Mr. Pop History – Vee Jay Records – Once home to the 4 Seasons and… The Beatles. Long reported to be in trouble financially, the American Federation of Musicians severed its licensing agreement with the label on October 12, 1965 and the very next day, Vee Jay Records – then 11 years old, died.

Vee Jay started out in Chicago, but with all the Beatle activity and a flood of cash, moved to Los Angeles in 1964. Beatle activity? It wasn’t supposed to happen – but it did as this small label was thrust among giants in early 1964. Vee Jay – for all practical purposes, released more than several Beatles records, plus an album (which was re-packaged at least five times). It’s an amazing story – one of my favorite in the colorful world of record labels – and pop culture history.