Quality Records was a Canadian entertainment company which released music albums in Canada on behalf of American record labels. They also released recordings by Canadian artists. The company operated between 1950 and 1985 with offices in Toronto. The company also ran from 1990 to 1998 as "Quality Special Products" with Offices both in Canada and the United States.

History

In the 1950s and 1960s it was commonplace for American labels without Canadian branches to lease their recordings out to Canadian-based labels that would release the songs on their behalf north of the border. Quality was one of the largest and most visible of these companies; aside from the Quality brand itself, several other sister labels such as Reo were employed for this purpose. US labels distributed via Quality included Essex Records,

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 an ...

and Sun Records. As a result, it was through Quality that Canadian audiences first heard the music of Bill Haley and His Comets,

Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, guitarist and songwriter who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and de ...

Carl Perkins Carl Lee Perkins (April 9, 1932 – January 19, 1998)#nytimesobit, Pareles. was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rockabilly great and pioneer of rock and roll, he began his recording career at the Sun Studio, in Memphis, Tennes ...

Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis (September 29, 1935October 28, 2022) was an American pianist, singer, and songwriter. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as "rock 'n' roll's first great wild man". A pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, Lewis m ...

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter. Most of his music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially songs from the later stages of his career. ...

and other early rock and roll artists. Bobby Gimby's song "

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

" as sung by the Young Canada Singers was released in 1967 as a 45 rpm single by Quality on behalf of Canada's Centennial Commission. It set a sales record for Canadian single releases.

Stompin' Tom Connors Charles Thomas "Stompin' Tom" Connors, Order of Canada, OC (February 9, 1936 – March 6, 2013) was a Canadian country music, country and folk music, folk singer-songwriter. Focusing his career exclusively on his native Canada, he is credited wi ...

recordings made by CKGB radio in 1967 were pressed by Quality Records and distributed by Connors himself. The company won in the category of Best Company for Canadian Content at the Gold Leaf Awards of 1970 and the Juno Awards of 1971. In the mid-80s, Quality Records replaced K-tel International as a distributor of various artist compilations in Canada, most notably with the Rock series (Rock '85, Rock '86, etc.) and 'This is Music' series. It closed down in 1985. However, in 1990, it revived as Quality Music & Video for new recordings, notably Dan Hill's 1991 album ''Dance of Love'' and

Timmy T Timmy Torres (born September 21, 1967, in Fresno, CaliforniaFred Bronson, Bronson, Fred (2003). ''The Billboard Book of #1 Hits'', 5th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 781.), professionally known as Timmy T, is a Freestyle music, freestyle ...

's number 1 pop hit " One More Try". However, it folded again in 1997 & a selection of the US catalog rights were sold to Warlock Records, a New York-based record label that acquired the catalog numbers of Sleeping Bag Records. Quality also had some of its domestic artist releases distributed through Critique Records and Popular Records in the United States for their compilations, including the "Dance Mix USA" series. In the 90's Quality Records rebranded as Quality Special Products, Quality Records along with MuchMusic put out the Dance Mix series from 1990 to 1997. Quality Records folded in 1997 in Canada shortly before their American branch folded in 1998. The Dance Mix series was rebranded MuchDance in late 1997 after Much's contract with Quality Records expired.

Subsidiary

A small article appeared in the June 27, 1970 issue of ''Billboard'', informing that Quality Records had set up a new label, Celebration. The name came from a promotion magazine of theirs which was edited by Mel Shaw. He was also named as the man who would coordinate the new label and handle its promotion. The fledgling label kicked off with "Love is All" by Montreal artist Patrick Norman.''Billboard'', June 27, 1970
Page 59 Canadian News Report, Quality Sets Up A New Label
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Artists

Quality Records released recordings by the following music artists: * 2 Unlimited * Barry Allen * Bananarama (" Every Shade of Blue") * The Beau-Marks * Hennie Bekker * Bentwood Rocker *

* BKS * Canadian Sweethearts *

* CB Milton * Don Cherry * Richard Clayderman * Gary Cooper / Gary Andrews * Crewz Control * Wes Dakus & the Rebels * Dea * Eumir Deodato * DJ Ricky Dee * Double You * Donna Fargo * Fireballs * Full Intention * Ghetto Concept * The Guess Who/Chad Allan and the Expressions * Bill Haley & His Comets * Harmonium * The Lisa Hart Band * Armand van Helden * Herman's Hermits * Jack Hennig * Dan Hill *

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

* J.K. * Kairene * Kiss * Vicki Lawrence *

* Lobo (musician) * Los del Mar * Kenny Marco * Maxx * MC Mario * Carol Medina * Meddy's People * Ronn Metcalfe * Mighty Dub Katz * Ultra Naté * New System * The Paris Sisters * Perfect World * Pizzaman * Planet Soul * Playahitty * Steve Plunkett * Poor Souls (band) * Skip Prokop * Robbie Rae * The Regents * Reel 2 Real * Donn Reynolds *

Riot A riot or mob violence is a form of civil disorder commonly characterized by a group lashing out in a violent public disturbance against authority, property, or people. Riots typically involve destruction of property, public or private. The p ...

* Run DMC Vs. Jason Nevins * Secret Life * Chris Sheppard * Lucille Starr * Strike * DJ Supreme * Tijuana Brass *

* Whigfield * Carol Williams *

Link Wray Fred Lincoln "Link" Wray Jr. (May 2, 1929 – November 5, 2005) was an American guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist who became popular in the late 1950s. His 1958 Instrumental rock, instrumental single "Rumble (instrumental), Rumble", reached the ...

* Yakoo Boyz

References

External links

*
Discogs: Quality Records Limited
{{Authority control Record labels established in 1950 Record labels disestablished in 1985 Record labels established in 1990 Record labels disestablished in 1997 Re-established companies Defunct record labels of Canada Juno Award winners