Derby (U.S.A.) / c. 1954
Corporate background:
“The Hollywood Phantom”
kindly supplies the following information:
“The New York-based Derby imprint was begun in 1950. The
A&R man for the label was Eddie Wilcox (who also recorded
for them). That label folded in 1954. Sam Cooke and buiness
partner J.W. Alexander launched a later ‘Derby’
label in 1964 as a subsidiary to their SAR imprint (both
located at 6425 Hollywood Blvd) and after Sam's death in 1964,
both of these labels (SAR & DERBY) ceased to operate by
early 1965. The New York-based label did NOT relocate to Los
Angeles as is often stated by the "experts." I know,
I once worked for Lew Chudd at Imperial (just over the hall
from Sam Cooke's office).”
Design: The
simple motif of a hat perched on the label name occupies the
entire upper segment.
Derby hats, which are worn centrally-placed
on the head (like the ‘bowler’), are actually more
dome-shaped than the one illustrated, which from its
shape and rakish angle conveys more the image of the casual
fedora, as worn by Frank Sinatra.
They are generally made of brown felt,
which on a tan or yellow background might have made for a more
appealing colour combination than black on pink.