. Based on Chicago's west side,
had a TV repair and record shop that was the base of his one-stop (meaning that record store owners could buy the various label releases that needed from one location -- making "one stop" -- rather than going to the different label branches to buy the releases) distributorship and eventually his record label.
Toscano's first label, Abco, was co-owned by
Joe Brown, who issued sides by Louis Meyers and
Morris Pejoe. Next came the legendary Cobra label, co-owned with Howard Bedno, which started in 1956.
Betty Everett ("The Shoop Shoop Song It's In His Kiss") recorded for the label in the mid-'50s before Cobra folded in 1958.
Magic Sam then brought
Buddy Guy to
Toscano's attention.
Guy recorded several sides for Cobra's Artistic imprint, including the 1958 singles "This Is the End," "Try to Quit You Baby," and "You Sure Can't Do," which were all produced by
Willie Dixon.
Toscano was killed in a boating accident in the early '60s. The
Cobra Records Story which features sides by the aforementioned artists as well as
Ike Turner's
Kings of Rhythm and titles in the Chicago Projects series from Jewel-Paula-Ronn Records.
–
Ed Hogan, Rovi