12 Facts About Okeh Records

Okeh Records is an American record label founded by the Otto Heinemann Phonograph Corporation, a phonograph supplier established in 1916, which branched out into phonograph records in 1918.

Since 1926, Okeh has been a subsidiary of Columbia Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music.

Okeh Records is a jazz imprint, distributed by Sony Masterworks, a specialty label of Columbia.

Okeh Records issued popular songs, dance numbers, and vaudeville skits similar to other labels, but Heinemann wanted to provide music for audiences neglected by the larger record companies.

Okeh Records produced lines of recordings in German, Czech, Polish, Swedish, and Yiddish for immigrant communities in the United States.

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Okeh Records soon followed with the "Second Laughing Record", "The OKeh Laughing Dance Record" and "The OKeh Crying Record".

Okeh Records had further prominence in the demographic, as African-American musicians Sara Martin, Eva Taylor, Shelton Brooks, Esther Bigeou, and Handy's Orchestra recorded for the label.

The success of this series led Okeh Records to start recording music where it was being performed, known as remote recording or location recording.

Okeh Records releases were infrequent after 1932, although the label continued into 1935.

In 1940, after Columbia lost the rights to the Vocalion name by dropping the Brunswick label, the Okeh Records name was revived to replace it, and the script logo was introduced on a demonstration record announcing that event.

Okeh Records was paired with Little Richard, who had been persuaded to return to secular music.

Okeh Records acted as the music director for Little Richard's live performances at the Okeh Club in Los Angeles.