GRT Records was the name of both a U.S. and a Canadian record label, both created by General Recorded Tape, a California-based company that existed from 1965 to 1979. The label's demise was concurrent with the bankruptcy of its owner, General Recorded Tape.
U.S. Label
The American branch of GRT Records was founded in 1970 and was based in Los Angeles, California. Artists who released material on GRT Records in the United States included The Mojo Men, Sam Taylor, Lighthouse, Bobby Jameson, Edwards Hand, Terry Bush, Ronnie Hawkins, Colosseum, Mainline, Minnie Riperton, Flower Travellin' Band, Rastus, String Driven Thing, Lotti Golden, Van der Graaf Generator, Meri Wilson, and Steve Hackett. Contrary to original expectations, the label was not a major component of the operations of its parent company; instead, General Recorded Tape referred to its Chess/Janus record operations. The GRT label had more success with its Nashville operations, but the Nashville office was shut down in 1978.
In 1976, GRT Records established a subsidiary, Sunnyvale Records, which concentrated on releases of interest to an older audience, including Dixieland, organ, harmonica, and accordion music.
Canadian Label
In contrast to the U.S. label, the Canadian subsidiary became a major source of original releases by Canadian artists. GRT of Canada Ltd. was established as the Canadian subsidiary of General Recorded Tape. It was initially based in London, Ontario, as a Canadian distributor of 4-track and 8-track tapes produced in the United States. Its founding president was Ross Reynolds, who later became president of MCA Records Canada.
The company relocated to Toronto, Ontario in 1969 and commenced distributing foreign label records and tapes, as well as recording its own artists. By 1976, the foreign labels distributed by GRT in Canada included Chess Records, Janus Records, ABC Records, Dunhill Records, Island Records, Festival Records, Westminster Records, America Records, Impulse Records, Musidisc Records, 20th Century Fox Records, and Sire Records. Notable Canadian artists whose records were released by GRT included Dan Hill, Moe Koffman, Ian Thomas, Downchild Blues Band, Lighthouse, Prism, and FM.
Bankruptcy
GRT Records went bankrupt in 1979, with significant effects on the career progress of certain Canadian artists. The second album release of FM had been scheduled for release one week after the GRT Records bankruptcy. The Canadian band Prism had sold in excess of 200,000 copies of its album Armageddon, which was released the same year as the GRT bankruptcy. Both 8-track tapes and records by The Ramones were remaindered as a result of the GRT bankruptcy, a circumstance that paradoxically contributed to the band's popularity in Canada, as their music was discovered by persons who would not otherwise have purchased it at full price.
