Kapp Records

2025-03-10T03:53:36Z

2600:1702:2D90:9E90:713A:43ED:E11C:7254:

{{short description|American record label}}
{{Infobox record label 
| name = Kapp Records
| image = 1970kapplogo.jpg
| image_size = 120px
| image_alt = Kapp logo
| parent = MCA Inc. (original), [[Universal Music Group]] (current)
| founded = {{start date|1954}}
| founder = David Kapp
| defunct = {{end date|1973}}
| status = Inactive
| distributor = MCA Records<br>[[Universal Music Group]]
| genre = Various
| country = U.S.
| location = 
| url = 
}}

{{Infobox musical artist 
| name = David Kapp
| image = DaveKapp-DannyKaye-1947.JPG
| caption = David Kapp and Danny Kaye, 1946
| image_size = 250px
| background = non_performing_personnel
| birth_name = David Kapp
| birth_date = August 7, 1904<ref name="Hoffmann">{{cite book |title=Encyclopedia of Recorded Sound|last1=Hoffmann|first1=Frank|year=2004|edition=2nd|publisher=Routledge|page=1119|isbn=978-0415938358}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Chicago, Illinois]]
| death_date = March 1, 1976<ref name="Hoffmann"/>
| death_place = [[New York City]]<ref name="Hoffmann"/>
| instrument =
| genre = [[country music|Country]], [[pop music|pop]], [[rock music|rock]], [[R&B music|R&B]], [[jazz music|jazz]], [[musical theatre]]
| occupation = Record producer
| years_active = 1930s–1960s
| label = [[Decca Records|Decca]], [[RCA Victor]], Kapp
| associated_acts = [[Louis Armstrong]], [[Fred Astaire]], [[Ernest Tubb]], [[Danny Kaye]],
| website =
}}
'''Kapp Records''' was an [[independent record label]] started in 1954 by David Kapp, brother of [[Jack Kapp]] (who set up American [[Decca Records]] in 1934). David Kapp founded his own label after stints with Decca and [[RCA Victor]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_MygEAAAAMBAJ |page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_MygEAAAAMBAJ/page/n76 7] |quote=kapp records + mca. |title=Billboard |via=[[Internet Archive]] |date=1967-12-09 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media |access-date=2013-02-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/label/Kapp+Records |title=Kapp Records - CDs and Vinyl at Discogs |publisher=Discogs.com |date=2013-02-14 |access-date=2013-02-28}}</ref> Kapp licensed its records to [[London Records]] for release in the UK.

In 1967, David Kapp sold his label to [[MCA Inc.]] and the label was placed under [[Uni Records]] management;<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_MygEAAAAMBAJ |page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_MygEAAAAMBAJ/page/n76 7] |quote=uni + decca + kapp. |title=MCA Buys Kapp in New Surge to be a Major Record Complex|magazine=Billboard |via=[[Internet Archive]] |date=1967-12-09 |access-date=2013-02-28}}</ref> Kapp was consolidated with MCA's other record labels in 1971 and, in 1973, [[MCA Records]] released the last Kapp record. Catalogue albums that continued to sell were renumbered and reissued on the MCA label.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bsnpubs.com/decca/kapp/07-kapp3600.html |title=Kapp Album Discography, Part 7 |publisher=Bsnpubs.com |date=2013-03-15 |access-date=2014-08-03}}</ref>

Kapp's subsidiaries included [[Medallion Records]] (an [[audiophile]] label),<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_vh8EAAAAMBAJ |page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_vh8EAAAAMBAJ/page/n42 43] |quote=kapp + medallion records. |title=Billboard |via=[[Internet Archive]] |date=1960-05-09 |access-date=2013-02-28}}</ref> [[Congress Records]], Leader Records, and [[Four Corners Records]] with its "4 Corners of the World" logo. Four Corners was formed to promote European artists, such as [[Françoise Hardy]], [[Raymond Lefèvre]], and the Barclay Singers.

Today, the Kapp Records catalog is owned by MCA's successor-in-interest Universal Music Group through its Geffen Records subsidiary.

