Cameo Records

Cameo was a USA based record label, first flourishing in the 1920s, and then revived in the 1960s.

The Cameo Record Company was based in Manhattan, New York. Cameo records were introduced in February of 1922, selling for 50 cents each, and soon Cameo became one of the more popular budget labels.

Cameo Records are noted for a wealth of jazz influenced 1920s dance music. While there is little of outstanding importance on Cameo, a high percentage of Cameo Records have fairly good hot music. New York based musicians such as Red Nichols, Miff Mole, Adrian Rollini, and Frank Signorelli made many trips to the Cameo studios.

Cameo also featured a series of recordings by noted early blues singer Lucille Hegamin.

Cameo also owned the Lincoln Records and Romeo Records lables, as well as a subsidiary for making records for children, Cameo-Kid Cameo was purchased by Pathé Records in 1928; the lable continued in use until 1930. Pathé was in turn acquired by the American Record Corporation.

The Cameo label was revived in 1958 and used for a series of 45 and 33 LPs in to the 1960s. The American Record Corporation used the "Cameo" label for issuing recordings thought by the company to be of interest to non-mainstream audiences. Noted musicians on microgroove Cameo include Maynard Ferguson Clark Terry, Chubby Checker, and Question Mark and the Mysterians. Cameo also put out a series of records of people better known for their work in other parts of the entertainment industry singing, for example songs by television show hosts Merv Griffin and Dave Garroway.

See also: List of record labels

External Links

• Discography of 1950s/1960s Cameos