Okeh Records
OKeh Records (/ˌoʊˈkeɪ/) is an American record label founded by the Otto Heinemann Phonograph Corporation, a phonograph supplier established in 1916,[1] which branched out into phonograph records in 1918.[2] The name was spelled "OkeH" from the initials of Otto K. E. Heinemann but later changed to "OKeh". In 1965, OKeh became a subsidiary of Epic Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music. OKeh has since become a jazz imprint, distributed by Sony Masterworks.
"OKeh" redirects here. For the expression, see Okay.OKeh Records
1918
Otto Heinemann
Sony Masterworks
Legacy Recordings (reissues)
Various (1916–1953)
Rhythm & Blues (1953–1970)
Blues (1994–2000)
Jazz (2013-)
U.S.
New York City
The OKeh Laughing Record[edit]
The OKeh Laughing Record was recorded in Germany by Beka Records in 1920, by most accounts, and then purchased from that record label by OKeh Records in the US.[10] It features who are likely opera singer Lucie Bernardo and Otto Rathke simply laughing for nearly three minutes while accompanied by cornetist Felix Silbers. They recorded six recordings on the same day.[11] It became a best-seller in the US in 1922, and is estimated to have sold around a million records.[12][11] OKeh Records soon followed with the "Second Laughing Record", "The OKeh Laughing Dance Record" and "The OKeh Crying Record". Other record labels also released similar records.[11] It may have influenced studios to include live audiences and laugh tracks in their shows.[11] It was issued in the UK as The Parlophone Laughing Record and it was featured extensively in the Walter Lantz Productions/Universal Studios 1955 cartoon short Sh-h-h-h-h-h, the last short directed by Tex Avery.[10]
1940–1970[edit]
OKeh releases were infrequent after 1932, although the label continued into 1935. In 1940, after Columbia lost the rights to the Vocalion name by dropping the Brunswick label, the OKeh name was revived to replace it, and the script logo was introduced on a demonstration record announcing that event. The label was again discontinued in 1946 and revived again in 1951.[16]
In 1953, OKeh became an exclusive R&B label when its parent, Columbia, transferred OKeh's pop music artists to the newly formed Epic Records.[17] OKeh's music publishing division was renamed April Music.
In 1963, Carl Davis became OKeh's A&R manager and improved OKeh's sales for a couple of years.[18] Epic took over management of Okeh in 1965. Among the artists during OKeh's pop phase of the 1950s and 1960s were Johnnie Ray and Little Joe & the Thrillers.
With soul music becoming popular in the 1960s, OKeh signed Major Lance, who gave the label two big successes with "The Monkey Time" and "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um". Fifties rocker Larry Williams found a musical home at OKeh for a period of time in the 1960s, recording and producing funky soul with a band that included Johnny "Guitar" Watson. He was paired with Little Richard, who had been persuaded to return to secular music. Williams produced two Little Richard albums for OKeh in 1966 and 1967, which returned Little Richard to the Billboard album chart for the first time in ten years and produced the hit single "Poor Dog".[19] He also acted as the music director for Little Richard's live performances at the OKeh Club in Los Angeles. Bookings for Little Richard during this period skyrocketed.[19] Williams also recorded and released material of his own and with Watson, with some moderate chart success.
Much of the success of OKeh in the 1960s was dependent on producer Carl Davis and songwriter Curtis Mayfield.[20] After they left the label (due to disputes with Epic/OKeh head Len Levy), OKeh sales gradually slipped, and the label was quietly retired by Columbia in 1970.
1993–2000[edit]
In 1993, Sony Music reactivated the OKeh label (under distribution by Epic Records) as a new-age blues label. OKeh's first new signings included G. Love & Special Sauce, Keb' Mo, Popa Chubby, and Little Axe. Throughout the first year, in celebration of the relaunch, singles for G. Love, Popa Chubby and Keb' Mo were released on 10-inch vinyl. By 2000, the OKeh label was again retired, and G. Love & Special Sauce was moved to Epic. It was re-launched in 2013 as a jazz line under Sony Masterworks.[21]
Since 2013[edit]
In January 2013, Sony Music reactivated the OKeh label as Sony's primary jazz imprint under Sony Masterworks. The imprint is part of Sony Masterworks in the U.S., Sony Classical's domestic branch, focusing on both new and established artists who embody "global expressions in jazz". The new artists include David Sanborn, Bob James, Bill Frisell, Regina Carter, Somi, and Dhafer Youssef.[22]
Ownership[edit]
Sony Music Entertainment owns the global rights to the OKeh Records catalogue through Epic Records and Sony's Legacy Recordings reissue subsidiary.[21] EMI's rights to the OKeh catalogue in the UK expired in 1968, and CBS Records took over distribution.[23]