May 7, 1949: RCA Victor RCA Victor introduces 45 RPM records. Or does it?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Also, those are records, Michael; not recordings.

I report; you decide.

45 RPM recordings were introduced by RCA Victor today 1949:

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The account at Wikipedia does not agree with this at all.

Phonograph record, New sizes and materials

{snip}

Beginning in 1939, Dr. Peter Goldmark and his staff at Columbia Records and at CBS Laboratories undertook efforts to address problems of recording and playing back narrow grooves and developing an inexpensive, reliable consumer playback system. It took about eight years of study, except when it was suspended because of World War II. Finally, the 12-inch (30 cm) Long Play (LP) ​33 1⁄3 rpm microgroove record album was introduced by the Columbia Record Company at a New York press conference on June 18, 1948. At the same time, Columbia introduced a vinyl 7-inch ​33 1⁄3 rpm microgroove single, calling it ZLP, but it was short-lived and is very rare today, because RCA Victor introduced a 45 rpm single a few months later, which became the standard.


Boston Pops conductor Arthur Fiedler demonstrating the new RCA Victor 45 rpm player and record in February 1949.

Unwilling to accept and license Columbia's system, in February 1949, RCA Victor released the first 45 rpm single, 7 inches in diameter with a large center hole. The 45 rpm player included a changing mechanism that allowed multiple disks to be stacked, much as a conventional changer handled 78s. The short playing time of a single 45 rpm side meant that long works, such as symphonies, had to be released on multiple 45s instead of a single LP, but RCA claimed that the new high-speed changer rendered side breaks so brief as to be inaudible or inconsequential. Early 45 rpm records were made from either vinyl or polystyrene. They had a playing time of eight minutes.

I have the very first one ever released, you can currently get a nice copy for $48 https://discogs.com/sell/item/1080805474

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Eddy Arnold, The Tennessee Plowboy And His Guitar* ‎– Texarkana Baby
Label: RCA Victor ‎– 48-0001
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Green
Country: US
Released: 31 Mar 1949
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country

Notes

This 7 Inch, 45 RPM single (clear green commercial pressing) is notable for being the world's first ever 7 Inch, 45 RPM single released in the US on March 31st, 1949. Preceding this release was a preview 'Demonstration Record' titled 'Whirl Away' which could be said to the first ever 45 release pressed, as it was a preview demo introducing the new 7 Inch, 45 RPM format. A sample of the Eddy Arnold recording is featured on the 'Whirl Away' demo.

Second pressings of this recording have green labels on black vinyl. Both tracks reached number one on the US Country Chart. "Cottonseed Clark" was the host of several country & western, musical variety shows on radio in the 1940s. Including "Hollywood Barn Dance" and "All Star Western Theater. He also was together with Eddie Kirk at the "California Hayride". He appeared in the film "Smokey River Serenade" in 1947. He recorded an album in 1961 called "Homespun Philosophy" (Fox 3040/SFX 3040).

[BigmanPigman]

1. The portable record players were taken every where too.

The harbinger of portable transistor radios, boom boxes and Sony Walkmans.

[Docreed2003]

2. So RCA introduced the 45 rpm record

It was just in March of 1949 instead of May?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

4. That's what I'm thinking. I don't know why Beschloss thinks it happened in May. NT

[Doc_Technical]

3. When was the big 10 inch record revealed?