Sue Records

{{Short description|American record label}} {{Infobox record label | name = Sue Records | founded = 1957 | genre = R&B, rock and roll, pop | founder = Juggy Murray and Bobby Robinson | status = Defunct | location = 265 West 54th Street New York, New York, U.S. }}''Sue Records was also the name of a Louisiana-based record company which owned Jewel Records (Shreveport record label).'' '''Sue Records''' ("The Sound of Soul") was an American record label founded by Henry 'Juggy' Murray and Bobby Robinson in 1957.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/juggy-murray-495423.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/juggy-murray-495423.html |archive-date=2022-05-25 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Juggy Murray|date=April 20, 2005|website=The Independent|language=en}}</ref> Subsidiaries on the label were '''Symbol Records''', '''Crackerjack Records, Broadway Records''' and '''Eastern Records'''.<ref name=":4">{{Cite magazine|date=December 21, 1963|title=English Issue For Sue On Island|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/60s/1963/Billboard%201963-12-21.pdf|magazine=Billboard|pages=18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|date=April 24, 1965|title=2 Hits From Sue|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZCkEAAAAMBAJ&q=eastern+records+sue+records+1965&pg=PA17|magazine=Billboard|pages=17}}</ref> Sue also financed and distributed A.F.O. Records owned by Harold Battiste in New Orleans.

==History== In 1957, Juggy Murray partnered with Bobby Robinson to create Sue Records in New York City.<ref name=":3" /> The label's first release was "Vengeance (Will Be Mine)" by the Matadors later that year. Sue's first hit record came in 1958 with "Itchy Twitchy Feeling" by Bobby Hendricks which peaked at No. 25 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Success continued into the sixties with a handful of singles by R&B duo Ike & Tina Turner between 1960 and 1962. "Mockingbird" by brother-and-sister duo Inez and Charlie Foxx was a hit on the subsidiary label Symbol in 1963. Sue also had hits on the charts with "Stick Shift" by the Duals, "Hurt by Love" by Inez Foxx and "That's How Heartaches Are Made" by Justine "Baby" Washington. Sue also released early recordings by the soul singer Don Covay and albums by the soul-jazz organist Jimmy McGriff.<ref name=":3" /> Guitarist Jimi Hendrix signed his first recording contract with Sue in 1965, but no recordings were released.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Hendrix|first=Jimi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eoVmCgAAQBAJ&q=Copa+Management+juggy+murray&pg=PA114|title=Hendrix on Hendrix: Interviews and Encounters with Jimi Hendrix|publisher=Chicago Review Press|year=2012|isbn=978-1-61374-322-5|pages=114|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|author1=Harry Shapiro|author2=Michael Heatley|author3=Roger Mayer|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fpUuXZU9-1QC&q=sue+records+jimi+hendrix+july+1965&pg=PA45|title=Jimi Hendrix Gear|publisher=Voyageur Press|isbn=978-1-61060-421-5|pages=45|language=en}}</ref>

Murray initially released his records in the UK through Decca's London Records but switched to a licensing deal with Island Records in 1964.<ref name=":4" /> This deal resulted in a split in the ownership of the Sue name. Island used the label to distribute Sue in the UK. Problems began when Island also leased discs from other US labels that interested them and released them on UK Sue too - which was not in the agreement. Murray terminated the agreement and returned to Decca in 1966.<ref name=":3" />

After failing to chart in the U.S., Murray sold the Sue masters to United Artists Records in 1968. A reissue of the "Harlem Shuffle" by Bob & Earl made the Top 10 in Britain in 1969.<ref name=":3" /> Murray retained rights to the Sue name and constantly attempted to re-activate the label until his death in 2005. The Sue Records catalog eventually ended up with EMI, and then with Universal Music Group upon EMI's being bought out in 2012.

EMI released a four-CD box-set ''The Sue Records Story: The Sound of Soul'' in 1994, while Ace Records later released four volumes of ''The UK Sue Label Story.''

