Philo Records was founded in 1973 by half-brothers Michael Couture and Bill Schubart to record and distribute

folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Folk Plus or Fol ...

and

traditional music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...

. Over the course of its nine-year history, before its sale to

Rounder Records Rounder Records is an independent record label founded in 1970 in Somerville, Massachusetts by Marian Leighton Levy, Ken Irwin, and Bill Nowlin. Focused on American roots music, Rounder's catalogue of more than 3000 titles includes records by Al ...

in 1982, Philo produced roughly 100 albums of folk, traditional, and later,

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

, world, and new music from a converted barn-studio in North Ferrisburg, Vermont. Philo's allure to many established and emerging artists was its policy of giving them full control over their productions and repertoire.

Early years

Philo Records (as distinct from the Philo Records founded in

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

in 1945 by Eddie, Leo and Ira Messner, a jazz and R&B label) was founded in 1973 in a barn in North Ferrisburg, Vermont by half-brothers Bill Schubart and Michael Couture. The two brothers shared a love of eclectic music and Couture was himself a performing musician, while Schubart had long dabbled in recording various folk and classical groups. Schubart bought a vacant dairy barn on eight acres in 1969 that had been recently used to raise pigs, steam-cleaned it and elicited the help of an architect friend, Arthur Norcross, to create a home

recording studio A recording studio is a specialized facility for sound recording, mixing, and audio production of instrumental or vocal musical performances, spoken words, and other sounds. They range in size from a small in-home project studio large enoug ...

. The studio opened as Earth Audio Techniques in 1972. Schubart and Couture founded Philo Records to produce and distribute some of the music they had recorded at Earth Audio. The first two releases in 1973 were Philo 1000 The UVM Choral Union performing The Psalmody and Fuguing tunes of Justin Morgan (of Morgan Horse fame) and Philo 2000 Louis Beaudoin, the soon to become renowned French-Canadian fiddler. These two releases loosely defined the 1000 series of more popular releases and the 2000 series that was more strictly roots or traditional music. In 1979, the 9000 series was added to include jazz, world and new music releases. Philo’s aesthetic hallmark was its artist-centered culture. The prevailing industry employment of sA&R (artists & repertoire) executives who choose material, hire arrangers and sidemen, and then oversee the production of market-ready music was never adopted at Philo. Schubart and Couture chose musicians, not for only their renown, but for their ability to perform live outside the studio. They often opted to record unknown artists whose work they respected and gave them full control over their own production and choice of sidemen. Their goal was to capture on LP the artist’s own vision of their music. There was no prescribed company vision. This, of course, cut both ways. The company produced a number of releases that received significant critical acclaim but sold only a few hundred copies. It also led to considerable success and the debut of a number of new faces in the folk, traditional and, later, new music fields such as: Tom Mitchell, Kilimanjaro,

Mary McCaslin Mary McCaslin (December 22, 1946 – October 2, 2022) was an American folk singer who wrote, recorded, and performed contemporary folk music. Early life McCaslin was born in Indianapolis on December 22, 1946, and was raised in Southern Californ ...

and Jim Ringer

Engineers

Resident engineers included co-founders Michael Couture and Bill Schubart, and also Chas Eller and David Green. Gregg Lamping served as the

technical engineer An engineering technician is a professional trained in skills and techniques related to a specific branch of technology, with a practical understanding of the relevant engineering concepts. Engineering technicians often assist engineers and engi ...

Artists

Philo’s better known artists included

, Jim Ringer, Jean Carignan (Canada),

Dave van Ronk David Kenneth Ritz Van Ronk (June 30, 1936 – February 10, 2002) was an American folk singer. An important figure in the American folk music revival and New York City's Greenwich Village scene in the 1960s, he was nicknamed the "Mayor of Mac ...

Rosalie Sorrels Rosalie Sorrels (June 24, 1933 – June 11, 2017) was an American folk singer-songwriter. She began her public career as a singer and collector of traditional folksongs in the late 1950s. During the early 1960s she left her husband and began trav ...

Jean Redpath Jean Redpath MBE (28 April 1937 – 21 August 2014) was a Scottish folk singer, educator and musician. Career Jean Redpath was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, to musical parents. Her mother knew many Scots songs and passed them on to Jean and her ...

