The label was founded in 1945 by William A. "Bill" McCall Jr., Clifford McDonald, and Richard A. Nelson. By November 1946, McCall was in complete control of 4 Star. Although record labels give a Hollywood, California address, the actual address was on 800 Western Avenue in Los Angeles until 1949, when operations were moved to Pasadena, California.[1]
4 Star released their music on 78rpm (later on 45rpm) discs in three numerical series: the main 1000-series (1000 to 1765), the X-series (1 to 100) and the P-series (101 to 112).
In the late 1970s, producer Joe Johnson headed up an organization that purchased 4 Star Records and moved all of its operations to Nashville, Tennessee. Johnson insisted on building state-of-the-art studios and bringing in the best talent available to run them. 4 Star hired successful record producer Steve Clark, who in turn brought to 4 Star a stable of talented artist and writers, including Barbara South, Debi Bass, and Joe Nelson.
Several chart records were produced, including Debi Bass' "Till I'm Strong Enough to Love Again" and "I Need a Hero", both written by Joe Nelson. 4 Star's financial problems continued to mount; in the early 1980s the company was closed, and the catalogue absorbed by its creditors. Sony/ATV Music Publishing owns the catalogue today.[2]
Patsy Cline
On September 30, 1954, singer Patsy Cline signed a recording contract with 4 Star.[3] However, not a single one of Cline's subsequent recordings for 4 Star appeared on the 4 Star label;[4] instead they appeared on Decca Records, and Decca's subsidiary Coral Records, under a special licensing agreement through 4 Star.[5] Cline's 4 Star contract expired on September 30, 1960,[6] at which point Decca was able to take full advantage of Cline's services in the two-and-a-half years left to her.
^Gart, Galen (1989). The American Record Label Directory and Dating Guide, 1940-1959. Milford, New Hampshire: Big Nickel Publications. pp. 88–89. ISBN0-936433-11-6.
^Sony/ATV Plants a Tree in The Orchard. Business Wire (2008-08-04). Retrieved on 2013-02-28.
^. Archived from the original on 2018-04-05. Retrieved 2018-04-04.
^. Archived from the original on 2018-04-05. Retrieved 2018-04-04.
External links
4 Star Records on the Internet Archive's Great 78 Project
February 09, 2023
star, records, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, february, 20. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources 4 Star Records news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message 4 Star Records was a record label that recorded many well known country music acts in the 1950s The label founded after World War II was home to singers such as Hank Locklin Maddox Brothers and Rose Rose Maddox Webb Pierce Cousin Ford Lewis and T Texas Tyler who all regularly issued records on the label mostly as 78rpm singles 4 Star 45rpm record label Contents 1 Label history 2 Patsy Cline 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksLabel history EditThe label was founded in 1945 by William A Bill McCall Jr Clifford McDonald and Richard A Nelson By November 1946 McCall was in complete control of 4 Star Although record labels give a Hollywood California address the actual address was on 800 Western Avenue in Los Angeles until 1949 when operations were moved to Pasadena California 1 Besides country music 4 Star also recorded blues jazz Wingy Manone Slim Gaillard and Charles Mingus rhythm and blues such as Ivory Joe Hunter s Pretty Mamma Blues Cecil Gant s remake of his hit I Wonder and Ed The Great Gates and Latin music recordings 4 Star re released hillbilly boogie guitarist Porky Freeman s 1945 hit Boogie Woogie On Strings in 1948 and Charlie Ryan re recorded his 1955 hit Hot Rod Lincoln for the label in 1959 Smokey Rogers as Buck Rogers amp His Texans 1946 1947 Terry Fell later of Truck Drivin Man fame 1947 Ferlin Husky as Terry Preston 1949 1950 Billy Jack Wills youngest brother of Bob Wills 1951 Ramblin Tommy Scott 1955 and Sammy Masters 1956 were also 4 Star recording artists 4 Star released their music on 78rpm later on 45rpm discs in three numerical series the main 1000 series 1000 to 1765 the X series 1 to 100 and the P series 101 to 112 In the late 1970s producer Joe Johnson headed up an organization that purchased 4 Star Records and moved all of its operations to Nashville Tennessee Johnson insisted on building state of the art studios and bringing in the best talent available to run them 4 Star hired successful record producer Steve Clark who in turn brought to 4 Star a stable of talented artist and writers including Barbara South Debi Bass and Joe Nelson Several chart records were produced including Debi Bass Till I m Strong Enough to Love Again and I Need a Hero both written by Joe Nelson 4 Star s financial problems continued to mount in the early 1980s the company was closed and the catalogue absorbed by its creditors Sony ATV Music Publishing owns the catalogue today 2 Patsy Cline EditOn September 30 1954 singer Patsy Cline signed a recording contract with 4 Star 3 However not a single one of Cline s subsequent recordings for 4 Star appeared on the 4 Star label 4 instead they appeared on Decca Records and Decca s subsidiary Coral Records under a special licensing agreement through 4 Star 5 Cline s 4 Star contract expired on September 30 1960 6 at which point Decca was able to take full advantage of Cline s services in the two and a half years left to her See also EditList of record labelsReferences Edit Gart Galen 1989 The American Record Label Directory and Dating Guide 1940 1959 Milford New Hampshire Big Nickel Publications pp 88 89 ISBN 0 936433 11 6 Sony ATV Plants a Tree in The Orchard Business Wire 2008 08 04 Retrieved on 2013 02 28 Patsy Cline Timeline Archived from the original on 2018 04 05 Retrieved 2018 04 04 praguefrank Patsy Cline Discography Patsified The Four Star Years Patsy Cline Timeline Archived from the original on 2018 04 05 Retrieved 2018 04 04 External links Edit4 Star Records on the Internet Archive s Great 78 Project Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 4 Star Records amp oldid 1117629168, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
