Jamie Records

Jamie Records was an American independent record label established in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1956 by record executives Harold Lipsius and Allan Sussel. The label’s name came from Sussel’s eldest daughter, Jamie Sussel Turner. Its first documented release was the 45-rpm single “It’s Great to Fall in Love” backed with “Truly,” performed by Marian Caruso. Jamie developed its strongest identity in the late 1950s and early 1960s, when it issued commercially successful records in rock and roll, pop, rhythm and blues, and instrumental music. The label’s most important artist was guitarist Duane Eddy, whose 1958 single “Rebel Rouser” became a major American hit and reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100. Eddy became the central figure in Jamie’s catalog, recording a sequence of successful singles for the label, including “Because They’re Young,” which reached number four, and “Forty Miles of Bad Road,” which reached number nine. His final Jamie single, “Runaway Pony” backed with “Just Because,” was released in 1962. The label also recorded the Jordan Brothers, a group from Frackville, Pennsylvania. Their Jamie releases included “Send Me Your Picture” and “Gimme Some Lovin’,” the latter issued in the United States before the better-known recording by the Spencer Davis Group. The Jordan Brothers’ profile was supported by appearances on Philadelphia- and New Jersey-area television programs and by touring on Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars bus tour. Jamie’s last major charting release under its principal name came in 1966, when it released Crispian St. Peters’s “The Pied Piper” in the United States. After that period, commercially prominent releases connected with the label’s wider organization increasingly appeared through subsidiary imprints rather than the Jamie name itself. These included the Fantastic Johnny C’s “Boogaloo Down Broadway” on Phil-L.A. of Soul, Cliff Nobles & Co.’s “The Horse” on the same imprint, Brenda and the Tabulations’ “Dry Your Eyes” on Dionn, and Mercy’s “Love (Can Make You Happy)” on Sundi. Jamie operated within a broad network of affiliated and subsidiary labels, including Arctic, Dionn, Dynamo, Phil-L.A. of Soul, Sundi, Talley-Ho, and many other imprints. This structure enabled the organization to release music across multiple genres and regional markets while giving individual projects distinct label identities. The available reference material documents Jamie’s historical catalog and label network but does not establish a current corporate owner, active operating status, present headquarters beyond its Philadelphia origin, or an official current website. Jamie is therefore best characterized as a historically significant American independent label whose principal commercial influence was concentrated from the late 1950s through the 1960s.

Jamie Records was founded in Philadelphia in 1956 by Harold Lipsius and Allan Sussel. The label was named after Sussel’s eldest daughter, Jamie Sussel Turner. Its first known 45-rpm release was Marian Caruso’s “It’s Great to Fall in Love” backed with “Truly.” The label gained national visibility in 1958 through Duane Eddy’s “Rebel Rouser,” an instrumental rock and roll recording that reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100. Eddy became Jamie’s principal star and recorded several further charting singles, including “Because They’re Young” and “Forty Miles of Bad Road.” His final Jamie release, “Runaway Pony” backed with “Just Because,” appeared in 1962. Another notable Jamie act was the Jordan Brothers, who came from Frackville, Pennsylvania. Their releases included “Send Me Your Picture” and “Gimme Some Lovin’.” The group promoted its music through regional television appearances and touring, including participation in Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars bus tour. Jamie’s last major chart entry under its own name was Crispian St. Peters’s “The Pied Piper,” released in the United States in 1966. During the later 1960s, a number of successful records associated with the wider label organization were issued on affiliated imprints. The Phil-L.A. of Soul label released the Fantastic Johnny C’s “Boogaloo Down Broadway” and Cliff Nobles & Co.’s “The Horse.” Dionn released Brenda and the Tabulations’ “Dry Your Eyes,” while Sundi released Mercy’s “Love (Can Make You Happy).” The Jamie organization maintained an extensive subsidiary-label network. Documented imprints included Arctic, Black Soul, Caldwell, Carney, Charay, Chestnut, Cross Fire, Day Dell, DePlace, Dionn, Dome, Dynamo, First Amendment, Frantic, Golden Eagle, Gong Show, Hercules, House of Orange, Important, Jamie Golden Hits, Junior, Lancelot, LA, La Louisianne, Landa, Le Cam, Lyndell, Mean, Montel, MSL, Olympia, Palm, Phil-L.A. of Soul, Philomega, The Phoenix, Pic 1, Poogie, Roc-Ker, Romulus, Ru-Jac, Showtime, Silver Dollar, Soft, Spindletop, Stone, Sundi, Surprise, Swamp Dogg Presents, Talley-Ho, Tear Drop, Terri, Three Speed, Tiris, Thunderball, Top and Bottom, Trinity, Turn Ray, Twin Record Productions, Uptown, V-Tone, Vent, Wale, WFIL, William Hart Corporation, and Wilson. The available sources do not clearly document Jamie Records’ later corporate ownership, a formal closure date, or its present operating status. Its documented historical importance rests on the Duane Eddy catalog, its Philadelphia regional connections, and the breadth of its subsidiary-label system.

• 1969

  Mercy reaches the pop top three

  [1]Jamie Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Mercy’s “Love (Can Make You Happy),” issued on Sundi, reaches number two on the pop chart.

• 1968

  The Horse becomes a major subsidiary-label hit

  [1]Jamie Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Cliff Nobles & Co.’s “The Horse,” released on Phil-L.A. of Soul, reaches number two on both the pop and rhythm-and-blues charts.

• 1967

  Subsidiary-label successes continue

  [1]Jamie Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The Fantastic Johnny C’s “Boogaloo Down Broadway” charts through Phil-L.A. of Soul, while Brenda and the Tabulations’ “Dry Your Eyes” charts through Dionn.

• 1966

  Last major Jamie chart entry

  [1]Jamie Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Crispian St. Peters’s “The Pied Piper” reaches number four in the United States.

• 1962

  Final Duane Eddy Jamie single

  [1]Jamie Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Eddy’s “Runaway Pony” backed with “Just Because” is issued as his final Jamie single.

• 1958

  Duane Eddy breakthrough

  [1]Jamie Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Duane Eddy’s “Rebel Rouser” reaches number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and establishes Jamie as a nationally visible label.

• 1956

  Jamie Records is founded

  [1]Jamie Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Harold Lipsius and Allan Sussel establish Jamie Records in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

• 1956

  First documented release

  [1]Jamie Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Marian Caruso’s “It’s Great to Fall in Love” backed with “Truly” becomes the label’s first documented 45-rpm single.

A Philadelphia-based independent record label focused on commercially oriented rock and roll, instrumental pop, rhythm and blues, and related popular music, supported by a large network of subsidiary imprints.

• Recorded music · 1956

  45-rpm singles

  Jamie’s principal historical product was the commercial 45-rpm single. The label’s catalog began with Marian Caruso and expanded into rock and roll, instrumental pop, rhythm and blues, and mainstream pop releases. Its singles were marketed through Jamie and a large family of affiliated imprints.

• Artist catalog · 1958

  Duane Eddy catalog

  Duane Eddy was Jamie’s most important artist. The label released his instrumental hits including “Rebel Rouser,” “Because They’re Young,” and “Forty Miles of Bad Road,” making his recordings the central part of Jamie’s late-1950s and early-1960s commercial identity.

• Recorded music

  Subsidiary-label releases

  Jamie’s broader label network issued records under numerous subsidiary names. Notable examples include Phil-L.A. of Soul, Dionn, and Sundi, which released successful recordings by the Fantastic Johnny C, Cliff Nobles & Co., Brenda and the Tabulations, and Mercy.

1. 1Jamie Recordsen.wikipedia.org