Bel-Tone Recording Corporation was a small

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

independent record label founded in 1944 in

Hollywood, California Hollywood, sometimes informally called Tinseltown, is a List of districts and neighborhoods in Los Angeles, neighborhood and district in the Central Los Angeles, central region of Los Angeles County, California, within the city of Los Angeles. ...

, that recorded and produced artists of the

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...

, race, and

folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk horror ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Fo ...

genres.

Recording artists

Frankie Laine Frankie Laine (born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio; March 30, 1913 – February 6, 2007) was an American singer and songwriter whose career spanned nearly 75 years, from his first concerts in 1930 with a marathon dance company to his final performa ...

''(né'' Francesco Paolo LoVecchio; 1913–2007) * Freddy Stewart ''(né'' Morris Joseph Lazar; 1921–2000) *

Valaida Snow Valaida Snow (June 2, 1904. Other presumed birth years are 1900, 1901, 1903, 1905, and 1907 – May 30, 1956) was an American jazz musician and entertainer who performed internationally. She was also known as "Little Louis" and "Queen of the Tru ...

(1902–1956) * Cliffe Stonehead (aka Cliffie Stone; ''né'' Clifford Gilpin Snyder; 1917–1998) *

Monte Hale Monte Hale (born Samuel Buren Ely June 8, 1919 – March 29, 2009) was an American B-Western film star and country musician. Biography Sometimes reported to have been born in San Angelo, Texas, Hale was actually born in Ada, Oklahoma but grew ...

''(né'' Buren Ely; 1919–2009) * Buzz Adlam ''(né'' Basil George Adlam; 1904–1974) * Alton Redd (1904–1979) * Bob Mosely *

Slim Gaillard Bulee "Slim" Gaillard (January 9, 1911 – February 26, 1991), also known as McVouty, was an American jazz singer and songwriter who played piano, guitar, vibraphone, and tenor saxophone. Gaillard was noted for his comedic vocalese singing ...

''(né'' Bulee Gaillard; 1916–1991) * Tin Ear Tanner and his Back Room Boys (pseudonym for

Merle Travis Merle Robert Travis (November 29, 1917 – October 20, 1983) was an American country and western singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Born in Rosewood, Kentucky, his songs' lyrics were often about the lives and the economic exploitation of Ameri ...

Cliffie Stone Clifford Gilpin Snyder (March 1, 1917 – January 17, 1998), professionally Cliffie Stone, was an American country singer, musician, record producer, music publisher, and radio and TV personality who was pivotal in the development of Californi ...

, and "crew") * Luis Cardenas "Touch of Paradise" (2016)

Management

Dick Elwell was President and general manager; Jack Elliott (''né'' Irwin Elliott Zucker; 1927–2001) as songwriter and talent manager; Frank Berger, who had formerly been with Gilt-Edge Records, as production supervisor; and Jack Homer as . Bel-Tone had acquired a recording studio from James Anthony Fitzpatrick (1894–1980), who had used it to produce short travel films called, ''Fitzpatrick Traveltalks.'' The studio turned out to be not large enough to accommodate many of the ensembles that the label was pursuing; so, the label used two or three established commercial studios in Los Angeles. Luis Cardenas and Owen Loftus have recently purchased the Hollywood Independent label. The intent is to sign "unique artists". Studios used for recording will consist of LunchBox Studios, Capital Records, The Village and others depending on what the project requires. Luis Cardenas "Touch of Paradise" is the first project to be released by the label in about 15 years. Luis Cardenas will produce and oversee projects at studios such as Capital Records, LunchBox Studios, Dino M111 Studios, The Village and Paramount Studios. Luis Cardenas is Vice President and head of A&R for Bel-Tone Records. Also producing and artist development. Luis Cardenas freelances as Producer on other projects for other Indie labels as well. Owen Loftus is CEO and President of Bel-Tone Records and Executive Producer on key projects. Owen Loftus has also been named as Executive Director of all Film Rights and Productions of 8 Land Pictures Inc. which is operating in conjunction with Bel Tone Films.

Series

: 0250 series – jazz/pop, then switched to country : J750 series – jazz & R&B : 2000 series – Latin : 7000 series – pop : 9000 series :

Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz Saxophone, saxophonist, bandleader, and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of beb ...

