Fraternity Records was a small record label based in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was started by Harry Carlson and silent partner Dr. Ashton Welsh in 1954. The first hit was local girl Cathy Carr's rendition of a Tin Pan Alley song, "Ivory Tower" in 1956. It made #2, besting a cover version by Otis Williams & the Charms. A year later came the Jimmy Dorsey instrumental "So Rare", the famous bandleader's final hit before his death. 1959 saw the label's first #1, Bill Parsons' "All American Boy". Parsons was a friend of country singer Bobby Bare and it was actually Bare's voice heard on the hit - Parsons sang on the B side. Fraternity also leased songs from smaller labels, including one track by Jackie Shannon (later Jackie DeShannon).
Fraternity's biggest hit was Lonnie Mack's 1963 guitar instrumental, "Memphis", which rose to #5 on Billboard's Pop chart and #4 on Billboard's R&B chart. The first recording to be released Fraternity was Jerri Winters' Winter's Here.
The final national Top 40 hit for the label was 1967's "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye" by The Casinos.
Shad O'Shea purchased the company from Carlson in 1975.
Applegate Recording Society was also a subsidiary label of Fraternity.
Famous quotes containing the words fraternity and/or records:
“Humanity from the first has had its vultures and sharks, and representatives of the fraternity who prey upon mankind may be expected no less in America than elsewhere. That this virulence breaks out most readily and commonly against colored persons in this country, is due of course to the fact that they are, generally speaking, weak and can be imposed upon with impunity. Bullies are always cowards at heart ...”
—Anna Julia Cooper (1859–1964)
“My confessions are shameless. I confess, but do not repent. The fact is, my confessions are prompted, not by ethical motives, but intellectual. The confessions are to me the interesting records of a self-investigator.”
—W.N.P. Barbellion (1889–1919)