Anna Records
Anna Records was a short-lived record label founded by sisters Anna Gordy and Gwen Gordy and Roquel Billy Davis in 1959 and was located at Detroit, Michigan. Gordy and Davis had written hit songs for Jackie Wilson and Etta James prior to founding the label. Anna Records recorded acts like David Ruffin, future lead singer of The Temptations, Joe Tex, Herman Griffin, Johnny Bristol and his partner Jackey Beavers (the original duo behind the Supremes' "Someday We'll Be Together"), and future Motown hit-making songwriter-producer Lamont Dozier (who went by the name Lamont Anthony at the time). They hired future Motown star Marvin Gaye as drummer for the label. Anna Records is most notable for issuing the first national Motown hit, "Money (That's What I Want)", recorded by singer-songwriter Barrett Strong, which hit number two on the R&B chart in early 1960. The label's own successes weren't so successful afterwards and in 1961, Anna was absorbed by Gwen and Anna's brother Berry Gordy to the Motown label where all of its artists signed with Motown. Gaye, in particular, became a solo artist and signed with the label's original Tamla subsidiary while still serving as a session drummer, and Ruffin later joined The Temptations signing a separate contract with the Gordy subsidiary just prior to him signing with the label. Ruffin's brother Jimmy also briefly recorded for the label. After its departure, Anna joined Motown's staff writing team and Gwen later separated from Davis going on to form a partnership with singer Harvey Fuqua, whom she married. The couple later formed Harvey Records and Tri-Phi Records. Both labels were also absorbed by Motown in 1963. Gwen and Harvey later joined the Motown songwriting staff. Davis found success as a staff songwriter for Chess Records shortly after Etta James released his co-composition, "All I Could Do Was Cry".