Radio Corporation of America / Victor Talking Machine Co.

About VICTOR TALKING MACHINE CO.

Victor Talking Machine Co. is a historic record company originally founded by Eldridge Johnson & Emile Berliner in 1901. After its formation, Victor established itself early on as the premier name in the fledgling record industry and through nearly 50 years of existence (until the label became RCA-Victor in 1945). Victor Records signed and recorded legendary artists including Rachmaninov, Bing Crosby, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, and Woody Guthrie all within its original headquarters in the City of Camden.

This unique blend of genres established an incredibly diverse list of artists which would go on to influence countless songwriters and performers including modern Victor Talking Machine Co.’s president, Graham Alexander, who revived the company (along with the His Master’s Voice, Victrola, and Little Nipper imprints) returning their headquarters to the Camden area after a 30 year absence. The company today produces new artists, music, and turntables, while preserving a back catalog of masters from the company’s storied past. Victor Talking Machine Co. also operates a venue and archive, The Vault, located at 150 S. White Horse Pike in Berlin, N.J.

About RADIO CORPORATION OF AMERICA

Radio Corporation of America is the name of a corporation founded in the early part of the 20th century, which came to prominence developing breakthrough radio communication across the world. Originally owned by G.E., the company was spun-off into its own by a trust busting initiative by the U.S. Government. After acquiring the Victor Company of Camden, N.J. (then the world’s largest record company), the corporation delved further into the home entertainment market through the 1930s and 1940s creating Victor, RCA Victor, Bluebird, Camden, Radio Corporation of America, and Little Nipper branded products through the middle of the century. Increasingly tapped for military contracts from World War II and on, Radio Corporation of America slowly concentrated its efforts from home entertainment into military communications. By the 1970s, they’d diversified to include a publishing company, a frozen food company, and Hertz rental car. Eventually, the company felt the burn of mismanagement through the 1980s and was sold to G.E. in 1986 who then proceeded to dismantle the company' vast brand portfolio. Thompson Electronics (Technicolor France) purchased the RCA brands related to consumer electronics, while BMG & Sony partnered to purchase the RCA record label. The military contracts were sold through several companies and many remain in the Camden area today. Meanwhile, G.E. sold off brands from the Radio Corporation of America (RCA Corp) profile but continued to hold the company as a name holding corporation until the late 2000s when Graham Alexander and LAIR (Licensed American Independent Recording Co.) petitioned to reestablish the name having already acquired many of its former legacy brands.