Lincoln Records

Lincoln Records was an American record label associated with the Cameo Records organization. It emerged in the early 1920s as a budget-oriented imprint aimed at listeners who wanted inexpensive, danceable versions of popular songs rather than recordings marketed around the identity of prominent performers. The label debuted commercially in 1924, although the company behind the imprint was identified on its labels as the Lincoln Record Corporation of New York and the label’s operating history is generally dated from 1923 to 1930. Lincoln’s catalog concentrated on dance music performed by studio and pickup ensembles assembled from New York musicians. Its releases commonly featured bands or pseudonymous acts such as the Lincoln Dance Orchestra, the Broadway Broadcasters, the Hawaiian Gondoliers, the Rangers, Salt and Pepper, Ray Hamilton, and Frances Sper. Some Lincoln discs used masters originating with Cameo Records. To avoid direct competition between the two imprints, the performer names on Lincoln issues were often changed to pseudonyms even when the underlying recording came from a Cameo-associated band. The label occupied a price-sensitive segment of the 1920s record market. Early Lincoln records retailed for approximately 50 cents, making them accessible to consumers seeking familiar popular material in a functional dance-music format. The label’s visual identity included a drawing of Abraham Lincoln near the top of the record label, giving the imprint a distinctive presentation while reinforcing its American identity. Lincoln Records was discontinued around 1930. The imprint later reappeared in 1949, probably following the acquisition of Cameo-related assets by the American Record Corporation. During the revival period, Lincoln issued some children’s records and recordings by lesser-known artists, including material released on 45-rpm discs through the mid-1950s. The later catalog therefore differed from the label’s original emphasis on inexpensive dance records, although it retained the Lincoln name. Today, Lincoln Records is principally of interest to collectors and discographers of American popular recordings. Its records are scarcer than comparable Cameo releases, partly because Cameo issues are more commonly encountered and partly because Lincoln operated as a relatively small or secondary imprint. The label’s historical significance lies in its role as a budget brand, its use of pseudonymous studio ensembles, and its connection to the broader network of American record labels that served mass-market popular music before and after the transition from 78-rpm records to 45-rpm singles.

Lincoln Records was an American budget record label connected to Cameo Records and active during two distinct periods. Its original operation began in the early 1920s, with the label debuting in 1924. Although the record labels identified the manufacturer as the Lincoln Record Corporation of New York, Lincoln was in fact owned by Cameo Records. This relationship placed the imprint within the network of American labels that produced and distributed popular music for a mass audience during the 78-rpm era. The label’s central commercial purpose was to supply inexpensive, danceable records of familiar popular songs. Lincoln addressed listeners who were less concerned with the celebrity or exact identity of the performers than with obtaining a usable and affordable recording. Early records sold for about 50 cents, positioning the imprint below or alongside other value-focused releases in the popular record market. Its labels were visually recognizable through an image of Abraham Lincoln placed near the top. Much of the catalog consisted of dance music performed by combinations of New York musicians. These ensembles were often assembled for recording sessions rather than promoted as enduring star acts. Lincoln releases included records credited to the Lincoln Dance Orchestra, the Broadway Broadcasters, the Hawaiian Gondoliers, the Rangers, Salt and Pepper, Ray Hamilton, and Frances Sper. The label also used pseudonyms in connection with material derived from Cameo masters. Changing the credited band name allowed Cameo-associated recordings to be issued on the lower-priced Lincoln imprint without presenting them as direct duplicates of Cameo releases. The original Lincoln label was discontinued in 1930. Its later history reflects changes in ownership and distribution within the American record industry. The imprint returned in 1949, probably after the American Record Corporation had acquired Cameo years earlier. During the revival, Lincoln’s output broadened beyond its earlier dance-band orientation. Some releases were children’s records, while others featured less well-known artists. These later issues appeared on 45-rpm discs through the middle of the 1950s, placing the Lincoln name in the postwar format transition even though the label did not become a major national brand. Lincoln records are now relatively scarce compared with Cameo records. The difference in surviving availability has made the imprint of interest to collectors, researchers, and specialists in early American popular recordings. Its importance is not based on a large roster of famous recording artists, but on its illustration of how record companies segmented catalogs by price, audience, credited performer, and format. Lincoln’s history also demonstrates how pseudonymous studio groups and affiliated labels could be used to distribute popular music efficiently while preserving distinctions between a parent label and a budget subsidiary.

• 1955

  Later 45-rpm activity

  [1]Lincoln Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Through the mid-1950s, the revived imprint issued some children's records and recordings by lesser-known artists on 45-rpm discs.

• 1949

  Label revival

  [1]Lincoln Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Lincoln Records reappeared, probably following the American Record Corporation’s acquisition of Cameo-related assets.

• 1930

  Original label run ends

  [1]Lincoln Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The original Lincoln Records label was discontinued after its first period of operation.

• 1924

  Commercial label debut

  [1]Lincoln Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Lincoln Records debuted as a budget imprint offering inexpensive danceable versions of popular songs, with early records retailing for about 50 cents.

• 1923

  Lincoln Records begins its operating history

  [1]Lincoln Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The label is generally described as having existed from 1923, in the period when the Lincoln Record Corporation imprint was established in New York under Cameo ownership.

A low-cost American record imprint focused on accessible dance music, popular-song adaptations, and later children's and lesser-known-artist releases.

• 78-rpm popular and dance music · 1924

  Lincoln dance records

  The core of the original Lincoln catalog consisted of inexpensive danceable recordings of popular tunes. Performances were frequently supplied by New York studio musicians or assembled ensembles rather than heavily marketed star performers. The format served consumers who wanted familiar material for listening or dancing at a low retail price.

• dance orchestra recordings

  Lincoln Dance Orchestra recordings

  Recordings credited to the Lincoln Dance Orchestra represent the label's emphasis on functional dance-band repertoire. The name formed part of the label's roster of ensemble identities used to present music made by New York musicians for the budget record market.

• children's records · 1949

  Lincoln children's records

  During the label's postwar revival, Lincoln issued some children's records. These releases broadened the imprint beyond its original 1920s dance-music niche and appeared during the period when the label was using the newer 45-rpm format.

• 45-rpm singles · 1949

  Lincoln 45-rpm releases

  The revived label released recordings by lesser-known artists on 45-rpm discs through the mid-1950s. These issues formed a later, smaller catalog distinct from Lincoln's original budget 78-rpm dance records.

1. 1Lincoln Recordsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Lincoln Records in the Internet Archive's Great 78 Projectarchive.org