MILESAGO - Industry - Record Labels

LEEDON RECORDS

LABEL DETAILS

Category:
Australian independent label

Location:
Sydney

Ownership:
Lee Gordon-Johnny O'Keefe

Distribution:
Festival

NOTES

Leedon was established in 1958 by legendary American entrepreneur Lee Gordon and was co-owned by his partner Johnny O'Keefe. The original "LS" series was inaugurated in 1958 with The Shake by The Mark IV and most of the early LS releases were tracks licenced from overseas labels by American artists such as Duane Eddy, Dion & The Belmonts, Dick Dale and Little Junior Parker.

Among the earliest Australian Leedon releases were Rock On by Johnny Rebb (September 1959) and Lee Gordon's own Get The Message

The "LK" series was inaugurated in June 1961 with Lonnie Lee's You're Gonna Miss Me and continued for eight years. Not surprisingly O'Keefe features prominently in the catalogue. Leedon's LK series is also notable to OzRock collectors as the venue for the earliest recordings by The Bee Gees, as well as many clasic beat-era singles by Ray Brown & The Whispers and The Showmen, the debut single by The Four Strangers (the band that evolved into Tamam Shud), The Mystrys, Blues Rags & Hollers, The Amazons, The Atlantics, Russ Kruger and The Pogs. The final release in the LK series was JO'K's She's My Baby in July 1969.

Hank B. Facer
Downunder Discography
M.I.R.L. Discography No. 22, August 1981