Herald Records

Herald Records existed for a good deal longer than most independent R&B labels, 1953 through 1963. Founded by Freddie Mendelsohn, the company started off with a pair of hard blues recordings by Eddie Boyd and Little Walter Jacobs, but soon after, pressing plant owner Al Silver came aboard with another new partner -- later buying out Mendelsohn -- and transformed Herald into an R&B specialty label. The company began recording R&B harmony groups, including The Rocketeers and the Five Willows; it was in 1955 that they had their first success with The Nutmegs' "Story Untold," and later that year scored a major hit with "When You Dance" by The Turbans. Later acts included the Mint Juleps, Little Butchie Saunders and His Buddies, and the Debonaires. Beginning in 1958, the company began courting the rock & roll market with acts such as The Mello-Kings, The Desires, and the Loungers, but it was Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs with "Stay," a monster hit in 1960, who did the best for the label.