Mirwood Records

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Mirwood Records was an American record label founded by former Vee-Jay executive Randy Wood in Los Angeles in 1965.

A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing, promotion, and enforcement of copyright for sound recordings and music videos, while also conducting talent scouting and development of new artists, and maintaining contracts with recording artists and their managers. The term "record label" derives from the circular label in the center of a vinyl record which prominently displays the manufacturer's name, along with other information. Within the mainstream music industry, recording artists have traditionally been reliant upon record labels to broaden their consumer base, market their albums, and be both promoted and heard on music streaming services, radio, and television. Record labels also provide publicists, who assist performers in gaining positive media coverage, and arrange for their merchandise to be available via stores and other media outlets.

Vee-Jay Records US record label

Vee-Jay Records is an American record label founded in the 1950s, located in Chicago and specializing in blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll.

Randall Albert "Randy" Wood was an American record company executive. As an executive and later President of Vee-Jay Records in the early 1960s, he was involved in the early successes of the Four Seasons, as well as the releases of the first Beatles records in the United States. He later launched several independent record labels including Mira and Mirwood.

The Mirwood label was a sister label to Mira Records. It primarily released rhythm and blues and jazz recordings, [1] and has been described as "among the definitive Northern soul labels". [2] Many of its records were written and produced by Fred Smith and arranged by James Carmichael, who (according to Jason Ankeny at AllMusic) "hone[d] a distinctive style all their own, creating soul music that was both relentlessly energetic and sweetly sophisticated, topped off by trademark vibes that evoked the otherworldly beauty of a Pacific Ocean sunset". [2]

Mira Records was a record label founded in 1965 by former Vee-Jay Records executive Randy Wood. He also operated concurrently the Mirwood and Surrey labels. The label issued hit records by The Leaves and The Forum. It folded in 1968.

Rhythm and blues, commonly abbreviated as R&B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a heavy, insistent beat" was becoming more popular. In the commercial rhythm and blues music typical of the 1950s through the 1970s, the bands usually consisted of piano, one or two guitars, bass, drums, one or more saxophones, and sometimes background vocalists. R&B lyrical themes often encapsulate the African-American experience of pain and the quest for freedom and joy, as well as triumphs and failures in terms of relationships, economics, and aspirations.

Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, United States. It originated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and developed from roots in blues and ragtime. Jazz is seen by many as "America's classical music". Since the 1920s Jazz Age, jazz has become recognized as a major form of musical expression. It then emerged in the form of independent traditional and popular musical styles, all linked by the common bonds of African-American and European-American musical parentage with a performance orientation. Jazz is characterized by swing and blue notes, call and response vocals, polyrhythms and improvisation. Jazz has roots in West African cultural and musical expression, and in African-American music traditions including blues and ragtime, as well as European military band music. Intellectuals around the world have hailed jazz as "one of America's original art forms".

The label found success with its second single, "The Duck", credited to Jackie Lee, actually Earl Nelson of Bob & Earl. Other artists recorded on the Mirwood label included The Olympics and Bobby Garrett, the other half of Bob & Earl. [3] The last singles released on the label were issued in 1968; several various artists compilations were issued in the early 1970s. [1]

Single (music) Type of music release usually containing one or two tracks

In the music industry, a single is a type of release, typically a song recording of fewer tracks than an LP record or an album. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, a single is a song that is released separately from an album, although it usually also appears on an album. Typically, these are the songs from albums that are released separately for promotional uses such as digital download or commercial radio airplay and are expected to be the most popular. In other cases a recording released as a single may not appear on an album.

"The Duck" is a song written by Fred Sledge Smith and Earl Nelson and performed by Jackie Lee. It reached No. 4 on the U.S. R&B chart and No. 14 on the U.S. pop chart in 1966. It was featured on his 1966 album The Duck.

Bob & Earl were an American soul music singing duo in the 1960s, best known for writing and recording the original version of "Harlem Shuffle".

Several compilations of Mirwood releases have been issued on CD.

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Red Snapper are a British instrumental band founded in London in 1993 by Ali Friend, Richard Thair (drums), and David Ayers (guitar). The three core members are also joined by various guest musicians and vocalists on different records. Since the 2007 reunion Tom Challenger (saxophone) has also been a member of the band. According to music journalist Jason Ankeny of Allmusic, "the British acid jazz trio [are] notable for their pioneering synthesis of acoustic instruments and electronic textures".

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Irma Thomas American soul, rhythm and blues, and gospel singer

Irma Thomas is an American singer from New Orleans. She is known as the "Soul Queen of New Orleans".

Black Top Records was a New Orleans, Louisiana-based independent record label founded in 1981 by brothers Nauman S. Scott, III and Hammond Scott. The label specialized in blues and R&B music. The first release was "Talk To You By Hand" by Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets. The artist roster included Earl King, Snooks Eaglin, Lee Rocker, Guitar Shorty, and Robert Ward, among others.

Betty Harris American singer

Betty Harris is an American soul singer. Her recording career in the 1960s produced three hit singles that made the US Billboard R&B and Billboard Hot 100 charts: "Cry to Me" (1963), "His Kiss" (1964) and "Nearer to You" (1967). However, her reputation among soul music connoisseurs far exceeds her commercial success of the 1960s, and her recordings for the Jubilee and Sansu record labels are highly sought after in the 2000s by fans of Northern soul and deep soul.

Earl Gaines, Jr. was an American soul blues and electric blues singer. Born in Decatur, Alabama, he sang lead vocals on the hit single "It's Love Baby ", credited to Louis Brooks and his Hi-Toppers, before undertaking a low-key solo career. In the latter capacity he had minor success with "The Best of Luck to You" (1966) and "Hymn Number 5" (1973). Noted as the best R&B singer from Nashville, Gaines was also known for his lengthy career.

Robert Nelson Relf, was an African-American R&B and soul musician. Best known as half of the soul music duo Bob & Earl whose song, Harlem Shuffle was released in the US in 1963 and in the UK in 1964. It was re-released 1969 reaching No 7 in the UK charts. Relf's recording of the song "Blowing My Mind to Pieces" was written by Lou Barreto as well as being produced by Lou Barreto and Rod Bumgardner. The song became popular on the Northern soul scene in the UK in the 1970s.

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Fred Sledge Smith, often credited as Fred Smith, was an American R&B songwriter and record producer, who worked in particular with The Olympics, Bob & Earl, Bill Cosby, and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band.

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