Hickory Records

Also appears as "Hickory Records Inc." (since ca. '62) or "Hickory" only (since ca. '64). For unofficial releases, see Hickory Records (3). US label based in Nashville, Tennessee, and formed by Roy Acuff and his partner in the Acuff Rose Music publishing firm Fred Rose around 1955. Its biggest stars included The Newbeats, Sue Thompson, Don Gibson, Donovan and Frank Ifield. Acuff himself recorded on the label from time to time and his son Roy Acuff Jr. was signed to the label. Hickory was an independent label in spite of distribution agreements with MGM Records (1972-76?), ABC Records (1977-79) and MCA Records (1979-80). Acuff-Rose Music was sold to Gaylord Broadcasting, owners of the Grand Ole Opry in 1985; it was sold to Sony/ATV Music in the late 1990s