Various Artist - The Vee-Jay Story (Rare Blues & R&B Singles From the 50's and 60's)

Billboard Magazine 1964

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Vee-Jay Records is a record label founded in the 1950s, specializing in blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll. It was owned and operated by African Americans.

Bobby Parker - US Single 1958

Vee-Jay was founded in Gary, Indiana, in 1953 by Vivian Carter and James C. Bracken, a husband-and-wife team who used their initials for the label’s name. Vivian's brother, Calvin Carter, was the label's A&R man. Ewart Abner, formerly of Chance Records, joined the label in 1955, first as manager, then as vice president, and ultimately, as president.

Vee-Jay quickly became a major R&B label, with the first song recorded making it to the top ten on the national R&B charts.

Major acts on the label in the 1950s included blues singers Jimmy Reed, Memphis Slim, and John Lee Hooker, and rhythm and blues vocal groups The Spaniels, The Dells, and El Dorados. The 1960s saw the label became a major soul label with Jerry Butler, Gene Chandler, Dee Clark, and Betty Everett putting records on both the R&B and pop charts.

Vee-Jay Records was a record label, specializing in blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll. It was owned and operated by African Americans.

The Beattles?

Vee-Jay was founded in Gary, Indiana in 1953 by Vivian Carter and James C. Bracken, a husband-and-wife team who used their initials for the label’s name. Vivian's brother, Calvin Carter, was the label's A&R man. Ewart Abner, formerly of Chance Records, joined the label in 1955, first as manager, then as vice president, and ultimately, as president.

The label quickly became a major R&B label, with the first song recorded making it to the top ten on the national R&B charts. Vee-Jay Records filed for bankruptcy in August 1966. The assets were subsequently purchased by label executives Betty Chiapetta and Randy Wood.

Major acts on the label in the 1950s included blues singers Jimmy Reed, Memphis Slim, and John Lee Hooker, and rhythm and blues vocal groups the Spaniels, Dells, and El Dorados. The 1960s saw the label became a major soul label with Jerry Butler, Gene Chandler, Dee Clark, and Betty Everett putting records on both the R&B and pop charts. Vee-Jay were also the first to record The Pips, who became Gladys Knight and the Pips in 1962, when they moved to Fury Records.

Vee-Jay had significant success with rock and roll acts, notably The Four Seasons (their first non-black act) and The Beatles (Vee-Jay acquired the rights to some of the early Beatles recording at the suggestion of Frankie Valli of The Four Seasons). The company even ventured into folk music with Hoyt Axton and New Wine Singers. The label also picked up Little Richard (who re-recorded his Specialty Records hits); and, before he became successful, Billy Preston.

Elmore James And His Broomdusters - US Single 1958

Vee-Jay's jazz releases formed a small portion of the company's releases, but include releases by Wynton Kelly, Lee Morgan, Eddie Harris, and Wayne Shorter. The A&R for the jazz releases was Sid McCoy. The company also had a major gospel line, recording such acts as the Staple Singers, the Argo Singers, Swan Silvertones, and Maceo Woods. Vee-Jay even released comedy on LP, with Them Poems, Mason Williams's early nightclub act, recorded with a studio audience in 1964.

Vee-Jay's biggest successes occurred in 1962-1964, with the ascendancy of the Four Seasons and the distribution of early Beatles material ("Please Please Me" b/w "From Me to You"and "Do You Want to Know a Secret, b/w "Thank You Girl" via Vee-Jay and "Love Me Do" b/w "P.S. I Love You" and "Twist and Shout" b/w "There's a Place" via its subsidiary Tollie Records), because EMI's autonomous United States company Capitol initially refused to release Beatles records. Vee-Jay's releases were at first unsuccessful, but quickly became huge hits once the British Invasion took off in early 1964, selling 2.6 million Beatles singles in a single month. 

Vee-Jay Single Sleeve

Cash flow problems caused by Ewart Abner's tapping the company treasury to cover personal gambling debts led to the company's active demise; Vee-Jay had been forced to temporarily cease operations in the second half of 1963, leading to royalty disputes with the Four Seasons and EMI. The Four Seasons then left Vee-Jay for Philips Records, and EMI's Capitol Records picked up the U.S. rights for both the Beatles and Frank Ifield.

