Fraternity Records
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' "The All American Boy".[1] Parsons was a friend of country singer Bobby Bare and it was actually Bare's voice heard on the hit[2] - 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 on Fraternity was Jerri Winters' Winter's Here.[3]
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.
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