HighTone Records

HighTone Records
Parent company Shout! Factory
Founded 1983
Founder Larry Sloven, Bruce Bromberg
Status Defunct (2008)
Distributor(s) Concord Bicycle Music
Genre Rockabilly, Western swing, Country, Blues, Gospel
Country of origin United States
Location Oakland, California
Official website HighTone Records

HighTone Records was an independent record label based in Oakland, California. Hightone specialized in American roots music including, country, rockabilly, western swing, blues and gospel. The label was created by Larry Sloven and Bruce Bromberg in 1983. The label's first release that year was Bad Influence by bluesman Robert Cray.[1] In 1984, the label released Frankie Lee's debut album, The Ladies and the Babies.[2] Some of the label's best releases in the late 1980s featured the great living blues legend Joe Louis Walker including "Cold is the Night" and "The Gift."

Between 1995 and 2000, the label issued three albums by James Armstrong (Sleeping with a Stranger, Dark Night, and Got It Goin' On).[3] From 1997 to 2005 it reissued much of the High Water Recording Company catalogue of LPs on CD.[4]

In September 2006 the label released a five CD boxed set titled American Music: The HighTone Records Story. This release compiled many of the labels's most influential recordings. In 2008 the company closed its doors and sold the extensive catalog to Shout! Factory, which continues to release reissues and compilations.[5] In 2016, Hightone got bought by Concord Bicycle Music[6] from Shout! Factory.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Sloven, Larry. "HighTone Records". Shout! Factory. Retrieved January 11, 2009.
  2. ↑ Skelly, Richard. "Frankie Lee". Allmusic. Retrieved December 19, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Allmusic ((( James Armstrong > Discography > Main Albums )))".
  4. ↑ Illustrated High Water discography
  5. ↑ Gordon, Keith. "HighTone Records Sells Out!". Keith's Blues Blog. About.com:Blues. Retrieved January 11, 2009.
  6. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6843095/concord-bicycle-music-acquires-hightone-bandit-records

External links


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