Little Labels - Big Sound: Small Record Companies and the Rise of American Music

by Randy McNutt, Rick Kennedy, Rick Kennedy

Book Overview

Now in paperback

Little Labels --Big Sound
Small Record Companies and the Rise of American Music

Rick Kennedy and Randy McNutt
Foreword by Al Kooper

A wild ride through American popular music.

" T]hese cats had their ears to the ground and cut vinyl that created the hip sounds of the day, sounds that still reverberate today. . . . Little Labels--Big Sound is a great primer into the history of these . . . independent...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0253214343
• ISBN13: 9780253214348
• Release Date: March 2001
• Publisher: Indiana University Press
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Little Labels, Big Impact

I bought this book after buying Mr. McNutt's "Too Hot to Handle," a thoroughly researched and fascinating book designed like a fanzine for we small-time studio fanatics. "Little Labels" did not disappoint. Like his other book, this one has many, many interviews with the label owners, engineers, and musicians. Very few writers today take the time to go to the scene and interview the people who were involved. I appreciate this book so much because Mr. McNutt and Mr. Kennedy do take the time to find the people who made the sounds. I didn't grow up on this music, but I have learned to love it. Give it five stars!

Good Book

Great insight into the workings of old independent labels. I enjoyed the book thoroughly. I hope the publisher will bring out a Vol. 2. Next time, the writers could do some even smaller ones!

Loved this book!

Reading this book has given me a new appreciation of the struggles of independent record company owners over the years. The chapter on King Records is worth the price of the book. The writers have carefully researched some important labels, picking their favorites--Gennett is very fascinating to me personally. I hope that a record company will release some old material based on this book. I hope the writers will consider a sequel.

Great storytelling

This is an interesting and detailed book about the early days of the recording industry when non-giants operated record label companies. For music enthusiasts and record collectors this is a must read. Kennedy's other book on early jazz is a fascinating, humorous and educational look into those early jazz recordings.

A terrific book. Will be in print for years.

This book tells what it was like to operate a small record label in the heyday of indie recording.