The First Stereo Albums

Over the past several weeks, I've been doing a lot of research into early stereo records. I thought you'd like to see the very first stereo albums released to the public by Audio Fidelity in March of 1958.



They shipped 10,000 copies of these first 4 LP's in early to mid-March:

AFSD 5830 Johnny Puleo and his Harmonica Gang Volume 1
AFSD 5843 Railroad - Sounds of a vanishing Era
AFSD 5849 Lionel - Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra
AFSD 5851 Marching Along with the Dukes of Dixieland Volume 3

Last edited by HoneyTalkNelson on Sat Oct 02, 2010 12:17 am, edited 2 times in total.

Excellent! When was the first stereo album recorded? I know Sinatra's Where Are You? was recorded on a second stereo recorder in 1957, though it wasn't issued in that format for a couple years.

I believe the Audio Fidelity stuff was recorded in 1957. The Sinatra and other early Capitol stuff was released on reel to reel first in 1957, then vinyl a year or so later.

Cool beans. I know the daughter of one of the members of the Harmonica Gang, she will be interested to know her dad was on the first mass-market stereo LP!

Here's the historic cover!

I thought Binaural recordings was produced first before stereo. I for one consider Binaural as Stereo.

Rather sad that the first Stereo LP had to be such a donkey!

That's a great album, actually.

That's a great album, actually.

Yeah,right!

I enjoy it too. Although you shouldn't say it's "the first" as there were 4 releases shipped at the same time.

That's a great album, actually.

Yeah,right!

Yeah, it is. Now shut up.

Any discussion of early stereo records must include the important contributions of Emory Cook. I won't go into great detail because there is a terrific website dedicated to his work:

http://www.roger-russell.com/cook/cook.htm

In brief, Cook first demonstrated his binaural stereo records at the New York Audio Fair from October 29 to November 1, 1952.

http://books.google.com/books?id=dB8EAA ... 22&f=false

Previewed at the Audio Fair was "the first commercial binaural disc recording," Wilbur de Paris and his "Rampart Street Ramblers" recorded in New York on September 11, 1952 and released in 1953 on Atlantic Records ALS-1208.

http://books.google.com/books?id=dB8EAA ... 22&f=false

By the end of 1952, Cook had released a handful of binaural LP's and by the next Audio Fair in October 1953, Cook had released nearly 25 albums in the format. But things were changing very quickly. At least a dozen other manufacturers were demonstrating "the new realism of stereophonic or binaural sound on both records and tape."

http://books.google.com/books?id=YgoEAA ... ook&f=true

After the development of the Westrex 45/45 cutter in September 1957 and the release of the first 4 stereo albums by Audio Fidelity in March 1958, many of Cook's 1952-1957 binaural recordings were released in that format. The first three released in June 1958 were:

2064SD - MASTERPIECES OF THE THEATER - Willis Page
207OSD - RAIL DYNAMICS
215OSD - KING OF ORGANS - Bill Floyd

In 1990, the entire Emory and Martha Cook library of recordings and documents were donated to the Smithsonian Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives. Since that time, 75 of his most historically significant recordings have been released on CD by Smithsonian Folkways and are now available to download.

http://www.folkways.si.edu/searchresult ... 7phrase%27

In closing, that historical first (and only) binaural release by a major label was released on CD in 2001 in all its stereo splendor by Collectables - COL 6816. http://www.oldies.com/product-view/68162.html.

I believe the first one (stereo LP) was released in nov. 1957, a two disc set, Dukes of Dixieland´s Marching Along and Railroad, Sounds of A Vanishing Era.

I believe the first one (stereo LP) was released in nov. 1957, a two disc set, Dukes of Dixieland´s Marching Along and Railroad, Sounds of A Vanishing Era.

That was a sample pressing and was not sold in stores. Audio Fidelity used that as a promotional item to create interest in stereo LP's.

http://books.google.com/books?id=wR0EAA ... &q&f=false

[quote="HoneyTalkNelson"]Over the past several weeks, I've been doing a lot of research into early stereo records. I thought you'd like to see the very first stereo albums released to the public by Audio Fidelity in March of 1958.

quote]


Shame they're all rubbish!

Over the past several weeks, I've been doing a lot of research into early stereo records. I thought you'd like to see the very first stereo albums released to the public by Audio Fidelity in March of 1958.

quote]


Shame they're all rubbish!

Not at all. In fact, after making this discovery, I picked up the Lionel Hampton album and it's quite good.

Don't knock something if you haven't heard it!

From Billboard: April 13, 1957.



I want one!

Last edited by HoneyTalkNelson on Sat Oct 02, 2010 7:00 am, edited 1 time in total.

I believe the first one (stereo LP) was released in nov. 1957, a two disc set, Dukes of Dixieland´s Marching Along and Railroad, Sounds of A Vanishing Era.

That was a sample pressing and was not sold in stores. Audio Fidelity used that as a promotional item to create interest in stereo LP's.

http://books.google.com/books?id=wR0EAA ... &q&f=false

According to this site (a good one) it was commercially available 11/57.

http://afd.brucelaing.com/pages/history.html

Sorry, but who of the two Bobs are you. I listened to the "The Capital Years" today and was wondering...are you Bob Furmanek or (as I believe) Bob Norberg? Of course, you don´t have to answer, if you choose not to. Have a nice weekend.