The Boys of the Lough The Boys of the Lough is a Scottish-Irish Celtic music band active since the 1970s. Early years Their first album, called ''Boys of the Lough'' (1972) consisted of Aly Bain (fiddle), Cathal McConnell (flute), Dick Gaughan (vocals and guitar) and ...

Utah Phillips Bruce Duncan "Utah" Phillips (May 15, 1935 – May 23, 2008)
, KVMR, Nevada City, California, May 24, 2008. Retrieved 24 May 2008 ...

, The

New Black Eagle Jazz Band The New Black Eagle Jazz Band is a New Orleans Style Jazz band founded in 1971 and based in New England. Four of the members had previously been in the Black Eagle Jazz Band led by Tommy Sancton. The band has seven core members. Music performed by ...

, Bill Staines, Kilimanjaro,

Patty Larkin Patty Larkin (born June 19, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist based in Boston, Massachusetts. She is a founding member of Four Bitchin' Babes. Her music has been described as folk-urban pop music. Life and career Patty Lar ...

, Martin Grosswendt, and

Nanci Griffith Nanci Caroline Griffith (July 6, 1953 – August 13, 2021) was an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. She appeared many times on the PBS music program ''Austin City Limits'' starting in 1985 (season 10). In 1994 she won a Grammy Award fo ...

Bought by Rounder Records

In 1979, the

music industry The music industry consists of the individuals and organizations that earn money by writing songs and musical compositions, creating and selling recorded music and sheet music, presenting concerts, as well as the organizations that aid, train, ...

suffered major losses from piracy and the collapse of the two-tier distribution system. In that year, Philo saw two of its major distributors fail and the significant loss of receivables triggered a chapter 11 filing under which Philo sought bankruptcy protection. The label limped along for two and a half more years continuing to pay down its debts and then sold itself to

which assumed the label name and catalog of artists. Rounder proved to be a good steward, keeping many of the albums available and converting many to the then-new CD format. Rounder added other well-known artists to the roster including:

Ray Wylie Hubbard Ray Wylie Hubbard (born November 13, 1946) is an American singer and songwriter. Early life Hubbard was born in the town of Soper, Oklahoma. His family moved to Oak Cliff in southwest Dallas, Texas, in 1954. He attended W. H. Adamson High Schoo ...

Ellis Paul Ellis Paul (born Paul Plissey; January 14, 1965) is an American singer-songwriter and folk musician. Born in Presque Isle, Aroostook County, Maine, Paul is a key figure in what has become known as the Boston school of songwriting, a literate, p ...

Bill Morrissey Bill Morrissey (November 25, 1951 – July 23, 2011) was a Grammy-nominated American folk singer-songwriter based in New Hampshire. Early life Morrissey was born in Hartford, Connecticut. Growing up in Connecticut and Massachusetts, he starte ...

Iris Dement Iris Luella DeMent (born January 5, 1961) is an American two-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and musician . DeMent's musical style includes elements of folk, country and gospel. Early life DeMent was born in Paragould, Arkansas, the 14t ...

Carrie Newcomer Carrie Newcomer is an American singer, songwriter and author. She has produced 19 solo CDs and has received numerous awards for her music and related charitable activities. She has done numerous collaborations with authors, academics, philosop ...

Christine Lavin Christine Lavin (born January 2, 1952) is a New York City-based singer-songwriter and promoter of contemporary folk music. She has recorded numerous solo albums, and has also recorded with other female folk artists under the name Four Bitchin ...

Vance Gilbert Vance Gilbert (born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States) is an American folk singer-songwriter. He started as a jazz singer, switched to folk music, became a regular on the open mike circuit in Boston and toured with Shawn Colvin. He h ...

and

Cliff Eberhardt Cliff Eberhardt (born January 7, 1954, in Berwyn, Pennsylvania) is an American folk singer-songwriter. He is a founding member of the Fast Folk Music Cooperative in New York City. Eberhardt joined Red House Records in 1997 and has recorded fiv ...

. In the continuing consolidation of a collapsing music media industry, Rounder itself was sold to

Concord Music Group Concord Music Group was an American independent music company based in Beverly Hills, California, with worldwide (including the U.S.) distribution through Universal Music Group. The company specialized in recordings ( Fearless Records, Concord R ...

in April 2010.