==History==
* '''1954:''' Kapp Records was created by David Kapp.
* '''1955:''' Kapp Records released "[[Autumn Leaves (1945 song)|Autumn Leaves]]" played by [[Roger Williams (pianist)]] that became the number one song in America on ''Billboard'' Top 100.
* '''1960:''' Kapp Records released one of the first cover versions of songs from ''[[The Sound of Music]]'', which was running on Broadway at that time. The Pete King Chorale was featured on the album.
* '''1964:''' Kapp Records released "[[Hello, Dolly! (song)|Hello Dolly]]" sung by [[Louis Armstrong]] that became the number one song in America on ''Billboard'' Top 100, two months after [[The Beatles]]' arrived from England. The label also distributed American releases by another successful British Invasion group, [[The Searchers (band)|The Searchers]].
* '''1966:''' The record label released the [[cast recording|original cast album]] of ''[[Man of La Mancha]]'', perhaps their most successful cast album.
* '''1967''': David Kapp sold his label to MCA Inc. and it became a division of [[Uni Records]].
* '''1973:''' MCA released the last Kapp record. The catalog and artist roster was absorbed by MCA Records.
* '''2003:''' MCA Records is absorbed into [[Geffen Records]], which currently manages Kapp's pop/rock/R&B catalogs. The country, jazz, and musical theatre catalogs are now managed by MCA Nashville Records, [[GRP Records]], and [[Decca Broadway]], respectively. Decca Broadway released a remastered version of the ''Man of La Mancha'' original cast album in 2001.

==Label variations==
[[File:Kapp records logo 1960s.jpg|thumb|left|75px|Logo during most of the 1960s]]
Throughout Kapp's history, its logo was a stylized "K" incorporating a [[phonograph record]] design. Three versions of this logo appeared during the company's history. Until 1970, this logo also appeared on a [[Drum major (marching band)|drum major]]'s cap in a wordplay of the label's name.

*1950s: Stylized "K/record" logo and KAPP at top of either red/white, silver/maroon or purplish red/white labels.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.collectable-records.ru/labels/E_M/Kapp/3s.htm |title=Kapp Records |publisher=Collectable-records.ru |access-date=2013-02-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420020910/http://www.collectable-records.ru/labels/E_M/Kapp/3s.htm |archive-date=2012-04-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*Early 1960s: Black label with white "K/record" logo and KAPP in red at top,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.collectable-records.ru/labels/E_M/Kapp/5s.htm |title=Kapp Records |publisher=Collectable-records.ru |access-date=2013-02-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420020919/http://www.collectable-records.ru/labels/E_M/Kapp/5s.htm |archive-date=2012-04-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref> a similar design had a red drum major cap and KAPP in yellow at top.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.collectable-records.ru/labels/E_M/Kapp/6s.htm |title=Kapp Records |publisher=Collectable-records.ru |access-date=2013-02-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420020951/http://www.collectable-records.ru/labels/E_M/Kapp/6s.htm |archive-date=2012-04-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*Mid to late 1960s: Black label with red drum major cap (showing "K/record" logo in yellow) and KAPP in black letters in white box at left for singles, at top for albums.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.collectable-records.ru/labels/E_M/Kapp/2.htm |title=Black Major'S Hat(Us) |publisher=Collectable-records.ru |access-date=2013-02-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420020942/http://www.collectable-records.ru/labels/E_M/Kapp/2.htm |archive-date=2012-04-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*1970-1972: Purple, red, orange and yellow label with new "K" logo, either in black or in white inside black box, at left.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.collectable-records.ru/labels/E_M/Kapp/7.htm |title=Kapp Records |publisher=Collectable-records.ru |access-date=2013-02-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420020835/http://www.collectable-records.ru/labels/E_M/Kapp/7.htm |archive-date=2012-04-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref> (A few 1970s releases were also pressed with the mid-to-late 1960s black label.)

