When Jim Lewallen sent me scans of a 45 by his group the Goldenaires on Angelus Records, I started looking into the label’s discography. I really didn’t know what I was getting into!

Angelus Records was the in-house label for Whitney Recording Studio in Glendale, California. Lorin Whitney owned and operated the studio and played organ or piano on many of Angelus albums. Les Roberts described the studio to me, “the main studio was almost 50’ x 50’. Great acoustics!”

The label was either named for, or connected to the Angelus Temple of the Foursquare Church, the Pentecostal sect founded by Aimee Semple McPherson. the studio and label were in Glendale, five miles north of the temple.

All kinds of artists used Whitney for recording, but Angelus Records tended towards Christian inspirational music, but not African-American gospel music. It was a big operation, putting out hundreds of LPs from the early ’60s into the ’70s. Most Angelus releases were custom pressings: the artists paid for the recording and pressing of their records. However, Lorin Whitney had at least one release of his own, so Angelus may have marketed some of these albums. The acts came from all over the west, from Montana and Colorado all the way to Alaska, with many from Seattle and the state of Washington.

Within the Angelus catalog there are a handful of interesting releases in genres other than Christian spiritual music, but even the few heavy rock exceptions such as Stone Garden and Faction have religious overtones. The only truly secular recordings may be the Goldenaires and the Xanadus singles.

Like the Word label, it had some of the best album covers ever.

7″ singles on Angelus:

There seem to be relatively few 45s on Angelus, but the single by the Stone Garden “Stop My Thinking” / “Oceans Inside Me” stands out.

There’s also a 45 I’ve never heard by a group called The Acid Test, supposedly recorded at Sound Recording in Spokane. Anyone have a transfer of that one? Craig (MojoCools) sent in the scans seen here and wrote:

I believe [one copy] was unearthed in the Spokane area, while I found mine in NW Montana and always thought they were from Spokane/Couer d’Alene area. No SRC info on the trail off as it is only etched with WR-4803-A/ WR-4803-B and the “(copyright pending)” statement on the label doesn’t shed much light.

These guys sound like high school kids and can’t manage to pull of a lead break on the A side, and only barely at the end of the flip. A-side “What Do I Love” is almost heavy as Stone Garden but very inept and instead of a break they just modulate. Flip “Make Her Mine” is actually the Rascals “I’ve Been Lonely Too Long” and has a simple crude break towards the end.

Craig also sent the scan of the Foundation sleeve (above) and wrote:

Picture sleeve is a slick glued to a 7″ inner. It sounds pretty much like the sleeve looks. Acoustic guitar and electric bass. “The Man” = folky original that borrows from “All Along the Watchtower” a bit but adds some female scat vocals / harmony vocals giving it a sunshine pop sound. Flip is more soft folk sunshine which is a weird/happy way to sing about dying on the cross! This is not typical acoustic Christian folk.

First names are listed (Jim, Lou Ann, Jeanette and Mike), and a quote from Corinthians (“I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it”) but no other info on who group was.

Angelus LPs:

Of the albums, the most famous by far is Jim Beach’s group Fraction, with their very desirable psych LP Moon Blood. Even this record, it should be said, has Christian theology behind it.

Other interesting releases that I haven’t heard yet are two jazz LPs by Ron Pittner recorded in France, another by Bill Maldonado, a country or folk rock album by an act known as Sierra, and the intriguing Joe Jim Paul’s Sings Song from Alaska with song titles like “The Midget Wildwood Little Girl” and “Pop the Magic Dragon”

I’ve included what I could find from the usual record selling sources, so please write if you have good scans or can help with the discography. This is obviously very incomplete – only about 100 records out of what could be as many as 1,000 Angelus releases.

Engineers on the albums include Doug Smith, Paul Elmore and Frank Kejmar.

