Shanachie Records was founded in 1976 by Richard Nevins and Dan Collins. According to Harvey Pekar (Secret Museum of Music), it is one of the largest independent record labels in the world, and is currently distributed by E1 Music. Starting as a label that specialized in fiddle music, they began releasing work by Celtic groups such as Planxty, Clannad. Other genres on the label include Latin American, African music, soul, country and ska. In 1989 they acquired Yazoo Records from Nick Perls. This allowed them to release vintage jazz and blues recordings. Today, they have a new imprint called Shanachie Jazz.
Shanachie Records is first, foremost, and most famously known as a Reggae label, licensing and releasing music from artists such as Rita Marley, Yabby You, The Mighty Diamonds, Lucky Dube, Max Romeo, and John Brown's Body throughout the years. Shanachie was also the U.S. liaison for the UK-based Reggae label, Greensleeves Records until about 1987. Shanachie also issued material for Augustus Pablo under the Message imprint of his company, Rockers International.
The label is named for "shanachie", an Irish 'story teller'.
The Grammy-award winning Soweto Gospel Choir releases albums on Shanachie Records.
Famous quotes containing the word records:
“The camera relieves us of the burden of memory. It surveys us like God, and it surveys for us. Yet no other god has been so cynical, for the camera records in order to forget.”
—John Berger (b. 1926)