Vee Jay Records

The Vee Jay Records albums, compilations, singles and EPs, and live albums catalog with cataloged releases, editions, and label credits

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Parent organization: Concord Music Group

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US label Vee Jay was founded in 1953 in Gary, Indiana, USA by Vivian Carter and James C. Bracken (Mr. & Mrs. Bracken), who used their first initials for the label’s name. The first song they ever recorded made it to the top ten of the US rhythm & blues charts. Within a short time, Vee Jay was the most successful black-owned record company in the U.S.A. It was the first American company to sign The Beatles. In one month alone in early 1964, they sold 2.6 million Beatles singles. When Beatles’ sales skyrocketed. Capitol Records, who had earlier turned down the Beatles, started filing lawsuits against Vee Jay to get the group back, as reported by Mike Callahan in “The Vee Jay Story” in Goldmine (May 1981). The cost of defending the lawsuits, in addition to Ewart Abner’s poor financial management and gambling habit, wiped out Vee Jay’s money and credit, and put the company out of business. It reorganized as VJ International in 1967 after company executives Randy Wood and Betty Chiapetta bought the label from its bankruptcy trustee and operated it mainly to liquidate existing stock and lease the Vee-Jay masters to other companies; it released its own records (reissues and previously unreleased material) in 1975 but had trouble finding distributors to carry these albums. In 1990, Chameleon Music Group president Daniel Pritzker formed a limited liability partnership and bought VJ International from Chiapetta and began reissuing Vee-Jay material on CD until Chameleon became inactive in 1995. The company was reactivated in 1998 under the management of Michele Tayler, who cut an agreement with Rhino Records (2) for North American licensing of the catalog. Vee Jay's catalog is currently owned by the Concord Music Group, which also owns Fantasy Records among its holdings. 45 RPM Catalog Number, Date and Label Identification: 100 through 223 (1953–1956): Maroon label with thin outer silver circle. Does not have "Trademark Reg." or "Made In The U.S.A." on the label. 224 through 286 (1956–1958): Maroon label with thin outer silver circle. Does not have "Trademark Reg." but does have "Made In The U.S.A." on the label. 287 through 353 (1958–1960): Maroon label with thicker outer silver circle. Has "Trademark Reg." but does not have "Made In The U.S.A." on the label. 354 and higher (1960 forward): Black label. Vee Jay 280 had the thicker outer line, but was an exception to the rule. Red plastic exists in some numbers in the 100 series. When the Beatles became popular in January 1964, Vee Jay releases poured forth, using a wide assortment of label colors and designs.

Discography

1,470 albums
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Introducing... The Beatles

The Beatles · 1963

Studio Album

The Eric Dolphy Memorial Album

Eric Dolphy · 1963

Studio Album

Wynton Kelly!

Wynton Kelly · 1961

Studio Album

Great Hits

Little Richard · 1965

Studio Album

Blues Modernos

John Lee Hooker · 1959

Studio Album

Burnin'

John Lee Hooker · 1962

Studio Album

Here's Lee Morgan

Lee Morgan · 1960

Studio Album

Introducing Wayne Shorter

Wayne Shorter · 1960

Studio Album

Exodus To Jazz

Eddie Harris · 1961

Studio Album

Kelly At Midnite

Wynton Kelly · 1960

Studio Album

Go...

Paul Chambers · 1959

Studio Album

Coffee House Blues

Lightnin' Hopkins, Brownie McGhee, Sonny Terry · 1963

Studio Album

Kelley Great

Wynton Kelley · 1960

Studio Album

Memphis Slim At The Gate Of Horn

Memphis Slim · 1959

Studio Album

I'm Jimmy Reed

Jimmy Reed · 1958

Studio Album

The 4 Seasons Greetings

The 4 Seasons · 1962

Studio Album

The Most Exciting Organ Ever

Billy Preston · 1964

Studio Album

Lightnin' Strikes

Lightnin' Hopkins · 1962

Studio Album

Wayning Moments

Wayne Shorter · 1962

Studio Album

Black Nativity, Gospel On Broadway!

Marion Williams & The Stars Of Faith, Princess Stewart, Prof. Alex Bradford & The Bradford Singers · 1962

Studio Album

Little Richard Is Back

Little Richard · 1964

Studio Album

The Young Lions

The Young Lions · 1960

Studio Album

Sherry & 11 Others

The 4 Seasons · 1962

Studio Album

The Big Soul Of John Lee Hooker

John Lee Hooker · 1963

Studio Album

Rockin' With Reed

Jimmy Reed · 1959

Studio Album

The Swingin'est

Bennie Green & Gene Ammons · 1958

Studio Album

Travelin'

John Lee Hooker · 1960

Studio Album

Here Are The Honeycombs

The Honeycombs · 1964

Studio Album

Expoobident

Lee Morgan · 1960

Studio Album

Blues Bag

Buddy De Franco · 1965

Studio Album

Fantastic Frank Strozier

Frank Strozier · 1960

Studio Album

It's In His Kiss/You're No Good

Betty Everett · 1964

Studio Album

The Popular Folk Music Of Germany

The Deutschmeister Band, Julius Hermann · 1958

Studio Album

Just Jimmy Reed

Jimmy Reed · 1962

Studio Album

The Best Of Jimmy Reed

Jimmy Reed · 1961

Studio Album

Second Genesis

Wayne Shorter · 1974

Studio Album

Contemplation

Yusef Lateef · 1960

Studio Album

Big Girls Don't Cry And Twelve Others

The 4 Seasons · 1963

Studio Album

1st Bassman

Paul Chambers · 1960

Studio Album

On Campus

John Lee Hooker · 1963

Studio Album

The Duke Of Earl

Gene Chandler · 1961

Studio Album

T'aint No Big Thing But He Is...Jimmy Reed

Jimmy Reed · 1963

Studio Album

Things Ain't What They Used To Be - Recorded "Live"

Jimmy Reed · 1964

Studio Album

The Folk Lore Of John Lee Hooker

John Lee Hooker · 1961

Studio Album

Delicious Together

Betty Everett & Jerry Butler · 1964

Studio Album

Hey Joe

The Leaves · 1966

Studio Album

Sings The Best Of The Blues

Jimmy Reed · 1963

Studio Album

Explodes

Hoyt Axton · 1964

Studio Album