{{Infobox record label <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Music --> | name = Amaret Records | image_name = | image_size = | caption = | parent = MGM Records from 1972 | founded = {{Start date|1968}} | founder = | status = Defunct | distributor = | genre = Various | country = United States | location = Hollywood, California | url = }}
'''Amaret Records''' was a record label that operated between 1968 and 1973.<ref>45-sleeves.com [https://45-sleeves.com/AUS/amaret/amar-oz.htm AMARET OZ Labels and Company Sleeves 1969-1972 Labels]</ref> Among the artists that had their recordings released on the label were hard rock group Crow, Country singer Judy Lynn and singer Mrs Miller.<ref>''The Music Lover's Guide to Record Collecting'' by Dave Thompson [https://books.google.com/books?id=tVVMAgAAQBAJ&dq=Hard+Rock+group+Crow+Amaret+Records&pg=PT189 Amaret]</ref><ref>''Beach Morning Journal'' October 25, 1973 [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1873&dat=19731025&id=8W8eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dskEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5285,2972456&hl=ko B, County Fair To Feature Judy Lynn]</ref><ref>''The World's Worst Records: Volume One: An Arcade of Audio Atrocity'' by Darryl W Bullock [https://books.google.com/books?id=iRJ8BgAAQBAJ&dq=Amaret+Kenny+Myers&pg=PA77 Page 76]</ref>
==Background== The label was located on Highland Avenue, Hollywood, California.<ref>''Billboard'' November 7, 1970 [https://books.google.com/books?id=pSkEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Amaret+Records%22California&pg=RA1-PA67 Page 67]</ref> It was formed by Kenny Myers in 1968 who had left Dot Records and its subsidiary Acta Records in August that year to form the new label. Ronnie Granger formerly of Capitol Records was brought in as sales and promotion director.<ref>''Billboard'' November 9, 1968 [https://books.google.com/books?id=sAoEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Amaret+records%22&pg=PA3 Page 3 'Baby' Bows Myer's Firm]</ref>
Overseas distribution was handled by London Records. Australian distribution was handled by Astor Records. South African and Spanish distribution were handled by Gallo and Hispavox respectively.<ref>''Billboard'' September 6, 1969 [https://books.google.com/books?id=xykEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Amaret+Records&pg=PA10 Page 10 Myers Banks on 9 Acts, Producers to Phsh Label]</ref> By November 1968, he has 30 domestic distributors lined up. The non-exclusive duplication rights for reel-reel, eight-track and cassette were assigned to Ampex.<ref>''Billboard'' November 9, 1968 [https://books.google.com/books?id=sAoEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Amaret+records%22&pg=PA3 Page 3 'Baby' Bows Myer's Firm]</ref> In an article in an April 1971 issue of ''Billboard'', Myers said that all of the label's releases would be lyric oriented. He felt that people wanted to get back to the basics. He also said that this was the era of the writer and songs, where songs that were being bought were the ones that concentrated on the message rather than any particular instrumental approach. He used the film ''Love Story'' as an example of having a message that everyone could understand.<ref>''Billboard'' April 10, 1971 [https://books.google.com/books?id=3AgEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Kenny+Myers%22Billboard+April+10+1971&pg=PA8 Page 8, Amaret Keys Its Product To Lyric-Oriented Policy]</ref>
By 1973, the label was bankrupt.<ref>45-sleeves.com [https://45-sleeves.com/AUS/amaret/amar-oz.htm AMARET OZ Labels and Company Sleeves 1969-1972 Labels]</ref>
==Artists== Other early artists on the label included rock group New Life and the bubblegum rock acts of Ginny Tieu and Tom & Jerry. There was a pop-rock group from Chicago called Raintree Minority, a pop singer Lilith O'Leary, Triangle a western blues group and Johnny Cymbal. There was also Mrs Miller.<ref>''Billboard'' September 6, 1969 [https://books.google.com/books?id=xykEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Amaret+Records&pg=PA10 Page 10 Myers Banks on 9 Acts, Producers to Phsh Label]</ref> 1970, looked to be a busier year, according to an article in the August 1 edition of ''Billboard Magazine'', the label was putting an emphasis on increasing outside production, and within the next 90 days, a plan to double the number of outside packs. Part of that effort in expansion was the proposed signing of artist Gil Bernal under the production of Joe Porter and Jerry Styner. There was also the signing of a two-man rock act called Honk.<ref>''Bliiboard'' August 1, 1970 [https://books.google.com/books?id=X0UEAAAAMBAJ&dq=jOE+pORTER%2C+jerry+Styner&pg=PA72 Page 72 Amaret in 'Outside' Spree]</ref> There was also some potential promise with Nick Anthony, an artist referred to in ''Billboard'' as possibly "another Tom Jones" who had the album ''High Voltage'' released.<ref>''Billboard'' November 7, 1970 [https://books.google.com/books?id=pSkEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Amaret%22Nick+Anthony%22&pg=RA1-PA50 Page 50 Special Merit Picks]</ref> In 1972, Judy Lynn had her single "Winterwood" which was a departure from her previous country sound to a more pop MOR sound.<ref>''The Ledger'' March 17, 1972 [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19720319&id=0JlMAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Y_oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7136,5471804&hl=ko 10E, His Hangup Is Country Music By Doug Davis, Ledger Columnist]</ref>
==Catalogue (Selective)==
===Albums=== * Mrs. Miller - ''Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing'' - Amaret ST-5000 - (1970) * Triangle - ''How Now Blue Cow'' - Amaret ST-5001 - (1970) * Crow - '' Crow Music'' - Amaret ST-5002 - (1970) * Randy Johnson - ''The Gift of Randy Johnson'' - ST-5003 - (1970) * New Life - ''The New Life Sings the Sidehackers'' - ST-5004 - (1970) * Fresh Air - ''Fresh Air'' - ST-5005 - (1970) * Crow - ''Crow By Crow'' - ST-5006 - (1970) * Dave Antrell - ''Dave Antrell'' - ST-5007 - (1970)<ref>Global Dog Productions [https://www.bsnpubs.com/mgm/amaret.html ''Amaret Album Discography'']</ref> * Nick Anthony - ''High Voltage'' - ST-5008 - (1970)<ref>''Billboard'' November 14, 1970 [https://books.google.com/books?id=sSkEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Amaret%22Nick+Anthony%22&pg=PA41 Page 41 New Album Releases ARTIST - Title - LABEL & Number A]</ref> * Crow - ''Mosaic By Crow'' - ST-5009 - (1971) * Dian Hart - ''Girl for All Reasons'' - ST-5010 - (1971) * Judy Lynn - ''Parts of Love'' - ST-5011 - (1971) * Crow - ''Best of Crow'' - ST-5012 - (1972) * David Wagner - '' David Wagner D/B/A Crow''- ST-5013 - (1972) * Judy Lynn - '' Naturally'' - ST-5014 - (1972)<ref>Global Dog Productions [https://www.bsnpubs.com/mgm/amaret.html ''Amaret Album Discography'']</ref>
==Links== * [http://www.45cat.com/label/amaret Amaret singles on 45Cat] * [http://www.globaldogproductions.info/a/amaret.html Amaret singles at Global Dog Productions]
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Record labels based in California