters, Albert King, Guitar Slim, Robert Johnson and B.B.King.

History

Sheik began as informal jamming sessions in a dusty backroom in 1972 when local musicians from the Mississippi Delta area wanted a place to hang out and then to record. Well-known bluesmen, originally from the area, would join in when they were in the area, including Albert King, Slim Harpo, Sam Myers and other old time blues artists. Others soon followed, including Big Joe Williams, Howling Wolf.

Although most of these artists also recorded for other companies, Sheik Recording provided them with a gathering place and an atmosphere that few other recording studios could offer. Also, little-known local musicians of high-caliber musical talent were able to record there when major labels overlooked them. Sheik Recording distribution had a small, almost exclusively local base. Now those recordings are collectors items, highly sought after by blues aficionados.

See also

* List of record labels

External links

* [http://www.blueslinks.nl The mother off all blueslink collections]
* [http://www.bluesandrhythm.co.uk Blues & Rhythm Magazine]
* [http://www.blues.org/ Blues Foundation]
* [http://www.mississippideltablues.org Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola]
* Ř [http://www.jeffosretromusic.com/blues.html Mississippi Blues Music - by Dr. Frank Hoffmann]