Happy Tiger Records was an independent American record label that was owned by the Flying Tiger Line air freight company.[1][2] Happy Tiger operated from 1969 to 1971. During this time the label produced more than two dozen albums by Count Basie, Mason Proffit, Red Rhodes, Priscilla Paris, Paul Kelly, and the Anita Kerr Singers. The label released two albums by the post-Van Morrison Them band.[3]

Happy Tiger Records
Parent companyFlying Tigers
Founded1969 (1969)
Defunct1990 (1990)
StatusDefunct
Distributor(s)Era Records
GenrePop, rock, country, jazz
Country of originU.S.
LocationCentury City, Los Angeles, California

History

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Happy Tiger's offices were located at 1801 Avenue of the Stars in Century City, Los Angeles, California. The staff included engineer and producer Ray Ruff, who had previously worked for ABC-Paramount Records.[2] During its short existence Happy Tiger issued twenty-seven albums and more than eighty singles, all distributed by Era Records.[4] The label also issued eight albums of oldies under the joint Happy Tiger/Era label, including works by Phil Baugh, Dorsey Burnette and some early Beach Boys recordings.[3] They also recorded singles by such veteran performers as Kay Starr, Roberta Sherwood and Joanie Sommers.[5] By the end of October 1971, Happy Tiger's national promo chief, Dave Chackler had left to join up to Ray Ruff's record label Oak as its vice-president and man in charge of promotion merchandising.[6] Happy Tiger's final album in 1971 was Mason Proffit's Movin' Toward Happiness. The label's final single in 1972 was Richard Berry performing a song he had written and that the Kingsmen had made famous in 1963, "Louie Louie."[7] After Happy Tiger folded, Warner Bros. Records reissued Paul Kelly's Stealin' in the Name of the Lord in 1972, retitled Dirt. Warner also reissued the two Mason Proffit albums as a double LP, Come and Gone, in 1974.

Notable artists

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Discography

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Year Artist Title Number Chart Peak
1969 Buddy Bohn Places HTR-1001
Priscilla Paris Priscilla Loves Billy HTR-1002
Red Rhodes and The Detours Red Rhodes Live at the Palamino HTR-1003
Them Them HTR-1004
Dan Terry Lonely Place HTR-1005
1970 The Kimberlys Kimberlys HTR-1006
Count Basie Basie on the Beatles HTR-1007
Ecology Environment/Evolution/Ecology HTR-1008
Mason Proffit Wanted HTR-1009
Aorta Aorta 2 HTR-1010
1971 Hal Rugg Hal Rugg Steels the Hits of Loretta Lynn HTR-1011
Them Them in Reality HTR-1012
The Kimberlys New Horizon HTR-1014
Paul Kelly Stealin' in the Name of the Lord HTR-1015 Billboard Pop Singles 49
Anita Kerr Singers A Tribute to Simon and Garfunkel HTR-1016
Various Early Chicago, Volume 1 HTR-1017
Buffalo Nickel Jug Band Buffalo Nickel Jug Band HTR-1018
Mason Proffit Movin' Toward Happiness HTR-1019 Billboard Pop Albums 177

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Denny Hall". The Nite Cafe. Archived from the original on 2012-08-18. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
  2. ^ a b Long, Donald John (2003-07-31). "Interview with Ray Ruff & Donnie Brooks". One-Way.org. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
  3. ^ a b Callahan, Mike; David Edwards; Patrice Eyries (2004-09-04). "Happy Tiger Album Discography". Both Sides Now Publications. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
  4. ^ "Happy Tiger Label Discography - 45". 45cat.com. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  5. ^ "Roberta Sherwood - San Francisco Is A Lonely Town". 45cat.com. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  6. ^ Billboard, October 30, 1971 - Page 6 Executive Turntable
  7. ^ a b c "45 Discography for Happy Tiger Records". Global Dog Productions. 2008. Retrieved 2009-04-06.
  8. ^ Russell, Richard E.; Verolleman, Raoul (December 10, 2009). "Clarence White-related records". Byrds Flyght. Archived from the original on May 29, 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  9. ^ "Keith Green - Sgt. Pepper's Epitaph (Era-Happy Tiger 108-A)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  10. ^ Benjamin, Kent (August 2005). "Features: Cargoe". Pop Culture Press (60). Retrieved 2009-04-06.