Signature - Biography

Biography - Signature

USA

Label Story

From BSN :- The Signature Record Label was established in 1942 in New York City. The output of the label was popular, jazz, gospel and C & W. The company was moved to Shelton, Connecticut in the late 1940’s. The President of the label was Bob Thiele and the Musical Director was orchestra leader Ray Bloch. During the forties and early fifties the company released 78 RPM albums and a few 10-inch 33 1/3 albums but the company was moribund in the later 50’s. The company was reorganized in May 1959, evidently with the addition of Steve Allen, a popular TV personality. When Allen came to the label, he brought the Hanover Label that he had established in 1958. Bob Thiele then became the man in charge of Decca's Coral label so that must have slowed down the activities of his own labels.

Bob Thiele said he began the label when he was just 18 (in 1940), his last college year studying Art. He designed two logos "Signature" and "Capitol", flipped a coin, chose the former. He had heard you could use Scranton Record Company for recording and pressing and they would sent the final product home to his parents' house where the family would pack and distribute the discs. During Military Service in the Coastguard, his father told him certain discs were fantastically popular and "certain Harlem Types" were turning up on the doorstep looking for Coleman Hawkins discs. He admits that he was no business man and couldn't keep the label going after the war so he transferred all his masters over to Decca where he was also employed on the new Coral label. Thiele luckily retained ownership of his masters, allowing Decca to do the hard work. Milt Gabler's move over to the main Decca label meant Thiele was promoted from assistant producer to a more senior position.

The 1000 series is for Country Music and began in 1946
The 15000 series is for popular music. It started in July 1945 and ended around 15275 in mid 1950.
The 28000 series is for Jazz. This one started in June 1945 and ended probably in 1948.

The 40000 series Popular 12"
The 90000 Series Jazz 12".

All the releases in the 28xxx series were manufactured by Signature Corporation, N.Y., U.S.A.

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