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Lu Pine Records

Lu Pine Records was a small local record label in Detroit, Michigan, founded by Robert West.[1] Mainly active during the late-1950s and 1960s but was reactivated for some time when its owner moved to Las Vegas in the 1970s. The label released records by a number of artists, including Joe Stubbs (brother of Four Tops lead singer Levi Stubbs), Eddie Floyd, The Falcons[2] and The Ohio Untouchables (later renamed the Ohio Players).[2] Prior to the emergence of Motown Records, it was the most significant African-American-owned record label in Detroit.[3]

Lu Pine is most notable for releasing the first recorded material from The Supremes, then known as The Primettes, in March 1960.[4] The quartet (later a trio) recorded two sides for the label: "Tears of Sorrow" (with Diana Ross on lead) and "Pretty Baby" with Mary Wilson on lead.[5] The single failed to make a lasting impression, and The Primettes signed with Motown Records in January 1961 as The Supremes. Their other real success was The Falcons' "I Found a Love", featuring Wilson Pickett on lead vocal.[6] The single was a tremendous hit (#6 Billboard R&B and #75 Billboard Top Pop) in 1962.[7] This was Pickett's first hit record.

Atlantic Records signed a contract with Lu Pine to release selected singles for national distribution. In general, independent Lu Pine singles had a 3-digit number and those picked up and distributed by Atlantic (same label design) had a 4-digit catalog number (111 vs 1011). Lu Pine ran as a separate, independent label concurrent with the occasional Atlantic distributed singles.

Lu Pine's recordings were acquired in the 1980s by Rounder distributed Relic Records, which then published unissued and previously released material.[3]

  1. ^ Freeland, Davic (2001). Ladies of Soul. University Press of Mississippi. p. 77. ISBN 9781604737271.
  2. ^ a b Leszczak, Bob (11 December 2014). Encyclopedia of Pop Music Aliases, 1950-2000. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 125. ISBN 9781442240087.
  3. ^ a b Wald, Elijah (February 8, 1985). "The Falcons Soar Again". The Boston Globe. pp. 9–10 – via newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Warner, Jay (2006). American Singing Groups: A History from 1940s to Today. Hal Leonard Books. p. 457. ISBN 9780634099786.
  5. ^ Bogdanov, Vladimir (2003). All Music Guide to Soul: The Definitive Guide to R&B and Soul. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 549. ISBN 9780879307448.
  6. ^ Freeland, Davic (2001). Ladies of Soul. University Press of Mississippi. p. 84. ISBN 9781604737271.
  7. ^ The Falcons Charts on Allmusic

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