Bluebird Records is a record label best known for its low-cost releases, primarily of kids' music, blues and jazz in the 1930s and 1940s. It was founded in 1932 as a lower-priced RCA Victor subsidiary label of RCA Victor. Bluebird became known for what came to be known as the "Bluebird sound", which influenced rhythm and blues and early rock and roll. It is currently owned by parent company Sony Music Entertainment.
The label was founded in 1932 as a division of RCA Victor by Eli Oberstein, an executive at the company. Bluebird competed with other budget labels at the time. Records were made quickly and cheaply. The "Bluebird sound" came from the session band that was used on many recordings to cut costs. The band included musicians such as Big Bill Broonzy, Roosevelt Sykes, Washboard Sam, and Sonny Boy Williamson. Many blues musicians were signed to RCA Victor and Bluebird by Lester Melrose, a talent scout and producer who had a virtual monopoly on the Chicago blues market. In these years, the Bluebird label became the home of Chicago blues.
After World War II, the Bluebird label was retired and its previously released titles were reissued on the standard RCA Victor label. In the 1950s, RCA Victor revived Bluebird for certain budget recordings, jazz releases and reissues, children's records, and the low-priced RCA Victor Bluebird Classics series. The Bluebird name was retired again during the 1960s, and certain recordings issued during the 1950s under the imprint were transferred to the low-priced RCA Camden label. In the mid-1970s, the label was again reactivated by RCA for a series of 2-LP sets of big band, swing and jazz reissues produced by Frank Driggs and Ethel Gabriel. Currently, the Bluebird label is used for CD reissues of certain jazz and pop titles originally issued on the RCA Victor label.
Labels and discs
Bluebird Records disc
RCA Victor's entry into the budget market was the 35¢ Timely Tunes, sold through Montgomery Ward retail stores. 40 issues appeared from April to July 1931 before the label was discontinued.
The first Bluebird records appeared in July 1932 along with identically numbered Electradisk records. Test-marketed at selected Woolworth's stores in New York City, these 8-inch discs are so rare today that some issues may no longer exist at all. They may have sold for as little as 10¢. Bluebird records bore a black-on-medium blue label, Electradisks a blue-on-orange label.[1]
The 8-inch series ran from 1800 to 1809, but both labels reappeared later in 1932 as 10-inch discs: Bluebird 1820–1853, continuing to April 1933, and Electradisk 2500–2509 and 1900–2177, continuing to January 1934.
Electradisks in the 2500 block were dance-band sides recorded on two days in June 1932. These rare issues were given Victor matrix numbers, but the four-digit matrix numbers on the 78 look more like discs from Crown Records, an independent label that had its own studios, though its products were pressed by Victor. The few records in that block that have been seen resemble Crowns, leading to speculation that all were recorded at Crown. The 2500 series may also have been for sale only in New York City.
In May 1933 RCA Victor restarted Bluebird as a 35¢ (3 for $1) general-interest 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 1800-series material was immediately reissued on the Buff label; afterwards it ran concurrently with the Electradisk series (made for Woolworth's).
Another short-lived concurrent label was Sunrise, which may have been made for sale by artists or "mom & pop" stores. Few discs, and essentially no information, survive. Sunrise and Electradisk were discontinued early in 1934, leaving Bluebird as RCA's only budget priced label. RCA Victor also produced a separate Montgomery Ward label for the Ward stores.
^"Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music - OBERSTEIN, Eli and Maurice". Donaldclarkemusicbox.com. Retrieved 2014-05-29.
^"Victor matrix BS-068193. I'll never tire of you / Andy Blaine ; Sam Donahue Orchestra". DAHR. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
^"Bluebird records | Big Road Blues". Sundayblues.org. Retrieved 2014-05-29.
^ ab"Eugene Powell aka 'Sonny Boy Nelson' discography : details include his then wife, Matilda Powell, aka 'Mississippi Matilda'". Wirz.de. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
^The American Dance Band Discography 1917-1942 Volume 1, Arlington House Publishers, New Rochelle, New York, 1975, p. 516-517, ISBN0-87000-248-1
^"Internet Archive: I'll Never Tire of You - RCA BLUEBIRD".
Further reading
The American Record Label Book by Brian Rust (Arlington House Publishers, 1978)
American Record Labels and Companies - An Encyclopedia (1891–1943) by Allan Sutton & Kurt Nauck (Mainspring Press, 2000)
The Victor Master Book, Vol. 2, by Brian Rust (Walter Allen, 1974)
External links
The Online 78rpm Discography Project
The 78rpm Home Page: Label Types of Bluebird Records
Russell, Tony, and Bob Pinson. Country Music Records: A Discography 1921-1942. Nashville: Country Music Hall of Fame, 2004.
