The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I've only become a record collector in more recent years, (and even then, not a serious one), although I've searched through record stacks since my pre-teen years. However, in all that time, I have never found a Sonora record with any content that I would consider listening to. I realize it's a subjective and highly individual thing, but did Sonora ever record anything that collectors in general would agree is "good music"??? Any "hot" tunes on Sonora?

I've seen them, but I don't remember to have any single example in my collection. I could have one or two, but if this is the case, they are in the basement, with the rest of "ugly" records...

I am likely wrong (as I never had much luck either with the Sonora records) but the ones I've found were from the '40s and '50s-ish, marked "Sonora Radio & Television." They were also all vinylite--at least the ones I saw.

Hardly the 1910s-1920s Sonora Phonograph Company we're used to.

The one I have is late, but it's shellac--as I'm remembering it (and if I haven't disposed of it somewhere along the line). It is "hot" definitely not '20s vintage music. I forget one title; the other is something along the lines of Os Quindis de Yaya. Hot Latin, I guess.

Sonora only started producing records in 1942. They were pressed from bought in masters until their own music division began recording in 1944.
This proved unprofitable and production ceased in 1949, after which Sonora concentrated on radio and television manufacture.

epigramophone wrote: Sun Jun 27, 2021 12:15 pm Sonora only started producing records in 1942. They were pressed from bought in masters until their own music division began recording in 1944.
This proved unprofitable and production ceased in 1949, after which Sonora concentrated on radio and television manufacture.

Thanks. I believe this explains much of my observations/opinions.

VanEpsFan1914 wrote: Sun Jun 27, 2021 9:58 am Hardly the 1910s-1920s Sonora Phonograph Company we're used to.

There was produced for a short time a vertical cut Sonora brand disc. The company that produced these early records eventually became the Sonora phonograph company. They weren't making records under the Sonora name anymore though.

The other more common seen Sonora of the 1940's does seem to have a high preponderance of dull music.

Wolfe wrote: Sun Jun 27, 2021 2:12 pm

VanEpsFan1914 wrote: Sun Jun 27, 2021 9:58 am Hardly the 1910s-1920s Sonora Phonograph Company we're used to.

... a high preponderance of dull music.

Exactly! I wish I had stated it so succinctly!

Looking over this list was as I suspected - http://78discography.com/Sonora.htm

There's the odd thing of mild interest (to me), but most is / looks pretty blah. I have a handful of these Sonora discs around, can't even remember what's on them.

epigramophone wrote: Sun Jun 27, 2021 12:15 pm Sonora only started producing records in 1942. They were pressed from bought in masters until their own music division began recording in 1944.
This proved unprofitable and production ceased in 1949, after which Sonora concentrated on radio and television manufacture.

I think the band on the record you pictured is the same as on mine.