Okeh Records
Introduction
Otto K. E. Heinemann founded the General Phonograph Corporation (GPC) in 1916. GPC’s first record label was Okeh (named after the founder’s initials) in 1918. One story suggests that the Indian Head logo was selected because like the name “Okeh” it was accessible to everyone, even Indians. Another one comes from the following account published in The Talking Machine World in May, 1918, describes: “Otto Heineman, president of the Otto Heineman Phonograph Supply Co., New York, announced this week that the company is now ready to place on the market the Heineman record, which will be known as the “OKeH” record. This name is derived from the original Indian spelling of the term colloquially known as O.K., standing for ‘all right.’ “
The General Phonograph Corporation was sold to Columbia Phonograph Company in 1926. Columbia Phonograph Company produced the Okeh label in many different colors (black, blue, red, and maroon) The Columbia Phonograph Company was then sold to American Records Corporation (ARC) in 1934. ARC dropped the Okeh label but when Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) bought ARC in 1938 it brought back the Okeh label and added the CBS “Note and Mic” logo to the Okeh label.
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