Post war labels for blues, folk, bluegrass

[Rabshakeh]

Hi,

I'm trying to think of examples of labels from the postwar period that worked at cataloguing / selling American folk / vernacular styles.

By this I mean recordings of post war or surviving musicians playing in styles rooted in the profusion of pre-war southern styles (although not necessarily just replicating them), rather than the music industry genres that were their immediate descendants. Basically, labels that specialise or specialised in the likes of country blues, bluegrass, old timey, cajun, tejano, etc. Particularly those focused on capturing some of the diversity and weirdness that was there, rather than selling products designed for the music industry genres that had arisen.

Essentially what I am asking for is labels with an imprint / catalogue / ethos like Arhoolie. That is as opposed to e.g. Chess or Blue Note, which I fully understand are also rooted strongly in pre-war styles (no need to inform me of the fact).

Maybe "Arhoolie-type" record labels is a simpler way of putting it.

Examples might be:

Arhoolie

Delmark, and it's blues arm in particular

Alligator

Fat Possum

Rounder

Smithsonian (a different thing but from a listeners point of view a similar output)

Thank you in advance. I am going through a bit of a moment with this stuff.

[John L]

Testament Records

Folkways Records

Sonet Records

Biograph Records

Vanguard Records

to name a few

[Brad]

I was going to say Vanguard but John beat me to it. 

[Chuck Nessa]

Flying Fish

[JSngry]

Prestige had sub-labels for this type of stuff.

[Brad]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

Prestige had sub-labels for this type of stuff.

Bluesville. 

[HutchFan]

BLUEGRASS LABELS

- Rebel Records

- King Records

- Gusto Records

- Starday Records

- Rural Rhythm Records

- Pinecastle Records

- Sugar Hill Records

Of course, major labels like Columbia, RCA, Decca, Capitol, United Artists, and Mercury also recorded lots of post-war bluegrass music. Some examples: Bill Monroe recorded for Columbia & Decca; The Stanley Brothers recorded for Mercury; Doc & Merle Watson recorded for U.A.; The Louvin Brothers recorded for Capitol; and Flatt & Scruggs recorded for Mercury & Columbia.

EDIT

Of course, there's also Bear Family if you're looking to go the box set / compilation route.

 

Edited May 26, 2024 by HutchFan

[JSngry]

1 hour ago, Brad said:

Bluesville. 

Prestige Folklore:

https://www.jazzdisco.org/prestige-records/catalog-folklore-14000-series/album-index/

Prestige had a buttload full of other sub-labels. International, spoken word, Gospel, you name it. And then there was TruSound, whatever that was supposed to be.

[felser]

Elektra (pre-Butterfield/Love/Doors).

[Rabshakeh]

Thank you, everyone!

[AllenLowe]

Unless I am missing something here (which is entirely possible) we have missed what I would consider to be the best label, ever, for American vernacular music, and that is Document. Unfortunately all they issue now are CDRs, but it is worth tracking down old copies. But nothing in my lifetime matches what they accomplished.

[clifford_thornton]

Yeah, Document, RST, all that stuff is mind-blowing. Then again most of what I've taken note of is prewar.

I'd also add June Appal and Takoma to the list.

Oh, and Flyright and Trix should be in here too.

[Rabshakeh]

1 hour ago, AllenLowe said:

Unless I am missing something here (which is entirely possible) we have missed what I would consider to be the best label, ever, for American vernacular music, and that is Document. Unfortunately all they issue now are CDRs, but it is worth tracking down old copies. But nothing in my lifetime matches what they accomplished.

Document is absolutely great. But I think it is mostly pre-war recordings.

[John L]

18 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said:

Document is absolutely great. But I think it is mostly pre-war recordings.

Document is known for its comprehensive reissues of pre-war music recorded by other labels, in contrast to labels devoted to making new recordings of older styles of music themselves, which I understand to be the subject of this thread.  Nevertheless, Document does have one series of issues - the 700 series - that consists of their own recordings of European musicians playing in American pre-war styles.  So technically Document can be included here.   

Edited May 28, 2024 by John L

[Rabshakeh]

11 minutes ago, John L said:

 Nevertheless, Document does have one series of issues - the 700 series - that consists of their own recordings of European musicians playing in American pre-war styles.  So technically Document can be included here.   

That is interesting! News to me. I had not realised that it was Austrian originally.

1 hour ago, clifford_thornton said:

June Appal

I'd never heard of this one but looks great! Lots to listen to.

Edited May 28, 2024 by Rabshakeh

[clifford_thornton]

35 minutes ago, John L said:

Document is known for its comprehensive reissues of pre-war music recorded by other labels, in contrast to labels devoted to making new recordings of older styles of music themselves, which I understand to be the subject of this thread.  Nevertheless, Document does have one series of issues - the 700 series - that consists of their own recordings of European musicians playing in American pre-war styles.  So technically Document can be included here.   

Ah, thanks, yeah I had no idea about the 700 series.

[AllenLowe]

yeah, sorry, I missed the post-War requirement.