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Liberty Records, Inc.

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California based record company, legally existing under this name from 11 February 1955 to 29 May 1962, 4 June 1962 to 16 January 1969, and again from 2 September 1980 to 1 April 1981. Parent company of the [l=Liberty] label in the U.S.A. until 1968, when the company was acquired by [l=Transamerica Corporation] and merged into (& renamed) [l=Liberty/UA, Inc.] The company was merged into [l=Capitol Records, Inc.] in 1981. The company was initially formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1955 by [a=Si Waronker], [a=Alvin Bennett] and [a=Ted Keep]. Soon after in June 1957, a NY branch office was opened at the Shelton Towers headed by Jane Gibbs. Over the years, Liberty licensed and distributed for several other US independent labels. Approximately 1963/64, the company was sold to [l=Avnet Electronics Corp.], an electronics concern, but sold back shortly thereafter. Labels acquired: [l=Dolton Records], 1963 [l=Imperial] and subsidiaries [l=Aladdin Records] and [l=Minit], 1964 [l=Blue Note], 1965 [l=World Pacific] and subsidiaries, May 1965 In 1965, the budget label [l=Sunset Records] was launched. In mid-1967, some European branches were launched: [l=Liberty Records GmbH] in Germany; [l=Liberty Records Limited] in the UK. [u]Corporate (legal entity) history[/u] First legal entity CA company number: 0298089 Incorporated: 11 February 1955 as 'Liberty Records Inc.' Name change: 8 June 1960 to 'Liberty Records, Inc.' Dissolved: 29 May 1962 Second legal entity CA company number: 0432997 Incorporated: 18 May 1962 as 'Liberty Acquisition Company' First name change: 4 June 1962 to 'Liberty Records, Inc.' Merged in: [l325049] on 1 July 1965 Merged in: [l419867] on 31 January 1966 Second name change: 16 January 1969 to 'Liberty/UA, Inc.' Third name change: 17 February 1971 to [l274442] Fourth name change: 11 September 1974 to [l288026] Fifth name change: 13 December 1978 to [l320023] Sixth name change: 2 September 1980 to 'Liberty Records, Inc.' Merged out (dissolved): 1 April 1981 into 'Capitol Records, Inc.'