Master List / Discography

Philo 1000 Vermont Harmony I: UVM Choral Union, arr. Dr. James Chapman (1973)
Philo 1001 Margaret MacArthur
Philo 1002 Craig Morton: The Liverpool Judies (1973)
Philo 1003 Jim Brewer, 1974
Philo 1004 Utah Phillips: Good Though (1973)
Philo 1005 Owen McBride, 1973
Philo 1006 10th Annual Old Time Fiddlers Conference at Craftsbury (1973)
Philo 1007 Lazy Bill Lucas, 1974
Philo 1008 Kenny Hall, 1974
Philo 1010 Eric & Marty Nagler (Beers family): Gentleness in Living (1973)
Philo 1011 Mary McCaslin: Way Out West (1973)
Philo 1012 Jim Ringer: Good to Get Home (1974)
Philo 1013 Billy Vanaver and Livia Drapkin
Philo 1014 Priscilla Herdman: the Water Lily
Philo 1015 Bodie Wagner, Hobo (1975)
Philo 1016 Utah Phillips: El Capitan (1975)
Philo 1017 Glenn Ohrlin: Cowboy Songs
Philo 1019 Rev. Baybie Hoover & Virginia Brown
Philo 1020 Sara Cleveland (1975)
Philo 1021 Jim Ringer Any Old Wind (1974)
Philo 1022 Ted Ashlaw: Adirondack Woods Singer
Philo 1023 Jay & Lynn Ungar
Philo 1024 Mary McCaslin: Prairie in the Sky (1975)
Philo 1026 The Boys of the Lough: Live at Passim (1975)
Philo 1027 Tom Mitchell (1976)
Philo 1028 National Folk Festival
Philo 1029 Rosalie Sorrels
Philo 1030 Fred Holstein: Chicago & Other Ports (1977)
Philo 1031 Boys of the Lough: Lochaber No More (1976)
Philo 1032 Lew London
Philo Utah Phillips: The Telling Takes Me Home (1976)
Philo 1033 Rosalie Sorrels: Moments of Happiness (1976–77)
Philo 1034 Doris Abrahams: Labor of Love (1976)
Philo 1036 Dave van Ronk: Sunday Street
Philo 1037 Jean Redpath The Songs of Robert Burns Vol. I, arr. Serge Hovey (1976)
Philo 1038 VT Choral Union: Vermont Harmony II, cond. Dr. James Chapman (1976)
Philo 1040 Jay and Lynn Ungar
Philo 1041 Martin Grosswendt: Dog on a Dance Floor (1979)
Philo 1042 Boys of the Lough: The Piper’s Broken Finger
Philo 1044 Bill Lucas
Philo 1045 John Lutz
Philo 1046 Mary McCaslin: Old Friends (1977)
Philo 1047 Jim Ringer: Tramps & Hawkers (1977)
Philo 1048 Jean Redpath: Songs of Robert Burns Vol. II, arr. Serge Hovey (1980)
Philo 1049 Rosalie Sorrels
Philo 1050 Utah Phillips The Telling Takes Me Home(1979)
Philo 1051 The Boys of the Lough
Philo 1052 Eric von Schmidt: Champagne Don’t Hurt Me Baby
Philo 1053 Huxtable, Christensen & Hood: Wallflowers (1980)
Philo 1054 Jean Redpath: Song of the Seals (1978)
Philo 1055 Jim Ringer & Mary McCaslin: The Bramble and the Rose
Philo 1056 Do’a Light Upon Light (1978)
Philo 1058 Winnie Winston: Steel Wool
Philo 1061 Jean Redpath: Father Adam
Philo 1062 VT Choral Union: An Early New England Christmas (1978)
Philo 1065 Dave van Ronk (1979)
Philo 1066 Jean Redpath Lowlands
Philo 1068 Jean Redpath, Lisa Neustadt & The Angel Band: Shout for Joy
Philo 1071 Jean Redpath: The Songs of Robert Burns Vol. III arr. Serge Hovey
Philo 1072 Jean Redpath: The Songs of Robert Burns Vol. IV arr by Serge Hovey
Philo 1075 Mary McCaslin: the Best of… (1981)
Philo 1076 Utah Phillips: unreleased (1983)
Philo 1078 Robert J. Lurtsema: Christmas Stories
Philo 1079 Mason Daring
Philo Bill Staines (1981)
Philo 1082 Jean Redpath w Abby Newton: Haydn Scottish Songs
Philo 1086 The New Black Eagle Jazz Band: At Symphony Hall (1982)
Philo 1087 Patty Larkin: I’m Fine // Redpath?
Philo PHC 1091 Jim Ringer & Mary McCaslin: Bramble and the Rose (1978)
Philo 1092 Jon Gailmor
Philo 1093 Jean Redpath : The Songs of Robert Burns Vol. V, arr. Serge Hovey (1983-4)
Philo 1096 Nanci Griffith: Once in a Very Blue Moon
Philo 1097 Nanci Griffith There’s a Light Beyond These Woods
Philo 1099 Mary McCaslin: Sunny California (Leased to Mercury as SRM-1-3772 Produced by Philo)
Philo Patty Larkin: Step Into the Light (1985)
Philo PH 1118 Bill Staines (1987)
Philo Ray Wylie Hubbard Dangerous Spirits
Philo Maura O’Connell: Just in Time 1988
Philo Nanci Griffith: Last of the True Believers (1986)
Philo Ray Wylie Hubbard Crusdaes of the Restless Knight
Philo Ray Wylie Hubbard Eternal & Lowdown
Philo Ray Wylie Hubbard Delirium Tremolos (2005) Philo 9000 Do’a Ornament of Hope (digital)
Philo 9001 Kilimanjaro (1980)
Philo 9002