Bluebird Records on the Internet Archive's Great 78 Project
January 27, 2023
bluebird, records, sunrise, records, redirects, here, canadian, retailer, sunrise, records, retailer, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, ch. Sunrise Records redirects here For the Canadian retailer see Sunrise Records retailer 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 Bluebird Records news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message Bluebird Records is a record label best known for its low cost releases primarily of kids music blues and jazz in the 1930s and 1940s It was founded in 1932 as a lower priced RCA Victor subsidiary label of RCA Victor Bluebird became known for what came to be known as the Bluebird sound which influenced rhythm and blues and early rock and roll It is currently owned by parent company Sony Music Entertainment Bluebird RecordsParent companySony Music EntertainmentFounded1932 91 years ago 1932 FounderEli ObersteinDistributor s Sony MasterworksGenreBlues jazz children s musicCountry of originU S LocationCamden New Jersey New York City Chicago Illinois Contents 1 History 2 Labels and discs 3 Notable artists 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksHistory EditThe label was founded in 1932 as a division of RCA Victor by Eli Oberstein an executive at the company Bluebird competed with other budget labels at the time Records were made quickly and cheaply The Bluebird sound came from the session band that was used on many recordings to cut costs The band included musicians such as Big Bill Broonzy Roosevelt Sykes Washboard Sam and Sonny Boy Williamson Many blues musicians were signed to RCA Victor and Bluebird by Lester Melrose a talent scout and producer who had a virtual monopoly on the Chicago blues market In these years the Bluebird label became the home of Chicago blues Bluebird recorded and reissued jazz and big band music Its roster included Ted Weems Rudy Vallee Joe Haymes Artie Shaw Glenn Miller Shep Fields and Earl Hines During World War II Victor reissued records by Duke Ellington Jelly Roll Morton and Bennie Moten Bluebird s roster for country music included the Monroe Brothers the Delmore Brothers Bradley Kincaid It reissued many titles by Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family After World War II the Bluebird label was retired and its previously released titles were reissued on the standard RCA Victor label In the 1950s RCA Victor revived Bluebird for certain budget recordings jazz releases and reissues children s records and the low priced RCA Victor Bluebird Classics series The Bluebird name was retired again during the 1960s and certain recordings issued during the 1950s under the imprint were transferred to the low priced RCA Camden label In the mid 1970s the label was again reactivated by RCA for a series of 2 LP sets of big band swing and jazz reissues produced by Frank Driggs and Ethel Gabriel Currently the Bluebird label is used for CD reissues of certain jazz and pop titles originally issued on the RCA Victor label Labels and discs Edit Bluebird Records disc RCA Victor s entry into the budget market was the 35 Timely Tunes sold through Montgomery Ward retail stores 40 issues appeared from April to July 1931 before the label was discontinued The first Bluebird records appeared in July 1932 along with identically numbered Electradisk records Test marketed at selected Woolworth s stores in New York City these 8 inch discs are so rare today that some issues may no longer exist at all They may have sold for as little as 10 Bluebird records bore a black on medium blue label Electradisks a blue on orange label 1 The 8 inch series ran from 1800 to 1809 but both labels reappeared later in 1932 as 10 inch discs Bluebird 1820 1853 continuing to April 1933 and Electradisk 2500 2509 and 1900 2177 continuing to January 1934 Electradisks in the 2500 block were dance band sides recorded on two days in June 1932 These rare issues were given Victor matrix numbers but the four digit matrix numbers on the 78 look more like discs from Crown Records an independent label that had its own studios though its products were pressed by Victor The few records in that block that have been seen resemble Crowns leading to speculation that all were recorded at Crown The 2500 series may also have been for sale only in New York City In May 1933 RCA Victor restarted Bluebird as a 35 3 for 1 general interest 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 1800 series material was immediately reissued on the Buff label afterwards it ran concurrently with the Electradisk series made for Woolworth s Another short lived concurrent label was Sunrise which may have been made for sale by artists or mom amp pop stores Few discs and essentially no information survive Sunrise and Electradisk were discontinued early in 1934 leaving Bluebird as RCA s only budget priced label RCA Victor also produced a separate Montgomery Ward label for the Ward stores Notable artists EditCharlie Barnet Big Bill Broonzy Willie Bryant Bo Carter Wilf Carter Virgil Childers Arthur Crudup Billy Daniels Sam Donahue Shep Fields Harry Gozzard 2 Lil Green 3 George Hall Lionel Hampton Joe Haymes Fletcher Henderson Earl Hines Dan Hornsby The Ink Spots Curtis Jones Spike Jones The King Sisters Vincent Lopez Bert Lown J E Mainer Wingy Manone Tommy McClennan Big Maceo Merriweather Glenn Miller Mississippi Matilda 4 Vaughn Monroe Ozzie Nelson Sonny Boy Nelson 4 Jimmie Rodgers Tampa Red John Serry Sr 5 Artie Shaw Dinah Shore Ruby Smith Roosevelt Sykes Rudy Vallee Washboard Sam Cy Walter 6 Ted Weems Sonny Boy Williamson ISee also EditList of record labelsReferences Edit Donald s Encyclopedia of Popular Music OBERSTEIN Eli and Maurice Donaldclarkemusicbox com Retrieved 2014 05 29 Victor matrix BS 068193 I ll never tire of you Andy Blaine Sam Donahue Orchestra DAHR Retrieved 23 July 2022 Bluebird records Big Road Blues Sundayblues org Retrieved 2014 05 29 a b Eugene Powell aka Sonny Boy Nelson discography details include his then wife Matilda Powell aka Mississippi Matilda Wirz de Retrieved January 4 2019 The American Dance Band Discography 1917 1942 Volume 1 Arlington House Publishers New Rochelle New York 1975 p 516 517 ISBN 0 87000 248 1 Internet Archive I ll Never Tire of You RCA BLUEBIRD Further reading EditThe American Record Label Book by Brian Rust Arlington House Publishers 1978 American Record Labels and Companies An Encyclopedia 1891 1943 by Allan Sutton amp Kurt Nauck Mainspring Press 2000 The Victor Master Book Vol 2 by Brian Rust Walter Allen 1974 External links EditThe Online 78rpm Discography Project The 78rpm Home Page Label Types of Bluebird Records Russell Tony and Bob Pinson Country Music Records A Discography 1921 1942 Nashville Country Music Hall of Fame 2004 Bluebird Records on the Internet Archive s Great 78 Project Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bluebird Records amp oldid 1115028341, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
