| Vee-Jay Records | |
|---|---|
 Single by Jimmy Reed, 1956 | |
| Parent company | Concord |
| Founded | 1953 |
| Founder | Vivian Carter, James C. Bracken |
| Genre | Jazz, blues, rock, R&B, disco |
| Country of origin | U.S. |
| Location | Chicago, Illinois |
Vee-Jay Records is an American record label founded in the 1950s, located in Chicago and specializing in blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll.
The label was founded in Gary, Indiana, in 1953 by Vivian Carter and James C. Bracken, a husband-and-wife team who used their initials for the label's name.[1] Vivian's brother, Calvin Carter, was the label's A&R man. Ewart Abner, formerly of Chance Records, joined the label in 1955, first as manager, then as vice president, and ultimately as president.[2] One of the earliest African American-owned record companies,[3] Vee-Jay quickly became a major R&B label, with the first song recorded, the Spaniels' "Baby It's You," making it to the top ten on the national R&B charts.[2]
- ^ Thompson, Dave (2002). A Music Lover's Guide to Record Collecting, pp. 286-89. San Francisco: Backbeat Books. ISBN 0-87930-713-7.
- ^ a b Greene, Bryan (23 February 2022). "The Black Record Label That Introduced the Beatles to America". Smithsonian Magazine. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
- ^ Wickman, Forrest (January 10, 2013). "How a Black Label Brought the Beatles to America". Slate. Retrieved April 7, 2016.