Minit Records

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Minit Records
logo of the company: a circle of rectangles of various colors around blocky light tan text reading "Minit". The background is black.
One logo included on many of their records starting in 1966
Founded1959 (1959)
FounderJoe Banashak
Defunct1971 (1971)
GenreR&B, Soul
Country of originUnited States
LocationNew Orleans

Minit Records was an American independent record label, originally based in New Orleans and founded by Joe Banashak in 1959.[1] Ernie K. Doe, Aaron Neville, Irma Thomas, and Benny Spellman were early artists on the label.[2] Later artists included Bobby Womack and Ike & Tina Turner.

History[edit]

Logo used from c. 1961-1963

Allen Toussaint was responsible for much of the label's early success, he wrote, produced, arranged and played piano on a number of tracks.[1] The label's first hit was Toussaint's production of "Ooh Poo Pah Doo - Part 2" by Jessie Hill in 1960.[3] After making a distribution deal with Imperial Records, the label released its biggest hit, "Mother-in Law" by Ernie K-Doe reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and the R&B singles chart in 1961.[4]

When Allen Toussaint was drafted into the Army in 1963, the hits dried up and the label was sold to Imperial.[2] Banashak also owned Instant Records, which he kept. Minit was acquired by Liberty Records in 1963 as part of its acquisition of Imperial Records. In 1968, Liberty was bought by Transamerica Corporation and combined with United Artists Records.[5] Two years later Imperial and Minit were shut down and transferred to Liberty. In 1971, Liberty and its remaining labels (except for Soul City, whose catalog was sold to Bell Records) were absorbed into United Artists.[6] In 1979, EMI purchased United Artists. The Minit catalog is currently owned by UMG, successor-in-interest to previous owner EMI.

Label variations[edit]

  • 1961-1963: (catalog #s MR-601-626) Orange with black print and disclaimer indicating "C/O Imperial Records, Hollywood, Calif. Later pressings of some records in this period are on the second label."[2]
  • 1961-1963 (catalog #s 626-666): Black label with multi-color logo centered at top reading "MINIT RECORDS" with clock inside lettering; in middle of label, magenta bars contain publishing information and track time (left), catalog number and performance type (right). Silver print for all other text, including disclaimer at bottom which reads "PRODUCED AND MANUFACTURED BY IMPERIAL RECORDS INC. HOLLYWOOD 28, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A."[7]
  • 1964-1968: (new series, catalog #s 32000-32076) Black label with silver print, multi-color logo on left side with "MINIT" inside the logo and "A PRODUCT OF LIBERTY RECORDS" under MINIT. Disclaimer at bottom of label reads "A DIVISION OF LIBERTY RECORDS."[2]
  • 1969-1970: (catalog #s 32077-32088) Same as black label mentioned above but with the "PRODUCT" disclaimer removed under "MINIT" inside the logo. Disclaimer at bottom of label now reads "LIBERTY/UA, INC."[2]

Selected discography[edit]

Albums[edit]

Catalog No. Release

date

US US

R&B

Title Artist
LP-24005 1966 25 Turning Point Jimmy Holiday
LP-40007 1967 Like It 'Tis Aaron Neville
LP-24012 1968 Flippin' - The Very Funny Flip Wilson Flip Wilson
LP-24014 Jan 1969 Fly Me to the Moon Bobby Womack
LP-24017 May 1969 The Stinger Man Jimmy McCracklin
LP-24018 Jun 1969 142 19 In Person Ike & Tina Turner
LP 24023 1969 Blue All The Way Tina Britt
LP 24024 Dec 1969 Blues Man Little Jr. Parker
LP-24027 Apr 1970 My Prescription Bobby Womack

Singles[edit]

Catalog No. Release

date

US US

R&B

Single (A-side, B-side) Artist
607[3] Feb 1960 28 3 "Ooh Poo Pah Doo - Part 1"

b/w "Ooh Poo Pah - Part 2"

Jessie Hill
611[3] Jun 1960 91 "Whip It On Me"

b/w 'I Need Your Love"

Jessie Hill
623[4] Jan 1961 1 1 "Mother-In-Law"

b/w "Wanted, $10,000.00 Reward"

Ernie K-Doe
627[8] May 1961 53 21 "Te-Ta-Te-Ta-Ta"

b/w "Real Man"

Ernie K-Doe
32002[9] May 1966 98 21 "Baby, I Love You"

b/w "You Won't Get Away"

Jimmy Holiday
32016[9] Jan 1967 36 "Everybody Needs Help

b/w "Give Me Your Love"

Jimmy Holiday
32027[10] Feb 1968 33 "What Is This"

b/w "What You Gonna Do (When Your Love Is Gone)"

Bobby Womack
32048[10] Jul 1968 52 16 "Fly Me to the Moon"

b/w "Take Me"

Bobby Womack
32055[10] Nov 1968 43 20 "California Dreamin'"

b/w "Baby, You Oughta Think It Over"

Bobby Womack
32059[10] Mar 1969 48 "I Left My Heart in San Francisco"

b/w "Love, the Time Is Now"

Bobby Womack
32060[11] Mar 1969 98 46 "I'm Gonna Do All I Can (To Do Right by My Man)"

b/w "You've Got Too Many Ties That Bind"

Ike & Tina Turner
32071[10] Jul 1969 43 "It's Gonna Rain"

b/w "Thank You"

Bobby Womack
32981[10] Oct 1969 94 13 "How I Miss You Baby"

b/w "Tried and Convicted"

Bobby Womack
32087[11] Jan 1970 57 21 "Come Together"

b/w "Honky Tonk Women"

Ike & Tina Turner
32093[10] Mar 1970 90 23 "More Than I Can Stand"

b/w "Arkansas State Prison"

Bobby Womack

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 308/9. ISBN 0-7535-0149-X.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Minit Records". Bsnpub.com. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
  3. ^ a b c "Jessie Hill Chart History". Billboard.
  4. ^ a b "Hot 100, Hot R&B Sides" (PDF). Billboard. May 22, 1969. pp. 18, 35.
  5. ^ Tiegel, Eliot (April 6, 1968). "Transamerica Buys Liberty for $24 Mil" (PDF). Billboard. p. 1.
  6. ^ "UA Corp Absorbs Lines; UA Records Sole Disk Co" (PDF). Billboard. January 23, 1971. p. 3.
  7. ^ "The Five Knights - Let Me In". 45cat.com. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Ernie K-Doe Chart History". Billboard.
  9. ^ a b "Jimmy Holiday Chart History". Billboard.[dead link]
  10. ^ a b c d e f g "Bobby Womack Chart History". Billboard.
  11. ^ a b "Ike & Tina Turner Chary History". Billboard.[dead link]