Yazoo Records is one of the most important and influential independent labels in the history of American roots music. Founded in the mid-1960s by collector and engineer Nick Perls, the label specialized in carefully curated reissues of rare 78 rpm recordings of pre-war blues, country, jug band, gospel, and related vernacular styles. Through high-quality transfers, detailed liner notes, and a distinctive visual identity, Yazoo played a central role in the 1960s–1970s blues revival and remains a cornerstone of blues discography today.
Founding and History
Yazoo Records began in 1967 under the original name Belzona Records, founded by Nick Perls (with early involvement from fellow collector Bernie Klatzko). The first five LPs (catalog numbers L-1001 to L-1005) appeared under the Belzona imprint. Shortly afterward, a legal challenge from the long-established Scottish label Beltona forced a name change. Perls chose “Yazoo,” referencing the Yazoo River that forms the eastern boundary of the Mississippi Delta—the heartland of the blues he specialized in. The early Belzona albums were promptly reissued under the new Yazoo name.
The label’s visual trademark was an Art Deco peacock logo adapted from the rare 1927 Black Patti Records label, giving Yazoo releases an instantly recognizable and historically resonant look. Perls operated the company as a small, sole-proprietorship enterprise, often from his New York residences (West Village and other Manhattan addresses). He handled or closely supervised the transfers of original 78s, ensuring superior sound quality for the era. The label remained a specialist operation aimed at serious collectors and blues enthusiasts rather than mass-market success.
In 1970 Perls founded a companion label, Blue Goose Records, dedicated to new recordings by rediscovered older blues artists and younger performers. Yazoo itself continued its reissue program through the 1970s and into the 1980s. Perls’s health declined in the mid-1980s amid the AIDS epidemic; he died on July 22, 1987. Shortly before or after his death, Yazoo was acquired by Shanachie Records. Shanachie has maintained the Yazoo imprint ever since, systematically reissuing the classic catalog on CD (often with improved digital remastering) and, in later years, expanding into new recordings by contemporary artists such as The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band.
Ownership
- Founder and primary owner (1967–1987): Nick Perls (J. Nicholas Perls, 1942–1987). A New York–based audio engineer, collector, and member of the informal “Blues Mafia” circle of 78 rpm enthusiasts, Perls was the creative and operational heart of the label. He also co-rediscovered Son House in 1964 with Dick Waterman and Phil Spiro.
- Post-1987 owner: Shanachie Records (founded by Richard Nevins and others). Shanachie has preserved and expanded the Yazoo catalog while treating it as a historical preservation project.
Notable Artists and Recordings
Yazoo’s core mission was the systematic reissue of rare 1920s and 1930s country blues and related styles. Perls and collaborators (including notes writers such as Stephen Calt) produced authoritative compilations that remain reference points for the genre.
Key artists and landmark releases include:
- Charley Patton – Founder of the Delta Blues (Yazoo L-1020, 1970). A foundational double-LP compilation of Patton’s Paramount recordings that helped solidify his status as the central figure of early Delta blues.
- Blind Willie McTell – Multiple volumes covering his 1927–1935 sessions, showcasing his 12-string guitar mastery and sophisticated songcraft.
- Blind Blake – Definitive collections of the Piedmont guitarist’s dazzling fingerstyle work.
- Blind Lemon Jefferson – Comprehensive surveys of the Texas blues giant’s groundbreaking Paramount sides.
- Memphis Jug Band, Cannon’s Jug Stompers, and other jug-band ensembles – Lively, good-time music that broadened the scope of pre-war “blues.”
- Skip James, Mississippi John Hurt, Sleepy John Estes, Furry Lewis, Rev. Gary Davis, Bo Carter, Scrapper Blackwell, Big Bill Broonzy (early sides), Papa Charlie Jackson, and many others.
Thematic compilations such as The Georgia Blues, Jackson Blues, Mississippi Masters, and Roots of Rock further enriched the catalog. Liner notes were typically scholarly, providing discographical details, biographical sketches, and musical analysis that elevated the reissues beyond mere nostalgia.
Later Shanachie-era Yazoo releases continued this tradition with digitally remastered CDs and occasional new projects, while Blue Goose captured contemporary performances by rediscovered veterans.
Legacy and Impact
Yazoo Records stands as one of the most respected specialist labels in American music history. By making scarce and often fragile 78 rpm recordings available in high-quality LP form—and later on CD—Perls and his successors introduced generations of listeners to the foundational artists of country blues. The label’s meticulous approach influenced countless subsequent reissue programs and helped fuel both the 1960s folk-blues revival and the broader appreciation of American roots music.
Original Yazoo LPs remain highly collectible, and the Shanachie-owned catalog continues to serve scholars, musicians, and enthusiasts. Yazoo’s peacock logo and carefully sequenced albums remain symbols of integrity and passion in the preservation of early 20th-century Black American music. The label’s work ensured that the voices of Charley Patton, Blind Willie McTell, Blind Blake, and dozens of their contemporaries would not be lost to time.
Suggested Listening
Buy from Amazon Before The Blues: The Early American Black Music Scene, Vol. 2
Buy from Amazon The Best of Blind Lemon Jefferson
