Roulette Records

Roulette Records was an American record company and label established in New York in 1957 by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy, Morris Gurlek, and Phil Kahl. The label’s creative direction was initially entrusted to the producer and songwriting team of Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore, while Levy became its principal director and dominant business figure. Roulette operated across popular music, jazz, rock and roll, rhythm and blues, comedy, soundtracks, original-cast recordings, classical music, and international repertoire. The company emerged from the New York independent-label economy of the late 1950s. Its early successes included records by Buddy Knox, Jimmy Bowen, the Playmates, Jimmie Rodgers, Ronnie Hawkins, the Delicates, Frankie Lymon, and other pop and rock performers. At the same time, Roulette issued albums by established jazz and popular vocal artists such as Pearl Bailey, Dinah Washington, and Count Basie. Its catalog was organized through numerous numbered series, including pop, jazz, Birdland, comedy, soundtrack, original-cast, classical, African, and international lines. Roulette expanded by acquiring or consolidating other labels and catalogs. Roost Records was purchased in 1958, and Levy later obtained Goldner’s interests in Tico, Rama, Gee, End, and Gone. In 1971, Roulette took over the catalog of Jubilee Records. These transactions helped make the company not only a label but also a significant distributor for recordings issued by other businesses. During the 1960s and 1970s, it handled distribution for a range of labels and maintained a substantial presence in the American record trade. The label’s best-known popular releases included Joey Dee and the Starliters’ “Peppermint Twist,” Lou Christie’s “Two Faces Have I,” the Essex’s “Easier Said Than Done,” and a series of major Tommy James and the Shondells recordings, including “Hanky Panky,” “I Think We’re Alone Now,” “Mony Mony,” and “Crimson and Clover.” Roulette also documented the twist craze and released recordings connected with emerging performers; Stephen Stills and Richie Furay, for example, recorded with the Au Go Go Singers during their early careers. In Britain, Roulette recordings were distributed through EMI’s Columbia label, and the company arranged a sponsored program for the pirate station Radio Caroline in 1965. Roulette’s reputation was shaped as much by its business practices as by its music. The label was widely associated with New York organized crime, and artists later alleged that royalties were withheld or inadequately accounted for. Tommy James described the company as operating as a front for the Genovese crime family and said that Roulette retained a very large share of the group’s royalties, although he also credited the label with giving the band unusual artistic freedom. These accounts form an important part of the company’s historical legacy, but the label continued to release commercially successful music for many years. Levy later became a financial backer of Sugar Hill Records, the pioneering hip-hop label founded by Joe and Sylvia Robinson, and helped establish Sunnyview Records with Henry Stone in 1981 under the Roulette umbrella. Levy was convicted in 1986 of extorting money from an FBI informant but died before serving a prison sentence. In 1989, Roulette’s catalog and related assets were sold to a consortium involving EMI and Rhino Records. Rhino controlled the pop catalog in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, while EMI handled the jazz catalog worldwide and international distribution of the pop catalog. After Warner Music Group acquired EMI’s Parlophone-related assets in 2013, worldwide rights to the Roulette catalog ultimately came under Warner’s control. The Roulette name has since primarily survived through archival releases and catalog administration rather than as an active frontline label.

