[78-L] Columbia and Victor etc.

[Steven C. Barr]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "DAVID BURNHAM" <burnhamd at rogers.com>
> dl wrote:
> Decca and Columbia would have been unlikely bedmates as well, except for 
> their
> common links to Odeon.
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Brunswick was linked to both Columbia and Decca, (the famous old Paul 
> Robeson "Showboat" came out on Brunswick before it came out on Columbia 
> and several old Brunswicks by Bing Crosby etc. later came out on Decca, [I 
> think]).
>
The Columbia/Brunswick connection existed from 1934 to 1940, because both 
labels were
acquired by the American Record Corporation (Columbia in 1934). During this 
period a
handful of Brunswick-material compilations were issued on Columbia. This 
connection
was dependent on ARC issuing a specified number of discs on the Brunswick 
label.

After CBS took over ARC (1938, I think...?!) they elected to make Columbia
their "flagship" label and gradually quit issuing Brunswick discs, thus 
failing to meet
the terms of the contract. During the AFM ban, Decca realized they DIDN'T 
have
a large group of historic masters upon which to draw, so THEY made the same
deal with the remains of Brunswick...and issued a fair number of old 
Brunswick
sides on the Decca-pressed Brunswick 80000 series. Later on, Decca actually
issued new recordings on both Brunswick and Vocalion (i.e. Buddy Holly, for
one...?!).

Somehow, Brunswick finally wound up as an "indie" race label on Chicago's
south side...

...stevenc