Label Guide: Ember

Ember Records (UK) was an independent British record label, founded in 1960 by Jeffrey Kruger, owner of the famous Flamingo Jazz Club in London. Ember released records from across the musical spectrum, and was the first independent label to set up its own distribution and pressing facilities. In the 1960s, a soul subsidiary label named Specialty Records was started.

Next to recording British acts, Ember distributed many American and other recordings in the United Kingdom. In the 1960s, Jeffrey Kruger became a successful promoter, organizing British and European tours by many successful American performers including Gladys Knight, Marvin Gaye and Barry White. In the 1970s and 1980s he actively promoted country music and performers including Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson and Tammy Wynette.

Ember was discontinued in 1979 when Kruger was involved with so many other businesses in the music industry, that he felt he could no longer dedicate the time to the label that it deserved.

Ember Records (USA) was an American label, not related to the British Ember. It was started in 1952 by Al Silver as the sister label to his Herald Records. Herald and Ember closed down in the early 1960s.