The Amazing Mr. Forgue - Part 2

Starting a bibliography of printed works looks easy; just collect all the printed works that Norman W. Forgue produced, printed, published, designed, etc. Simple? Not so.

One of the consequences of starting a project like this, is that little interesting  side paths appear without warning which demand attention.

One day I came across a 45 record that looked familiar. The red label read Stepheny Records, and it was produced in my home town. Coupled with the fact his daughter was named Stepheny, and that the label had the look of Forgue’s work, further exploration was necessary. An entirely new aspect of N.W.F.’s life was unveiled.

I soon discovered that he was indeed the publisher of a record label, which in its short life of less than four years (1956-1960), produced about 40 45 singles and 35 LPs. In that short period, they recorded Dixieland and other jazz along with rhythm & blues. Although most have been forgotten, one album does sell today for almost a thousand dollars.

Little other information was available. Although there were two discographies on the internet, both were filled with errors and incomplete. After several years of searching, I now have the correct information on about 75% of them. Hopefully, I may come across a collector of the label who will be able to help me fill in the blanks.