How Sun Ra created his own record label, Saturn Records
Clip: 2/20/2026 | 2m 3sVideo has Closed Captions
Sun Ra was one of the first Black artists to have his own record label.
In 1957, Sun Ra founded Saturn Records with Alton Abraham, making him one of the first Black artists to have his own record label. The bulk of Sun Ra's enormous discography—well over 1,000 songs and over two hundred albums—was first issued on Saturn Records. "It was me creating something that nobody owned but us."
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How Sun Ra created his own record label, Saturn Records
Clip: 2/20/2026 | 2m 3sVideo has Closed Captions
In 1957, Sun Ra founded Saturn Records with Alton Abraham, making him one of the first Black artists to have his own record label. The bulk of Sun Ra's enormous discography—well over 1,000 songs and over two hundred albums—was first issued on Saturn Records. "It was me creating something that nobody owned but us."
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship(old timey jovial music) - Sun Ra was one of the first Black artists to own his own record label, Saturn Records, with his partner Alton Abraham.
(jazz music) - [Narrator] How do you decide what's going to come out on Saturn Records?
- [Sun Ra] Whatever I think people are not gonna listen to, I always recorded it, (speaker laughs) where it would take them some time to maybe 20 years, 30 years, before they really hear it.
(jazz music) - You had different jazz musicians that were releasing music independently.
Max Roach and Charles Mingus had a label together, but I think Sun Ra might have been the most robust example because he did it for so long.
It's everything from swing to bebop to progressive to music that doesn't even really sound like music.
(gong rings) It's a lot of music to go through, so a lot of Sun Ra's fans that I know personally, I don't even think they've gotten through the whole catalog themselves.
- He is both a dream and like, this headache for record collectors.
(jazz music) - When an artist decides to make their own records for themselves and own the work, own the masters, that is, it's a breakthrough moment.
It's a rejection of the system, of the plantation system that is the recording industry, plain and simple.
(jazz music) (jazz music)
How Sun Ra gave thanks to the Creator
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Clip: 2/20/2026 | 2m 46s | Each day, Sun Ra wrote a piece of music solely for “the Creator.” (2m 46s)
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Preview: 2/20/2026 | 2m 2s | Discover the extraordinary life of poet, philosopher and music visionary Sun Ra. (2m 2s)
Sun Ra’s concept of “alter destiny” was his way of changing humanity
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Clip: 2/20/2026 | 3m 29s | Sun Ra wanted to change humanity with his concept of the “alter destiny.” (3m 29s)
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Support for American Masters is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, AARP, Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Judith and Burton Resnick, Blanche and Hayward Cirker Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, Koo...