13 MP3 Songs in this album (43:02) !
Related styles: Folk: Alternative Folk, Blues: Prewar Blues, Type: Acoustic

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In your hands is the third installment of Joe and my celebration of the pre-war record labels that changed not only music and the music business but culture and society. Gennett, Paramount and Okeh, while before the term was used, were truly independent labels.

In the short history of the record business, the independent label has been the entity that presented new genres of music for the world to listen. Whether it was Sugar Hill and Def Jam with hip hop, Chess and Sun with Rock and Roll, Blue Note with modern jazz or Sub Pop with grunge, the little guy, whether out of love of music or just to survive, exposed listeners everywhere to something new, something ground-breaking to please their aural pallet.

While the dichotomy of indie and major didnât exist when Otto K.E. Heinemann founded Okeh in 1918 as an extension of his studio and gramophone business, he set the standard for the indie label template. They couldnât compete with the larger labels (in this case Columbia and Victor) in the pop realm and sought out new music, new ground in which to play. Thus began a series of firsts and success with American â folkâ music â the music of the American people, the roots of the social experiment that we call The United States.

In 1920, Okeh released âCrazy Bluesâ by Mamie Smith, which went on to not only being the a hit, but the first recording of âbluesâ music. In 1923, Okeh released the first âcountryâ or âhillbillyâ record with Fiddlin John Carsonâs âLittle Log Cabin In The Lane.â In 1926, Okeh released Louis Armstrong & His Hot Fiveâs version of âHeebie Jeebie,â which contained the first known recording of âscat vocals,â which would become a mainstay vocal style in jazz music.

Okehâs core history was brief, revived a few times throughout the ages, but itâs essence, its innovation in the pre-World War Two era is what we celebrate here. Again, Joe and I invited old and new friends to help us celebrate. We made a handful of suggestions and let these extremely talented folks to their own devises and, as expected, we are thrilled with the results. I hope we have made Otto and many of the legendary folks associated with Okeh proud!

Charlie Dahan
Murfreesboro, TN. 2008