Liberty Records, Inc.

California based record company, legally existing under this name from 11 February 1955 to 29 May 1962, 4 June 1962 to 16 January 1969, and again from 2 September 1980 to 1 April 1981.

Parent company of the [l=Liberty] label in the U.S.A. until 1968, when the company was acquired by [l=Transamerica Corporation] and merged into (& renamed) [l=Liberty/UA, Inc.]
The company was merged into [l=Capitol Records, Inc.] in 1981.

The company was initially formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1955 by [a=Si Waronker], [a=Alvin Bennett] and [a=Ted Keep]. Soon after in June 1957, a NY branch office was opened at the Shelton Towers headed by Jane Gibbs.

Over the years, Liberty licensed and distributed for several other US independent labels. Approximately 1963/64, the company was sold to [l=Avnet Electronics Corp.], an electronics concern, but sold back shortly thereafter.

Labels acquired:
[l=Dolton Records], 1963
[l=Imperial] and subsidiaries [l=Aladdin Records] and [l=Minit], 1964
[l=Blue Note], 1965
[l=World Pacific] and subsidiaries, May 1965

In 1965, the budget label [l=Sunset Records] was launched.
In mid-1967, some European branches were launched: [l=Liberty Records GmbH] in Germany; [l=Liberty Records Limited] in the UK.

[u]Corporate (legal entity) history[/u]
First legal entity CA company number: 0298089
Incorporated: 11 February 1955 as 'Liberty Records Inc.'
Name change: 8 June 1960 to 'Liberty Records, Inc.'
Dissolved: 29 May 1962

Second legal entity CA company number: 0432997
Incorporated: 18 May 1962 as 'Liberty Acquisition Company'
First name change: 4 June 1962 to 'Liberty Records, Inc.'
Merged in: on 1 July 1965
Merged in: on 31 January 1966
Second name change: 16 January 1969 to 'Liberty/UA, Inc.'
Third name change: 17 February 1971 to
Fourth name change: 11 September 1974 to
Fifth name change: 13 December 1978 to
Sixth name change: 2 September 1980 to 'Liberty Records, Inc.'
Merged out (dissolved): 1 April 1981 into 'Capitol Records, Inc.'