Hit Records was a record company based in Nashville, Tennessee, which specialized in sound-alike of hit records. These types of releases are often categorized as exploito.
Background
It was run by entrepreneurs Bill Beasley and Alan Bubis. The records they produced were sold via convenience stores throughout the United States.
[ Living the Rock 'n Roll Dream: The Adventures of Buzz Cason, By Buzz Cason - Page 176] Prior to HIT, they started Tennessee Records in 1950 and the Republic label in 1952. In 1959, they took advantage of buying up overstocked hits at low prices and selling them cheaply via the
Rack jobbing throughout the country. Then with Hit Records which they formed, they added their own twin side records to the mix.
[ Record Makers and Breakers: Voices of the Independent Rock 'n' Roll Pioneers, By John Broven - Page 461 THE PAYOLA SCANDAL AND CHANGING TIMES] At 39¢ (US), the records were less than half the price of the hit recordings they were covering.
[Internet Archive Wayback Machine - "Music is fun for everyone" The HIT Records]
(Archived from the original (http://geocities.com/spikeopath/hitrecords.htm) on 2009-10-27, Retrieved 2016-04-06 The label was located in Nashville, the home base for the
country music recording business in the
United States.
The company folded in 1969 due to competition from record companies such as
K-Tel which issued various artists compilation albums featuring the actual hit recordings licensed from the various record companies.
[Internet Archive Wayback Machine - HIT, US Label and Company Sleeves 1962-1969, Labels]
Archived from the original (http://45-sleeves.com/USA/hit/hit-us.htm) on 2012-03-04. Retrieved 2016-04-06[Global Dog Productions - Discography for HIT Records] Many Hit Records are very collectable and some of the performers on these recordings have developed their own fan base..
There was also an outfit called Hit Records Inc. in Chicago which had been in business since about 1957. With around 600 outlets, they sold their releases via Rack jobber in supermarkets and businesses which included Jewel Food and Osko Drugstores in the Chicago area. This company was owned and managed by Charles Stephens.[ Billboard, May 2, 1964 - Page 41 Hit Records, Inc.][ Billboard, December 12, 1964 - Page 6 BB CHART AIDS RACK JOBBER'S SALES IN CHI]
Business history
In 1965, legal action was taken against director Beasley and Record Service by Harry Fox Office who were represented by Abeles & Clark, a law firm. This was for royalties relating to recordings on a Hit record album, namely
26 Top Hits. Harry Fox Office won the case and the sum of $37,000 was awarded to them. The money was paid by Record Service, the owner of Hit Records.
[ Billboard, June 22, 1968 - Page 8 Fox Office Wins Mechanical Royalty Case vs. RTV Sales]
Artists
The company had a pool of singers and musicians to record the cover songs. Some of these performers would later become successful on their own such as
Sandy Posey,
[Internet Archive Wayback Machine - "Music is fun for everyone" The HIT Records]
(Archived from the original (http://geocities.com/spikeopath/hitrecords.htm) on 2009-10-27, Retrieved 2016-04-06 Ray Stevens,
Bobby Russell,
[Music Master OLDIES, January 6, 2012 - New Oldies – I’m Sure Going To Miss Her by The Chellows and by Joe Knapp ] and
Sam Moore of Sam & Dave. .
Herbert Hunter, who was a prolific performer on the Hit label,[Soulful Kinda Music - HerbertHunter]
External links
