Cameo Records
1921-1930

Cameo was a budget label that sold records for 50¢ and used mostly artists of less-renown. It only issued ten-inch discs and had no multiple categories and prices. It only had one focus - popular music of the day. In this they did very well, becoming one of the most popular labels of the 1920s.

Despite being budget, Cameo featured alot of hot music and even jazz if you want to go that far. It was a training ground for many artists who would make it big later on, like Red Nichols and Miff Mole. Records like these are often found quite worn, courtesy of their enthusiastic original owners and lesser-quality shellac used in manufacture.

Cameo began issuing in early 1922, but a few sides were recorded as early as late 1921. Catalog numbering began at 200 and continued until 1288, when it jumped to an 8000 and then 9000 series. Cameo lagged behind the major labels in converting to electrical recording, doing so by early 1926. No indication was made on the label or the disc of the new process but the transition happened somewhere around Catalog #900. Cameo grew large enough to establish a few subsidiary labels of its own, such as Lincoln and Romeo. However, Cameo was bought by Pathé in 1928, which in turn was quickly merged into the newly-created American Record Corporation. ARC dropped the Cameo label in 1930.

Encoded Speed: 192 Kbps

Hot Lips Boardwalk Blues
Jazz-Bo's Carolina Serenaders Country Club Orchestra
Cameo 257-A Cameo 257-B
Matrix# 248 Matrix# 254
July 1922 August 1922
New York, New York New York, New York
Note: Worn. Note: Worn.

Pipe Organ Blues Beale Street Mama
Dixie Daisies Dixie Daisies
Cameo 320-A Cameo 320-B
Matrix# 387 Matrix# 411
ca. January 1923 ca. February 1923
New York, New York New York, New York

The Senator's First Speech (Part 1) The Senator's First Speech (Part 2)
Al Raymond Al Raymond
Cameo 330-A Cameo 330-B
Matrix# 406 Matrix# 407
January 1923 January 1923

While You Were Making Believe Farewell Blues
Cameo Dance Orchestra Dixie Daisies
Cameo 333-A Cameo 333-B
Matrix# 446 Matrix# 450
February-March 1923 March 1923
New York, New York New York, New York
Note: Worn with pressing issue at beginning.

Dreamy Melody A Smile Will Go a Long Long Way
Joe Basile and His Velodrome Orchestra Joe Basile and His Velodrome Orchestra
Cameo 375-A Cameo 375-B
Matrix# 555 Matrix# 560
August 1923 August 1923
New York, New York New York, New York
Note: Worn. Note: Worn.

The Band Played "Home, Sweet Home" Last Night on the Back Porch
Bob Haring's Velvetone Orchestra Varsity Eight
Cameo 400-A Cameo 400-B
Matrix# 582-C, Take 3 Matrix# 626-C, Take 3
ca. July 20, 1923 September 6, 1923
New York, New York New York, New York
Note: Their first recording (Take 1 also issued). Worn.

Daddy - Change Your Mind It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'
Blanche Klaise Bernard and Ferera
Cameo 487-A Cameo 487-B
Matrix# 745 C2 3 Matrix# 801 A2 4
January 1924 November 1923

Sometime in Junetime Mr. Radio Man
Fred Hughes Henry Scott
Cameo 489-A Cameo 489-B
Matrix# 799 Matrix# 825
January 1924 February 1, 1924

Pretty As a Picture Follow the Swallow
Bob Haring and His Orchestra Arthur Lange and His Orchestra
Cameo 589-A Cameo 589-B
Matrix# 1088-C, Take 3 Matrix# 1104-A, Take 1
ca. August 13, 1924 ca. August 25, 1924
New York, New York New York, New York

Morning Come Back to Me
Lou Gold and His Orchestra Arthur Lange and His Orchestra
Cameo 594-A Cameo 594-B
Matrix# 1095 Matrix# 1124
ca. August 14, 1924 ca. September 2, 1924
New York, New York New York, New York

A New Kind of Man I Never Care About To-morrow
Varsity Eight Arthur Lange and His Orchestra
Cameo 602-A Cameo 602-B
Matrix# 1144 Matrix# 1150
September 10, 1924 ca. September 16, 1924
New York, New York New York, New York
Note: Worn. Note: Worn.

Maui Girl Sweet Lei Lehua
Ferera and Franchini Ferera and Franchini
Cameo 638-A Cameo 638-B
Matrix# 1221 Matrix# 1222
November 1924 November 1924

Paddlin' Madelin' Home My Small Town Gal
Dixie Daisies Walter Davison Louisville Loons (Red Nichols on trumpet)
Cameo 834-A Cameo 834-B
Matrix# 1689 Matrix# 1709
November 11, 1925 late November 1925
New York, New York New York, New York

Electrical Recording Begins

Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella (On a Rainy Day) My Melancholy Baby
Sam Lanin and His Troubadours Goodrich Broadcasters
Cameo 8103-A Cameo 8103-B
Matrix# 2765-C Matrix# 2769-B
ca. December 23, 1927 ca. December 28, 1927
New York, New York New York, New York
Note: Worn. Note: Worn.

Beloved Happy Days
Society Night Club Orchestra Klein's Serenading Shoemakers
Cameo 8216-A Cameo 8216-B
Matrix# 3063 Matrix# 3066
April 20, 1928 April 1928
New York, New York New York, New York

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