Modern Records: История американского лейбла блюза и R&B

Defunct American record label
the American record label active from the 1940s through the 1960s

Modern Records (Modern Music Records before 1947) was an American record company and label formed in 1945 in Los Angeles by the Bihari brothers. Modern's artists included Etta James, Joe Houston, Little Richard, Ike & Tina Turner and John Lee Hooker. The label released some of the most influential blues and R&B records of the 1940s and 1950s.

In the beginning, Modern bought master recordings from other small labels. The Biharis also often used pseudonyms to give themselves writing credit on songs. In 1964, the Modern imprint was revived and the Ikettes released a few successful singles in 1965, but the company became bankrupt a few years later and ceased operations. The catalog went with the management into Kent Records. This back catalog was eventually licensed to the UK label Ace Records in the 1980s and later sold outright during the 1990s. Ace Records of the U. K. now owns the master tapes.

Saul, Jules and Joe Bihari were the main people who ran the label. Their older brother Lester was only there sporadically. Ike Turner was a talent scout and session musician for Modern Records in the 1950s. According to B. B. King and Joe Bihari, Turner introduced King to the Bihari brothers which led to his RPM releases. and later owner and president of Impact Records. Austin McCoy was an artist, session musician and recording session director with Modern Records. He left Modern in late 1950 to take up an A&R post with Mercury Records at their Beverly Hills office.