Downey Records

Downey Records was an American record label owned by Bill Wenzel (July 26, 1912 – November 20, 1999) in Downey, California,[1] and distributed at times by Dot Records.[2]

Downey Records
Founded	1961
Founder	Bill Wenzel
Distributor(s)	Dot Records
Location	13117 Lakewood Blvd, Downey, California, U.S.

Wenzel worked as a sound engineer for MGM studios and in 1958, opened Wenzel's Music Town in Downey, California. In 1959, he began the Jack Bee label which he eventually turned into the Downey label with a studio in the back of the record store. Wenzel operated the store with his wife, his son and daughter-in-law. When they were not creating masters in the studio, the studio was rented out. Wenzel produced Downey Records at his studio and made dubs of out-of-stock songs upon request.[3] When Wenzel retired from the business in the 1960s, his son Tom Wenzel (1935–2008) and Tom's wife Maxine continued running the shop.

The biggest hit on the label was the instrumental "Pipeline" by the Chantay's which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 11 on the R&B chart in 1963.[4] Singer-songwriter Barry White produced "Feel Aw Right" by the Bel Canto's on Downey Records in 1965, and released his first recordings under the name Lee Barry on the label in 1966.[5]

In 2007, Big Beat Records released the compilation album It Came from the Garage! Nuggets from Southern California, compiled from Downey recordings.

Selected discography

Catalog No.	Release date	Single (A-side, B-side)	US	US R&B	UK	Artist	Notes
101	Dec 1961	A: "Wimo Stomp"				The Pastel Six	Billboard review (December 19, 1961)[6]
		B: "Twitchin'"
104	Jan 1963	A: "Pipeline"	4	11	16	Chantay's	Cash Box review (January 19, 1963)[7]
		B: "Move It"
115	Mar 1964	A: "Chip Chop (My Fair Lady)"				Jessie Hill	Cash Box review (March 7, 1964)[8]
		B: "Woodshed"
134	1966	A: "Man Ain't Nothin'"				Lee Barry	Lee Barry was an alias for Barry White[5]
		B: "I Don't Need It"
136	Jul 1966	A: "Hang It Out To Dry"				Bud & Kathy
		B: "Letter To An Angel"
139	1966	A: "I Can't Hear You"				Pat Powdrill
		B: "Do It"
142	1967	A: "Cry Baby"				E.S.P. Limited
		B: "In My Heart"

References

1. "Music As Written: Hollywood" (PDF). Billboard: 61. November 10, 1962.
2. "Dot Released "Pipe Line"" (PDF). Billboard: 28. March 2, 1963.
3. "Coast Store Leaning on Oldies, Moves 3,000 a Wk" (PDF). Billboard: 4. November 16, 1963.
4. "Pipeline (song by The Chantays) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". www.musicvf.com. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
5. Ollison, Rashod D. (July 7, 2003). "Barry White was the voice of romance". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
6. "Singles Reviews" (PDF). Billboard: 27. December 18, 1961.
7. "Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box: 16. January 19, 1963.
8. "Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box: 14. March 7, 1964.