Cameo Parkway Records: История Филадельфийского Лейбла

American record company

Cameo Parkway Records was the parent company of Cameo Records and Parkway Records, which were major American Philadelphia based record labels from 1956 (for Cameo) and 1958 (for Parkway) to 1967. Among the types of music released were doo wop, dance hits, popular/rock, rockabilly, big band, garage rock, soul and novelty records. Until 1962, Cameo was also the parent company name for both labels, and Parkway was a subsidiary. In 1962, the parent company was renamed from Cameo to Cameo Parkway, to give both labels equal status. In some foreign markets Cameo Parkway was also a label name, issuing records by artists from both labels. The Cameo Parkway catalogue is currently owned by ABKCO Records.

Cameo Records was founded in December 1956 in Philadelphia by Bernie Lowe and Kal Mann; it has no connection to the 1920s record label Cameo Records. Parkway, initially a subsidiary label, was formed in 1958. Mann and Lowe had been a successful songwriting team prior to the start of label, with Mann writing lyrics and Lowe the music; their biggest hit prior to starting the label was Elvis Presley's "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear". Cameo tried to keep pace by licensing a handful of early British beat group singles, including the first two singles by the Kinks, a novelty remake of "Wild Thing" by comedian Bill Minkin imitating Robert F. Kennedy under the name Senator Bobby (1966), and "Beg, Borrow and Steal" by the Ohio Express (originally on the Attack label as by The Rare Breed) (1967). Bogart also signed Bob Seger to his first recording contract, and Cameo Parkway issued Seger's first five singles, which were all huge regional hits in Michigan but failed to catch fire nationally. In mid 1967, Cameo Parkway entered into a short lived distribution pact with MGM Records and released four more albums (two on Cameo, one on Parkway and one on Vando), and three more singles (one on Parkway and two on Vando). Cameo's final single, "Billy Sunshine" by Evie Sands (KC 2002), was originally released with the red and yellow "CP" label then reissued with the new MGM designated label. For the first time both label names appeared on the record labels, although neither the Cameo or Parkway name was emphasized, and the two series continued to use separate catalog numbering systems. That suggests that a gradual merger of the two labels was in progress, but it was never completed. By late 1967, after financial problems worsened, the Cameo Parkway company was sold to Allen Klein, Bogart landed feet first at the newly formed Buddah Records, founded by former MGM Records executive Art Kass, and brought along the former Cameo Parkway promotion staff.

ABKCO reissued Cameo Parkway recordings in the early 1970s, but allowed them to fall out of print after that time. Virtually all Cameo Parkway recordings, including all of their numerous chart hits, were officially unavailable in any format for about 30 years, from 1975 to 2005. In May 2005 ABKCO revived the Cameo Parkway name for reissues only, and released a multi CD box set of the labels' most notable output: Cameo Parkway: 1957 1967. In October 2005 it began to issue various single artist "best of" CD compilations, including Charlie Gracie, Bobby Rydell, Chubby Checker, Dee Dee Sharp, the Dovells, the Orlons, the Tymes and Question Mark & the Mysterians. A various artists CD titled Cameo Parkway: The Greatest Hits was also issued, as well as two digital only compilations: Holiday Hits From Cameo Parkway and Original Northern Soul Hits From Cameo Parkway. ABKCO has also begun to license its repertoire out to other labels, allowing Universal Music Group to license some songs for its Complete Introduction to Northern Soul box set in 2008, and allowing Collectors' Choice Music to reissue several albums in 2010. Despite these reissues, many more obscure Cameo Parkway recordings, and even a few of their lesser hits, remain unavailable.