==Roster==
{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}
*[[Eddie Albert]]
*[[Louis Armstrong]]
*[[Paul Arnoldi]]
*[[Fred Astaire]]
*[[Burt Bacharach]]
*[[Kenny Ball]]
*[[Kenny Ballard]]
*[[Gilbert Bécaud]]
*[[Budgie (band)|Budgie]]
*[[Maybelle Carter]]
*[[Jimmy and the Soulblazers|Change]]
*[[Cher]]
*[[The Critters]]
*[[Johnny Cymbal]]
*[[The D-Men]]
*[[Bill Dana (comedian)|Bill Dana]] (a.k.a. [[José Jiménez (character)|José Jiménez]])
*[[Anita Darian]], 1960, a self-titled album, ''Anita Darian'' (later titled ''East of the Sun''), KL-1168
*[[El Chicano]]
*[[Dean Elliott]]
*[[Shirley Ellis]] (Congress)
*[[Jerry Fielding]]
*[[The Fireballs]]
*[[The Flying Machine (band)|The Flying Machine]] (Congress)
*[[The Fortune Tellers]] ([[Robert Maxwell (songwriter)]]) (Medallion)
*[[The Four Lads]]
*[[Sergio Franchi]] (Four Corners)
*[[Frank Gallop]]
*[[The Ginger Snaps]] (including Judi Weiner)
*[[Tom Glazer]]
*[[Carson Parks|The Greenwood County Singers]] (including [[Van Dyke Parks]])
*[[Françoise Hardy]] (Four Corners)
*[[Joe Harnell]]
*[[Bill Hayes (entertainer)|Bill Hayes]]
*[[The Hesitations]]
*[[Gregory Howard and group]]
*[[Brian Hyland]] (Leader & Kapp)
*[[Jelly Roll (singer)|Jellyroll]]
*[[Elton John]] (two singles on Congress)
*[[Jack Jones (singer)|Jack Jones]]
*[[Jimmy Justice (musician)]]
*[[Jerry Keller]]
*[[Just Us (duo)|Just Us]]
*The Kids Next Door (Four Corners)
*[[Pete King Chorale]]
*[[Eartha Kitt]]
*[[The Latin Souls]]
*[[Raymond Lefèvre]] (Four Corners)
*[[Charles Lloyd (jazz musician)|Charles Lloyd]]
*[[Miriam Makeba]]
*[[Sam Makia and the Makapuu Beach Boys]]
*[[Jo Mapes]]
*[[Rod McKuen]]
*[[Carmen McRae]]
*[[David McWilliams (musician)|David McWilliams]]
*[[Chad Mitchell Trio]]
*[[Art Mooney]]
*[[Jane Morgan]]
*[[Billy Mure]] (Tough Strings, KL-1253)
*[[Nightcrawlers (US band)|The Nightcrawlers]]
*[[Linda Perhacs]]
*[[Leroy Pullins]]
*Pat Rolle
*[[Patty Lace & the Petticoats]]
*[[David Rose (musician)|David Rose]]
*[[Ruby & the Romantics]]
*[[The Searchers (band)|The Searchers]]
*[[Kermit Schaefer]]
*[[Linda Scott]]
*[[Harry Simeone Chorale]]
*[[Cal Smith]]
*[[Silver Apples]]
*[[Sonny & Cher]]
*[[Sugar & Spice (Duo)|Sugar & Spice]]
*[[Sundance (band)|Sundance]]
*[[Sylvia Telles]]
*[[Thee Prophets]]
*[[Good Rats]]
*[[The Thee of Us (band)|The Three of Us]]
*[[Mel Tillis]]
*[[The Trophies]]
*[[The Unifics]]
*[[Billy Usselton]]
*[[Leroy Van Dyke]]
*[[Lenny Welch]]
*[[Billy Edd Wheeler]]
*[[Roger Williams (pianist)|Roger Williams]]
*[[Bob Wills]]
*[[Ruby Wright (country singer)|Ruby Wright]]
*The "You Know Who" Group (Four Corners)
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
Hall, Claude: "MCA Drops Vocalion, Decca, Kapp and Uni", ''Billboard'', February 10, 1973

==External links==
* [http://bsnpubs.com/decca/kapp/kappstory.html Kapp Records story from BSN Pubs]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927202708/http://www.collectable-records.ru/labels/E_M/Kapp/index.htm A collection of Kapp record labels]
* [http://www.globaldogproductions.info/k/kapp.html Kapp Records 45 rpm discography]
* [https://archive.org/details/georgeblood?and%5B%5D=publisher:kapp Kapp Records] on the Internet Archive's [http://great78.archive.org/ Great 78 Project]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:American jazz record labels]]
[[Category:Record labels established in 1954]]
[[Category:Record labels disestablished in 1972]]
[[Category:Pop record labels]]
[[Category:MCA Records]]
[[Category:Universal Music Group]]
[[Category:Labels distributed by Universal Music Group]]

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Kapp Records