Label Guide: Dot

Dot Records was founded American record producer Randy Wood in January 1950. He was co-owner of a Tennessee radio station, WHIN, and the label was set up to release recordings by musicians who appeared on the station. Dot Records quickly became one of the most successful independent record labels with many R&B and Country hits in the 1950s.

In 1956, Wood moved Dot Records from Gallatin, Tennessee to Hollywood, and eventually sold the label to Paramount in 1957, while continuing as the label's president for a further decade. Randy Wood left Dot in 1967 and started another label, Ranwood, with Larry Welk, the son of musician Lawrence Welk.

Under the reign of Paramount, Dot Records started three sub-labels: Hamilton Records, Crystalette Records and Acta Records. Two years after Paramount was purchased by Gulf and Western in 1968, the Dot label was rebranded as a country music label under the umbrella of the Famous Music Group which took over management at the end of 1971. Along with the rest of Famous, Dot Records was bought by ABC Records in 1974. ABC discontinued the label in early 1978.