Diamond Records

Diamond Records was an American record label established in New York City in 1961 by Joe Kolsky, a former executive at Roulette Records. His brother Phil Kahl, who had also worked at Roulette, joined the venture in 1962. The label operated during the highly competitive pop singles and easy-listening market of the 1960s, releasing recordings by artists including Johnny Thunder, Ronnie Dove, Bobby Vinton, Dickie Goodman, Mitch Miller, Dickey Lee, the Bobbettes, Ruby Winters, Don Varner, and Kirby St. Romain. Diamond's early progress was gradual, but the label achieved its first significant success in 1962 with Johnny Thunder's "Loop de Loop." The record helped secure a distribution arrangement with EMI for Diamond releases in the United Kingdom, where the recordings appeared through EMI's Stateside label. In Canada, Diamond product was initially issued by Apex Records. Around 1967, a Canadian version of Diamond Records was established, and later Canadian releases used the same basic logo design as the company's United States releases. The company also participated in several short-lived label and artist-distribution ventures. In September 1962, Phil Kahl acquired 36 master recordings by Dave "Baby" Cortez from Clock Records and created Emit Records to issue them, with Diamond handling distribution. Emit closed after four singles. In 1963, Diamond distributed Berlee Records, a label created by Del Shannon during a temporary dispute with his managers and Bigtop Records. Berlee released two singles, including "Sue's Gotta Be Mine," which reached number 71 in the United States and number 21 in the United Kingdom. Diamond also distributed Inette Records, whose release of Kirby St. Romain's "Summer's Comin'" reached number 49. Diamond's most durable hit relationship was with Ronnie Dove. From 1964 through 1969, Dove recorded a series of pop and easy-listening releases for the label, many produced by Phil Kahl. The label's album output was small: its documented original album discography consisted of eight albums, beginning with Johnny Thunder's "Loop De Loop" and continuing with Ronnie Dove releases. Dove's recordings became the central part of Diamond's catalog and public identity. Kolsky and Kahl sold their interest in Diamond Records in 1968 to the Edwin H. Morris Corporation. Edwin H. Morris subsequently sold the label in 1970 to Certron Corporation. The Certron label folded by 1972, after which the ownership and final disposition of the wider Diamond catalog became unclear. Ronnie Dove retained ownership of his own Diamond recordings and later made them available through Ronnie Dove Music and Real Gone Music. Dove revived the Diamond name in 1987 for a small number of later releases, including an additional album issued in 1988. Because the original operation ceased during the Certron period and later activity was associated with Dove's own recordings, the present corporate status of Diamond Records is not clearly established. The label is chiefly remembered for its 1960s pop catalog, its international distribution relationships, and Ronnie Dove's sustained run of releases.

Diamond Records began in New York City in 1961 when Joe Kolsky, a former Roulette Records executive, established a new label of his own. His brother Phil Kahl, another former Roulette executive, joined the business the following year. The label entered the market at a time when American independent companies competed for pop singles, regional acts, and crossover easy-listening performers. The company's initial progress was slow. Its first important breakthrough came in 1962 with Johnny Thunder's "Loop de Loop." The success of that recording led to an arrangement under which EMI distributed Diamond material in the United Kingdom through Stateside Records. Diamond recordings were distributed in Canada by Apex Records until approximately 1967, when a Canadian Diamond operation was created. Subsequent Canadian issues used the same general logo design as the American releases. Diamond also functioned as a distributor for related ventures. In September 1962, Phil Kahl bought 36 Dave "Baby" Cortez master recordings from Clock Records. He organized Emit Records to issue the recordings, with Diamond providing distribution. Emit was short-lived and closed after four singles. In 1963, Diamond distributed Berlee Records, a label formed by Del Shannon during a temporary breakdown in his relationship with his managers and Bigtop Records. Berlee issued two singles. "Sue's Gotta Be Mine" achieved moderate chart success, reaching number 71 in the United States and number 21 in the United Kingdom, while "That's the Way Love Is" failed to chart. Shannon soon repaired his relationship with his managers, and Berlee disappeared after the brief experiment. Another distributed imprint was Inette Records. Its 1963 release of Kirby St. Romain's "Summer's Comin'" reached number 49, giving Diamond another minor chart association. The label's most consistent artist, however, was Ronnie Dove. Dove recorded for Diamond from 1964 to 1969 and produced a series of pop and easy-listening hits, many of them produced by Phil Kahl. His work became the label's principal continuing commercial and catalog asset. Diamond's documented album program was unusually small. The label released eight albums during its original period: one by Johnny Thunder and seven by Ronnie Dove. The sequence included Dove studio albums and compilations issued between 1964 and 1967. A related Dove release, "From the Heart," appeared in 1988 after the label name had been revived. The ownership structure changed near the end of the 1960s. Kolsky and Kahl sold their interest in 1968 to the Edwin H. Morris Corporation. Edwin H. Morris then sold the label in 1970 to Certron Corporation. Certron's label operation folded by 1972. The subsequent fate of the broader Diamond catalog is not clearly documented. Ronnie Dove owned all of his own Diamond recordings and later reissued them through Ronnie Dove Music and Real Gone Music, making those recordings more accessible despite the uncertainty surrounding the wider catalog. In 1987, Dove revived the Diamond name for a couple of singles and another album. This later activity was limited in scale and centered on Dove rather than representing a clearly documented continuation of the original corporate operation. Diamond Records is therefore best understood as a historically significant but short-lived 1960s independent label, remembered primarily for Johnny Thunder's early hit, its distribution relationships, and Ronnie Dove's catalog.

