ABSTRACT
Begun in 1936, by F. Behrendt (as an American distributor of a preamp able to play 78rpm records electronically, and also as a distributor of European phonograph styli), Recoton started off small, but has become a global leader in the development and marketing of more than 4,000 consumer electronic accessories, audio products, and video-gaming products. Several separate companies are now part of the Recoton group, including NHT, Acoustic Research, Advent, and Phase Linear (all four acquired in 1996 as part of a purchasing arrangement with the International Jensen group), as well as Diskwasher, Heco, MacAudio, Ambico, InterAct, Magnat, Road Gear, and several others. The varied product line includes specialized accessories for home audio, video, car audio, camcorder, multimedia/computer, home office, and cellular products, as well as accessories for standard and 900-MHz wireless technology. In addition, the above-noted subsidiary branches market home-, mobile-, and marine-audio products, home-theater speakers, car-audio speakers and components, and accessories for video and computer games. [website: https://www.recoton.com./]
HOWARD FERSTLER
A partnership between industry veteran George Goldner and songwriters/producers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Red Bird Records was launched in April 1964. The first release, the Dixie Cups’ “Chapel of Love” (Red Bird #001; 1964) became a number one pop hit,
and Red Bird-along with subsidiary, Blue Cat-became a very successful, if short-lived venture. The partners assigned most of the production work to outsiders, including George “Shadow” Morton and the team of Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich. At least one side of one half of the first 40 Red Bird releases were Greenwich-Barry compositions and/or productions. Shadow Morton brought the Shangri-Las to the label, resulting in Sixties girl group classics such as “Leader of the Pack” (Red Bird 014; 1964; #1) and “Remember (Walkin’ in the Sand)” (Red Bird #008; 1964; #5). In 1965 Greenwich and Barry wanted to set up Neil Diamond as an independent producer under the aegis of Red Bird, but Goldner, Leiber, and Stoller refused, so Greenwich and Barry left. In April the following year, amid artistic differences and concerns over Goldner’s gambling debts, Leiber and Stoller sold their share of Red Bird to Goldner for $1. The label folded soon after, and most of the masters were sold to Shelby Singleton’s SSS Records in Nashville.