Angelus Records discography:

45 rpm / 7″ records:
Angelus 45-1012 – Jack Moore – Goodby, World, Goodby (Mosie Lister, with Frances Moore organ and Cathy Bragg piano) / How Great Thou Art (with the Calvary Temple Teen Chorale)
Angelus WR-4342 – The Goldenaires – “What He Said” / “The Mad Hatter”
Angelus WR-4346 – The Music of Dick Charles and the Boys (no song titles, small center hole so probably 33 1/3 rpm)
Angelus WR-4442 – Xanadus – “Before the Dawn” (Boyd & Adams) / “Little Girl” (Wray) (reissued on Encore 4442)
Angelus WR 4446-45 – Elsie & Gene Jaggers – Train Song / Hilo March
Angelus WR-4749 – Rick and Dennis – “Redeemed” / “The Love Come a Tricklin’ Down” / “Where Will You Be When That First Trumpet Sounds” / “Let Me Fly”
Angelus WR-4803 – Acid Test – “What Do I Love” / “Make Her Mine”
Angelus WR-4819 – The Stone Garden – “Stop My Thinking” / “Oceans Inside Me” (Gary Speer)
Angelus WR-4942 – Foundation – “The Man” / “Can You Live” (with picture sheet glued on plain sleeve)
Angelus WR-5015 – Redwood Chapel Community Church – Sunday Night Sing! (33 1/3 7″ LP)
Angelus WR-5047 – Tom Keene and the Contemporaries – “What a Song” / “May I Introduce You to a Friend”
Angelus WR 5075 – Mr. Lucky and the Good Vibes ‎– “Streak Around In Your Bones” (Tom Thorne) / “Barefoot in the Rain”
Angelus WR-5095 – Blue James – “Fairytales, Fishermen, and Fools” / “Sweet And True”
Angelus KO-794881 – Brian Michaels – “Twenty Nine Miles from Boston” / ?

Albums:
Angelus WR-4105 – Kaufman Family Radio Missionaries (cover reads Angelus, labels have Whitney Records)
Angelus WR-4193 – Bud Garmo ‎– Songs Of Comfort
Angelus WR-4216 – Ray Kaady – Amazing Grace
Angelus WR-4227 – Moore Evangelistic Party (Marrles Moore, Frances Moore, Jack Moore & Merv Moore, piano by Loren Whitney)
Angelus WR-4332 – Vincent and Virginia Gizzi ~ Missionaries To Japan
Angelus WR-4342 – see 45 / 7″ list above
Angelus WR-4346 – see 45 / 7″ list above
Angelus WR-4362 – Don & Norma Tanner – The Tanner Team
Angelus WR-4365 – Lex Ellesin – Yugoslav Songs and Dances
Angelus WR-4368 – Bill Notehelfer – Forward to Christ, with Charles Magnuson & Lorin Whitney
Angelus WR-4371 – Jimmie McDonald – Sings From His Heart to You
Angelus WR-4379 – Bill White – Gentle Hands, with Sue Magnuson and Pattie Stiles, prod. by Wesley Tuttle
Angelus WR-4381 – Malcolm Fry ‎– Overshadowed
Angelus WR-4393 – Woodlandaires – Spring Concert
Angelus WR-4394 – Polly Prieto, Lorene Null, Elizabeth Null & Hilarion S. Raymundo ‎– Melodies From The Mission Field (Philippine Islands)
Angelus WR-4396 – Calvary Temple, Seattle, Bud Tutmarc dir. – My Heart Is Glad
Angelus WR-4409 – Ronald Drye – Balm in Gilead
Angelus WR-4419 – Dale Crowley – From My Heart to Your Heart
Angelus WR-4422 – Marian Estep – The News in Revelation
Angelus WR-4425 – Ron Schloss – Memorial Album
Angelus WR-4437 – Wilbur and Norman Nelson – Sing Praises

Angelus WR-4441 – Lorene Booth Koltovich ‎– Sacred Requests
Angelus WR-4442 – see 45 / 7″ list above
Angelus WR-4443 – Bud Garmo – Songs of Challenge

Angelus WR 4446 – see 45 / 7″ list above
Angelus WR-4447 – Bud Garmo ‎– I Never Walk Alone

Angelus WR-4458 – Roger Crymes – God Understands
Angelus WR-4479 – Marriage, Divorce and Sex (Message by Dr. Joseph Murphy)
Angelus WR-4497 – Marian Estep – Songs of Heaven
Angelus WR-4503 – Cass Schreib My Wonderful Lord
Angelus WR-4520 – First Baptist Church, Crescenta, Calif. ‎– Organ-Music Dedication
Angelus WR-4529 – Donna Reed – Fill My Cup Lord

Angelus WR 4538 – Northwest College Concert Choir ‎– “How Big Is God” Also “It Took A Miracle” (need confirmation of this one)
Angelus WR 4539 – Tom Keene and the Contemporaries – The New Sound In Motion

Angelus WR 4542 – Northwest District Youth Choir of the Assemblies of God, Seattle – I Have Christ
Angelus WR-4551 – Nelson & Jester – Good News Favorites, with Helen Nelson and Mary Jester
Angelus WR-4557 – Korean Blind Quartet – Songs of Another World
Angelus WR-4557 – Fairview Heights (Inglewood Ca) Baptist Church
Angelus WR-4559 – Gilbert Hynes ‎– Heart Songs Of The Spirit (need confirmation of this one)
Angelus WR-4569 – Berl Thomas – Hymns of Hope
Angelus WR-4561 – Fairview Heights (Inglewood, CA) Baptist Church Choir – In His Glory (need confirmation of this one)
Angelus WR-4572 – Harbor-Lites – Girls Trio
Angelus WR-4573 – Witnesses Trio – Nearer My God
Angelus WR-4591 – Don Calhoun – Sacred Songs
Angelus WR-4592 – David F. Webber – Mark of the Beast
Angelus WR-4597 – R. Norheim & Lutheran Gospel Hour Singers ‎– Lamplighter Songs
Angelus WR-4600 – Roy & Arlene Brewer – He Is Everything to Me
Angelus WR-4602 – Marian Estep – Old Favorites of the Church
Angelus WR-4616 – The Singing Servants, directed by Dean Schield
Angelus WR-4619 – Harold Holt – It’s In My Heart
Angelus WR-4638 – Judy Koenig – No Other Song
Angelus WR-4654 – Dr. Joseph Murphy – The Secret Of I Am That I Am
Angelus WR-4659 – Treble Heirs – No Other Song (Jane Fowler, Cherie Miller, Linda Morse)
Angelus WR-4663 – Brandts – No Other Name
Angelus WR-4677 – Wilbur and Norman Nelson – New Life in Christ
Angelus WR-4684 – The Proclaimers
Angelus WR-4701 – Elmer and Lee Bruno – Sonata Sagrada
Angelus WR-4705 – Alma Louise Shurte – Songs from the Heart
Angelus WR-4722 – The Singing Servants ‎– Day By Day
Angelus WR-4732 – Jane Nellis – Songs from the Heart
Angelus WR-4742 – The Lacys – Hallelujah! Unique Gospel Songs & Spirituals
Angelus WR-4749 – see 45 / 7″ list above
Angelus WR-4771 – Bethany Park Presents ’68 Camp Meeting – Melodies of Praise
Angelus WR-4778 – Marian Estep – Sing Unto the Lord
Angelus WR-4779 – Linda Baker – Paul Speaks to You
Angelus WR-4781 – Antanas Pavasaris – Dainu Ir Ariju Recitalis
Angelus WR-4789 – Taiwan Men’s Choir – Free China Sings
Angelus WR-4793 – The Hart Family – Paul, Connie & David Hart – Hart To Heart
Angelus WR-4802 – The Faith Tones – Jesus Use Me
Angelus WR-4803 – see 45 / 7″ list above
Angelus WR-4811 – Marian Rieth – Moments of Meditation

Angelus WR-4817 – Wilbur and Norman Nelson – More Gospel Favorites
Angelus WR-4818 – Bill Maldonado – … This Dream
Angelus WR-4819 – see 45 / 7″ list above

Angelus AR-4823 – Temple-Tones ‎– For His Glory
Angelus WR-4827 – Marian Estep with Lorene Kealy, Paul Kealy & Lorin Whitney – Songs of the Holy Land
Angelus WR-4833 – Ben Lippen School, Ralph Parker, Director – Music
Angelus WR-4842 – Jim Bergthold – Personal Peace
Angelus WR-4847 – Rodger Hall – Where Do I Go From Here
Angelus WR-4849 – Roy & Arlene Brewer – This Is the Life
Angelus WR-4853 – King’s Choralons & Northwest College Ladies’s Ensemble, Kirkland WA – God Is Alive
Angelus WR-4858 – Ray Kaady – Volume 2, Tell It Again
Angelus WR-4867 – Cymanfa Ganu & Welsh Church, Los Angeles – I Will Sing Hosanna
Angelus WR-4869 – Donald Rick with Dick Bolks and Lorin Whitney – In Sacred Concert
Angelus WR-4870 – Marian Rieth – Hallowed Moments
Angelus WR-4877 – Rise Up O Church – Sanctuary Choir, First Church Of The Nazarene, Whittier CA
Angelus WR-4885 – Marian Estep – Songs You Love
Angelus WR-4891 – Barbara Lowman, Soprano with Morris Mosby – I Asked the Lord
Angelus WR-4893 – Doris Beaulieu – Doris Sings Out in Sacred Concert, acc. by Coral Baerg
Angelus WR-4894 – Malcolm Fry ‎– Grace So Amazing
Angelus WR-4898 – Harbor Masters – The Harbor Masters Sing
Angelus WR-4916 – United Community Church Glendale – 10th Anniversary 1961 to 1971
Angelus WR-4926 – Bibleaires Trio ‎– I Shall Be At Home
Angelus WR-4933 – Ada Mouw Groen – Lord Is My Light
Angelus WR-4936 – Mizpah Singers (Barruel Bros) – The Living Rock
Angelus WR-4937 – Church of the Open Door – His People
Angelus WR-4942 – see 45 / 7″ list above
Angelus WR-4944 – artist? – What Color is Love (blank cover? I need a scan or confirmation of this one)
Angelus WR-4951 – Tom and Rachel Thorne – “Golden Kona” / “Magic in the Air” (R.T. Thompson Music Co., ASCAP – need confirmation of this one)
Angelus WR-4954 – Wilbur Nelson – Sings “These Are a Few of My Favorite Songs”
Angelus WR-4957 – Lutheran Gospel Hour – Anchored in Jesus / Anniversary Album
Angelus WR-4964 – Arnie Hartman – In Concert
Angelus WR-4982 – Kathryn Kuhlman presents Jimmie McDonald
Angelus WR-4990 – Neal Higgins – Fill My Cup, Lord
Angelus WR-4984 – The Sound Impressions – Presents … a Reason for Being (Otis Skillings, orch; Al Reis, photography; Chuck Hernandez, art design; Frank Kejmar, engineer; Jerry Lindsay, director)
Angelus WR-4989 – John and Linnie Olson – Radio Favorites
Angelus WR-4994 – Paul and Louise Greisen – I’m His to Command
Angelus WR-4996 – New Life ‎– Giver Of Joy

Angelus WR-5003 – The King’s Envoys – For Him
Angelus WR-5005 – Fraction – Moon Blood
Angelus WR-5009 – Dick Zeller – He Loves Us More
Angelus WR-5015 – see 45 / 7″ list above
Angelus WR-5024 – Vere Raley with John Lundberg Singers ‎– Baritone Soloist
Angelus WR-5031 – Marian Estep – God Is Our Refuge
Angelus WR-5032 – Chuck Kisner & Rose Parenti – Don’t Let a Day Go By
Angelus WR-5041 – The Brotherhood III and The New Life – A Reason to Sing
Angelus WR-5042 – Tact Singers (Teen Action for Christ Today) – Jesus Is (dir. Roger Clay, First Church of the Nazarene, Denver, Colorado)
Angelus WR-5047 – see 45 / 7″ list above
Angelus WR-5051 – Sierra
Angelus WR-5057 – F.X. McDonald, Jr. – Peace My Friends
Angelus WR-5059 – Robert Bowman – Songs of Enduring Faith
Angelus WR-5060 – Westmont College Choir
Angelus WR-5067 – Ken Hyde – If God
Angelus WR-5068 – Modesto Christian School Choir And The Children Of Modesto Christian School ‎– Good News! (need confirmation of this one)
Angelus WR-5069 – Master Design – Get All Excited with Master Design
Angelus WR-5074 – Mark Greer – Searching
Angelus WR-5082 – Pastor R. Norheim & Lutheran Gospel Singers – Gospel in Song
Angelus WR-5083 – Joyce Okert – Something Worth Living For
Angelus WR-5086 – The Jesters – Messages In Music
Angelus WR-5087 – Tom & Shelly (1974)
Angelus WR-5088 – Mark Greer – Resolutions
Angelus WR-5091 – Bill White – Reaching Out
Angelus WR-5095 – see 45 / 7″ list above
Angelus WR-5099 – The Dick Anthony Family – More Out of Life
Angelus WR-5102 – The Inspirationals and Lawrence Foley – Sacred Songs from the Crystal Fountain
Angelus WR-5108 – Jamie Burghardt ‎– Jamie Sings For God And Country
Angelus WR-5111 – Chuck Kisner – In His Name
Angelus WR-5113 – George Sanchez – Songs of the Shepherd
Angelus WR-5115 – Barruel Brothers – Born to Be King
Angelus WR-5117 – Tim & Roger – At the Twin Pianos
Angelus WR-5120 – F.X. McDonald – F.X. & the Boys
Angelus WR-5121 – Ken Finley – God Is Much Fairer
Angelus WR-5123 – Westmont College Choir
Angelus WR-5126 – John Steele – Closing Night
Angelus WR-5127 – Linnie J. Olson – Linnie (Rufus Harvey Jr. conducting)
Angelus WR-5128 – Clara Shannon – Singing Missionary
Angelus WR-5130 – Daybreak with Dick Anthony & the Orchestra
Angelus WR-5142 – Ron Pittner – Out from the Edge: Recorded in Concert, Paris, France, with Kent Carter (cello), Mototeru Takagi (saxophone), Takashi Kako (electric piano), recorded March 1974
Angelus WR-5143 (?) – Covenant Gospelaires present It’s A True Story
Angelus WR-5152 – Jim Bergthold First Tenor With The Haven Of Rest Quartet ‎– The King Is Coming
Angelus WR-5154 – The Ascensions – Playing Around with Jazz
Angelus WR-5156 – Neal Higgins ‎– To God Be The Glory
Angelus WR-5158 – Pierce Family ‎– A Song About Life
Angelus WR-5165 – F.X. McDonald, Jr. Soloist – Jesus Thou Art Coming w. Laurindo Almeida and Louise de Tullio
Angelus WR-5169 – Larry Vannucci – Anything Goes
Angelus WR-5174 – Freedom Ringers II (handbell music recorded during 1978 European tour)
Angelus WR-5183 – Joe Jim Paul – Sing “Song From Alaska” (with Son Gary Paul and John Angaiak)
Angelus WR-8081 – Jaggers Family – Across the Sea
Angelus WR-1943 – Ron Pittner – The Indigo Mirror and the Ivory Dot, Recorded in Concert, Orly, France,
Angelus WRLW-1981 – Lorin Whitney – Gospel Organ Favorites vol. 1

? – Christmas Time with Linnie
? – Riverside Professional Jazz Workshop

Master Design cover from Observatory. Thanks to Max Waller for the titles to the Blue James 45, to Dan Peterson for the Xanadus scans and to Jack for the Jack Moore 45 scans, to Gee K. for scans of 4877, and to John for the Elsie & Gene Jaggers info.