Benson Records

Benson Records was founded by Bob Benson and John T. Benson, beginning as the John T. Benson Music Publishing Company in 1902.[1] The record label started out as Heart Warming Records and would come to house labels such as Impact Records, Greentree Records, RiverSong, StarSong and Home Sweet Home. In the 1970s Impact became the top label with artists such as Sandi Patty (her Impact catalog is owned by Word Records), The Imperials, J.D. Sumner & The Stamps Quartet, The Rambos, Dottie Rambo, The Archers, The Bill Gaither Trio, and the Speer Family. Heart Warming Records became The Benson Co.

Benson Records
Parent companySony Music Entertainment
Founded1902 (1902)
FounderBob Benson, John T. Benson
Defunct2001 (2001)
StatusDefunct
Distributor(s)Provident Label Group
GenreChristian
Country of originUnited States
LocationNashville, Tennessee

Overview

In 1980, Paragon Associates formed a partnership with Zondervan to own/operate Benson Records. (Paragon Assoc. was founded in 1975 by Bob MacKenzie and Bill Gaither (gospel singer). Paragon sold its interest to Zondervan in 1983 where under the leadership of Bob Jones, Jr. saw the Benson company grow even bigger in the 1980s, with artists such as Gold City, The Kingsmen Quartet, DeGarmo & Key, Dallas Holm and others making several hits.[1]

In the 1980s, Benson Records continued with success by signing a contract to distribute a new label founded by DeGarmo & Key member Eddie DeGarmo. Forefront Records was born and in 1989 Dc Talk was signed. In 1990 Forefront Records was sold to Chordant Music Distribution (owned by Universal Music Group, and this acquisition includes the entire DeGarmo & Key catalog). In 1994 the name Impact Records was sold to Landmark Distribution. In 1995 they acquired Diadem Music Group which included GospelJazz pioneer Ben Tankard's Tribute Records label contracts. These contracts included Tankard, Yolanda Adams, Twinkie Clark, and Bob Carlisle. Carlisle is best known for his hit song "Butterfly Kisses".

Benson Records was sold to Provident/Zomba in 1997,[2] which is now a part of Sony Music Entertainment. The Benson label was reformatted to focus on new artists.[1] Zomba closed the label in late 2001.

Most recently the name Heart Warming Records and RiverSong was sold to Homeland Entertainment. Homeland is owned by Bill Traylor and former President of Zondervan, Bob Jones, Jr.

Artists

Hit songs recorded on Benson

Just a few of the many hits recorded over the years for Benson Records

  • "Champion Of Love" - The Cathedrals (1987)
  • "Rise Again" - Dallas Holm
  • "Faith Unlocks The Door" - Jake Hess & The Imperials (1965)
  • "Reach Out To Jesus" - The Imperials (1968)
  • "He Touched Me" - The Imperials (1969)
  • "Sweet, Sweet Spirit" - The Imperials (1969)
  • "No Shortage" - The Imperials *Grammy Award Winning Album (1975)
  • "He's Coming Back" -The Imperials (1976)
  • "Jesus Is The Answer" - The Archers (1973)
  • "Put On Jesus" - The Archers (1973)
  • "Keep Singin' That Love Song" - The Archers (1974)
  • "He Loves You" - The Archers (1974)
  • "I'm Accepted" - DeGarmo & Key
  • "Judgment Day" - DeGarmo & Key (1992)
  • "The King Is Coming" - Speer Family
  • "Cornerstone" - Speer Family
  • "We Shall Behold Him" - Dottie Rambo
  • "I Go To The Rock" - Dottie Rambo
  • "Midnight Cry" - Gold City (1986)
  • "The Basics of Life" - 4Him
  • "Where There Is Faith" - 4Him
  • "For Future Generations" - 4Him
  • "Going, Going Gone" - Gold City (1994)
  • "Excuses" - Kingsmen Quartet
  • "Wish You Were Here" - Kingsmen Quartet
  • "40 Days and 40 Nights" - Songfellows Quartet
  • "Jesus Is Coming Soon" - Oak Ridge Boys
  • "The Statue of Liberty" - J.D. Sumner & The Stamps Quartet
  • "How Great Thou Art" -J.D. Sumner & The Stamps Quartet
  • "So Excited" -Straight Company

See also
  • List of record labels

Resources
  • Powell, Mark Allan. The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music Hendrickson Publishers, August 2002. (ISBN 1565636791 ISBN 978-1-56563-679-8)

References
  1. "Benson Music at My Music Way". Archived from the original on 2015-07-26. Retrieved 2008-02-20.
  2. Hefner, April (April 1997). "Everything Changes / The Dotted Line". CCM Magazine. 19 (10): 12. ISSN 1524-7848.
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