This discography also includes labels jointly owned by Bobby Robinson. These are noted.
We received a note from Bob
Ryan, who was once an artist signed to Fury Records. He told us, "In 1957, I was with a group from
Milford, Connecticut, called Gino and the Wonders. Some time about 1958 we entered into an
agreement with Bobby Robinson and recorded a series of our original hits. It's been a long time, but I
remember Bobby as being a bizarre-looking kind of guy, especially to a 17 year old kid. We recorded
maybe a few months before the Wilbert Harrison thing [see Fury 1025 below, released June 1959]. I
have no contact with any of my former musicians. I was the only one who went on to do anything having
been Natalie Cole's first keyboard player after she graduated from college. Later, many years of touring,
blah, blah, you know the rest. I now play for my soul – certainly not the money – with a
small jazz group in Phoenix AZ. It's something one never gets over. — Bob Ryan"
We also received a note from Carl Lezcano (aka Carlton Lee), who recorded for the Fling label. He
noted, "My brother Bobby and I were part of the goings on in Harlem during this time when we were
associated with the Fury recording company. We wrote some songs for our group, Carlton Lee & the
Delfonics. We were on the Fling label of the Fury company with our original recording "There They Go"
with "Over and Over" on the flip side [see Fling 727 below]. Mary B who was also on this label. Sincerely,
Carl Lezcano (Carlton Lee) and Bobby Lezcano"
We would appreciate any additions or corrections to this discography. Just send them to us via e-mail. Both Sides Now Publications is an
information web page. We are not a catalog, nor can we provide the records listed below. We have no
association with Fire/Fury Records or any of their subsidiaries. Should you be interested in acquiring
singles listed in this discography (which are all out of print), we suggest you see our Frequently Asked Questions page and follow the
instructions found there. This story and discography are copyright 2019 by Mike Callahan.
The first Fire label (left) was white with red print, FIRE at the top in white surrounded by red flames. This was used from the start in June, 1959, to about June, 1960. The second Fire label (center) was multicolor with black print. This label was used from about July, 1960, to about May, 1961. The third Fire label (right) was red with black print. This was used for the 500 series from about June, 1961, to December, 1962. | |||
The blue Fire label (far left) with silver print was used for the 1500 series starting May, 1962. The yellow Fire label (center) was used for the 2000 series in 1969. The 5000 series in 1972 used a light blue label (right). |
The first Fury label (left) was dark red with silver print. This was used from the start of the label in 1957 until mid-1958. At that point, the same design was used, but with different background colors, such as orange (center) or yellow (right). | |||
The big hit "Kansas City" in March, 1959, also used the yellow label above, but there was so much demand for the single that some pressing plants used a block design as shown at left. The "horse and tornado" label started around June, 1959, with Fury 1025, but some later pressings of "Kansas City" probably have this label, also.This label was used until July, 1960, when it was replaced by the multicolor label shown at right. | |||
Both the multicolor label and the "horse and tornado" labels were used from 1961-63 interchangably. One example of the latter during this time was orange instead of yellow (left). The 5000 series from 1965-67 used a new design shown in the center. By 1968, the design changed again (right). |
The first Enjoy single (left) in February, 1962, was gold with blue print. This design only lasted for the one single. By July of that year, the second single featured a multicolor label (center), which was used until early 1964. A new orange design (right) began about April, 1964. This was also seen sporadically on rose pink with the same design. The orange design was seen until Enjoy 5001 in 1966. | |||
During the year 1965, the same design as the orange label above was seen in dark blue with silver print. The red label (center) was used in 1972. Most disco singles from 1980-1987 used a silver label (right). |
The first Everlast label (far left), starting the label in 1957, was orange with black print. This was used until 1962 when it was replaced by the multicolor orange label shown at near left. This second label was used until the label ended in 1965. |
A few of the early releases used a green label with silver print (far left). But for the most part, the Revelation label was purple with silver print (near left). It used the same basic design throughout the life of the label, although there were some minor color variations in purple. |
Fling started in 1959 using a blue label with silver print, "FLING" in block letters at the top (far left). At the start of 1960, they switched to a blue label with silver print with a complex drawing of a space ship in a silver field taking up a third of the top of the label (near left). This second label was used till the end in Fall, 1962. |
The Front Page label had two series. The 1000 series included four singles, and the 2300 series, which issued a pair of singles. Both series used the same label, a red label with black print with a torn white "newspaper page" taking up the center of the label. |
The singles issued in 1956 (2601-2603) had black labels with silver print (far left). Starting with 2604 in 1957, the label changed to red with black print (near left). |
From 1952 to 1956, the Red Robin label was dark red with silver print (far left). After a more than 20-year hiatus, Bobby Robinson issued a 1977 single with an orange label with black print (near left). |
The first two singles had an orange or yellow label with the label name in block letters at the top in a plain field (left). With the release of Vest 827, the label name was now in a field of stars (center). This design was used until the end of the 800 series in 1961. In 1963, with the start of the 8000 series, the label changed to a blue and pink design (right), which was used until near the end of the 8000 series around 1965. The last issue, Vest 8009, used an orange label with black print with no graphics, just the label name in narrow block letters at the top. |
The VIM (Variety In Music) label used the same label design throughout it lifetime (1959-1965). The first VIM label (left) was white with red lettering. By 1960, the label changed to pink with black lettering (center). Several shades of pink were known. In 1964, starting with VIM 523, the label changed to a silver or grey with black lettering. |
The first single on Whirlin Disc had a black label with silver print, with the label name at the top in narrow block letters (left). This label exists with both "Bob-Dan Musiuc" and "Spinning Wheel Music" noted as the publishers. About the same time, the label design changed to feature a wider block letter label name (center). This design for the first single is also known with both "Bob-Dan Music" and "Spinning Wheel Music" as publishers. This wider lettering design was used for the remainder of the issues. A reissue of the first single has a yellow label with black print with the same design (right). |