Champion Records

Champion Records was an American record label based in Richmond, Indiana. The Starr Piano Company founded the label in 1925 as a division of Gennett Records, which was also based in Richmond. Champion released budget versions of discs issued by Gennett, serving as a lower-priced outlet for recordings from the label’s catalogue. Its releases included race records and jazz. Champion closed in 1934, and its trademark was sold to Decca Records. Decca revived the label for a short period, issuing records under the Champion name from 1935 to 1936. The label is defunct.

Champion Records was established in 1925 by the Starr Piano Company in Richmond, Indiana. It was created as a division of Gennett Records, another Richmond-based label. Champion’s role included releasing budget versions of discs issued by Gennett, making it a lower-priced imprint associated with Gennett’s output. The label’s releases included race records and jazz. Its initial run ended when Champion closed in 1934. Following the closure, the Champion trademark was sold to Decca Records. Decca brought the label back in 1935, but this revival was brief: Champion issued records again only from 1935 to 1936. The label is therefore a historical, defunct imprint rather than a currently operating record company.

• 1936

  Revival ended

• 1935

  Label revived by Decca

• 1934

  Closed; trademark sold to Decca

• 1925

  Founded as a Gennett Records division

A budget-label outlet for discs issued by Gennett Records.

• Budget versions of Gennett discs

  Champion released budget versions of discs issued by Gennett Records.

• Race records and jazz

  The label’s issues included race records and jazz.

1. 1Champion Records (Richmond, Indiana)en.wikipedia.org
2. 2Champion Recordswikidata.org