Trumpet Records

Trumpet Records was an independent record label which was founded in 1951 by Lillian and Willard McMurry in Jackson, Mississippi, and existed until 1956.

History

In the music business, the founders came by chance, they found 78rpm plates in the back room of the building in the Farish Street, which they purchased in 1949, a lot of old blues and rhythm and blues. They opened a record store and realized that there was a market for this kind of music in Jackson. The Farish Street was on the border between the white and black areas of the city and was a good location for a plate business.

The label was founded to give local groups and musicians recording facilities that had no chance in the majors. On April 3, 1950, the first recording session with the St. Andrews Gospel Aires was performed. Although the label was only until 1956, it had a great influence on the blues music, so for example, took Elmore James "Dust my Broom " for Trumpet on. This single was and remained the biggest success of the young record company, they remained the only recording that reached the Billboard Rhythm & Blue Charts. The most important of the business was, but in the fact that they gave artists a recording opportunity at a time when you could not record in the American South. The headquarters was 309 Farish Street, the building had to be shared with a furniture shop. Williamson's song " 309 " refers to that address, and the number " Pontiac Blues" has reference to his company because he Lillian McMurrys Pontiac sings it. Today, a panel of the Mississippi Blues Trail recalls the importance of the company for the development of the blues.

1956, the record company was closed. The contracts of the artists were sold by lenders to other record companies, as Sonny Boy Williamson II went, which made for Trumpet 11 recordings to Chess Records in Chicago, where he could continue his career. But the other artists made a great career.

Lillian McMurry, who led the record company, was inducted into the Blues Foundation 's Blues Hall of Fame in 1998. She was known for her fairness and even decades after the last recordings of Trumpet Records they took care of the rights, sued, if necessary and paid the artists or their heirs which they are entitled. Also noteworthy is the fact that a white couple for a company for black music founded, in a time that was marked by intense segregation and in one state, then the firmly held to the segregation for a long time. She died in March 1999, her husband, who was responsible for the business side of the company, died already in 1996.

Artists on Trumpet Records

One of the session musician Elmore James, who worked as a radio mechanic in the business of Henry McMurry. On Trumpet also the first recordings of Sonny Boy Williamson II, who brought his friend Willie Love, a pianist for Trumpet published. Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup recorded under the names Elmer James for the company. In addition to these artists were still Wynonie Harris, Little Milton and Ike Turner to the artists who received for Trumpet Records.