Uncovering the Mystery of Amarillo Records: The Indie Label You’ve Forgotten About

When you live and grow up in a city like Amarillo, you find all the unique qualities about it, and things that were created in the area.

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Amarillo has given the world many things.

When you think of its rich history, many people who have grown up or lived here have spread their wings and go places.   Although many people think Amarillo is just a dot on the map and has nothing to offer, it truly isn't. Amarillo has given so much to this world.

Amarillo once had its own coffee company, with fresh ground coffee made right in this city and shipped nationwide. It has had its share of celebrities, athletes, and musicians. Not to mention, the song Amarillo By Morning will live on forever.  Although, George Strait isn't from Amarillo (but tends to frequent the Texas Panhandle) the writer of that song Terry Stafford was an Amarillioan.

However, I digress, I was excited when I came upon an independent record label. Did Amarillo have a record label?

Amarillo Records

At first, I was intrigued by the fact that Amarillo had its own record label. I thought it would be amazing to know that records were being produced by an Amarillo-based label. So I dug in and did some research.

The Amarillo Records label was created by actor, comedian, musician, and writer Gregg Turkington.

The record label was founded in 1992 in San Francisco and released his albums and a lot of punk artists from the San Francisco music scene. Those on the label included:

• Anton LaVey
• Charles Gocher
• Dieselhed
• Faxed Head
• Harvey Sid Fisher
• Heavenly Ten Stems
• Major Entertainer Mike H
• Neil Hamburger
• New Session People
• Pop-O-Pies
• Secret Chiefs 3
• Sun City Girls
• Therapist John's Zip Code Revue
• Thinking Fellers Union Local 282
• Three Doctors (band)|Three Doctors
• Today's Sounds
• Totem Pole Of Losers
• U.S. Saucer
• Zip Code Rapists
• Zip Code Revue

Turkington abandoned Amarillo Records in 1999 and moved to Melbourne, Australia.

What Ties Did Amarillo Records have with Amarillo?

Absolutely nothing, other than the name Amarillo.  I cannot find anything where Gregg Turkington had ties to Amarillo.  Maybe he just wanted a record label named Yellow in Spanish or he just liked the name Amarillo.