I believe the first one (stereo LP) was released in nov. 1957, a two disc set, Dukes of Dixieland´s Marching Along and Railroad, Sounds of A Vanishing Era.

That was a sample pressing and was not sold in stores. Audio Fidelity used that as a promotional item to create interest in stereo LP's.

http://books.google.com/books?id=wR0EAA ... &q&f=false

According to this site (a good one) it was commercially available 11/57.

http://afd.brucelaing.com/pages/history.html

Sorry, but who of the two Bobs are you. I listened to the "The Capital Years" today and was wondering...are you Bob Furmanek or (as I believe) Bob Norberg? Of course, you don´t have to answer, if you choose not to. Have a nice weekend.

That site is not totally accurate. It was available (as of 12/16/57) to industry executives and dealers as a demo item but was not sold in stores. The disc was specifically labeled "for test and laboratory purposes."

I'm Bob Furmanek, the other Bob was the studio engineer. Have a great weekend too!

Bob

I believe the first one (stereo LP) was released in nov. 1957, a two disc set, Dukes of Dixieland´s Marching Along and Railroad, Sounds of A Vanishing Era.

That was a sample pressing and was not sold in stores. Audio Fidelity used that as a promotional item to create interest in stereo LP's.

http://books.google.com/books?id=wR0EAA ... &q&f=false

According to this site (a good one) it was commercially available 11/57.

http://afd.brucelaing.com/pages/history.html

Sorry, but who of the two Bobs are you. I listened to the "The Capital Years" today and was wondering...are you Bob Furmanek or (as I believe) Bob Norberg? Of course, you don´t have to answer, if you choose not to. Have a nice weekend.

That site is not totally accurate. It was available (as of 12/16/57) to industry executives and dealers as a demo item but was not sold in stores. The disc was specifically labeled "for test and laboratory purposes."

I'm Bob Furmanek, the other Bob was the studio engineer. Have a great weekend too!

Bob

Seems I was wrong two times...Hello Mr. Furmanek. I do believe what you are saying, but could you please tell me how that site is wrong when saying "the first stereo release for commercial release was 11/57". I mean, how do you know they are wrong? Please don´t take this the wrong way, I have no reason to doubt you...

I believe the first one (stereo LP) was released in nov. 1957, a two disc set, Dukes of Dixieland´s Marching Along and Railroad, Sounds of A Vanishing Era.

That was a sample pressing and was not sold in stores. Audio Fidelity used that as a promotional item to create interest in stereo LP's.

http://books.google.com/books?id=wR0EAA ... &q&f=false

According to this site (a good one) it was commercially available 11/57.

http://afd.brucelaing.com/pages/history.html

Sorry, but who of the two Bobs are you. I listened to the "The Capital Years" today and was wondering...are you Bob Furmanek or (as I believe) Bob Norberg? Of course, you don´t have to answer, if you choose not to. Have a nice weekend.

That site is not totally accurate. It was available (as of 12/16/57) to industry executives and dealers as a demo item but was not sold in stores. The disc was specifically labeled "for test and laboratory purposes."

I'm Bob Furmanek, the other Bob was the studio engineer. Have a great weekend too!

Bob

Seems I was wrong two times...Hello Mr. Furmanek. I do believe what you are saying, but could you please tell me how that site is wrong when saying "the first stereo release for commercial release was 11/57". I mean, how do you know they are wrong? Please don´t take this the wrong way, I have no reason to doubt you...

From doing research with primary, original source materials. I learned a long time ago that you can't just take someone's word on an issue like this unless they've backed it up with documentation. That Audio Fidelity site is excellent, but I don't see any indication of where he got the information.

I've gone through industry trade journals and newspapers to get the facts straight and it's certain that the Audio Fidelity test disc was not even demonstrated to the public until Friday December 13, 1957.

I'll post some documentation shortly...

Here's the December 16, 1957 article about the first demonstration of the new stereo disc from the recently perfected Westrex 45/45 cutter:

What about his comment...?
http://afd.brucelaing.com/pages/story.html
This isn´t just someones word...or is it?
He has the record there for proof...?
You are the expert here...I am just wondering what is right and wrong...

What about his comment...?
http://afd.brucelaing.com/pages/story.html
This isn´t just someones word...or is it?
He has the record there for proof...?
You are the expert here...I am just wondering what is right and wrong...

Yes, that is the record, but please read the article. It was for demonstration purposes only and wasn't displayed until December 13, 1957.

What about his comment...?
http://afd.brucelaing.com/pages/story.html
This isn´t just someones word...or is it?
He has the record there for proof...?
You are the expert here...I am just wondering what is right and wrong...

Yes, that is the record, but please read the article. It was for demonstration purposes only and wasn't displayed until December 13, 1957.

I read it, of course. But his site is not an "amateur" one...I´m sure you know that newspapers often get things wrong. Still, I know you have more knowledge, than me, regarding these recordings. But...
he clearly says that they where released "commercially available". Then again, I will take your word for it.

ps. Dec. 1957 is before 1958...? Right? ds.