Era/Dore Records

Lou Bedell and Herb Newman’s Little Labels: Era & Dore

Era Records was founded in 1955 by Herb Newman along with Lou Bedell in Hollywood, California. The duo would also found the Dore label in 1958.

When collecting I was always fascinated by both Era and Dore record labels and picked many of them up over the years.

Herbert Newman

Lou Bedell

Newman was the composer of Gogi Grant’s big hit “The Wayward Win” from 1956. Bedell sold out to Newman in 1959. Era served as the distributor for the Gregmark, Monogram and Eden Records.

Lou Bedell wanted very much to make his mark in the rock n roll market and so established Dore in 1958 with that thought in mind. Their first big score was with the Teddy Bears and “To Know Him is to Love Him”.

Dore Stars – The Teddy Bears

A disagreement between Bedell and Newman arose over the production of this recording with Newman insisting on adding strings. Bedell held fast to leaving it raw as originally intended and so the partners went their separate ways with Newman taking Era and Bedell heading up Dore.

Bedell would remain with his Dore label until he passed away in 2001! Herbert Newman died on June 20th, 1976.

Then during the 1970s Newman would sell his catalog to K-Tel Records who reissued much of the catalog.

Era Long Play Discography

Ronnie Deauville – “Smoke Dreams” – 1956

The Bob Florence Trio – “Meet the Bob Florence Trio” – 1956

Doye O’Dell – “Doye” – 1956

Jack Millman – “Blowing Up a Storm” – 1956

Page Cavanaugh – “Carries the Torch” – 1956

David Andrews – “One Little Candle” – 1956

Rosa Linda – “Will Success Spoil Rock-Maninoff?” – 1956

The Merry Macs – “Something Old, Something New” – 1956

Russell Arms and Johnny Mandel Orchestra – “Where Can a Wanderer Go” – 1957

Gogi Grant – “Suddenly There’s Gogi Grant” – 1957

Danny Gould – “Music to Play Checkers By” – 1958

Ginny Tiu – “All This and Ginny Tiu” – 1959

Dorsey Burnette – “Tall Oak Tree” – 1960

Larry Verne – “Mister Larry Verne” – 1960

Donny Brooks – “The Happiest” – 1961

Gogi Grant – “The Wayward Wind” – May 1961

The Castells – “So This is Love” – 1962

Ketty Lester – “Love Letters” – April 1962

Burns and Carlin – “At the Playboy Club Tonight” – 1953

Jack Burns and George Carlin

Jewell Atkins – “The Birds and the Bees” – 1965

Various – “All Time Original Hits Volume 2” – 1969

Dorsey Burnette – “Greatest Hits” – 1969

Various – Golden Era Series Volume 2″ – 1969

Various – “Golden Era Series Volume 3” – 1969

The Beach Boys – “Biggest Beach Hits” – 1969

George Carlin with Jack Burns – “The Original George Carlin” – 1972

The Next World – “Symphonic Rock” – 1973

Various – “Hits of the Sixties” – 1977

Various – “Hollywood Rock ‘n’ Roll” – 1977

Various – “Golden Country” – 1977

Various – “Young Love” – 1978

Various – “Wild & CrAAAzy Hits” – 1978

Various – “The Best of Rock and Roll Volume I” – 1978

Various – “The Idols” – 1981

Various – “Moments to Remember” – 1982

Various – “Chartblasters” – 1982

Various – “Gala of the Year” – 1982

Various – “Sound of Applause” – 1982

Lynn Anderson – “The Best of Lynn Anderson and Desires” – 1982

Various – “50’s Dance Party” – 1982

Various – “60’s Dance Party” – 1982

Various – “Country Rainbow” – 1982

Various – “Back to Back – The Association/The Turtles” – 1983

Various – “The Big Beach Sound” – 1983

Various – “Screamin’ 60’s”- 1983

Sandy Posey – “Born a Woman” – 1983

Paul Revere & the Raiders – “The Great Raider Reunion” – 1983

Yardbirds/Kinks – “Greatest Hits” – 1984

Various – “British Invasion – The First Wave” – 1984

Dore Long Play Discography

Dore Records was not big on producing long plays

Lon Weldon & His Orchestra – “Stockholm Rhapsody” – 1959

Jan and Dean – “Jan & Dean” – March 1960

Pat Buttram – “As I Look into Your Faces” – 1960

Hudson & Landry – “Hanging in There” – 1971 (charted)

Victor Bruno – “Heavy!” – 1971

Hudson & Landry – “Losing Their Heads” – 1972 (charted)

Harrison & Tyler – “Try It – You’ll Like It” – 1972

Hudson & Landry – “Right-Off” – February 1973 (charted)

Gene Farmer – “Calypso Gene on the Scene” – 1973

Hudson & Landry – “The Weird Kingdom Of” – June 1974

Jim Backus – “The Dirty Old Man” – 1974

Hudson & Landry – “The Best Of” – 1975

Hudson and Pickett – “The Hollyweird Squares” – 1976

Randy Rivera – “Live!” – 1976

John Barbour – “I Met a Man I Didn’t Like” – 1976

The Zanies – “The Zanies” – 1979

Danny Gould – “Oh Mighty Game of Golf” – 1979

The Whispers – “Shhh” – 1980

Various – “Collector’s Delight! Volume 1” – 1981

Various – “Collectors Delight Volume 2” – 1981

The Marketts – “Summer Means Love” – 1982