Sunbird Records was an independent record label in the United States during the late 1970s and 1980s.

Freddie Hart Frederick Segrest (December 21, 1926 – October 27, 2018), known professionally as Freddie Hart, was an American country musician and songwriter best known for his chart-topping country song and lone pop hit "Easy Loving," which won the Coun ...

had a few hits with Sunbird after he left

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...

in 1979.

Earl Thomas Conley Earl Thomas Conley (October 17, 1941 – April 10, 2019)Wood, Gerry. (1998). "Earl Thomas Conley". In ''The Encyclopedia of Country Music''. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 108. was an American country music singer-songwriter. Between ...

also recorded some hits with Sunbird while working with

Randy Scruggs Randy Lynn Scruggs (August 3, 1953 – April 17, 2018) was an American music producer, songwriter and guitarist. He had his first recording at the age of 13. He won four Grammy Awards and was named Musician of the Year at the Country Music ...

Delbert McClinton Delbert McClinton (born November 4, 1940) is an American blues rock and electric blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, harmonica player, and pianist. From his first professional stage appearance in 1957 to his most recent national tour in 2018, h ...

recorded his hit "Not Exactly Free" with the label.

Background

The label was founded by Nelson Larkin. Elroy Kahanek was one of the label's employees. Bobby G. Rice also recorded with the label.

Sheb Wooley Shelby Fredrick Wooley (April 10, 1921 – September 16, 2003) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He recorded a series of novelty songs, including the 1958 hit rock-and-roll comedy single "The Purple People Eater", and under the name ...

with Hi C. Lea recorded the single "Jackhammer Man" with the label in 1981. Price Mitchell and Rene Sloane did a recording on a 45 of "Mr. And Mrs. Untrue" and on the B side "Savin' It All For You" on Sunbird (he had recorded the 1971

Candi Staton Canzetta Maria "Candi" Staton (, ) (born March 13, 1940) is an American singer–songwriter, best known in the United States for her 1970 cover of Tammy Wynette's " Stand by Your Man" and her 1976 disco chart-topper " Young Hearts Run Free". In E ...

song with Jerri Kelly in 1975). The same 45 was also released on

Sunset Records Sunset Records was a record label started in 1965 as the budget album subsidiary of Liberty Records to reissue and issue material originally recorded for Liberty, Imperial, Minit and other Liberty subsidiaries as well as leased material from othe ...

. Earl Thomas Conley recorded his Blue Pearl album with Sunbird. His song " Fire and Smoke" from the similarly titled album reached #1 on the country music chart in 1981 and he was soon signed to

RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic R ...

. Freddie Hart had a Top 20 hit with "Sure Thing" on a Sunbird album in 1980 and then three Top 40 hits in 1981.

Later years

Founder Nelson Larkin died at age 70 on Monday, November 18, 2013.Taste of Country, November 1, 2013
Producer and Songwriter Nelson Larkin Dead at 70 - Billy Dukes
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References

{{Authority control American independent record labels