Hit Records
title: "Hit Records" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["american-record-labels", "record-labels-established-in-1962", "record-labels-disestablished-in-1969"] topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hit_Records" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox record label "]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Hit Records |
| parent | Record Service |
| founded | 1962 |
| founder | Bill Beasley, Alan Bubis |
| status | defunct |
| genre | Various |
| country | United States |
| location | Nashville, Tennessee |
| url | Website |
| :: |
| name = Hit Records | image_name = | image_size = | caption = | parent = Record Service | founded = 1962 | founder = Bill Beasley, Alan Bubis | status = defunct | distributor = | genre = Various | country = United States | location = Nashville, Tennessee | url = Website
Hit Records was a record company based in Nashville, Tennessee, which specialized in sound-alike cover versions of hit records. These types of releases are often categorized as exploito.
Background
It was run by entrepreneurs Bill Beasley and Alan Bubis. The records they produced were sold via convenience stores throughout the United States. Prior to HIT, they started Tennessee Records in 1950 and the Republic label in 1952. In 1959, they took advantage of buying up overstocked hits at low prices and selling them cheaply via the racks throughout the country. Then with Hit Records which they formed, they added their own twin side records to the mix. At 39¢ (US), the records were less than half the price of the hit recordings they were covering. The label was located in Nashville, the home base for the country music recording business in the United States. The company folded in 1969 due to competition from record companies such as K-Tel which issued various artists compilation albums featuring the actual hit recordings licensed from the various record companies. Many Hit Records are very collectable and some of the performers on these recordings have developed their own fan base..
There was also an outfit called Hit Records Inc. in Chicago which had been in business since about 1957. With around 600 outlets, they sold their releases via racks in supermarkets and businesses which included Jewel Food and Osko Drugstores in the Chicago area. This company was owned and managed by Charles Stephens.
Business history
In 1965, legal action was taken against director Beasley and Record Service by Harry Fox Office who were represented by Abeles & Clark, a law firm. This was for royalties relating to recordings on a Hit record album, namely 26 Top Hits. Harry Fox Office won the case and the sum of $37,000 was awarded to them. The money was paid by Record Service, the owner of Hit Records.
Artists
The company had a pool of singers and musicians to record the cover songs. Some of these performers would later become successful on their own such as Sandy Posey, Ray Stevens, Bobby Russell, and Sam Moore of Sam & Dave. .
Herbert Hunter, who was a prolific performer on the Hit label, used his own name as well as the name "Leroy Jones" for some of his recordings.
References
References
- ''Living the Rock 'n Roll Dream: The Adventures of Buzz Cason'', By Buzz Cason - [https://books.google.com/books?id=jU3Wgm6_JhAC&dq=%22Bill+Beasley%22Hit+Records%22&pg=PA176 Page 176]
- ''Record Makers and Breakers: Voices of the Independent Rock 'n' Roll Pioneers'', By John Broven - [https://books.google.com/books?id=Y3zdJ66VAOQC&dq=%22Bill+Beasley%22Hit+Records%22&pg=PA461 Page 461 THE PAYOLA SCANDAL AND CHANGING TIMES]
- Internet Archive Wayback Machine - [https://web.archive.org/web/20091027121527/http://geocities.com/spikeopath/hitrecords.htm "Music is fun for everyone" The HIT Records
(Archived from the original (http://geocities.com/spikeopath/hitrecords.htm) on 2009-10-27, Retrieved 2016-04-06] - Internet Archive Wayback Machine - [https://web.archive.org/web/20120304150122/http://45-sleeves.com/USA/hit/hit-us.htm HIT, US Label and Company Sleeves 1962-1969, Labels
Archived from the original (http://45-sleeves.com/USA/hit/hit-us.htm) on 2012-03-04. Retrieved 2016-04-06] - Global Dog Productions - [http://www.globaldogproductions.info/h/hit.html Discography for HIT Records]
- ''Billboard'', May 2, 1964 - [https://books.google.com/books?id=60QEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Hit+Records%22Rack+Jobber%22Stephens&pg=PT40 Page 41 Hit Records, Inc.]
- ''Billboard'', December 12, 1964 - [https://books.google.com/books?id=OSAEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Hit+Records%22Chicago%22Billboard+Rack+Jobber&pg=PA6 Page 6 ''BB CHART AIDS RACK JOBBER'S SALES IN CHI'']
- ''Billboard'', June 22, 1968 - [https://books.google.com/books?id=zwoEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Hit+Records%22Sam+and+Dave%22Bill+Beasley&pg=PA8 Page 8 Fox Office Wins Mechanical Royalty Case vs. RTV Sales]
- Internet Archive Wayback Machine - [https://web.archive.org/web/20091027121527/http://geocities.com/spikeopath/hitrecords.htm "Music is fun for everyone" The HIT Records
(Archived from the original (http://geocities.com/spikeopath/hitrecords.htm) on 2009-10-27, Retrieved 2016-04-06] - Music Master OLDIES, January 6, 2012 - [http://musicmasteroldies.com/2012/01/06/new-oldies-im-sure-going-to-miss-her-by-the-chellows/ New Oldies – I’m Sure Going To Miss Her by The Chellows and by Joe Knapp ]
- [[E. Mark Windle]]. (21 December 2017). "From House of Broken Hearts".
- "Herbert Hunter". Discogs.
- Soulful Kinda Music - [http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/hhunter.htm HerbertHunter]
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