Signature Records
Template:Infobox record label Signature Records was a jazz record company and label founded in 1939 by Bob Thiele when he was 17 years old. Its roster included Coleman Hawkins, Earl Hines, Erroll Garner, and Lester Young.
At age 14, Thiele was a disc jockey for his own jazz radio show, edited his own jazz magazine, and played clarinet with bands in New York City. He started Signature at age 17. Thiele was head producer and president of the label.<ref name=Yanow>Template:Cite web</ref> Its musical director was orchestra leader Ray Bloch.<ref name=BSN>Template:Cite web</ref>
Some sources recite that Signature closed in 1948.<ref name=Watrous>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=Yanow /> However, other sources indicate that the label continued to release records into the 50s, but that by the late 50s it was moribund.<ref name=BSN /> Having freelanced and produced for Decca Records and its Coral and Brunswick labels,<ref name=Yanow /> and served as vice president for A&R for Dot Records,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Thiele announced in May 1959 that he was reactivating the Signature label.<ref name=Gart>Template:Cite book</ref> The venture appears to have been in partnership with Steve Allen, one of the co-owners of Hanover Records, who brought the label into the arrangement.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The new company was known as Hanover-Signature Records.<ref name=Gart /> Orchestra leader Milton Delugg, who had worked with Thiele at Dot and Coral, was named musical director.<ref name=June>Template:Cite web</ref>
The company continued to release records on both labels. Thiele produced records for his then-wife, singer Teresa Brewer, as late as 1983.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Hanover releases continued into 1961.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Thiele reissued Signature recordings on his later Flying Dutchman and Doctor Jazz record labels.<ref>Template:Cite Grove</ref>
See also
References
External links
- Signature Records on the Internet Archive's Great 78 Project