Fervor Records is 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 ...

based in Phoenix, Arizona. The company was founded in 1989 and is now owned and operated by David Hilker and

Jeff Freundlich Jeff Freundlich is an American songwriter, producer and music industry executive. His music is heard in network, cable and syndicated TV shows, in major and independent films, and advertising campaigns. A native of New York City, Freundlich grad ...

. The label creates compilations of previously released and unreleased music, reissues original albums and singles, and releases music from heritage and contemporary artists across numerous genres. The catalog includes many

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

charting songs as well as major label, Hall of Fame, and

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

-winning artists. Fervor licenses music to television shows, films, advertising, and other media applications. The label releases limited physical product on CD, cassette, vinyl, and has products available on digital platforms worldwide.

History

Formation

Fervor Records was founded in 1989 in Phoenix, Arizona by entrepreneurs David Hilker, Ted Bulger, Ron Pick and Michael Charlesworth as a subsidiary to Wild Whirled Music Group which also included Mount Pilot Music Publishing Company, BMI. The company was first headquartered in an office/warehouse space on Gelding Drive in the Scottsdale Airpark in

Scottsdale, Arizona , settlement_type = City , named_for = Winfield Scott , image_skyline = , image_seal = Seal of Scottsdale (Arizona).svg , image_blank_emblem = City of Scottsdale Script Logo.svg , nick ...

First release

From their offices in Scottsdale, the fledgling company produced the first charity Christmas compilation in Arizona, which sold over 4,000 copies in six weeks. The disc, ''Southwest Holiday'' benefited Central Arizona Shelter Services, a homeless shelter in Phoenix. "Our goal," said Hilker, "was to unite the music community and do something positive."

Move to Sunnyslope

In 1991, Hilker and his songwriting/production partner, John Costello, opened a recording studio, Wild Whirled Recording, at 600 West Dunlap Avenue in the Sunnyslope neighborhood of Phoenix. It was in a strip mall next to a laundromat. This address also served as Fervor's new headquarters. The studio serviced many client recording sessions. Hilker and Costello also produced a variety of singers and rappers focused primarily on hip-hop and R&B.

Other early releases

Fervor achieved local success with three additional compilation releases: ''Arizona Unplugged'', ''Blue Saguaro'', and ''Musicians for St. Mary's'' (a second charity release, this one for St. Mary's Food Bank in Phoenix). Artists appearing on these albums include Jeff Dayton, The Phoenix Boys Choir, Hans Olson, Brian Page & The Next, Cliff Sarde, genepool, Sonya Jason, J. David Sloan and Billy Williams, Bob Corritore, Chico Chism, Big Pete Pearson, The Rocket 88's,

Sam Taylor Samuel, Sam or Sammy Taylor (male first name) may refer to: Arts * Sam Taylor (director) (1895–1958), American film director and screenwriter * Samuel W. Taylor (1907–1997), American author * Samuel A. Taylor (1912–2000), playwright and scre ...

, Scotty Spenner, Chief Gillame, Rena Haus, Buddy Reed and the Rip It Ups, The Hoodoo Kings, London Thompson, Pete Pancrazi and Diana Lee.

Current studios and offices

By the mid 1990s, Bulger, Pick and Charlesworth had left the company, leaving Hilker in charge. In 2001, Fervor Records moved its headquarters and recording studios to its current location in Sunnyslope, Arizona.

Creation of Whirled Music Publishing, Inc.

In 2002, Hilker and Costello teamed with New York City native, Jeff Freundlich, and formed Whirled Music Publishing, Inc. to expand further into music publishing and licensing. By 2006, Whirled Music Publishing, Inc. had acquired Fervor Records and affiliated brands. In 2016, John Costello left the company. Hilker serves as the company's CEO and Freundlich as COO.

Fervor catalog

Vintage music

In 2007, the label began acquiring the rights to vintage songs and recordings from the 1920s through the 2000s, spanning numerous styles and sub-genres of pop, country, soul, blues, Americana, gospel, electronic, jazz, hip hop, rock and R&B. Fervor Records controls rights to music from historical labels including Morrison Records (Seattle, Washington) MCI, Liberty Bell, REV, Ramco, ARA, Raina, and Mascot Records (Phoenix, Arizona) Royal Audio Music aka

RAM Records RAM Records is an independent record label established in 1992 by Andy C with the help of his friend Ant Miles. It specialises in drum and bass. The label and business is run by Andy C and business partner Scott Bourne (Red One). Ram Records ...

