Smash Records

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Smash Records is an American record label. It was founded in 1961 as a subsidiary of Mercury Records^[1] by Mercury executive Shelby Singleton and run by Singleton with Charlie Fach. Fach took over after Singleton left Mercury in 1966. Its recording artists included James Brown, Bruce Channel, Roger Miller, The Left Banke, Bill Justis and Jerry Lee Lewis.

A dispute with King Records led James Brown to release all of his band's instrumental recordings between 1964 and 1967 on Smash. Smash also released three of Brown's vocal recordings, including his 1964 proto-funk single "Out of Sight".^[2]

Smash shared the numbering system for their singles with other labels that they distributed. The most important of these was Fontana Records.

Polygram revived Smash as an R&B/dance label for a short time in the late 80s and early 90s.

Contents 1 Label variations 2 Smash Records artists 3 See also 4 Notes 5 External links

[edit] Label variations

• 1961-1967 -- Red label with SMASH shown vertically on left side
• 1968-1970 -- Red or orange label with SMASH/Mercury logo shown sideways on left side

[edit] Smash Records artists

• The Angels
• James Brown
• The Caravelles
• Mother Maybelle Carter
• Bruce Channel
• Dee Jay & The Runaways
• Joe Dowell
• Pete Drake (and his talking Steel Guitar)
• Jay & the Techniques
• Bill Justis
• Dickie Lee
• Left Banke
• Jerry Lee Lewis
• Linda Gail Lewis
• The Mesmerizing Eye
• Roger Miller
• Charlie Rich
• Sir Douglas Quintet
• Millie Small
• Sparky's Flaw
• Swingin' Medallions
• The Tempests
• Eric Von Schmidt
• The Walker Brothers

[edit] See also

• List of record labels

[edit] Notes

1. ^ Gillett, Charlie (1996). The Sound of the City: The Rise of Rock and Roll ((2nd Ed.) ed.). New York, N.Y.: Da Capo Press. p. 51. ISBN 0-306-80683-5. 
2. ^ "James Brown Biography". allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE67818DC49A57420EFB11E77FD9856D220F40DD4AB2A3C5253F8E43066B8076AB00DBADBCFAEF875B47FE3F624A55905D2C8FE2781&sql=11:42j97i4jg71r~T1. Retrieved on 2006-11-22. 

[edit] External links

• The Smash Records Story from BSN Pubs
• A discography of Smash albums
• A discography of Smash singles