Roulette Records was formed in New York in 1957 by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy, Morris Gurlek, and Phil Kahl. Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore were assigned creative control, while Morris Levy became director and the label’s central executive figure. Its early development reflected the structure of the postwar independent-record business, in which labels combined artist signing, production, distribution, and ownership of multiple specialized imprints. Roulette’s initial catalog ranged across pop, rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and jazz. During the late 1950s it released successful records by Buddy Knox, Jimmy Bowen, the Playmates, Jimmie Rodgers, Ronnie Hawkins, the Delicates, and Frankie Lymon. Its album program also included artists such as Pearl Bailey, Dinah Washington, and Count Basie. The company purchased Roost Records in 1958 and later incorporated additional labels connected with Goldner, including Tico, Rama, Gee, End, and Gone. These acquisitions broadened Roulette’s catalog and gave it a larger role in the New York recording market. The label remained commercially active during the 1960s. It benefited from the twist dance craze through Joey Dee and the Starliters’ “Peppermint Twist” and issued other twist-oriented material, including an album by Bill Haley & His Comets. Additional hits came from Lou Christie and the Essex. Roulette also documented early work by musicians who later became prominent elsewhere: Stephen Stills and Richie Furay recorded with the Au Go Go Singers while the group served as the house band at New York’s Cafe Au Go Go. Roulette’s business extended beyond its own frontline releases. In the United Kingdom, EMI distributed Roulette recordings through its Columbia label. The company also pursued radio promotion, agreeing in 1965 to sponsor a recurring program on Radio Caroline. By the 1960s and 1970s, Roulette was described as one of the record industry’s important distributors, handling product for other labels in addition to marketing its own recordings. In 1971 it took over the Jubilee Records catalog, further increasing its archival holdings. The label’s history is inseparable from allegations about organized-crime connections and artist compensation. Roulette was widely reported to have ties to New York mobsters, and accounts from artists described an intimidating management culture and unpaid or underpaid royalties. Tommy James later said that the label operated as a front for the Genovese crime family and that it retained tens of millions of dollars in royalties from his recordings. He also stated that Roulette gave him and his group significant artistic freedom. Because many artists depended on touring and personal appearances rather than record income, Roulette became a prominent example in later discussions of exploitative record-label accounting. Morris Levy’s activities expanded beyond Roulette. He backed Sugar Hill Records, the pioneering hip-hop company founded by Joe and Sylvia Robinson, and helped Henry Stone establish Sunnyview Records in 1981 under the Roulette umbrella. Levy was convicted in 1986 of extorting money from an FBI informant and died before serving his prison sentence. In 1989, Roulette’s assets were sold to a consortium involving EMI and Rhino Records. Rhino controlled the pop catalog in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, while EMI acquired the jazz catalog worldwide and the international distribution rights for the pop material. For several decades after the sale, the Roulette name continued mainly as a catalog and reissue imprint. Blue Note handled releases of the Roulette jazz catalog in the United States, while EMI used the name for archival issues in other contexts. In 2013, Warner Music Group gained worldwide rights to the catalog through its acquisition of EMI’s Parlophone-related assets. Roulette therefore survives principally as a historically important recorded-music catalog rather than as an independent active label.

• 2013

  Worldwide catalog rights move to Warner Music Group

  [1]Roulette Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Warner obtains worldwide Roulette rights through its acquisition of EMI’s Parlophone-related assets.

• 1989

  Catalog is sold to EMI and Rhino

  [1]Roulette Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Roulette’s catalog is transferred to a consortium involving EMI and Rhino Records.

• 1986

  Morris Levy is convicted

  [1]Roulette Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Levy is convicted of extorting money from an FBI informant and dies before serving his sentence.

• 1981

  Sunnyview Records is formed

  [1]Roulette Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Henry Stone and Morris Levy establish Sunnyview Records under the Roulette umbrella.

• 1971

  Jubilee Records catalog is taken over

  [1]Roulette Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The Jubilee catalog becomes part of Roulette’s expanding recorded-music holdings.

• 1965

  Radio Caroline sponsorship is arranged

  [1]Roulette Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Roulette agrees to sponsor a recurring program on the British pirate station Radio Caroline.

• 1963

  The Essex release “Easier Said Than Done”

  [1]Roulette Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The Marine Corps group records a successful Roulette single while based at Camp Lejeune.

• 1962

  “Peppermint Twist” becomes a signature release

  [1]Roulette Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Joey Dee and the Starliters connect Roulette with the commercially important twist dance craze.

• 1958

  Roost Records is acquired

  [1]Roulette Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Roulette expands its label holdings through the purchase of Roost Records.

• 1957

  Roulette Records is founded

  [1]Roulette Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  A New York record company is established by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy, Morris Gurlek, and Phil Kahl.

A broad-based New York independent label and distributor combining commercially oriented pop and rock releases with substantial jazz, specialty, soundtrack, and catalog operations.