, K, and Clif Records (Shreveport, LA) Comstock Records (Shawnee, Kansas), Trend Records (Canada) Up With People Records (Tucson, Arizona), Trend Records (Hollywood, California), Trod Nossel (Wallingford, Connecticut), WSJ Records (New York, NY), and Triplett Records (Chicago, Illinois).

Billboard charting songs

Songs in the Fervor catalog that have charted on Billboard include "Cookin" by the Al Casey Combo, " Reconsider Me" by Margaret Lewis and

Mira Ann Smith Mira Ann Smith (or often credited as Myra Smith; October 22, 1924 – August 29, 1989) was an American songwriter, music industry pioneer, record label owner, studio engineer, and multi-instrumentalist. In 1955, she founded Royal Audio Music, Inc. ...

, and "A Teenager Feels it Too" by Denny Reed

Grammy Award winners

Several of the artists in the Fervor catalog have received Grammy awards including

Bill Champlin William Bradford Champlin (born May 21, 1947) is an American singer, musician, arranger, producer, and songwriter. He formed the band Sons of Champlin in 1965, which still performs today, and was a member of the band Chicago from 1981–2009. ...

Waylon Jennings Waylon Jennings (June 15, 1937 – February 13, 2002) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He pioneered the Outlaw Movement in country music. Jennings started playing guitar at the age of eight and performed at age f ...

Steve Vaus (aka Buck Howdy),

Donna Fargo Donna may refer to the short form of the honorific ''nobildonna'', the female form of Don (honorific) in Italian. People * Donna (given name); includes name origin and list of people and characters with the name * Roberto Di Donna (born 1968), I ...

, and Jack Miller.

Arizona artists

Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Fervor Records has a special interest in finding and promoting artists from Arizona. A large part of the Fervor catalog is the work of Arizona artists. In 2007, Fervor secured a significant catalog of recordings from Audio Recorders of Arizona, a music studio owned and managed by Floyd Ramsey. Ramsey had bequeathed the catalog to Arizona music historian John P. Dixon. Ramsey's studio recorded produced, and released music from notable musicians such as

Sanford Clark Sanford Clark (October 24, 1935 – July 4, 2021) was an American country-rockabilly singer and guitarist, best known for his 1956 hit " The Fool". Biography Clark was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and was raised in Phoenix, Arizona, from the age o ...

Duane Eddy Duane Eddy (born April 26, 1938) is an American rock and roll guitarist. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he had a string of hit records produced by Lee Hazlewood, which were noted for their characteristically "twangy" sound, including "Rebe ...

, Donnie Owens,

Lee Hazlewood Barton Lee Hazlewood (July 9, 1929 – August 4, 2007) was an American country and pop singer, songwriter, and record producer, most widely known for his work with guitarist Duane Eddy during the late 1950s and singer Nancy Sinatra in the 1960s ...

, Al Casey, Waylon Jennings,

Wayne Newton Carson Wayne Newton (born April 3, 1942) is an American singer and actor. One of the most popular singers in the nation from the mid-to-late 20th-century, Newton remains one of the best-known entertainers in Las Vegas. He is known by the nicknam ...

, Donna Fargo, and many others. In 2017, Fervor released the double LP '' Mid-Century Sounds: Deep Cuts from the Desert,'' which features many rare songs from the Audio Recorder's catalog. Fervor also has other Arizona artists on their roster including

Bruce Connole Bruce Connole (born November 6, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He was the lead singer for the Jetzons and several other bands based in the Southwest United States. Biography Bruce Connole was born in Chicago, Illinois ...

( The Jetzons, The Strand, The Cryptics, Suicide Kings/The Revenants), Hans Olson, Francine Reed, Big Pete Pearson, Chuck Hall, The Pistoleros, Loosely Tight, Connie Conway, Phil & the Frantics, Brian Page & The Next, Blue Shoes, Patti LaSalle, Jimmy Spellman, The Pills,

Gentlemen Afterdark Gentlemen Afterdark were an American rock band from Tucson, Arizona. Formed as a successor to the punk group The Pills, Gentlemen Afterdark played new wave music until their breakup in 1989. They saw a revival in the 2010s, particularly afte ...

