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1960s TEXAS MUSIC - HOUSTON RECORD LABELS
(special thanks to Andrew Brown and Louie Perez for their contributions to this page) more Houston record labels here.
BACK BEAT
CINEMA Cinema was the vinyl division of Andrus Productions, a recording studio on Broadway Street on the city's east side best remembered for being the site of most of the 13th Floor Elevators' recording sessions prior to '68. The earliest Cinema releases date from early 1966; the last from the early 1970s. The label's only hit, and a regional one at that, was the Clique's version of "Splash 1," which was #1 on Houston radio in the fall of '67. Most of Cinema's releases are lightweight pop, but there were some quality rock sides from the likes of the Countdown Five and Greg Barr and the Barr Association.
  Walt Andrus relaxing in his studio March 1967.  Houston's The Pastels set up to record at Andrus Studios March 1967. INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS Houston's best-known label of the sixties, IA began under Fred Carroll's auspices in October, 1965. Within a couple of months, Carroll sold the name of the label to two lawyers, Bill Dillard and Nobel Ginther, Jr., who then formed the International Artists Production Corporation with the help of two marginals in the local record scene, Ken Skinner and Lester Martin. By the end of 1966, Lelan Rogers and Ray Rush had been brought in to produce and promote the label's growing roster, which, early on, included the 13th Floor Elevators, the Red Crayola, and Thursday's Children, along with some blue-eyed soul and country singers best forgotten. There were two national hits on IA, "You're Gonna Miss Me" by the Elevators, and "Hot Smoke And Sasafrass" by Bubble Puppy; nearly everything else never made much of an impression beyond East Texas. Rogers left the label in early 1968 (he is often erroneously referred to as IA's owner) leaving most production work in the less-than-capable hands of Ray Rush and Fred Carroll, who returned to the label he started after Rogers' departure. IA's final releases were issued in late 1969/early 1970. Despite efforts to stay afloat, the label was moribund by 1971. Thirty-nine singles and 13 albums were released on IA.
 International Artists' recording producer Ray Rush March 1967.
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