• Singles · 1957

  Roulette pop and rock singles

  Roulette’s singles program produced late-1950s and 1960s hits by artists including Buddy Knox, the Playmates, Jimmie Rodgers, Joey Dee and the Starliters, Lou Christie, the Essex, and Tommy James and the Shondells. The label’s releases covered rock and roll, teen pop, rhythm and blues, and dance-oriented material.

• Jazz albums · 1957

  Roulette jazz catalog

  The jazz program included recordings by performers such as Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Pearl Bailey, and Dinah Washington. It was organized through specialist lines including the Birdland series and other numbered jazz series, later becoming a major part of the catalog administered by EMI and subsequently Warner Music Group.

• Jazz album series · 1958

  Birdland Series

  Roulette’s Birdland Series was a substantial 12-inch jazz-album line launched in the late 1950s. It documented a range of jazz repertoire and formed one of the label’s most recognizable specialist catalog divisions.

• Specialty recordings · 1957

  Roulette specialty series

  Beyond pop and jazz, Roulette issued comedy records, film soundtracks, original-cast albums, classical recordings, African repertoire, international releases, and later compilations and reissue packages. The numbered series structure allowed the company to address multiple retail and collector markets.

• 1986

  Morris Levy extortion conviction

  Morris Levy was convicted of extorting money from FBI informant John LaMonte. Levy died before he could serve the resulting prison sentence.

  Source

• 1970

  Artist royalty disputes

  Former artists, including Tommy James, alleged that Roulette withheld or failed to account properly for substantial royalties. The label’s reputation for poor royalty payment forced some performers to rely heavily on touring and personal appearances.

  Source

• 1960

  Alleged organized-crime connections

  Roulette was widely associated with New York organized crime, with later accounts describing the label as connected to the Genovese crime family. These allegations became central to the company’s public historical reputation.

  Source

Read more

• 1965Radio Caroline sponsored program

  United Kingdom

  Roulette agreed to provide a sponsored hour-long program recorded in the United States for broadcast five evenings a week by the pirate station Radio Caroline.

  Outcome. The agreement extended Roulette’s promotional presence into the British offshore-radio market.

  Source

• 2013

  Transfer worldwide catalog rights to Warner Music GroupM&A

  Background

  Warner Music Group acquired EMI’s Parlophone-related assets as part of a transaction subject to international regulatory requirements.

  Action taken

  Worldwide rights to the Roulette catalog moved to Warner Music Group through the Parlophone transaction.

  Aftermath

  Roulette continued primarily as a catalog and reissue property rather than an independent active label.

  Source

• 1989

  Sell the Roulette catalog to EMI and RhinoM&A

  Background

  After Levy’s era, ownership of Roulette’s recordings shifted toward larger catalog and distribution companies.

  Action taken

  A consortium involving EMI and Rhino Records acquired the catalog, dividing pop, jazz, and international exploitation responsibilities.

  Aftermath

  The new owners began archival releases and issued substantial royalty payments to former Roulette artists.

  Source

• 1981

  Create Sunnyview RecordsStrategy

  Background

  Henry Stone sought assistance in preventing the collapse of TK Records.

  Action taken

  Stone and Levy established Sunnyview Records under the Roulette umbrella.

  Aftermath

  Sunnyview became an additional operating vehicle connected with Levy’s wider record-business interests.

  Source

• 1971

  Take over the Jubilee Records catalogM&A

  Background

  Roulette had developed into a label group and distributor with an interest in accumulating recorded-music assets.

  Action taken

  Roulette assumed control of the Jubilee Records catalog.

  Aftermath

  The move increased the scale and historical breadth of Roulette’s archival holdings.

  Source

• 1958

  Acquire Roost RecordsM&A

  Background

  Roulette sought to broaden its label and catalog base during its early expansion.

  Action taken

  The company purchased Roost Records and incorporated its holdings into the broader Roulette operation.

  Aftermath

  The transaction strengthened Roulette’s position in jazz and related popular-music markets.

  Source

1. 1Roulette Recordsen.wikipedia.org