, The Sugar Thieves, Fayuca, Super Stereo, CooBee Coo, Noonday Devils, Christopher Blue, Andy Gonzales Y Sus Amigos, Charity Lockhart, Paris James, Diana Lee, and We the People.

Other artists of note

Fervor controls the back catalog of British bassist and songwriter Tony Stevens. Stevens is well known as a founding member of

Savoy Brown Savoy Brown (originally Savoy Brown Blues Band) were an English blues rock band formed in Battersea, south west London, in 1965. Part of the late 1960s blues rock movement, Savoy Brown primarily achieved success in the United States, where they ...

and co-founder of

Foghat Foghat are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1971. The band is known for the use of electric slide guitar in its music. The band has achieved eight Music recording sales certification, gold records, one platinum and one doub ...

. The label also owns several songs featuring vocalist

of the band,

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

MTV success

In 2011, Fervor signed Tempe, Arizona band Super Stereo. The band made it to the Top Five on

MTVU MTVU (formerly stylized as MtvU and mtvU) is an American digital cable TV channel owned by the MTV Entertainment Group, a unit of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. The channel was first known as VH1 Uno from 2000 to ...

and stayed on their charts for 35 weeks with their video single, "Life Passed Me By." Also in 2011, NYC rapper Tarik NuClothes was signed to Fervor Records. His single, "Bubble Shaker" was featured on MTV and other popular TV shows. In 2013, Fervor signed Phoenix Latin act, Fayuca. Their single, "Por Que Seguir" came in first place on the MTV show The Freshman and went into full rotation on the MTVU broadcast network. In 2014, Fervor Records signed upstate New York band Reckless Serenade. The band's video single "Two Years Too Late" won first place on mtvU's The Freshman and went into full rotation on the MTVU broadcast network. In 2015, Fervor Records signed Gilbert, Arizona duo, CooBee Coo. Their video single "Never Gonna Leave Your Side" won first place on mtvU's The Freshman and went into full rotation on the mtvU broadcast network.

Licensing success

Placing music in TV and film has become the label's primary focus. Over the years, Fervor has created relationships with music supervisors from many different production companies. Fervor has also collected a catalog of music which spans almost 100 years and a wide variety of genres. Music supervisors often call Fervor when they need music to fit a certain scene but don't want a famous song. Song placements help perpetuate the legacy of artists while exposing their work to new audiences. Music from the Fervor catalog has been placed in many feature films including

The Glass Castle ''The Glass Castle'' is a 2005 memoir by American author Jeannette Walls. Walls recounts her dysfunctional and nomadic yet vibrant upbringing, emphasizing her resilience and her father's attempts toward redemption. Despite her family's flaws, ...

(2017), Green Book (2018), The Mule (2018),

Glass Glass is a non-Crystallinity, crystalline, often transparency and translucency, transparent, amorphous solid that has widespread practical, technological, and decorative use in, for example, window panes, tableware, and optics. Glass is most ...

(2019), and If Beale Street Could Talk (2018); popular video-streaming series including

Stranger Things ''Stranger Things'' is an American science fiction horror drama television series created by the Duffer Brothers, who also serve as showrunners and are executive producers along with Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen. Produced by Monkey Massacre Pr ...

Ozark The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant por ...

, and

Narcos ''Narcos'' is an American-Colombian crime drama television series created and produced by Chris Brancato, Carlo Bernard, and Doug Miro. Set and filmed in Colombia, seasons 1 and 2 are based on the story of Colombian narcoterrorist and drug ...

; and numerous television series including

This is Us ''This Is Us'' is an American family drama television series that aired on NBC from September 20, 2016, to May 24, 2022. The series follows the lives and families of two parents, and their three children, in several different time frames. It ...

One Tree Hill One Tree Hill may refer to: * "One Tree Hill" (song), a 1987 song by U2 referencing One Tree Hill, New Zealand volcanic peak * ''One Tree Hill'' (TV series), a 2003–2012 American drama series named for the U2 song ** ''One Tree Hill'' (soundtr ...

