Peter Pan Records

Peter Pan Records
Parent company	SPC
Genre	Various
Country of origin	United States

Peter Pan Records was a record label specializing in children's music. The label was introduced to the public in March 1948.^[1] The label was owned by the Synthetic Plastics Company of Newark, New Jersey until the 1970s.

The label became one of the largest and most successful children's specialty record labels in America, manufacturing releases that often contrasted with those of their competitors (Wonderland Records, Kid Stuff Records, and Mr. Pickwick). Peter Pan enjoyed their greatest success as a children's label during the 1950s. Many of their most famous releases were issued on 78-RPM 7-inch records and on 45-RPM 7-inch records. Both songs (such as a cover version of Frosty the Snowman) and stories (such as a heavily abridged version of Peter and the Wolf, with Victor Jory narrating) were released. Releases credited a variety of performers, including Dick Edwards with the Peter Pan Chorus and Orchestra,^[2] the Caroleer Singers,^[3] the Peter Pan Players and variations on these titles.

The label was notable for its series of book-and-record sets, combining an illustrated storybook with a vinyl record that contained music and narration by "your Peter Pan Storyteller" (who would prompt the listener to "turn the page" at the sound of a bell). Cartoon characters such as Bugs Bunny, Popeye the Sailor Man, The Flintstones, Bozo the Clown, Scooby-Doo and Casper the Friendly Ghost were often subjects, or stars of stories.

One of its most successful releases was Santa Claus is Coming to Town, an original production by Peter Pan's studio collective (known as the Peppermint Kandy Kids), that featured remakes of classic Christmas holiday songs, original songs for the album, and portrayals of Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus.

Also notable was the company's run of Irwin the Disco Duck albums, which featured popular songs of their time (1976 to 1980) and were aimed at children, with the title character acting as a DJ.

Peter Pan Records was spun off into its own entity, Peter Pan Industries, from the 1970s to 2000. In the early 1990s, while keeping its primary asset alive (even though the children's label market had declined), Peter Pan Industries branched into music releases not aimed at the children's market.

The company changed its name to PPI Entertainment of Newark, New Jersey, and established new label divisions and imprints, including Rohit International Records, a budget label from the 1990s that specialized in reggae.

PPI Entertainment Group changed its name yet again in the year 2006 to Inspired Studios from West Palm Bach, Florida.

Power Records

Power Records was a related label, featuring characters licensed from DC Comics and Marvel Comics, and contemporary television series (such as Space: 1999, Kojak, Star Trek and The Six Million Dollar Man), in stories geared toward older children. (Planet of the Apes was also adapted, both from the movies and the short-lived TV series.) The book-and-record sets frequently featured original 20-page comic books along with an extended-play 7" record of the story. Playing the record while reading along in the book brought the story to life through music and sound effects.^[4] There were also other 7" single releases. Besides book-and-record sets, LPs were produced, featuring the recorded stories without illustrations. As of 2010, none of the Power Records material has been re-released for CD or digital media due to copyright issues.^[5]

See also

• Selected Peter Pan Records Discography (does not include some of the popular releases of the 1950's)
• List of record labels: Peter Pan Records, Rocking Horse Records, Tinkerbell Records, Power Records, Diplomat Records, Prom Records, Promenade Records, Scripture Records, Mountain Dew Records, Broadway Records, Maui Wowie Records, Holiday Records, Parade Records, Compose Records

References