Universal [Chicago, IL]

Biography - Universal [Chicago, IL]

USA

Milton T. (Bill) Putnam owned Universal Recording Studios in Chicago. In 1947, he was planning to start his own record label. He had invented an clever improvement to recorded sound quality and became involved with Lloyd Garrett and Jack Buckley in the marketing of this through a new label they called Vitacoustic.

This new label had great expansive plans as their full page ads in Billboard witnessed, also their purchase of pressing plants and talks with UK companies about co-operation. They did have a decent selling release after all, "Peg O My Heart" by Jerry Murad's Harmonicats, whom Putnam had brought to the new company.

After only half a year, Vitacoustic was in dire financial trouble. The label claimed the Petrillo Recording Ban had caused it.
Putnam quickly got out of Vitacoustic, taking Jerry Murad with him, and went back to his original idea of opening his very own label, Universal, in autumn 1947.

A new line of Double Feature 10” 78’s planned for early 1949..will be even cheaper than previously stated and will sell at 79c

1949
APRIL Double Feature discs change to plastic instead of shellac Putnam signing deals to sell these through retail stores. Needing more space as recording business is taking more of his time
JULY/AUGUST Deal with London Records to take over Al Morgan’s Jealous Heart” and Morgan
1950
JUNE Putnam has given first refusal of some of his masters to London Records for better distribution

1951
JUNE Putnam co operating with Decca ..introducing some of his artists to them (Jane Turzy) and selling master

1958 JUNE Putnam about to move to West Coast

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