, and Parenthood. Fervor's music has also been played in a variety of commercials.

Awards

In 2018, Fervor Records was named Best Record Label in Phoenix, Arizona by the Phoenix New Times.

Status and distribution

The label markets the classic collection as Fervor Records One Stop Shop Vintage Masters Series, Exploring the Sound of American Music Culture. Catalog titles include: * ''Vintage Masters 1957–1967'' * ''Vintage Soul 1962–1984'' * ''Vintage Rock 1981–1988'' * ''Vintage New Wave & Pop 1981–1987'' * ''Vintage Mainstream Rock & Hot AC 1980–1989'' * ''Vintage Country 1957–1969'' * ''Vintage Masters 1970–1979'' * ''Vintage Masters 1960's Rock & Pop'' Fervor Records Vintage Masters is not affiliated with the label Vintage Masters, Inc.

Fervor artists

*2 da Groove *1933 *Absolute Ceiling *Affordable Lawn Care * Al Casey *Al Kerbey *

Alex Bevan Alex Bevan (born 1950) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, poet, radio personality, and music producer. Early life Bevan began his musical career playing the French horn with his teacher Ruffier at Chambers Elementary School. In 1965, ...

Andy Gerold Andy Gerold (born June 13, 1978) is a professional multi-instrumentalist and is best known as a former bassist of Marilyn Manson. Currently playing guitar for "Rock of Ages" at The Crown Theater, located in The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in La ...

*Andy Gonzales Y Sus Amigos *Anna Vivette *Band X *Becca Kotte *Bent Wind *Big Pete Pearson *Billy Clone and The Same *Blitz Girls *Blue Shoes *Bobby Barnes *Bob Kelly *Bob McGilpin *Bopert Davidson *Boxcar *Box of Cherries *Branch Estate *Brian Page & The Next *Bright Moments *Broken Bellows *

*Buck Storm *Cargo *Carl Coccomo *Chilo Escobedo *Chimeras *Christopher Blue *Chuck Hall and The Brick Wall *City Kids *Clyde Lucas *Connie Conway *CooBee Coo *Courtney Cotter King *Craig Erickson *Craig Marsden *Cryptics *Dan Darrah *David Hardin *Dawn Jameson *Derrick Procell *Dexter Lee More *Diana Duvall *

Dick Flood Richard "Dick" Flood (November 13, 1932 – January 9, 2023), also known as Okefenokee Joe, was an American country music singer-songwriter, entertainer, and environmentalist. In the mid-1950s he was part of the duo The Country Lads and made regu ...

* Donnie Owens *DUCE *Eddy M Melanson *Fastgun *Fat City *Faustus *Fayuca * Francine Reed *

Frank Fafara Frank Fafara (a.k.a. Frank Fara) was a teen rocker in the late 1950s and early 1960s in Phoenix, Arizona where he achieved regional fame. As an adult he changed his last name to "Fara" and toured across North America with his Country music road s ...

*Fred Lederman *freebridge *Gene Pool *Gentlemen Afterdark *Geoff Grace *Geronimo *Glass Heroes *GWB * Hans Olson *Harry Krapsho *If Walls Could Talk *Jailhouse *

Jay Ramsey Gerald Hugh Ramsey (a.k.a. Jay Ramsey) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and performer. As a recording artist in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, Ramsey had releases on several record labels including United Artist Records, Reprise Records, ...

*Jerry Honigman *Jimmy Spellman *Joe Montgomery *Johnny Amoroso *Juanita Brown *Just Water *Kindred *Lab-Rats *Lee Hurst * Len Boone *Lionel Lodge * Lisa Marie Smith *Live Nudes *Lloyd Conger *Lonnegan's Band * Loosely Tight *Lucian Blaque *Lynn Ready *Mail Order Brides *Marcus *Marcus Latief Scott * Margaret Lewis *Matter *Mile Ends *

*Morrie Morrison Orchestra *Mr. Fantastic *Muevate *Nadine Jansen *

New York Electric Piano New York Electric Piano is an American jazz band created in 2003 by keyboardist Pat Daugherty. The band started as a trio with Aaron Comess (of Spin Doctors) playing drums and Tim Givens on double bass. For later albums, they expanded to six and t ...

