Tru-Sound/Prestige gospel discography (1962-64)
- Tru-Sound was a subsidiary label of Prestige, the label most famous for its numerous jazz releases. There were gospel and secular releases on Tru-Sound; King Curtis may have been the best-known artist on the label. The Tru-Sound label was in operation from 1961-63 and all gospel was released in 1962 and 1963, with a final LP release on Prestige in 1964.
- Most if not all sides were produced by Ozzie Cadena and engineered by Rudy van Gelder. Ozzie Cadena also ran the Choice label. The Choice page has a link to a label introduction by Per Notini, giving some more details on Cadena’s career.
- It has been said that LP’s 60005 (Pentecostal Choir), 60006 (Psalms of Grace) and 60007 (Clefs of Calvary) were released on Tru-Sound first and then re-released on Prestige. LP 60006 was released in a Prestige cover and there were indeed LP’s with Tru-Sound labels and others with Prestige labels (blue trident). Since the second Clefs of Calvary album (#60007) was recorded in November 1963 and probably released in 1964, I think it was on Prestige only as the Tru-Sound label was disbanded somewhere in 1963. The album number and the prefix as shown on the labels (TS) clearly indicate the Tru-Sound connection and the album is listed below.
- Choice LP 514 has #60014 (“TRU 60014”) on the labels, referring to the Tru-Sound label. This is a bit surprising, especially because of the number, as the Tru-Sound LP issues stopped after number 60007 (which in fact was on Prestige). So, it appears that the numbering has been used until at least #60014 and I wonder what’s in between 60007 and 60014… I haven’t seen other Choice LP’s with an additional Tru-Sound number (but I haven’t seen all of them).
- Prestige LP 25007 doesn’t seem to have any Tru-Sound connection but it was released with the blue trident labels.
- All years need to be confirmed.
- This discography lists all known Tru-Sound/Prestige gospel releases; nine 45’s and seven LP’s.
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