==Discography== Sue Records were best known for their R&B and Rock 'n' Roll singles but released a number of LPs between 1958 and 1966 featuring popular and jazz artists.<ref name =BSN>Edwards, D. & Callahan, M. [https://www.bsnpubs.com/nyc/sue/sue.html Both Sides Now: Sue Album Discography], ''Bsnpubs.com'', accessed August 1, 2019</ref><ref>[http://www.jazzlists.com/SJ_Label_Sue_1000.htm Jazzlists: Sue Records 1000 series discography], ''Jazzlists.com'', accessed August 1, 2019</ref>

===Sue LP-2000 Popular/R&B Series=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Catalog No. ! Album ! Artist ! Details |- |LP-2001 |''The Soul of Ike & Tina Turner'' |{{sortname|Ike & Tina|Turner}} | |- |LP-2002 |''Stick Shift'' |{{sortname|The|Duals}} | |- |LP-2003 |''Dance with Ike and Tina Turner and Their Kings of Rhythm'' |{{sortname|Ike & Tina|Turner|nolink=1}} |instrumental album - Tina Turner does not sing on any tracks |- |LP-2004 |''Dynamite!'' |{{sortname|Ike & Tina|Turner|nolink=1}} | |- |LP-2005 |''Don't Play Me Cheap'' |{{sortname|Ike & Tina|Turner|nolink=1}} | |- |LP-2007 |''It's Gonna Work Out Fine'' |{{sortname|Ike & Tina|Turner|nolink=1}} | |- |}

===Sue LP/STLP-1000 Popular/Jazz Series=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Catalog No. ! Album ! Artist ! Details |- |LP-1011 |''Have Mood, Will Call'' |{{sortname|Will|Davis|Will Davis (musician)}} Trio | |- |LP-1012/STLP-1012 |''I've Got a Woman'' |{{sortname|Jimmy|McGriff}} | |- |LP-1013/STLP-1013 |''One of Mine'' |{{sortname|Jimmy|McGriff|nolink=1}} | |- |LP-1014/STLP-1014 |''That's How Heartaches Are Made'' |{{sortname|Baby|Washington}} | |- |LP-1015/STLP-1015 |''The New Sound of Ernestine Anderson'' |{{sortname|Ernestine|Anderson}} | |- |LP-1016/STLP-1016 |''Groove House'' |{{sortname|Ray|Bryant}} | |- |LP-1017/STLP-1017 |''Jimmy McGriff at the Apollo'' |{{sortname|Jimmy|McGriff|nolink=1}} | |- |LP-1018 |''Christmas with McGriff'' |{{sortname|Jimmy|McGriff|nolink=1}} | |- |LP-1019 |''Live at Basin Street East'' |{{sortname|Ray|Bryant|nolink=1}} | |- |LP-1020/STLP-1020 |''Jimmy McGriff at the Organ'' |{{sortname|Jimmy|McGriff|nolink=1}} | |- |LP-1021 |''The Sue Story'' |Various Artists |Compilation