Kent Records was a Los Angeles–based record label, launched in 1958 by the Bihari brothers. It was a subsidiary of Crown Records Corporation. Kent was a follow-up to Modern Records, which ceased operations in 1958. The label reissued Modern's singles, including recordings by B.B. King. By 1964, Kent had signed acts such as Ike & Tina Turner and released new material. Other acts signed to the label included Z.Z. Hill, Johnny Otis, and Lowell Fulson. Modern Records was revived in 1964 with successful singles from the Ikettes.
Initially, Kent issued only singles, but issued albums from 1964 until the early 1970s. Kent was later bought by Ace Records, England, which uses the label name to release Motown and Northern Soul music.
Selected Discography
Albums 1964: B.B. King, Rock Me Baby...14 Great Hits (compilation) 1964: B.B. King, Let Me Love You 1964: Ike & Tina Turner Revue Live 1965: Live! B.B. King on Stage 1965: Lowell Fulson, Soul 1965: Z.Z. Hill, The Soul Stirring Z.Z. Hill 1966: Ike & Tina Turner, The Soul of Ike & Tina 1967: Lowell Fulson, Tramp 1967: B.B. King, The Jungle 1967: Smokey Hogg, Original Folk Blues 1967: Z.Z. Hill, A Whole Lot of Soul 1967: B.B. King, Boss of the Blues (compilation) 1967: Lowell Fulson, Now! 1968: B.B. King, From the Beginning (compilation) 1968: The Johnny Otis Show featuring Mighty Mouth Evans & Shuggie Otis, Cold Shot! 1970: Ike & Tina, Festival of Live Performances 1970: Preston Love's Omaha Bar-B-Q 1970: Big Joe Turner, Turns on the Blues 1970: Various Artists – Rock and Roll Festival, Volume 1 1970: Neil Merryweather, John Richardson And Boers 1970: B.B. King, Turn on to B.B. King (compilation) 1970: Guitar Slim Green featuring Johnny and Shuggie Otis, Stone Down Blues 1971: The Greatest Hits of B.B. King, Volume 1 (compilation) 1971: The Great Roy Milton, Roots Of Rock, Vol. 1 (compilation) 1971: Z.Z. Hill's Greatest Hits: Dues Paid in Full (compilation) 1973: B.B. King, The Original Sweet Sixteen (compilation)
Singles +Catalog No.Release dateUSUS R&BSingle (A-side, B-side)Artist315Oct 195816"You've Been An Angel"B.B. King 9"Please Accept My Love"330Dec 1959 2"Sweet Sixteen, Pt. 1" b/w "Sweet Sixteen, Pt. 2"B.B. King3451960"Roll With Me Henry" b/w "Good Rockin' Daddy" [reissues]Etta James346Jul 1960"Good Man Gone Bad"B.B. King 8"Partin' Time"378Apr 1962"Drifting" b/w "Love You Baby"Bobby "Blue" Bland, Ike Turner and His Orchestra393May 19643412"Rock Me Baby" b/w "I Can't Lose"B.B. King394Apr 1964"Dust My Blues (I Believe)" b/w "Happy Home"Elmore James and The Broom Dusters396Aug 1964107"You're Gonna Miss Me"B.B. King11015"Let Me Love You"402Oct 196495"I Can't Believe What You Say (For Seeing What You Do)" b/w "My Baby Now"Ike & Tina Turner409Nov 1964"Please, Please, Please" b/w "Am I A Fool In Love"Ike & Tina Turner4241965"Before Day (Big Mama's Blues)" b/w "Me and My Chauffeur"Big Mama Thornton431Nov 196511"Black Nights" b/w "Little Angel"Lowell Fulson456Dec 196652 5"Tramp" b/w "Pico"Lowell Fulson462Feb 19679417"The Jungle" b/w "Long Gone Baby"B.B. King463Mar 19679120"Make a Little Love" b/w "I'm Sinking"Lowell Fulson474Aug 19679738"I'm A Drifter" b/w "Hobo Meetin'"Lowell Fulson501Dec 1968"Merry Christmas Baby" b/w "3 O'Clock Blues"Charles Brown506Feb 196929"Country Girl" b/w "Bye Bye Baby (Until We Meet Again)"The Johnny Otis Show512May 1969"Love Ain't Nothin'" b/w "10 - 20 - 25 - 30"Big Joe Turner4514Jul 1970"Please, Please, Please - Pt. 1" b/w "Please, Please, Please - Pt. 2"Ike & Tina Turner45201970"You Must Live It" b/w "Are You Ready"Merryweather4522Apr 1970"Shop Around" b/w "Lucille"Momma And Pappa Rock'n Family (with Neil Merryweather)4538Jan 1971"The Hunter" b/w "Long Handled Shovel"Pacific Gas & Electric4547May 19718630"I Need Someone (To Love Me)" b/w "Oh Darling"Z.Z. Hill
See also List of record labels Kent Records artists
References