Cuca Records was an American

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 ...

, of

Sauk City, Wisconsin Sauk City is a village in Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States, North America. The population was 3,518 as of the 2020 census. The first incorporated village in the state, the community was founded by Agoston Haraszthy and his business partner, R ...

, United States, was founded by James Kirchstein in 1959 and actively produced LP and 45 rpm recordings until the early 1970s. During this period, Cuca recorded and released primarily polka and ethnic music on LP but also issued other musical styles, including pop, rhythm and blues, folk, and traditional jazz. Most musicians recorded by Cuca were from Wisconsin or adjacent states. Consequently, Cuca's recorded documents represent a focused view of Wisconsin musical performance during these years. The Cuca studios recorded performers for commercial release on other popular record labels, as well. Its recording of " Mule Skinner Blues" by The Fendermen (Cuca 1003, rereleased as a 45 rpm on the Soma label) rose to number five on the Billboard charts in 1960 and sold over a million copies, and its recording of Birdlegs and Pauline's tune, "Spring" (Cuca 1125, re-released on the Vee-Jay label) rose to number 18 on the rhythm and blues chart. Other musicians recorded by Cuca include bluesman Earl Hooker, the pop group Corporation, country musician,

Pee Wee King Julius Frank Anthony Kuczynski (February 18, 1914 – March 7, 2000), known professionally as Pee Wee King, was an American country music songwriter and recording artist best known for co-writing " Tennessee Waltz". Pee Wee King is credited wit ...

, and jazz musician, Doc DeHaven. Cuca, which adopted the slogan "World's Largest Line of Old Time Music," is known for the host of polka and ethnic musicians it recorded including Alvin Styczynski, Verne Meisner, Syl Liebl, the Goose Island Ramblers, John Check, Jerry Goetsch, Roger Bright, and the Edelweiss Stars. Citation Records was founded as a division of Cuca. It signed Paul Stefen and the Royal Lancers, who achieved local success with many of their singles, including their cover of

The Crickets The Crickets were an American rock and roll band from Lubbock, Texas, formed by singer-songwriter Buddy Holly in January 1957. Their first hit record, " That'll Be the Day", released in May 1957, peaked at number three on the ''Billboard'' Top ...

' " I Fought the Law". The Cuca Record Collection forms part of the Wisconsin Music Archives, a non-circulating special collection in the Mills Music Library at the

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase ''universitas magistrorum et scholarium'', which ...

References

External links

The Cuca Records Database
University of Wisconsin Digital Collections.

polkatimes.com

{{Authority control American record labels Record labels established in 1959 Pop record labels Folk record labels Jazz record labels Sauk County, Wisconsin

See also

References

External links