of singles - also released as ''Old Goodies'' |- |LP-1022/STLP-1022 |''I Can't Stand It'' |Soul Sisters | |- |LP-1023/STLP-1023 |''So Far Away'' |{{sortname|Hank|Jacobs|nolink=1}} | |- |LP-1024/STLP-1024 |''Like Dixie, But...'' |{{sortname|Dick|Vance}} and His Dixieland Kings | |- |LP-1025/STLP-1025 |''Speak Your Piece'' |{{sortname|Joe|Thomas|Joe Thomas (tenor saxophonist)}} and Bill Elliott | |- |LP-1026 |''Scandal in Montego Bay'' |{{sortname|Percy|Dixon|nolink=1}} and His Merry Boys | |- |LP-1027 |''Mockingbird'' |{{sortname|Inez|Foxx|Inez and Charlie Foxx}} |Reissue of Symbol 4400 |- |LP-1028/STLP-1028 |''Jack and Julie'' |{{sortname|Jack|Melady|nolink=1}} and Julius Ehrenwerth |Reissue of Sue LP-8000 ''Things with Strings'' |- ||LP-1029/STLP-1029 |''Yours Truly Jack and Julie'' |{{sortname|Jack|Melady|nolink=1}} and Julius Ehrenwerth | |- |LP-1030/STLP-1030 |''"Sweets" for the Sweet'' |{{sortname|"Sweets"|Edison|Harry Edison}} | |- |LP-1031/STLP-1031 |''Joan Shaw in Person'' |{{sortname|Joan|Shaw|Salena Jones}} | |- |LP-1032/STLP-1032 |''Cold Turkey'' |{{sortname|Ray|Bryant|nolink=1}} | |- |LP-1033/STLP-1033 |''Topkapi'' |{{sortname|Jimmy|McGriff|nolink=1}} | |- |LP-1034 |''I Have a Dream'' |{{sortname|The Juggy|Murray Orchestra|Juggy Murray}} arranged by Fred Norman | |- |LP-1035/STLP-1035 |''Flip Phillips Revisited'' |{{sortname|Flip|Phillips}} | |- |LP-1036/STLP-1036 |''Soul'' |{{sortname|Ray|Bryant|nolink=1}} | |- |LP-1037/STLP-1037 |''Inez & Charlie Foxx'' |{{sortname|Inez and Charlie|Foxx}} | |- |LP-1038/STLP-1038 |''The Greatest Hits of Ike & Tina Turner'' |{{sortname|Ike & Tina|Turner}} |Compilation |- |LP-1039/STLP-1039 |''Blues for Mister Jimmy'' |{{sortname|Jimmy|McGriff|nolink=1}} | |- |LP-1040 |''Another Step Forward'' |Spoken word album documenting civil rights speeches |- |LP-1041/STLP-1041 |''Hits Au-Go-Go'' |{{sortname|Jimmy|Oliver|nolink=1}} and the Soul Twisters | |- |LP-1042/STLP-1042 |''Only Those in Love'' |{{sortname|Baby|Washington|nolink=1}} | |- |LP-1043/STLP-1043 |''A Toast to Jimmy McGriff's Greatest Hits'' |{{sortname|Jimmy|McGriff|nolink=1}} |Compilation |- |LP-1044 |''In Sweden'' |{{sortname|Don|Gardner}} and Dee Dee Ford | |- |}

