Document Records

Document Records is an independent record label, founded in Austria and now based in Scotland, that specializes in reissuing vintage blues and jazz. The company has been recognised by The Blues Foundation, being honoured with a Keeping the Blues Alive Award. Document Records is the only UK-based recipient of the award in 2018.[1]

Document Records
Founded	1985
Founder	Johnny Parth
Distributor(s)	Allegro Music (US) Proper Music (UK)
Genre	Blues, jazz
Country of origin	Scotland
Location	Newton Stewart
Official website	www.document-records.com

History

Document was established in 1986 by Johnny Parth, the former owner of Roots Records, in Austria to make previously unreleased blues and gospel records from before the 1942–44 musicians' strike available on a number of European labels. In 1990, Parth felt obliged to switch production from LP to CD. With this change, he consolidated the catalogue into complete reissues in chronological order, increasingly on the Document label as other label names were dropped. The new policy was to reissue as many as possible of the recordings listed in the book, Blues and Gospel Records: 1890–1943.[2] The scope was expanded to include bluegrass, spirituals, jazz, and other rural American genres (collectively known as roots music), made between 1900 and 1945. Since 2000 it has been owned by Gary and Gillian Atkinson and is based in Newton Stewart, Scotland.[3][4][5]

Document has the exclusive rights to a great deal of unreleased music and other audio media produced by Edison Records between 1914 and 1929.[6]

Artists

Ora Alexander Albert Ammons Pink Anderson Kokomo Arnold Josephine Baker Kid Bailey Barbecue Bob Blue Lu Barker Ed Bell Gladys Bentley Big Maceo Esther Bigeou Binkley Brothers' Dixie Clodhoppers Black Ace Francis "Scrapper" Blackwell Blind Blake Lucille Bogan Ishmon Bracey Big Bill Broonzy Ada Brown Bessie Brown Cleo Patra Brown Gabriel Brown Kitty Brown Rabbit Brown Burnett & Rutherford Butterbeans and Susie Gus Cannon Leroy Carr Fiddlin' John Carson Alice Leslie Carter Bo Carter Baby Doo Caston Doctor Clayton Sam Collins Martha Copeland Floyd "Dipper Boy" Council Ida Cox Katie Crippen Arthur Crudup James Crutchfield Leroy Dallas[7] Cow Cow Davenport Blind Gary Davis Blind John Davis Madlyn Davis Walter Davis Georgia Tom Dorsey Little Buddy Doyle David "Honeyboy" Edwards Sleepy John Estes William Ezell Ethel Finnie Fisk University Jubilee Singers Baby Face Leroy Foster Miss Frankie[8][9][10] Blind Boy Fuller Bill Gaither Lawrence Gellert Jazz Gillum Lillian Glinn Lillian Goodner Lil Green Helen Gross Harlem Hamfats

Kelly Harrell Hattie Hart Lucille Hegamin Rosa Henderson Edna Hicks Bertha "Chippie" Hill King Solomon Hill Mattie Hite Smokey Hogg Lightnin Hopkins Son House Rosetta Howard Peg Leg Howell Alberta Hunter Mississippi John Hurt Bertha Idaho Jim Jackson New Orleans Willie Jackson Skip James Frankie "Half-Pint" Jaxon Blind Lemon Jefferson Monkey Joe Bunk Johnson Lil Johnson Lonnie Johnson Margaret Johnson Mary Johnson Merline Johnson Robert Johnson Tommy Johnson Blind Willie Johnson Curtis Jones Maggie Jones Charley Jordan Lottie Kimbrough King Solomon Hill Rube Lacey Lead Belly Meade "Lux" Lewis Charley Lincoln Virginia Liston Robert Lockwood, Jr. Cripple Clarence Lofton Eddie Mapp Daisy Martin Sara Martin Tommy McClennan Charlie McCoy Kansas Joe McCoy Viola McCoy Charlie "Specks" McFadden Hattie McDaniel Brownie McGhee Blind Willie McTell Memphis Minnie Hazel Meyers Josie Miles Lizzie Miles Mississippi Sheiks Little Brother Montgomery Monette Moore Buddy Moss Muddy Waters Romeo Nelson

Reverend A. W. Nix Paul Oliver Kid Ory Pace Jubilee Singers Charlie Patton Robert Petway Joe Pullum Ma Rainey Fiddlin' Doc Roberts Banjo Ikey Robinson Elzadie Robinson Walter Roland Bayless Rose Dan Sane Irene Scruggs Ollie Shepard Johnny Shines J.D. Short Henry "Son" Sims Bessie Smith Clara Smith Laura Smith Mamie Smith Ruby Smith Trixie Smith Charlie Spand Pinetop Sparks Victoria Spivey Mary Stafford Sunnyland Slim Roosevelt Sykes Hannah Sylvester Blind Joe Taggart Tampa Red Eva Taylor Montana Taylor Johnny Temple Sonny Terry Sister Rosetta Tharpe Elvie Thomas Henry Thomas Hociel Thomas Jesse Thomas Ramblin' Thomas Henry Townsend Bessie Tucker Blind Willie Walker Sippie Wallace Washboard Sam Curley Weaver Casey Bill Weldon Peetie Wheatstraw Bukka White Georgia White Josh White Bert Williams Big Joe Williams Sonny Boy Williamson I Sonny Boy Williamson II Ralph Willis Edith Wilson Lena Wilson Bill Wyman Jimmy Yancey Mama Yancey

See also

• List of record labels

References

1. "Keeping the Blues Alive Award - Blues Foundation". Blues.org. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
2. Dixon, Robert M. W.; Godrich, John; and Rye, Howard (1997), Blues and Gospel Records, 1890–1943. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-816239-1.
3. Rye, Howard (2001). Afterword, in Dixon, Robert M.W., and Godrich, John, Recording the Blues. Republished in Oliver, Paul, et al. (2001). Yonder Come the Blues. Cambridge University Press. pp. 335–336. ISBN 0-521-78777-7.
4. Rye, Howard (2006). "Document" entry in Encyclopedia of the Blues. Routledge. ISBN 0-415-92700-5.
5. "Document Records: An Unlikely Treasure Trove of Vintage Gospel Music". Crossrhythms.co.uk. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
6. "Blues Bring Joy to Tiny Scots Record Label as US Archive Secures Future". The Scotsman. 21 January 2006. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
7. "Illustrated Leroy Dallas discography". Wirz.de. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
8. "Search Document Records Blues and Jazz artists". Document-records.com. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
9. "Female Blues Singers, Vol. 6: E/F/G". Amazon.co.uk. 31 March 2009. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
10. "Various Artists – Female Blues Singers Vol. 6 DOC5510". Downhomemusic.com. Retrieved 1 June 2018.

External links

• Official site
• Document Records Store