De-Lite Records


De-Lite Records, whose formal name was De-Lite Recorded Sound Corporation, was a record label specializing in R&B music from 1969 to 1985; Island Records now manages the De-Lite catalog.

History

De-Lite Records was founded in 1967 by Fred Vigorito, Fred Fioto and Ted Simonetti. Prominent on their staff was veteran music producer Gene Redd. The very first album released on De-Lite was in 1968: catalog number DE-2001, "The New Sounds Of The Louis Prima Show", featuring Louis Prima, Sam Butera And The Witnesses, Gia Maione, and Little Richie Varola.
De-Lite's first single was by an unknown singer named "Mr. Ginger Ale" in 1968, "That Old Feeling"/"Love Walked In", catalog number 509.
One of the label's first signings for popular music was Kool and the Gang, who originally appeared on a precursor label, Red Coach. Their eponymous instrumental single was their first big R&B hit, in the year 1969. Kool and the Gang was the most successful act for De-Lite, scoring many hits on the R&B and pop charts.
In the 1970s, Pickwick International took over distribution of the label, and Kool and The Gang's pop success began in 1973 with their first Top 40 crossover hit, "Funky Stuff."
Disco pioneers Crown Heights Affair were signed to the label in 1975, and promptly released "Dreaming a Dream", which reached #5 on Billboard's R&B Singles chart. They followed with the Top 20 hits, "Every Beat of My Heart," "Foxy Lady", and "Dancin'." The album "Dreaming a Dream" was followed by "Do It Your Way", "Dream World", "Dance Lady Dance", and "Sure Shot".
After PolyGram purchased Pickwick in 1977 it took over distribution of the De-Lite label, which maintained the imprint for Kool And The Gang's releases. In 1985, De-Lite was absorbed into PolyGram sublabel Mercury Records, and Kool and the Gang were transferred there as well. In 1998, Polygram merged with Universal Music Group; their subsidiary Island Records now manages the De-Lite catalog.

Other De-Lite Imprints

De-Lite had other imprints as well: