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40 Years of Life Changing Music & Entertainment: Tyscot Records

On this edition of In Black America, producer/host John L. Hanson Jr. speaks with Dr. Leonard Scott co-founder/CEO of Tyscot Music and Entertainment.   

Tyscot Music and Entertainment  was founded in 1976 when dentist Leonard Scott and Craig Tyson started the label for the sole purpose of releasing their church choir's first album. Through the first decade, Tyscot's sales were consistent but modest.

In 1988, Dr. Scott’s son, Bryant  was hired as the label’s General Manager. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Tyscot Records experienced tremendous growth and success mostly due to the recordings of a new artist at that time named Rev. John P. Kee. Rev. Kee and his New Life Community Choir climbed the charts with each successive recording to land in the number one position in 1992 with the recording "We Walk By Faith".

The company faced a severe crisis in 1993 when their distributor, Spectra filed for bankruptcy and left owing Tyscot Records over a half million dollars that had been generated from the sale of its products. This meant, in turn, that Tyscot Records would not be able to pay its artists or their bills.

Tyscot Music and Entertainment is a family-run business with a focus on positive music, film and entertainment for the entire family. With a dynamic team and home to some of the world's greatest talent, Tyscot is transforming the world and sharing the gospel. As the oldest-minority owned and operated gospel-recording company in the country, the business credits its success to God's grace. 

John L. Hanson is the producer and host of the nationally syndicated radio series In Black America. It’s heard on home station KUT Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m., as well as weekly on close to 20 stations across the country. The weekly podcast of IBA, the only nationally broadcast black-oriented public affairs radio program, is one of KUT’s most popular podcasts.