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[[Image:Yakety-Sax-Monument-45804-300px.jpg|thumb|200px|1963 Monument Records single label]]
[[Image:Yakety-Sax-Monument-45804-300px.jpg|thumb|200px|1963 Monument Records single label]]
'''Monument Records''' was an [[United States|American]] [[record label]], [[Washington, D.C.]] named for the [[Washington Monument]], founded in 1958, by [[Fred Foster]] and partners Jack Kirby and Buddy Dean (a prominent [[Baltimore]] [[disc jockey]] at [[WTTG]]). Buddy Dean soon left the company and Nasvhille A-Team session man, [[Bob Moore]], became a partner in Monument Records. Foster relocated to the [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]] [[suburb]] of [[Hendersonville, Tennessee]]. Foster acted as executive head of the label while Bob Moore created and oversaw Monument's lavish musical productions. Monument Record releases include a variety of jenres, including [[rock and roll]], [[country music|country]], [[jazz]] and [[rhythm and blues]].
'''Monument Records''' was an [[United States|American]] [[record label]], [[Washington, D.C.]] named for the [[Washington Monument]], founded in 1958, by [[Fred Foster]] and partners Jack Kirby and Buddy Dean (a prominent [[Baltimore]] [[disc jockey]] at [[WTTG]]). Buddy Dean soon left the company and Nasvhille A-Team session man, [[Bob Moore]], became a partner in Monument Records. Foster relocated to the [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]] [[suburb]] of [[Hendersonville, Tennessee]]. Foster acted as executive head of the label while Bob Moore contracted and conducted Monument's lavish musical productions. Monument Record releases include a variety of jenres, including [[rock and roll]], [[country music|country]], [[jazz]] and [[rhythm and blues]].






==History==
==History==
In the beginning, Monument was the first of [[London Records]] distributed labels. Monument Records' first release in October 1958, was also the label's first [[hit record|hit]]. [[Billy Grammer]]'s "Gotta Travel On", became a [[United States|U.S.]] [[Top 40|Top 5]] ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[record chart]] success which sold over 900,000 copies. It also spawned a nation-wide [[dance craze]] called "[[shag (dance)|The Shag]]". The signing of the former [[Sun Records]] singer, [[Roy Orbison]], brought more success to Monument Records, beginning with the 1960 release, "[[Only the Lonely]]". By 1961, London Records was distributing more than forty independent companies, prompting Foster to move Monument to the independent-distributor network. In 1971, Foster signed a world-wide distribution agreement with [[CBS]].
In the beginning, Monument was the first of [[London Records]] distributed labels. Monument Records' first release in October 1958, was also the label's first [[hit record|hit]]. [[Billy Grammer]]'s "Gotta Travel On", became a [[United States|U.S.]] [[Top 40|Top 5]] ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[record chart]] success which sold over 900,000 copies. It also spawned a nation-wide [[dance craze]] called "[[shag (dance)|The Shag]]". The signing of the former [[Sun Records]] [[RCA]] singer, [[Roy Orbison]], brought more success to Monument Records, beginning with the 1960 release, "[[Only the Lonely]]". By 1961, London Records was distributing more than forty independent companies, prompting Foster to move Monument to the independent-distributor network. In 1971, Foster signed a world-wide distribution agreement with [[CBS]].


In addition to Orbison, Monument became home to a number of others including: [[Robert Knight (musician)|Robert Knight]], [[Kris Kristofferson]], [[Jeannie Seely]], [[Boots Randolph]], [[Dolly Parton]], [[Ray Stevens]], [[Cindy Walker]], [[Tony Joe White]], [[Charlie McCoy]], [[Willie Nelson]], [[Tommy Roe]], [[The Velvets]], [[Connie Smith]], [[Larry Gatlin]] and [[Robert Mitchum]].
In addition to Orbison, Monument became home to a number of others including: [[Robert Knight (musician)|Robert Knight]], [[Kris Kristofferson]], [[Jeannie Seely]], [[Boots Randolph]], [[Dolly Parton]], [[Ray Stevens]], [[Cindy Walker]], [[Tony Joe White]], [[Charlie McCoy]], [[Willie Nelson]], [[Tommy Roe]], [[The Velvets]], [[Connie Smith]], [[Larry Gatlin]] and [[Robert Mitchum]].


Business partner, Bob Moore, left the company followed by Monument's keystone artist, Roy Orbison.In July 1965, Orbison left Monument and signed with [[MGM Records]].<ref name="NME Rock 'N' Roll Years">{{cite book
Business partner, Bob Moore, left the company followed by Monument's keystone artist, Roy Orbison. Orbison left Monument in July 1965, and signed with [[MGM Records]].<ref name="NME Rock 'N' Roll Years">{{cite book
| first= John
| first= John
| last= Tobler
| last= Tobler

Revision as of 21:11, 23 July 2010

Monument Records
File:MonumentRecordsLogo.jpg
Parent companySony Music Entertainment
Founded1958
GenreVarious
Country of originUnited States
1963 Monument Records single label

Monument Records was an American record label, Washington, D.C. named for the Washington Monument, founded in 1958, by Fred Foster and partners Jack Kirby and Buddy Dean (a prominent Baltimore disc jockey at WTTG). Buddy Dean soon left the company and Nasvhille A-Team session man, Bob Moore, became a partner in Monument Records. Foster relocated to the Nashville suburb of Hendersonville, Tennessee. Foster acted as executive head of the label while Bob Moore contracted and conducted Monument's lavish musical productions. Monument Record releases include a variety of jenres, including rock and roll, country, jazz and rhythm and blues.


History

In the beginning, Monument was the first of London Records distributed labels. Monument Records' first release in October 1958, was also the label's first hit. Billy Grammer's "Gotta Travel On", became a U.S. Top 5 Billboard record chart success which sold over 900,000 copies. It also spawned a nation-wide dance craze called "The Shag". The signing of the former Sun Records RCA singer, Roy Orbison, brought more success to Monument Records, beginning with the 1960 release, "Only the Lonely". By 1961, London Records was distributing more than forty independent companies, prompting Foster to move Monument to the independent-distributor network. In 1971, Foster signed a world-wide distribution agreement with CBS.

In addition to Orbison, Monument became home to a number of others including: Robert Knight, Kris Kristofferson, Jeannie Seely, Boots Randolph, Dolly Parton, Ray Stevens, Cindy Walker, Tony Joe White, Charlie McCoy, Willie Nelson, Tommy Roe, The Velvets, Connie Smith, Larry Gatlin and Robert Mitchum.

Business partner, Bob Moore, left the company followed by Monument's keystone artist, Roy Orbison. Orbison left Monument in July 1965, and signed with MGM Records.[1] Foster started a soul and R&B label Sound Stage 7 in 1963. Artists on Sound Stage 7 included Joe Simon, The Dixie Belles, Arthur Alexander, and Ivory Joe Hunter.

Foster invested heavily in a banking venture in the 1980s, and sustained disastrous financial losses as a result. It was this that led to the forced sale of Monument and its publishing counterpart, Combine Music Group, in 1990. CBS Records acquired the Monument catalog, and its successor company Sony Music reactivated the label in 1987.[2] Monument Records catalog is managed by Sony Music's Legacy Recordings unit.

See also

References

  1. ^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 148. CN 5585.
  2. ^ Top40-charts.com