Red Bird Records
Encyclopedia
Red Bird Records was a record label
started by American pop music
songwriter
s Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
in 1964
. Though often thought of as a "girl-group" label, female-led acts made up only 40% of the artist roster on Red Bird and its associated labels (including Blue Cat Records
, Tiger and Daisy). However, female-led acts also accounted for more than 90% of the label's charting records.
The label's first release was "Chapel of Love
" by The Dixie Cups
, which quickly reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100
, a feat matched later that year by The Shangri-Las
' "Leader of the Pack
". Eleven of the first 30 singles released by Red Bird reached the Top Forty.
(in 1955) and working for Atlantic
(1955–1961) then United Artists
(1961–1963) and starting Red Bird, Leiber and Stoller brought in George Goldner
, a veteran record promoter and former owner of Gee Records
, Gone Records
and Rama Records
. They used the skillful Brill Building
husband-and-wife songwriting team of Jeff Barry
and Ellie Greenwich
, who had been writing most of Phil Spector
's first hits. The label was sold in 1966
as Leiber and Stoller preferred to write and produce rather than manage the business of running a label, and after they had a falling-out with Goldner.
A subsidiary label, Blue Cat Records
, had a hit with "The Boy from New York City" by The Ad Libs.
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
started by American pop music
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
s Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Jerome "Jerry" Leiber and Mike Stoller were American songwriting and record producing partners. Stoller was the composer and Leiber the lyricist. Their most famous songs include "Hound Dog", "Jailhouse Rock", "Kansas City", "Stand By Me" Jerome "Jerry" Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011)...
in 1964
1964 in music
-Events:*January 1 – Top of the Pops is broadcast for the first time, on BBC television.*January 3 – Footage of the Beatles performing a concert in Bournemouth, England is shown on The Jack Paar Show....
. Though often thought of as a "girl-group" label, female-led acts made up only 40% of the artist roster on Red Bird and its associated labels (including Blue Cat Records
Blue Cat Records
Blue Cat Records was the name of two unconnected record labels.Blue Cat Records ' was a subsidiary label of Red Bird Records. It had a hit in 1965 with "The Boy from New York City" by the Ad Libs....
, Tiger and Daisy). However, female-led acts also accounted for more than 90% of the label's charting records.
The label's first release was "Chapel of Love
Chapel of Love
"Chapel of Love" is a song written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector, and made famous by The Dixie Cups in 1964, spending three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. There have also been many other versions of this song...
" by The Dixie Cups
The Dixie Cups
The Dixie Cups are an American pop music girl group of the 1960s. They are best known for their 1964 million selling disc, "Chapel of Love".-Career:...
, which quickly reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, a feat matched later that year by The Shangri-Las
The Shangri-Las
The Shangri-Las were an American pop girl group of the 1960s. Between 1964 and 1966 they charted with often heartbreaking teen melodramas, and remain best known for "Leader of the Pack" and "Remember ".- Early career :...
' "Leader of the Pack
Leader of the Pack
"Leader of the Pack" is a 1964 pop song recorded by girl group The Shangri-Las. It became number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 28, 1964.-Original Shangri-Las recording:...
". Eleven of the first 30 singles released by Red Bird reached the Top Forty.
History
After closing Spark RecordsSpark Records
Spark Records was a record label started by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller c. 1954. Artists released on Spark Records included Willy & Ruth, The Sly Fox and The Robins....
(in 1955) and working for Atlantic
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
(1955–1961) then United Artists
United Artists Records
United Artists Records was a record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 initially to distribute records of its movie soundtracks, though it soon branched out into recording music of a number of different genres.-History:...
(1961–1963) and starting Red Bird, Leiber and Stoller brought in George Goldner
George Goldner
George Goldner was an American record label owner and promoter. He worked, amongst others, with The Crows, The Flamingos, The Cleftones, The Shangri-Las, The Teenagers, The Chantels, Little Richard and Lou Christie. He had a son named Cary and a wife named Grace...
, a veteran record promoter and former owner of Gee Records
Gee Records
Gee Records began in 1953 in New York as a subsidiary to George Goldner's Tico Records and Rama Records labels. Sometime in 1955 Goldner sold 50% of Gee to Joe Kolsky who was a business partner of Morris Levy....
, Gone Records
Gone Records
Gone Records was a record label founded by George Goldner that was active in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It was founded in 1957. Among the artists that recorded for the label were Bill Haley & His Comets, Ral Donner, Jo-Ann Campbell, and Johnny Rivers. It was acquired by Morris Levy and...
and Rama Records
Rama Records
Rama Records was a record label founded by George Goldner in 1953 in New York City. It recorded doo-wop groups such as The Crows and The Harptones....
. They used the skillful Brill Building
Brill Building
The Brill Building is an office building located at 1619 Broadway on 49th Street in the New York City borough of Manhattan, just north of Times Square and further uptown from the historic musical Tin Pan Alley neighborhood...
husband-and-wife songwriting team of Jeff Barry
Jeff Barry
Jeff Barry is an American pop music songwriter, singer, and record producer.-Early career:...
and Ellie Greenwich
Ellie Greenwich
Eleanor Louise "Ellie" Greenwich was an American pop music singer, songwriter, and record producer. She wrote or co-wrote "Be My Baby", "Christmas ", "Da Doo Ron Ron", "Leader of the Pack", "Do Wah Diddy Diddy", and "River Deep, Mountain High", among many others...
, who had been writing most of Phil Spector
Phil Spector
Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector is an American record producer and songwriter, later known for his conviction in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson....
's first hits. The label was sold in 1966
1966 in music
-Events:*January 3 – Hullabaloo shows promotional videos of The Beatles songs "Day Tripper" and "We Can Work it Out".*January 8 – Shindig! airs for the last time on ABC, with musical guests the Kinks and the Who...
as Leiber and Stoller preferred to write and produce rather than manage the business of running a label, and after they had a falling-out with Goldner.
A subsidiary label, Blue Cat Records
Blue Cat Records
Blue Cat Records was the name of two unconnected record labels.Blue Cat Records ' was a subsidiary label of Red Bird Records. It had a hit in 1965 with "The Boy from New York City" by the Ad Libs....
, had a hit with "The Boy from New York City" by The Ad Libs.