• 1987

  Ronnie Dove revives Diamond Records

  [1]Diamond Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Dove revives the Diamond name for a small number of singles and a later album.

• 1972

  Certron label operation folds

  [1]Diamond Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The Certron label operation closes, and the later status of the wider Diamond catalog becomes uncertain.

• 1970

  Diamond moves to Certron ownership

  [1]Diamond Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Edwin H. Morris sells Diamond Records to Certron Corporation.

• 1968

  Founders sell Diamond Records

  [1]Diamond Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Joe Kolsky and Phil Kahl sell their interest in the label to the Edwin H. Morris Corporation.

• 1964

  Ronnie Dove's Diamond recording period begins

  [1]Diamond Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Ronnie Dove starts the run of pop and easy-listening recordings that becomes the label's most consistent hit-making relationship.

• 1963

  Diamond distributes Berlee and Inette releases

  [1]Diamond Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Diamond handles releases for Del Shannon's Berlee Records and the Inette label, including charting singles by Shannon and Kirby St. Romain.

• 1962

  Phil Kahl joins the venture

  [1]Diamond Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Kolsky's brother Phil Kahl, also a former Roulette executive, joins Diamond Records.

• 1962

  Johnny Thunder delivers the label's first major hit

  [1]Diamond Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  "Loop de Loop" becomes Diamond's first major success and supports a United Kingdom distribution arrangement with EMI's Stateside label.

• 1961

  Diamond Records is founded

  [1]Diamond Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Former Roulette Records executive Joe Kolsky establishes Diamond Records in New York City.

A 1960s independent American pop and easy-listening record label that combined its own releases with distribution for affiliated labels and artists.

• Album · 1963

  Loop De Loop

  Johnny Thunder's album was the first album documented in Diamond Records' original album sequence. The title is associated with the label's first major hit and helped establish Diamond's early profile in the pop market.

• Album · 1964

  Right or Wrong

  The first listed Ronnie Dove album on Diamond Records. It marked the beginning of the artist-centered album program that became the label's dominant long-form catalog.

• Album · 1965

  One Kiss for Old Times' Sake

  A Ronnie Dove album issued during his sustained Diamond Records period. It belongs to the label's mid-1960s pop and easy-listening catalog.

• Album · 1965

  I'll Make All Your Dreams Come True

  A 1965 Ronnie Dove album and one of the releases showing Diamond's concentration on Dove as its principal recurring album artist.

• Compilation album · 1966

  The Best of Ronnie Dove

  A Diamond Records compilation collecting Ronnie Dove material during the artist's commercially important relationship with the label.

• Album · 1966

  Ronnie Dove Sings the Hits for You

  A 1966 Ronnie Dove release issued as part of Diamond's continuing pop and easy-listening output.

• Album · 1967

  Cry

  A Ronnie Dove album released late in Diamond's original period, continuing the label's principal artist relationship into 1967.

• Compilation album · 1967

  The Best of Ronnie Dove Volume 2

  A second Ronnie Dove compilation issued by Diamond Records in 1967, documenting the label's reliance on Dove's recorded catalog.

• Album · 1988

  From the Heart

  A related Ronnie Dove release issued after the Diamond name was revived. It represents the label's later, limited activity rather than its original 1960s album program.

• 1987

  Revive Diamond Records for Ronnie Dove releasesStrategy

  Background

  After the original label operation had ended, Ronnie Dove retained ownership of his own Diamond recordings.

  Action taken

  Dove revived the Diamond name for a small number of singles and another album.

  Aftermath

  Dove later reissued his Diamond recordings through Ronnie Dove Music and Real Gone Music.

  Source

• 1970

  Transfer Diamond Records to CertronM&A

  Background

  Edwin H. Morris became the owner of Diamond Records after acquiring the founders' interest.

  Action taken

  Edwin H. Morris sold Diamond Records to Certron Corporation.

  Aftermath

  Certron's label operation folded by 1972, and the subsequent fate of the general Diamond catalog was not clearly documented.

  Source

• 1968

  Sell the founders' interest to Edwin H. MorrisM&A

  Background

  After several years of operating as an independent label, Joe Kolsky and Phil Kahl changed the ownership structure of Diamond Records.

  Action taken

  The founders sold their interest in Diamond to the Edwin H. Morris Corporation.

  Aftermath

  Edwin H. Morris later sold the label to Certron Corporation in 1970.

  Source

• 1962

  Use international distribution to expand Diamond's reachStrategy

  Background

  Following the success of Johnny Thunder's "Loop de Loop," Diamond needed a route to release its recordings outside the United States.

  Action taken

  The label entered a distribution arrangement with EMI for United Kingdom releases through Stateside, while Canadian product was initially handled by Apex Records.

  Aftermath

  Diamond gained international circulation for its recordings, and a Canadian Diamond operation was established around 1967.

  Source

• 1962

  Create Emit Records around acquired mastersStrategy

  Background

  Phil Kahl acquired 36 Dave "Baby" Cortez master recordings from Clock Records.

  Action taken

  Kahl formed Emit Records to issue the masters, with Diamond Records distributing the resulting releases.

  Aftermath

  Emit was discontinued after only four singles.

  Source

1. 1Diamond Recordsen.wikipedia.org