recording dates for old records

Does anyone know if there is a database somewhere on the interent that has recording dates for old records? It seems like record companies didn't start putting the recording dates/release dates on records until the mid 60's, so I have a ton that have no dates on them.

This always irked me, but never really bothered me until I started downloading them and wanted to put a date on the recordings. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[ Edited by: Polynesiac 2007-01-21 21:27 ]

allmusic.com should be able to help you out with a lot of those dates.

that is where i found a lot of mine

Record priceguides (i.e. Goldmine) can be a big help, as they often list the year of release for each LP listed.

These guides can be useful, even if the artist is more obscure, and not listed in the guide. For example, say you find and want to date an LP titled 'Everybody Likes to Cha Cha Cha', recorded by Rene Bloch and his Big Latin Band. In the corner, you see the identifying #, which is given as HIFI R-819.

You pull the price guide out, look up Rene Bloch, to find he is not listed in the book. But you can page through other artists, to see if anyone else recorded under the Hi-Fi label. By doing so, you will discover that Arthur Lyman also recoded under the Hi-Fi label. Since the ID numbers in the corner are issued on a chronological basis, you can then calculate that the Rene Bloch LP (HIFI R-819) was released between Lyman's 'On Broadway' (RF-818) and Taboo 2 (HIFI-822), and thus likely released in 1957 or 1958.

Vern

[ Edited by: ikitnrev 2007-01-22 19:44 ]

I have to say, it is very difficult to find the recording or release dates on vintage LPs, expecially the Hawaiian and exotica stuff. At that time, it seemed that the record companies did not put dates on their releases at all.

I did come across this list for liberty records which helps for finding the release dates for artists like Martin Denny, Augie Colon, Rene Paulo, etc.

http://www.bsnpubs.com/liberty/libertya.html

Great info - those links are great allflowerz and digi, they're going to be very helpful - thanks!!!

Vern - you're insane! I new those numbers meant some type of recording order, but I had no idea how to read them. I've been writing those down as recording dates in hopes to decode them at some future point...and you did! thank you for cracking the HiFi code for me!

If you're looking for dates on jazz recordings I suggest:
http://www.jazzdisco.org/
It's an ever growing database with amazing detail on personnel, recording/release dates, recording locations, etc.

Have fun!