Search - Various Artists :: Bullet Records Blues

Bullet records was one of the first and initially one of the most successful of the post World War II independent record labels. The venture was started in 1945 by Jim Bulliet and partners Wally Fowler and C.V. Hitchcock. In 1946 Francis Craig's recording of Near You became the biggest selling record of that year and sent Bulliet into a pop artist signing frenzy that unfortunately cost the label a great deal of money and produced no further hit records. Alongside the pop releases were country and rhythm and blues, which faired much better. Jim's partners, together with a local attorney bought him out in 1948. W.C."Red" Wortham had been handling promotion for the label and had become more involved in the company, producing recording sessions and securing outside mastering recordings. By 1950 Red Wortham had gone in to partnership with Jim Bulliet in the Delta and J-B Labels where they concentrated almost exclusively on rhythm and blues. Around 1951 Red Wortham took over Bullet but by 1952 the label folded and since very little of the recordings were done on tape, as it was a new medium at the time, some of the metal masters were sold off and the rest discarded. It never occurred to anyone involved that there might be interest in these recordings years later. At the end of the 1950's Red Wortham and Jim Bulliet decided to revive the Bullet label, although Bulliet soon tired of it and left the running to Red. Bulliet died in 1988 without ever getting the recognition he so deserved, but Red Wortham sold the Bullet, Delta and Sur-Speed masters in 1996 to Bluesland Productions. He passed away in 2002. The Bullet Records Blues compilation contains some of the finer sides recorded in the late 40s and 50s and represents the first overview of the Bullet roster of talent, including BB King's earliest recordings and many bluesmen that would lead rich and industrious careers in later years. This is a must compilation for all fans of Southern Blues and is remastered and contains informative liner notes and track overviews by noted archivist and producer, Fred James.