| Dunhill Records | |
| Parent: | Independent (1964–1967) ABC Records (1967–1975) Universal Music Group (catalog) |
| Founder: | Lou Adler Jay Lasker Pierre Cossette Bobby Roberts |
| Fate: | Sold // Parser says this is not a valid parameter // --> |
| Slogan: | "If it's on ABC/Dunhill, Believe It!" |
| Status: | Inactive |
| Distributor: | Geffen Records and Universal Music Enterprises |
| Genre: | Pop music |
| Country: | U.S. |
Dunhill Records was started in 1964 by Lou Adler, Jay Lasker, Pierre Cossette and Bobby Roberts as Dunhill Productions to release the music of Johnny Rivers on Imperial Records. It became a record label the following year and was distributed by ABC Records.
The first Dunhill single was "My Prayer/Pretty Please" (catalog #D-4001) by Shelley Fabares, who was married to Adler at the time. In the summer of 1967 Adler sold his shares to ABC Records, creating ABC-Dunhill Records, after which he started yet another label Ode Records (which was first distributed by CBS and later by A&M Records). Until 1975, ABC continued to release records on the Dunhill label, after which all remaining artists were absorbed into the ABC Records roster before MCA Records bought the label outright in 1979.
Buluu Dunhill Records was an offshoot of the ABC/Dunhill days using catalog series #B-73001 (45 RPM singles) and #B-60001 (LP).
Today, the Dunhill catalog is managed by Geffen Records.
A later independent reissue label called Dunhill Compact Classics was formed in 1986 to reissue recordings on the new CD format. British American Tobacco, a UK tobacco company, sued the company because of the use of the "Dunhill" name, forcing the company to rename itself DCC Compact Classics.[1]