A small and very distinctive Houston company started by Clarence Henry and his wife Macy after she had taken an interest in the record business when the department store she ran began distributing other labels.

Seeing the potential in this field for smaller independent companies they started their own label in 1949 (named for her as Macy’s Recordings rather than a more typical sounding Macy’s Records) and hired Steve Poncio to help oversee the operations. Their talent roster was highly representative of their region with country music, blues and rock ‘n’ roll, though most notably they also became one of the first purveyors of the Cajun zydeco style of the Gulf Coast.

In spite of some talented artists, quality production values and even two early hits by Lester Williams and Clarence Garlow to let them hit the ground running, they were unable to expand on their early success and by 1951 folded shop as Houston’s market had rapidly become cornered by the new Peacock label.

Though Macy’s run was very short and they never quite earned their moniker “Queen Of Hits”, the company’s focus on the unique sounds of the surrounding area allowed them to stand out and earn an historical footnote that many longer lasting imprints never did.
MACY’S RECORDINGS DISCOGRAPHY (Records Reviewed To Date On Spontaneous Lunacy):

LESTER WILLIAMS: I’m So Happy I Could Jump And Shout (7) (Macy’s 5000; December, 1949)
CLARENCE GARLOW: She’s So Fine (6) (Macy’s 5001; December, 1949)
CLARENCE GARLOW: Blues As You Like It (3) (Macy’s 5001; December, 1949)