Apollo Records (1944) - Early History

Early History

In the early 1940s, the Bermans and Siegel were working at the Rainbow Record Shop in Harlem, located on 125th Street. Before naming their label after the nearby Apollo Theater, the Bermans issued some prospective discs with plain labels bearing no company identity; Hy Siegel served as Apollo's first president. Initially Apollo employed three primary product lines, including a 300 series featuring principally Rhythm & Blues and jazz artists and a 100 series which was more of a catch-all for a variety of genres; Gospel, Calypso, Western, Jewish comedy records and the like. By about issue #188 the 100 series shifted exclusively towards Gospel. The third line, starting at #750, was dubbed "Jazz Masterworks;" a popular 1000 series was undertaken a little later in 1945. Apollo Records recorded rhythm-and-blues superstars Dinah Washington and Wynonie Harris before they became far more famous for other labels, Washington on Mercury and Harris on King.

In 1946, the Bermans signed Mahalia Jackson to a recording contract; although she was already regarded as "The Queen of Gospel" based on her personal appearances, Jackson had previously known only scant contact with recording. With the release of Jackson's two-part "Move On Up a Little Higher" in January 1948, Apollo discovered they had a major hit on their hands, and overtime shifts were added to keep up with the demand for the record. At an Apollo board meeting held on May 27, 1948, Hy Siegel stepped down and Bess Berman was installed as president. Berman was among a very few women serving in an executive capacity in the 78 era and apparently the only company head. Ike Berman was no longer directly affiliated with the company, but ran the pressing plant that manufactured the Apollo Records and continued in that capacity; ultimately, they separated as a couple.