SOLAR began in 1975 as
Soul Train Records, founded by Dick Griffey and
Soul Train creator Don Cornelius. After scoring a hit with the recording, he looked to Cornelius to help him put together an actual group to maintain the impact. In 1977,
Soul Train dancers
Jody Watley and
Jeffrey Daniels and former
Soul Train Gang member Gerald Brown (who was eventually replaced by
Howard Hewett) were recruited to form the new Shalamar, which would become the fledgling label's centerpiece. Cornelius wanted to shut down the label and Griffey paid him $300,000 for his interests in the label. Cornelius wanted to focus his energies on the TV show — which was a monster hit and required his full attention to keep it so. After the Elektra distribution deal expired, SOLAR briefly took up distribution with
Capitol Records until 1989, at which time it signed a new distribution deal with
Epic Records, which oversaw what would ultimately become its twilight years. In 2009,
Unidisc Music purchased part of SOLAR's back catalog for Canada, US and South African territories. BMG owns the rights to part of the SOLAR catalog in the UK and Europe although the rights to SOLAR RECORDS as a trade mark and brand belong to the family of the late
Dick Griffey according to the Intellectual Property Office.
UK relaunch In 2018, 40 years after the founding of SOLAR Records, the label was relaunched in the UK by the family of the late
Dick Griffey, according to issue 77 of UK Publication 'Soul Survivors Magazine' which featured an interview with both Carrie Lucas and new CEO Jessie Tsang. At the helm of the relaunched label is Griffey's widow
Carrie Lucas, his daughter
Carolyn Griffey and British Chinese music promoter and IP paralegal consultant Jessie Tsang. Solar Records incorporates the Soul Train Records and Soul Train Club brands. Jessie Tsang is CEO with Sonia Damney as Vice President. In 2022 Carrie Lucas, Carolyn Griffey, Dina Andrews, Virgil Roberts participated with US Cable channel TV One for a special episode of the UNSUNG TV series on Dick Griffey and Solar Records. The episode premiered on November 6, 2022.
Solar and Soul Train Records Legacy Today The Solar Records legacy continues today with the Solar Records and Soul Train Records brands licensed to Solar Legacy Entertainment Ltd and Galaxy of Stars Ltd. The Solar Legacy Entertainment Ltd company includes attorney at law Virgil Roberts who previously was president and legal counsel for Solar Records and
Dick Griffey. Solar Legacy Entertainment also acquired music catalog rights to historic master recordings and also new music catalogs. Other ventures include the continuation of the 'Soul Train Club' radio show which has been broadcasting on
Solar Radio since 2017. As of 2023 Galaxy of Stars Ltd oversees the live entertainment and music interests of the brands which includes the Soul Train Club and Solar Records. In December 2023 Solar entered into a TV and Film publishing deal due to be announced in 2024. Earmarked for release in 2024 is a new single by Kimberly Brown of
Sounds of Blackness. As of 2024 Virgil Roberts and Jessie Tsang on behalf of Solar Legacy Entertainment Ltd, entered into a deal with the famed Hollywood author, TV and film producer
Tina Andrews for a
Dick Griffey and
Solar Records motion picture deal. Solar Legacy Entertainment Ltd also own a number of master recording rights to recordings by
Soul Train Gang,
Carrie Lucas,
Klymaxx,
Sunbear,
Snoop Dogg and
Dr Dre and the sound track to the film
Deep Cover. Part of Solar's new catalog includes new music by
Leon Sylvers III, Dana Meyers,
Freddie Lee Peterkin, Brian K Morgan and Katie Goulet and
Dick Griffey's grandson Kid3rd. == Artists ==