Bobbin Records was an American, St. Louis-based

independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...

, founded by blues musician Little Milton and KATZ-AM disc jockey Bob Lyons in 1958. The label was instrumental in exposing Milton and other local artist to wider audiences. As the head of A&R, Milton recruited Albert King, Oliver Sain, and Fontella Bass to record for Bobbin. Bobbin was eventually distributed by the

Chess Records Chess Records was an American record company established in 1950 in Chicago, specializing in blues and rhythm and blues. It was the successor to Aristocrat Records, founded in 1947. It expanded into soul music, gospel music, early rock and roll ...

. The Bobbin catalog consists of 44 records between 1958 and 1963. The first release on the label was Milton's "I'm A Lonely Man" in 1958 which sold 60,000 copies. Altogether Milton released seven singles on the label, including two that were released after Leonard Chess bout out Lyons and signed Milton and other artists on Bobbin to his

Checker Records Checker Records is an inactive record label that was started in 1952 as a subsidiary of Chess Records in Chicago, Illinois. The label was founded by the Chess brothers, Leonard and Phil, who ran the label until they sold it to General Recorded ...

label. In October 1961, Bobbin released Albert King's "

Don't Throw Your Love on Me So Strong "Don't Throw Your Love on Me So Strong" is a blues song written and recorded by Albert King. The song was first released on Bobbin Records, but it became King's first hit record after its release on King Records in 1961. Recording and release K ...

" which featured musician Ike Turner on piano. The single did well enough locally that King Records leased the recording from Bobbin and released it as a single the next month. It became King's first hit, peaking No.14 on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart. In 1996, Ace Records released the compilation CD ''St. Louis Blues Revue: The Classic Bobbin Sessions''.

Partial discography

References

American record labels Rhythm and blues record labels Pop record labels Rock and roll record labels Record labels established in 1958 Vanity record labels Music of St. Louis Blues record labels Defunct record labels of the United States 1958 establishments in Missouri {{US-independent-record-label-stub