*Noon Day Devils *Paris James *Patti LaSalle * Patty Parker *Paul Taneja *Peter Blair *Peter Sivo *Phil & the Frantics *Phunklogistix *Pistoleros *PM Nightly *Pop Kultur *Poor Boy Rappers *Primas Stefan and his Royal Tziganes *RED *Red Johnson *Reggae Revolution *Rhett Davis *Rich Dolmat *Rick Coyne *Reckless Serenade *Ron Higgins *Sandy Szigeti *Sanford Clark *Shoeshine Boy *Simplistics *Slyder *Steven Staryk *Super Stereo *Tarik NuClothes *The Real Dark Half *The Chimeras *The Fly Bi-Nites *The Gigalos *The Gringos *The Jack Gray Orchestra * The Jetzons *The Kollektion *The Mears Brothers *The Newlyweds *The Outlets *The Pills *The Romeos *The Souls *The Soul Blenders *The Soulsations *The Spiffs *The Suicide Kings/The Revenants *The Strand *The Sugar Thieves *The Triplett Twins *Tom Martin * Tony Stevens *UKASE *We The People *White Heat *ZELLOTS *Zues

Discography

* FVRCD06037 ''Amazing Hits of the Transistor Era Vol. 1'' – Various Artists * FVRCD06038 ''Amazing Hits of the Transistor Era Vol. 2'' – Various Artists * FVRCD06024 ''Fervor Divas Sing the Ballads'' – Various Artists * FVRCD06031 ''The Beautiful Music of Elevators'' – Various Artists * FVRCD06033 ''Old World Folk'' – Various Artists * FVRCD06028 ''Muevate!'' – Muevate! * FVRCD06029 ''Drop the Needle'' – RLO * FVRCD06026 ''Paul Taneja'' – Paul Taneja * FVRCD06032 ''The World Goes Pop!'' – Matt Hirt * FVRCD06023 ''Paradise'' – Kathy Cushman * FVRCD06016 ''Another Day with the Blues'' – Hans Olson * FVRCD06015 ''Freestyle'' – Greg Anderson * FVRCD06014 ''Trance Anthology Vol. 2'' – DJ Jay C Three * FVRCD06013 ''Trance Anthology Vol. 1'' – DJ Jay C Three * FVRCD06027 ''Electric Mayhem'' – 2 Da Groove * FVRCD06007 ''Pure House'' – 2 Da Groove * FVRCD06012 ''Andy Gerold'' – Andy Gerold * FVRCD06011 ''Thrashin' Action'' – Brian Rogers * FVRCD06006 ''Attack of the DJ's!'' – DJ Uff Da/DJ Jay C Three * FVRCD06030 ''Fervor Chillout Sessions Vol. 1'' – John Costello * FVRCD06017 ''Apasionado'' – John Costello * FVRCD06001 ''A Cooler Shade of Jazz'' – John Costello * FVRCD06018 ''Spheres'' – John Costello * FVRCD06002 ''Falling Forward'' – Mark Long * FVRCD06003 ''Barrio Reggaeton'' – Morgan Butler/Jason DeRoss * FVRCD06004 ''Reggae Revolution!'' – Reggae Revolution * FVRCD06019 ''Acid Jazz Underground'' – Rich Dolmat * FVRCD06020 ''Easy Listening Symph-o-Nette'' – The Jack Gray Orchestra * FVRCD06010 ''Nu R&B'' – Various Artists * FVRCD06021 ''Porno SoundtraXXX'' – Various Artists * FVRCD06004 ''Thi$ I$ Hip Hop—Volume 1'' – Various Artists * FVRCD06005 ''Thi$ I$ Hip Hop—Volume 2'' – Various Artists * FVRCD06006 ''Thi$ I$ Hip Hop—Volume 3'' – Various Artists * FVRCD06021 ''Ultimate Lounge'' – Various Artists * FVRC001 ''Southwest Holiday'' – Various Artists * FVRC112 ''Arizona Unplugged'' – Various Artists * FVRCD120 ''Blue Saguaro'' – Various Artists * FVRCD97001 ''Musicians for St. Mary's'' – Various Artists

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Fervor Records American independent record labels Netlabels Record labels based in Arizona Record labels established in 1990 Online music stores of the United States