Vivian Carter and James C. Bracken
Greatest success; Vee-Jay Records
One of the first black-owned record labels in the United States, Vee-Jay was founded by the husband-and-wife team of Vivian and James (hence it’s name.) In the 1950s, the label released music from some of the most revered blues and R&B singers, including John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed and the Dells. As soul and rock & roll began to dominate the early 1960s, Carter and Bracken changed with the times, adding releases from Jerry Butler and Betty Everett; as well as releasing music from white pop acts like the Four Seasons. Vee-Jay was also the first record label to release the Beatles’ early hit singles in America.