===Other Releases=== *LP-3001: ''Thank You, Lord'' - National Independent Gospel Singers of Atlanta Georgia (1960) *LP-8000: ''Things with Strings'' - Julie & Jack (1963) *SSLP-8801: ''Let's Work Together'' - Wilbert Harrison

=== Selected singles === {| class="wikitable" |+ !Catalog No. !Release date !US !US R&B !'''Single (A-side, B-side)''' !Artist |- |706 |Jun 1958 |25 |5 |"Itchy Twitchy Feeling" b/w "A Thousand Dreams" |Bobby Hendricks |- |730<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/ike-tina-turner/chart-history/hot-100|title=Ike & Tina Turner Chart History|magazine=Billboard}}{{dead link|date=December 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> |Jul 1960 |27 |2 |"A Fool In Love" b/w "The Way You Love Me" |Ike & Tina Turner |- |735<ref name=":0" /> |Nov 1960 |82 |5 |"I Idolize You" b/w "Letter from Tina" |Ike & Tina Turner |- |745 |Jun 1961 |25 | |"Stick Shift" b/w "Cruising" |The Duals |- |749<ref name=":0" /> |Jun 1961 |14 |2 |"It's Gonna Work Out Fine" b/w "Won't You Forgive Me" |Ike & Tina Turner |- |753<ref name=":0" /> |Nov 1961 |38 |4 |"Poor Fool" b/w "You Can't Blame Me" |Ike & Tina Turner |- |757<ref name=":0" /> |Mar 1962 |50 |9 |"Tra La La La La" b/w "Puppy Love" |Ike & Tina Turner |- |765<ref name=":0" /> |Jun 1965 |89 | |"You Should'a Treated Me Right" b/w "Sleepless" |Ike & Tina Turner |- |767<ref name=":1">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/baby-washington|title=Baby Washington Chart History|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> |Jul 1962 |116 |16 |"A Handful Of Memories" b/w "Careless Hands" |Baby Washington |- |766 |Aug 1962 |96 | |"Send For Me (If You Need Some Lovin)" b/w "Bless You" |Barbara George |- |770<ref name=":2">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/jimmy-mcgriff/chart-history/bsi/|title=Jimmy McGriff Chart History|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> |Oct 1962 |20 |5 |"I've Got A Woman (Part I)" b/w "I've Got A Woman (Part II)" |Jimmy McGriff |- |777<ref name=":2" /> |Dec 1962 |50 |12 |"All About My Girl" b/w "M.G. Blues" |Jimmy McGriff |- |783<ref name=":1" /> |Mar 1963 |40 |10 |"That's How Heartaches Are Made" b/w "There He Is" |Baby Washington |- |795 |Oct 1963 |91 |19 |"So Far Away" b/w "Monkey Hips And Rice" |Hank Jacobs |- |799 |Jan 1964 |46 |8 |"I Can't Stand It" b/w "Blueberry Hill" |Soul Sisters |- |10-001<ref name=":2" /> |Apr 1964 |79 |19 |"Kiko" b/w "Jumpin' At The Woodside" |Jimmy McGriff |- |45-129<ref name=":1" /> |May 1965 |73 |10 |"Only Those In Love b/w "The Ballad Of Bobby Dawn" |Baby Washington |- |144 |Jun 1966 | |41 |"I Was Born A Loser" b/w "My Luck Is Bound To Change" |Bobby Lee |- |Sue 11 |Jul 1969 |32 | |"Let's Work Together (Part 1)" b/w "Let's Work Together (Part 2)" |Wilbert Harrison One Man Band |}

== Subsidiary labels == === Symbol Records === Symbol was launched in 1958 and lasted until 1966. The label issued 47 singles and one album, most which were produced by Murray. Brother-and-sister duo Inez & Charlie Foxx were the label's most successful artist. Their hit single, "Mockingbird" reached No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart and No. 7 ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in the summer of 1963.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/charlie-foxx/chart-history/hsi/|title=Charlie Foxx Chart History|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> Inez Foxx had a few solo singles reach the charts. It wasn't until 1966, that another artist on the label had a hit record. "She Blew a Good Thing" by The Poets peaked at No. 45 on the pop chart and No. 2 on the R&B chart.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Carolina Beach Music from the '60s to the '80s: The New Wave|author=Simmons, Rick|year=2013|isbn=978-1-61423-864-5|location=Charleston, SC|oclc=905904231}}</ref> Artist who recorded on the label include King Coleman, Art Lassiter, the Hollywood Flames, the Shockettes, and the Parliaments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bsnpubs.com/nyc/sue/symbol.html|title=Symbol Album Discography|website=Bsnpubs.com}}</ref>

==== Albums ==== * 1963: Inez Foxx – ''Mockingbird''

==== Selected singles ==== {| class="wikitable" |+ !Catalog No. !Release date !US !US R&B !UK !'''Single (A-side, B-side)''' !Artist !Notes |- |900 |Dec 1958<ref name=":0" /> | | | |'''A''': "The Chicken Scratch"

'''B''': "June's Blues" |The Commandos |''Billboard'' review (Feb 9, 1959)<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=February 9, 1959|title=Reviews of New Pop Records|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/50s/1959/BB-1959-02-09.pdf|magazine=Billboard|pages=51}}</ref> |- |901 |Jan 1959 | | | |'''A''': "So Loved Am I"

'''B''': "Cute Little Girl" |Jesse Johnson |''Billboard'' review (Jan 26, 1959)<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=January 26, 1959|title=Reviews of New Pop Records|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/50s/1959/Billboard%201959-01-26.pdf|magazine=Billboard|pages=51}}</ref> |- |909 |Aug 1960 | | | |'''A''': "Shortnin' Bread"

