Meritt Records

Record company and label based in Kansas City, established in 1925, ceased operation in 1929. Merritt was run by Winston Holmes, a Kansas City entertainer, songwriter and music store owner. He operated his own studio in the store, where he offered custom-recording services. Introduced as a race record label in early 1925 and credited as "The 1st race label from KC", these discs were produced sporadically and in limited (400 pressings at a time) quantities. They were sold out of Winston Holmes Music Shop, the store moved from its original location at 1636 E. 18th Street to 1704 E. 18th Street around 1927. Merritt were notable for having issued the first recordings by several important Midwestern artists, including Hattie McDaniel, Reverend J.C. Burnett, Lottie Kimbrough and George E. Lee And His Orchestra. Many of these artists went on to record with Columbia and Paramount. A total of only seven Merritt releases are known to have been released over the label's five-year life-span, consisting entirely of jazz, blues and gospel material. The records are extremely rare.