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| Bluebird Records | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Parent company | Sony Music Entertainment |
| Founded | 1932 |
| Distributing label | RCA Victor Group (In the US) |
| Genre | Jazz |
| Country of origin | US |
| Official Website | http://www.bluebirdjazz.com/ |
Bluebird Records is a sub-label of RCA Victor Records originally created in 1932 to counter the American Record Company in the "3 records for a dollar" market. Along with ARC's Perfect Records, Melotone Records and Romeo Records, and the independent US Decca label, Bluebird became one of the best selling 'cheap' labels of the 1930s and early 1940s.
RCA's first foray into the budget market was the 35c Timely Tunes. Sold through Montgomery Ward stores, 40 issues appeared from April to July, 1931. In July, 1932, appeared the first, short-lived Bluebird record, along with an identically numbered Electradisk record sold at Woolworth's. These 8" discs, probably an early form of test marketing, may have sold for as little as 10c. Bluebirds bore a black-on-medium blue label; Electradisks a blue-on-orange label. The 8" series only ran from 1800-1809, but both labels reappeared later in 1932 as 10" discs: Bluebird 1820-1853, continuing to April, 1933, and Electradisk 2500-2509 and 1900-2177, continuing to January, 1934.
In May, 1933, RCA restarted Bluebird as a 35c (3 for $1) general budget record, numbered B-5000 and up, with a new blue-on-beige label (often referred as the "Buff" Bluebird, used until 1937 in the US and 1939 in Canada). Most 1820-series material was immediately reissued on the Buff label; afterwards it ran concurrently with the Electradisk series sold at Woolworth's. Another short-lived concurrent label was Sunrise, which may have been made for a store chain (almost no information and very few discs survive). Sunrise and Electradisk were discontinued early in 1934, leaving Bluebird as RCA's only budget priced label.
In the 1930s, Bluebird recorded popular dance music, blues and jazz, as well as reissuing jazz, gospel and blues items previously released on Victor. Some notable orchestras came to Bluebird from the regular-priced Victor label: Ted Weems, Rudy Vallee, Bert Lown, and Joe Haymes. Another popular Bluebird artist in these early days was George Hall and his orchestra, who remained with the label until 1937.
Many blues artists were brought to the label by talent scout and record producer Lester Melrose, who had a virtual monopoly on the Chicago blues market. The records were recorded cheaply and quickly, often using a regular pool of Chicago musicians including Big Bill Broonzy, Roosevelt Sykes, Tampa Red, Washboard Sam and Sonny Boy Williamson. They produced a characteristic small band style which became known as the "Bluebird sound" and which, when electric amplification was added, became hugely influential on R&B and early rock and roll records. However, Bluebird all but ceased making blues records in 1942.
Meanwhile in the mid-1930s Bluebird was very successful in competing with ARC's cheap labels as well as the US Decca label which started in late 1934. Two of the most popular swing bandleaders, Artie Shaw and Glenn Miller, were Bluebird artists starting in 1938. Shep Fields and his "Rippling Rhythm" orchestra signed with the label as early as 1936. Earl Hines was also a Bluebird artists during the early 1940s. After World War II, however, Bluebird was discontinued and any popular Bluebird artists were moved up to the Victor label.
The Bluebird imprint was later used for jazz releases and reissues, as well as children's records in the 1950s. In the mid 1970s it was reactivated by RCA Victor Records for a series of 2-Lp sets of big band and jazz reissues produced by Frank Driggs. Bluebird remains active as a jazz label in the CD era.
Artists associated with Bluebird Records
- Big Bill Broonzy
- Bo Carter
- Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup
- Shep Fields
- Joe Haymes
- Earl Hines
- Bert Lown
- Big Maceo
- Tommy McClennan
- Glenn Miller
- Jimmy Rodgers
- Tampa Red
- Artie Shaw
- Roosevelt Sykes
- Washboard Sam
- Rudy Vallee
- Ted Weems
- Sonny Boy Williamson
See also
External links
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