The Trey Label was started in November, 1959, by Lester Sill and Lee Hazelwood with some financial backing from Atlantic Records. Still and Hazlewood were responsible for A&R on the label, which was based in Hollywood, although recorded many tracks in Arizona. Phil Spector produced at least three singles for Trey, including two efforts by a group called the Spectors Three and "The Bells of St. Mary's" by Kell Osborne. The Osborne single is significant because it marked the first use by Spector of elements of the "Wall of Sound" that he later perfected at Philles Records. The label issued popular, folk, R&B, rock and roll and spoken word. Trey issued singles in 1959, 1960 and 1961. The Trey label was distributed by Atlantic, although it is believed the label was also associated with the Era/Dore labels at some time during it's existence. By the end of 1961, Trey was out of business and Lester Sill then formed the legendary Philles label with Phil Spector as a partner.

The Trey album label was black with silver printing. "TREY" above the center in a silver oval. Above the logo is a "3" in a circle. At the bottom of the label is "Sill-Hazlewood Productions Hollywood - Distributed by Atlantic Record Sales".

A different, unrelated, Trey label was started by Eddie Schuller in Lake Charles, Louisiana, in 1959 as a subsidiary of his Goldband label.

We recently received a note from Denny Reed, one of the artists on the Trey label. He had two singles on Trey, "A Teenager Feels It, Too"/"Hot Water" [Trey 3007] and "Lonely Little Bluebird"/"No One Cares" [Trey 3014]. He wrote:

The 45 label for Trey Records was a rust colored background with the"3" & TREY in black lettering over a white background. I had the largest selling single on the Trey label back in 1960 called "A Teenager Feels it Too." That recording is currently released on Ace Records in the UK on a compilation CD titled "Teenage Crush, Volume 4." My records, along with Duane Eddy, Ray Sharpe, and countless others were recorded at Ramsey's Audio Recorders in Phoenix, AZ. The echo chamber was a huge propane tank that was sitting outside of the studio. Few people know this, but on every Duane Eddy hit there were sparrow bird sounds, because the tank was above the ground the birds would sit on top of the tank. There was a mike inside of the tank, and when all of the tracks were turned down for the mikes recording the instruments, you could hear the chirping of sparrows. That, of course, was never heard on the recordings because the musical tracks were overriding the chirps. But who Knows? Maybe without the "boid choips" the records would not have sold as well as they did!!!! I was there when music history was taking place, with the likes of Lester Sill, Phil Spector, Lee Hazelwood, Duane Eddy, and Gary Paxton. Truly a unique time in history.

We would appreciate any additions or corrections to this discography. Just send them to us via e-mail. Both Sides Now Publications is an information web page. We are not a catalog, nor can we provide the records listed below. We have no association with Trey or Atlantic Records. Should you be interested in acquiring albums listed in this discography (which are all out of print), we suggest you see our Frequently Asked Questions page and follow the instructions found there. This story and discography are copyright 2000, 2005 by Mike Callahan.