Era Records
Era Records was an American record company that existed from 1955 to 1970. They produced records in the styles of pop, country, western and jazz.
History
The record company was founded in 1955 by two cousins Herb Newman ( born 1925 ) and Lou Bedell ( 1919-2000 ) in Hollywood. Manager was Buddy Bregman, a college friend of Newman and later a successful producer for Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. Newman and Bregman had studied together at UCLA University in Los Angeles, Newman had already gained experience as a sales manager at the record labels Mercury and Decca. Bedell was a well known television entertainer.
Era began his music production in 1955 with the catalog number 1000 (The Thunderbirds - Blueberries / Ayuh, Ayuh ). Already the No. 1003 has been a great sales success that sung by Gogi Grant Suddenly There's a Valley title rose in the U.S. hit lists to the square 9. Grant was the early star of Era Records, he released eight singles there, one of which came seven titles under the U.S. top 100. With The Wayward Wind 1956 he had a number-one success. The second number -one hit of the Era- production contributed Larry Verne in 1960 with his title Mr. Custer. Meanwhile Era had introduced since 1959, the Katolognummern series 3000.
In 1958 Era had founded with Doré Records a subsidiary whose most successful performers, the Teddy Bears, who had at Doré in 1958 with To Know Him Is To Love Him a number -one hit and Jan and Dean in 1959 with her dore Items Baby Talk reached # 10 in the U.S. charts. Also in 1959, Lou Bedell sold his company shares to Herb Newman, who thus became the sole owner of the company. 1962 was introduced with Monogram another sub-label, whose big star Chris Montez was. He had to Monogram # 505 with Let's Dance in the summer of 1962, a number - four hit. After only two years Monogram Records 1964 has been discontinued.
As of 1965, the slow descent of Era Records started. Jewel Akens The Birds and the Bees was the last top 50 success ( 3). Barry McGuire, the beginning of 1965 in Era, the single had The Tree / Theme From The Tree published, could not be maintained, a few months later, he had at Dunhill with Eve of Destruction a number -one hit. In 1969, the Los Angeles-based label Happy Tiger Records was acquired, which was to serve the distribution of oldies. Also in 1969 a new catalog series began, starting with the number 100 120 (The Pleasers Your Driver 's License, Please) appeared in 1970, followed by Era Records was sold to the company K- tel.