Lar Duggan Lar Duggan is an American jazz pianist, best known as an early, influential music teacher of Phish keyboardist Page McConnell. In hi1987 Goddard College thesisMcConnell, P. (1987). ''The Art of Improvisation''. Senior Thesis. Goddard College, Pl ...

: The Lake Studies (1980)
Philo 9003 Laurie Spiegel: The Expanding Universe (1977)
Philo 9004 Do’a Ancient Beauty (1981)
Philo 9005 Kilimanjaro II
Philo 9006 Ancient Future
Philo 9007 Tony Vacca & Tim Moran w Don Cherry: City Spirits (1985)
Philo 9008 Elements with Mark Egan and Danny Gottlieb
Philo 9009 Do’a: Companions of the Crimson Ark Philo 2000 Louis Beaudoin, 1973
Philo 2001 Jean Carignan, 1973
Philo 2002 Henri Landry
Philo 2003 Philippe Bruneau, 1973
Philo 2004 Joe Heaney
Philo 2005 John McGreevy and Seamus Cooley (1974)
Philo 2006 Philippe Bruneau: Danses pour veillées canadiennes
Philo 2007 La Famille Verret
Philo 2008 Joe Heaney
Philo 2009 Collection Québécoise
Philo 2012 Jean Carignan
Philo 2013 La Bolduc
Philo 2014 Jean d’Arc Charlebois (1975)
Philo 2015 Jean Redpath: First Flight
Philo 2018 Jean Carignan
Philo 2019 Shetland Fiddling
Philo 2022 La Famille Beaudoin Philo 41069 Lil Labbe
Philo 01DT Mary McCaslin/ Jim Ringer Live at the Bottom Line
EP 001 The Decentz
Philo 41067 Norwegian Fiddling Fretless 111 Bill Russell: From Old Leaves (1975)
Fretless 112 John Nutting: Songs of Lamoille County, Vermont (1975)
Fretless 114 Papa John Kolstad & Wildman Turk: Beans Taste Fine
Fretless 115 Peter & John Isaacson
Fretless 119 Rodney & Randy Miller: Castles in the Airs (1975)
Fretless 120 Gilby Hager (1975)
Fretless FR 134 Lui Collins Made in New England (1978)
Fretless 138: Lisa Neustadt & the Angel Band: Angels Hovering Round
Fretless 153: County Down
Fretless 154 Lisa Neustadt & the Angel Band: Anywhere is Home
Fretless 165: County Down: Living in the Country

References

{{Authority control American record labels Folk record labels