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Vocalion (2)

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For the 1960s [l=Decca] Records UK-based sublabel and the earlier (1919-1927) UK Vocalion label (and its Australian subsidiary 1927-1931) please see [l226484]. For the current UK-based reissue label operated by Dutton Laboratories, please see [l60034]. For unofficial releases, please see [l1057903]. Note: The official color of the reddish-brown records is 'Red', as listed in catalogs during that time. This label began as [l=Aeolian Vocalion] in 1917, and became "Vocalion" when the "Aeolian" was dropped from their name in 1921. In November 1924 the label was acquired by [l=Brunswick] Records. In April 1930, [l=Warner Bros.] Pictures bought [l=Brunswick] and, for a time, managed the company themselves. In December 1931, however, [l=Warner Bros.] licensed the entire [l=Brunswick] and [l=Vocalion (2)] operation to the [l=American Record Corporation] (ARC). Vocalion produced the only recordings of the influential blues artist [a=Robert Johnson] in 1936 and 1937. In December 1938 ARC was bought by the [l=Columbia Broadcasting System], which discontinued production of [l=Brunswick] and [l=Vocalion (2)] in 1940. Vocalions were reissued on [l=Columbia Records]' recently revived [l=Okeh] label with the same catalog numbers. The discontinuance of Vocalion voided the lease arrangement [l=Warner Bros.] had made with the [l=American Record Corporation] (ARC) back in 1931, and Warners re-acquired all pre-1931 master recordings of [l=Brunswick] and [l=Vocalion (2)], which they promptly sold outright to [l=Decca]. All post-1931 Brunswick and Vocalion masters were retained by [l=Columbia Broadcasting System] ([l=Columbia]/[l=CBS])! In the late 1950s, [l=Decca] resurrected Vocalion as a budget label for back-catalog reissues. It was active until 1973 when parent label Decca was merged along with [l=Kapp Records] and [l=Uni Records] to create [l=MCA Records]. Some of the LPs on this label remained in print well after 1973 on either MCA or [l=Coral], a former Decca subsidiary label reactivated as a budget reissue label (which was quickly renamed [l=MCA Coral]) soon after the consolidation of the MCA-owned labels. The label was also revived for a short time in the 1960s in the U.K. ([l=Vocalion (3)]). In 1997, the label was again revived ([l=Vocalion]) for a new series of compact discs produced by [url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/481863-Michael-J-Dutton] Mike Dutton[/url] of [l=Dutton Laboratories Ltd] of Watford, England (also see [l=Dutton Epoch]).