Champion (5)

U.S. record label (1925-1936). The Champion label was originally manufactured by the Starr Piano Company and marketed as a lower-priced companion to its Gennett Records record label. Although Champion drew almost exclusively on Gennett Records masters, most issues were pseudonymous. Master numbers were erased from early pressings and cited on labels in reverse form (e.g. Gennett master 9656 = false Champion master 6569). By 1927, no master numbers at all were put on Champion records. The Champion Electrograph label was introduced in early 1927, concurrently with the Gennett Electrobeam label. These issues were mainly electric recordings, although some acoustically recorded material was released on these labels. Most Champion releases bore red labels, but other colors appeared during the 1930s as Starr used up surplus paper stock, including black and dark green. As with the Gennett Records and Superior (5) labels, Champion (5) also folded in the early 1930s, with the last issue (#16832) released in December, 1934. On June 28, 1935, Harry Gennett sold the Champion trademark and rights to some Gennett and Champion masters to Jack Kapp of Decca Records, Inc.. Kapp reintroduced the Champion label in August, 1935 in popular (40000), country music (45000) and race-record/hot dance band (50000) series. Decca finally discontinued the label in April, 1936.