The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #168926   Message #4080880
Posted By: Thomas Stern
24-Nov-20 - 09:57 PM
Thread Name: Stinson Records Revisted
Subject: RE: Stinson Records Revisted
announced 6/28/2019 :

Historic Stinson Records Joins Smithsonian Folkways Catalog

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings has acquired the historic Stinson Records catalog: nearly a hundred albums that include foundational Woody Guthrie and Lead Belly recordings as well as works of pioneering 20th century artists in blues, jazz and beyond, including Burl Ives, Josh White, Mary Lou Williams, Coleman Hawkins, Meade Lux Lewis, and Art Tatum.
With roots dating to 1935, the Stinson Trading Company was founded in New York by Charles Stinson and Irving Prosky. By 1939, Prosky was the sole owner of the business, and in 1943 he partnered with Herbert Harris. During World War II, the rationing of shellac (the material from which early gramophone records were made) led Harris and Prosky to partner with Moses Asch, the owner of Asch Records and future founder of Folkways Records. The two companies operated as one for a short time, producing American folk, blues and jazz records that have inspired generations of musicians. The partnership dissolved after the war, splitting important master tapes between both labels.
The acquisition is the result of 30 years of conversations between Smithsonian Folkways and the Stinson heirs, and at long last reunites the Guthrie and Lead Belly recordings created during a brief partnership in the 1940s between Stinson Records and Folkways’ predecessor label Asch Records. The acquisition was finalized by the heir to the Stinson label in a private ceremony at the Smithsonian in May, bringing together recordings that have been separately owned for the last 75 years.
In the coming months Smithsonian Folkways is planning to begin making these recordings available for the first time in decades as the catalog becomes digitized. It is also planning physical releases. These recordings, as with all owned by the label, will be available in perpetuity. Learn more on Billboard.
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So far, have not seen any announced releases. The STINSON LP catalog consissted of RE-Releases of previous ASCH-STINSON 78's
and a series of NEW recordings made in the 1950's and later.
I eagerly await the release of these 1950's folk revival
recordings, which incude Robin Roberts, Paul Clayton, Ellen
Stekert, Rev. Gary Davis, Hally Wood, John Runge and others.

Have a HEALTHY Thanksgiving!