'''B''': "Let's Shimmy" |King Coleman | |- |912 |1962 | | | |'''A''': "It's Alright" '''B''': "Mr. Loneliness" |Art Lassiter | |- |919<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/charlie-foxx/chart-history|title=Inez & Charlie Foxx Chart History|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> |Jun 1963 |7 |2 | |'''A''': "Mockingbird" '''B''': "Jaybirds" |Inez & Charlie Foxx | |- |922<ref name=":5">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/inez-foxx/chart-history/bsi/|title=Inez Foxx Chart History|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> |Sep 1963 |113 | | |'''A''': "He's The One You Love" '''B''': "Broken Hearted Fool" |Inez Foxx |Bubbling Under Hot 100 (Nov 2, 1963)<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=November 2, 1963|title=Bubbling Under The Hot 100|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/60s/1963/Billboard%201963-11-02.pdf|magazine=Billboard|pages=20}}</ref> |- |924<ref name=":5" /> |Oct 1963 |96 |34 | |'''A''': "Hi Diddle Diddle" '''B''': "Talk With Me" |Inez Foxx | |- |926<ref name=":5" /> |Dec 1963 |91 |28 | |'''A''': "Ask Me" '''B''': "I See You My Love" |Inez Foxx | |- |20001<ref name=":5" /> |Apr 1964 |54 |12 |40 |'''A''': "Hurt By Love" '''B''': "Confusion" |Inez Foxx | |- |201<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicvf.com/Inez+%2526+Charlie+Foxx.art|title=Inez & Charlie Foxx Songs Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography|website=Music VF, US & UK hits charts}}</ref> |Sep 1964 |124 | | |'''A''': "La De Da I Love You" '''B''': "Yankee Doodle Dandy" |Inez & Charlie Foxx | |- |296 |Mar 1965 | | | |'''A''': "I Feel Alright" '''B''': "My Momma Told Me" |Inez & Charlie Foxx |''Cash Box'' review (Mar 12, 1965)<ref>{{Cite journal|date=March 13, 1965|title=Record Reviews: Best Bet|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1965/CB-1965-03-13.pdf|journal=Cash Box|pages=12}}</ref> |- |214 |Feb 1966 |45 |2 | |'''A''': "She Blew A Good Thing" '''B''': "Out To Lunch" |The Poets | |}

=== Crackerjack Records === Crackerjack was launched in 1961 and released its last record in 1964. Artist on that label included The Spy Dels, Ike Turner's Kings Of Rhythm, Eddie Carlton, Linda And The Del Rios, Pearl Woods, The Dramatics, Derek Martin, Chuck Leonard, and Betty Green.

=== Eastern Records === Eastern was launched in 1964 and lasted until 1966. The label produced the singles "The Real Thing" by Tina Britt which reached No. 20 on the R&B chart in 1965,<ref name="whitburnr&b">{{cite book|title=Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-1995|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|publisher=Record Research|year=1996|page=46|author-link=Joel Whitburn}}</ref> and "Time Waits For No One" by Eddie & Ernie which reached No. 34 on the R&B chart in 1965.<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=February 27, 1965|title=Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/60s/1965/Billboard%201965-02-27.pdf|magazine=Billboard|pages=45}}</ref> Geraldine Jones, Johnny Starr, and Duke Daniels also recorded on the label.

=== Broadway Records === Singles were released on Broadway between 1964 and 1966. Artists on the label included Tommy Andre, Johnson Sisters, Ocie Smith, Sandra Phillips, The Inverts, Johnny Burton, and The Thieves.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=March 7, 1864|title=Record Reviews: Best Bets|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1964/CB-1964-03-07.pdf|journal=Cash Box|pages=12}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.bsnpubs.com/nyc/sue/suestory.html The Sue Records story from BSN Pubs]

Category:Record labels established in 1957 Category:Record labels based in New York (state) Category:Rhythm and blues record labels Category:Pop record labels Category:Defunct record labels of the United States