American. Curtom was Curtis Mayfield's label; it was formed in 1968, and it was, unsurprisingly, dedicated to Soul music. Curtom products were initially handled by Buddah in the States; Warner took over distribution in 1975 and continued to carry out that task until the Curtom label as a separate entity disappeared, which it seems to have done in 1978. In Britain product was initially available on the Buddah label. The Curtom label as such came on the scene in 1975, through WEA; its singles shared a numerical series with those of Warner Brothers. It registered in the Singles Chart in 1975 with The Impressions', 'First Impressions' (K16638), and in 1978 with 'If My Friends Could See Me Now' by Linda Clifford (K-17163). The distribution deal with WEA expired on the 31st of December 1978 and Curtom signed with RSO. The new deal seems not to have involved a discrete label identity, as for the next two years Curtom's records came out on the RSO label. Initially the company's logo appeared on the labels as well as that of RSO (2) but the practise seems not to have been continued. Curtom made a comeback as an actual label in 1988, via PRT.
('Both Sides Now'; www.bsnpubs.com)
Copyright 2006 Robert Lyons.