Paramount

Paramount Records was an American record label, best known for its recordings of African-American jazz and blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, including such artists as Ma Rainey and Blind Lemon Jefferson.

The Great Depression drove many record companies out of business, and the initial incarnation of Paramount closed down in 1935.

In 1942 the then-inactive Paramount Records company was purchased from Wisconsin Chair Company by John Steiner, who revived the label for reissues of important historical Paramount recordings as well as new recordings of jazz and blues. In 1952, Steiner leased reissue rights to a newly-formed jazz label, Riverside Records, which reissued a substantial number of 10" and then 12" LPs by many of the blues singers in the Paramount catalog. Riverside remained active until 1964.

The rights to Paramount's back catalog were next acquired by George H. Buck in 1970. Buck continues to reissue Paramount recordings as part of his Jazzology Records group, but use of the name (not the catalog) "Paramount Records" was purchased from Buck by Paramount Pictures in the late 1960s, which led to the foundation of Paramount Records.