Colonial Records was arecord label founded in 1948 by Orville Campbell, a journalist and newspaper publisher inChapel Hill, North Carolina.[1] Its first release was "All The Way Choo Choo," by the Bell Tones, which Campbell composed with partner Hank Beebe in 1949, about UNC football star Charlie Justice.[2] A recording of the song by bandleader Johnny Long was released onKing Records and sold well regionally.[1] Benny Goodman recorded the song forCapitol Records but it was not released.[3]
Colonial's second release was another Campbell-Beebe composition, “Way Up In North Carolina,” also performed by the Bell Tones.[2] The record caught the attention of bandleaderFred Waring, who performed it on hismusical variety television program in 1951.[1]
In the fall of 1953, a youngmonologist namedAndy Griffith recorded a routine in the role of a naïve country preacher who describes his experience attending a college football game, which is entirely puzzling to him. He sent the recording to Colonial Records. “What It Was, Was Football” became the label's third release in November that year. Colonial sold nearly 50,000 copies regionally.Capitol Records publicity man Richard Linke heard the record on a distant radio station and flew from New York City to North Carolina to buy the masters.[4] The record became a huge success in the comedy record market, selling some 800,000 copies, and reaching number 9 on the pop music charts.[5][6]
In 1956, a young aspiring musician namedGeorge Hamilton IV approached Colonial Records to pursue a recording career. That August Campbell recorded his rendition of a tune by fellow North Carolina artistJohn D. Loudermilk, “A Rose and a Baby Ruth.”[1]ABC-Paramount Records acquired the masters and the record became a smash hit.[7] On the popular music charts, the disk topped out at number 6, selling close to a million copies.[8]
In February 1957, Campbell recorded Loudermilk singing one of his own tunes, “Sittin' in the Balcony,” released under the name of “Johnny Dee.” It rose to number 38 on the charts, but became a springboard forEddie Cochran, whose cover version reached number 18.[8]
Colonial Records' artist roster includedJay Hanna “Dizzy” Dean, who became a television sports commentator following his career as a Major League Baseball pitcher, andBill Craddock, who went on to country music fame as Billy “Crash” Craddock. An album of Craddock's early recordings between 1958 and 1961 was released in 1986 asCrash's Greatest Hits. Although it is labeled as a Colonial disc, it is a Canadian pressing and is said to be an unofficial release.[9]
Doug Franklin and the Bluenotes’ recording of "Lucky Love" placed in the Hot 100 at No. 73 in 1958. "Ski King" by E.C. Beatty sold 140,000 copies within the first two weeks after its release in 1959. It spent six weeks on the Hot 100 peaking at No. 50 on October 12, 1959.[10]
Colonial's records were distributed byABC-Paramount Records from 1956 to 1959.[11]London Records signed a three-year distribution agreement in May of that year.[12]Tollie Records became the label's final distributor toward the end of Colonial's existence.
^See, ex.,The Cash Box. New York, NY. April 20, 1957. p. 40. "Colonial Inks Tarheel".;Billboard. New York, NY. April 27, 1957. p. 20. "Am-Par Makes Chancellor Distrib Deal".;Billboard. New York, NY. June 30, 1958. p. 9. "BRIEFS: Harold N. Lieberman Company is now handling distribution for ABC-Paramount, Hunt, Fargo, Chancellor and Colonial Records in Minneapolis".
^"London Names New Distrib Appointees".Billboard. New York, NY. May 11, 1959. p. 3.