Dizzy Gillespie John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie ( ; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improvisation, improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy El ...

recorded in Hollywood, California, December 29, 1945, on the 700 series with

Dodo Marmarosa Michael "Dodo" Marmarosa (December 12, 1925 – September 17, 2002) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Originating in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Marmarosa became a professional musician in his mid-teens, and toured with several ...

Jack McVea John Vivian McVea (November 5, 1914 – December 27, 2000) was an American swing, blues, and rhythm and blues woodwind player and bandleader. He played clarinet and tenor and baritone saxophone. Career Born in Los Angeles, California, his fa ...

, Bam Brown, and

Zutty Singleton Arthur James "Zutty" Singleton (May 14, 1898 – July 14, 1975) was an American jazz drummer. Career Singleton was born in Bunkie, Louisiana, United States, and raised in New Orleans. According to his ''Jazz Profiles'' biography, his unusual ...

Kidisks — Bel-Tone Playhouse Series * ''The Ugly Duckling'', 78 rpm (1945) :: Starring Mary Holiday, with "Jump Jump" * ''Jump Jump'' , ''The Little Lost Star'' * BT-4: 10" 78 rpm — re-issued in 1947 by

Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. Mercury Records released ...

MMP–16 (album), 7031 (sides 1, 2), 7031 (sides 3, 4), 7033 (sides 5, 6) :: Uncle Bob (narrator) ... Robert Bainter Bailey (1913–1983) :: Music, conducting ... Raymond Joe Sanns ''(né'' Joseph Milton Mullendore Jr.; 1914–1990), who also was a member of the

Cappy Barra Harmonica Band The Cappy Barra Harmonica Band was an American harmonica ensemble — originally a trio, then a quartet, then two groups — that played big band arrangements. Cappy Barra flourished from 1935 to 1945. History 1938 to 1942 : Cappy Ba ...

:: Director ... by Ted B. Sills : ''The Fisherman and the Flounder'' (3 sides), adopted from

Grimm's Fairy Tales ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'', originally known as the ''Children's and Household Tales'' (, , commonly abbreviated as ''KHM''), is a German collection of fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm, Jacob Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Wilhelm, first publish ...

,
image
:: Actors: Dick Trusel, Shirley Mitchell, Ken Christy : ''The Elves and the Shoemaker'' (3 sides), adopted from

, :: Actors: Henry Lang, Shirley Mitchell (maiden; born 1919; married to & divorced from Julian H. Frieden; later married to and widow of Jay Livingston), Jack Edwards, Jr., Kee Christy * ''Sleepy Slim The Tired Lion'', re-issued by

MMP–17, 7034, 7034 :: Starring Mary McConnell and Jump Jump :: Sound effects & music ... Harry Wilcox

Bankruptcy

Bel-Tone Records, through its attorney Samuel Shayon ''(né'' Samuel Shmayonik; 1903–1984), filed for bankruptcy on November 30, 1947. Dick Elwell and Bob Cook were the sole shareholders. * Gold Seal Record Company, a small independent label from Chicago, acquired most its folk and country masters. *

Majestic Records Majestic Records was a mid-20th century record label based in New York City, incorporated in 1945 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Majestic Radio & Television. The label enjoyed its greatest commercial success in the 1940s until expansion and sup ...

acquired the 1946 recording sessions of

.Opal Lewis Nations & Randall Tamberg
''Hit/Majestic Records; "The Mighty Monarch of the Air"

Blues & Rhythm ''Blues & Rhythm'' is a British music magazine dealing with all aspects of blues and gospel music. Founded in July 1984 it is - along with its American counterpart ''Living Blues'' - considered to be the premier magazine for all aspects of resear ...

, Vol. 138, pg. 7 (April 1999) Luis Cardenas and Owen Loftus acquired the Bel Tone name in efforts to revise Bel Tone Records, Production and Entertainment Group.

References

External links

Bel-Tone Records
on the Internet Archive'
Great 78 Project
{{Authority control Record labels established in 1944 Defunct record labels of the United States Record labels disestablished in 1947