Roker Records -- 1970

[Roburt]

Wally Roker was a veteran of the music biz by the late 60's. He worked with people he knew from down the years; guys who he had done live shows with earlier in his career (Big Dee Erwin, Jerry Williams and more). 

By the late 60's, he was running his own record labels and also licensing others which his company distributed. In 69 his big concern was Canyon Records and they had releases that were selling well. HOWEVER, this caused their downfall as bills were coming in (for studio time, mastering, pressing plant fees, promotion, etc.) BUT the wholesale record sellers who were moving the 45's & LP's he was working weren't paying him for the records they had sold. So an outfit that seemed strong in August 70 was rapidly going under by November 70. It was failing to pay it's bills and was losing friends in the biz.

So (I'm assuming), they started the Roker Record Group to take on the releases of Canyon Records Inc. Soon, as Canyon wasn't paying it's bills, no one would press records for them, the company failed and went out of business. 

The Roker label (part of the Roker Record Group) remained in business and stuff that would have escaped a few weeks earlier on Canyon or one of it's family of labels were now put out on Roker. But the groups, writers, producers were far from happy as they'd had hits on Canyon's labels but couldn't get any of the royalties due as that record company had gone out of business . . . . .    It was great being a singer, producer, studio owner, recording artist, pressing plant owner back in the day.

  

 

 

Edited October 11, 2017 by Roburt

[Roburt]

Another Canyon distributed 45 in 1970 ...... STARDOM ....

 

 

[Roburt]

Robert Staunton, who was responsible for the Four Monitors 45 on Roker was another guy who had been in the biz for years. He had earlier worked for Motown where along with Robert Walker he cut as the Hit Pack ("Never Say No To Your Baby").  Other Motown acts also cut his songs, the likes of the Monitors (connected to the Four Monitors ?), the Temptations, Martha & V's Marvelettes (and for other labels artists such as Betty Everett, J J Barnes, Vibrations, Viola Wills & more). 

 

Edited October 11, 2017 by Roburt