ABOUT
About Cameo/Parkway
History of the Label
Founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, 1957 by songwriter Bernie Lowe, Cameo Records and its Parkway subsidiary were the home of most of the major hits by such artists as Bobby Rydell, Chubby Checker, the Dovells, Dee Dee Sharp, the Orlons, and the Tymes. Located at 1405 Locust Street, Cameo grew to become the biggest independent record company of the day.
Bernie Lowe was soon joined by friends and fellow songwriters Kal Mann and Dave Appell. The first Cameo hit was rockabilly singer Charlie Gracie's Butterfly, a number 1 single in 1957. The Rays' doo-wop classic Silhouettes was next, in 1957. The label's headliner, a pompadoured and personable teen idol named Bobby Rydell gave the label a steady string of pop hits beginning in 1959, including We Got Love, Wild One and Swingin' School. Rydell still holds a special place in the hearts and minds of many Philadelphians.
The Parkway label was launched in 1958 but had no real success until 1960, when Ernest Evans' name was changed to Chubby Checker and scored a major dance sensation with ‘The Twist’. Checker continued to have hits throughout the early 60s. Other Cameo-Parkway hits included Sharp's Mashed Potato Time, the Orlons' South Street and Don't Hang Up, the Dovells' Bristol Stomp and You Can't Sit Down and the Tymes' So Much In Love.
Cameo-Parkway were unable to weather the arrival of the British groups, despite having released the Kinks' first single, Long Tall Sally, in the USA. The label's last major hit was ? And The Mysterians' 96 Tears in 1966. In 1968 the Cameo-Parkway catalogue was sold to entrepreneur Allen Klein, who continues to own it today.
Just recently the Cameo/Parkway collection and individual artists have
been released by Abkco.
Thanks to Mark Matlock for the images!