Other Vee-Jay subsidiary labels included Interphon (which yielded the Top 5 hit "Have I the Right?" by another British group, The Honeycombs), and Oldies 45 for reissues along with Tollie and Abner Records, which was an early subsidiary label formed in 1958. Vee-Jay also did distribution for Ted Jarrett's Champion Records, Rick Hall's Fame Records, the Memphis label Goldwax Records and a time, Johnny Vincent's Ace Records.

Vee-Jay moved back to Chicago in 1965 after a year in Los Angeles. Liens were placed on Vee-Jay assets still in Los Angeles after legal action by Pye Records due to non-payment of royalties.

Gene Chandler - US Single 1961

Vee-Jay Records filed for bankruptcy in August 1966. The assets were subsequently purchased by label executives Betty Chiapetta and Randy Wood, who changed its name to Vee-Jay International. From 1967 to 1972, Vee-Jay was limited to selling some of the inventory on hand when the company went under, and leasing or licensing the Vee Jay masters to Buddah Records, who came out with "The First Generation" series, and Springboard International, who issued dozens of albums featuring Vee Jay material on their subsidiary label, Upfront.

In 1978, Vee Jay issued a Silver Anniversary catalog to commemorate the 25th birthday of the label. The catalog is an impressive slick-paper booklet with a silver cover. Inside are pictures of many of the artists, some history of the label, and photos of close to 200 different album covers with complete song titles listed. [Wikipedia & AMG Review]

Disc 1:
01. Jimmy Reed - Big Boss Man 
02. Gene Chandler - Duke Of Earl  
03. John Lee Hooker - Dimples  
04. The Spaniels - Stormy Weather  
05. The El Dorados - At My Front Door   
06. The Capers - Miss You My Dear 
07. Rosco Gordon - Just A Little Bit  
08. Dee Clark - Raindrops   
09. The Magnificants - Up On The Mountain   
10. Donnie Elbert - Hey Baby  
11. The Dells - Oh What A Night   
12. Elmore James - Cry For Me Baby  
13. Jerry Butler - He Will Break Your Heart   
14. The Five Echoes - I Really Do 
15. Memphis Slim - My Gal Keeps Crying   
16. Floyd Jones - Ain't Times Hard   
17. The Hi Liters - Bobby Sox Baby  
18. The Staple Singers - Uncloudy Day  
19. The Kool Gents - This Is The Night    
20. Jimmy Reed - Pretty Thing  
21. The Rockin' R's - Mustang  
22. Wade Flemons & The Newcomers - Here I Stand  
23. Billy "The Kid" Emerson - You Never Miss The Water  
24. Priscilla Bowman & Jay McShann's Orchestra - Hands Off   
25. Billy Boy Arnold - I Was Fooled

Disc 2:
01. Dee Clark - Seven Nights   
02. The El Dorados - I'll Be Forever Loving You    
03. Jimmy Reed - Ain't That Lovin' You Baby   
04. Bobby Parker - You Got What It Takes   
05. The Dells - Zing Zing Zing    
06. Donnie Elbert - Baby Let Me Love You Tonight   
07. John Lee Hooker - Mambo Chillun   
08. Jerry Butler - For Your Precious Love   
09. The Goldenrods - Wish I Was Back In School   
10. Gene Allison - You Can Make It If You Try   
11. Floyd Jones - Floyd's Blues  
12. Gladys Knight & The Pips - Every Beat Of Your Heart    
13. Billy Boy Arnold - I Ain't Got You   
14. The Co Hearts - My Love   
15. Jimmy Reed - Bright Lights Big City   
16. The Lyrics - Come On Home  
17. Eddie Taylor - Ride 'Em On Down  
18. LC McKinley - She's Five Feet Three  
19. The Orioles - For All We Know  
20. Billy 'The Kid' Emerson - If You Woný Stay Home  
21. Memphis Slim - Stroll On Little Girl   
22. Rosco Gordon - No More Doggin'  
23. Preston Jackson & The Rhythm Aces - Be Mine  
24. Elmore James - It Hurts Me Too 
25. The Spaniels - Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight

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Part 2: Link
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