Tear Drop Records was a record label founded in Winnie, Texas, United States, in the early 1960s by recording pioneer and radio personality, Huey P Meaux. As a deejay, Meaux was known as the "Crazy Cajun", a name that stuck with him throughout his long, music career.
In 1964, Meaux moved his Tear Drop label and his Crazy Cajun Enterprises to Conroe, Texas, where he partnered with a seasoned record producer, Foy Lee. They not only continued to release new material, but also started various subsidiary labels including Capri Records, Tribe Records, and Eric Records. Together, Meaux and Lee produced many chart singles on the Tear Drop label. They became nationally distributed by Jay Gee Records (J/G) which was owned by Jamie Records in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
In the 1970s, Meaux reactivated the Crazy Cajun record label and began to produce records by early-1960s rocker, Freddy Fender. He scored the biggest hit of his career when Fender's "Before The Next Teardrop Falls" single broke through all chart boundaries and went platinum selling over a million copies. By this time, Meaux had purchased both the SugarHill Recording Studios in Houston, Texas, and the TNT Records pressing plant in San Antonio.
Select discography
Albums
2000 Sunny & The Sunliners - Talk to Me (1963)
2001 Sunny & The Sunliners - Las Vegas Welcomes
2002 Jimmy Donley (Memorial To The Unforgettable) - Born To Be A Loser (1963)
2003 Sunny & The Sunliners - Carino Nuevo
2004 Dale McBride - Sings (1963)
2005 Rudy Gonzales Y Sus Reno Bops - Un Ratito El Tejano Enamorado
2006 Sunny & The Sunliners - Las Ciudades
2007 Rudy Gonzales Y Sus Reno Bops - La Palma
2008 Sunny & The Sunliners - Tear Drop Presents
2009 Roy Montelongo - Brindo Por Ti
2010 Rudy And The Reno Bops - Dejame Sonar
2011 Los Muchachos - Frijolitos Pintos
2012 Rocky Gil & The Bishops - The Two Sides Of Rocky Gil & The Bishops (1966)
2013 Roy Montelongo - Adios Chiquita
2014 Los Monarcas - Perlita
2015 The Starlight's - Triste Payaso
2016 Rocky Gil & The Bishops - El Fantastico
2017 Los Fabulosos Dominos - Nada Contigo
2018 Sunny & The Sunliners - From The Past
2019 Los Stardusters - All Night Worker
2020 Gilbert & The Blue Notes - Yo Soy Aquel
2021 Los Muchachos - El Bomberito
2022 Rocky Gil & The Bishops - Soul Party
2023 Los Pablos - Dame Un Poco De Ti
2025 Los Pablos - Los Pablos
2026 The Jives - Espera Un Tantito
2027 Jives - The Jives
2028 Jives - Making Time
2029 Dueto Los Galan - Dos Hojas Sin Rumbo
2030 Rudy Tee Gonzales Y Sus Reno Bops - "Country"
2031 Gary And The Epics - Gary And The Epics
2032 Charlie & The Jives - No Tengo Dinero
2038 Juan Sifuentes - El Lado Pobre Del Pueblo
2039 Julio Casas - Julio Casas y El Mariachi Nuevo San Juan
2040 Sunny y Los Sunliners - Sunny Y Los Sunliners (White Album)
2042 Chucho Moreno Y Su Conjunto - Chucho Moreno Y Su Conjunto
2044 Juan Ramos Y Los Principes De Nuevo Laredo - Mis Corridos Famosas Del '74-'75
2046 Los Guadalupanos - Los Guadalupanos
2047 Henry Zimmerle - Henry Zimmerle
2048 Juan Ramos - Cumbias, Cumbias, Y Mas Cumbias!!!
2049 Trinity-I - Trinity-I
2051 Flaco Jimenez - Flaco Jimenez (1976)
2054 Sunny Ozuna - Yesterday... & Sunny
2063 Juan Ramos Y Los Principes De Nuevo Laredo - A Bailar Sabrozo Con Cumbias (1977)
2064 Julio Casas Con Mariachi - Sueno Con Tu Amor (1977)
2067 Jimmy Velvit - Jimmy Velvit Country
2068 Juan Ramos - Homenaje A Elvis Presley (1978)
2069 Henry Balderama Y La Patria - La Ultima Vez (1978)
2073 Juan Ramos Y Los Principes De Nuevo Laredo - De Todo Como En Botica (1978)
2075 Los Tamps - Los Tamps (1979)
2076 Jay Garcia/Joe T. Campos and the Crusaders Band - Los Pesadotes
2080 Street People - Street People (1979)
2083 Street People - Los Callejeros (1980)
2085 Shawn Sahm & Prezence - Life In The City (1983)
5000 Doug Sahm/Augie Meyers - The West Side Sound Rolls Again (1983)
5001 Bad News - The Bad News Is Out
Extended Play (EP)
3031 Sunny Ozuna And The Sunliners - De Mi Nada Mas/Usted - Pa Que Sientas, Lo Que Siento/Que Tal Te Sientes (1964)
Singles
3001 Jerry (Count) Jackson - The Band Doll/Where Can You
3002 Kenny James - A Woman's Gonna Have Her Way/Please Mr Sandman
3003 Prince Charles (Sheffield) - Come On Home/Only You
3004 Jay Richards - Sneaking Home/I Want To Know
3005 Jimmy Donley - Honey, Stop Twistin'/Hello Remember Me (1962)
3006 Hub Brando And The Dreamers - Easy/Free Loader
3007 Jimmy Donely - Think It Over/Santa Don't Pass Me By (1962)
3007 Jimmy Donley - Forever Lillie Mae/Think It Over (1962)
3008 Hub Brando & The Dreamers - Eskimo Walk/Jingle Bells
3009 Jimmy Donley - Lovin' Cajun Style/Baby Heaven Sent Me You (1963)
3010 Jerry Arnold - Walking/While The Town Is Asleep
3012 T.B. Fisher - Don't Worry About Me/Don't Change Your Mind
3013 Jerry Starr - I'm Writing A Letter/You Don't Want Me
3014 Sunny & The Sunglows - Talk To Me/ Every Day Every Month Every Year (1963)
3014 Sunny & The Sunglows - Talk To Me/Pony Time (1963)
3015 Mark Hanson - A Long Times (Is Much Longer Then I Thought)/Mr. Clock (1963)
3015 Mark Hanson - A Long Times (Is Much Longer Then I Thought)/Sugar Gay
3016 Sunny & The Sunliners - Carino Nuevo/Sufriendo Y Piensando (1963)
3017 Jimmy Donley - You're Why I'm lonely/Let Me Told You (1963)
3018 Joey Long - If I Should Need You/You Can't Give Back The Love
3019 Mark James - She's Gone Away/River Of Tears
3020 Dale McBride - Old Enough To Break A Heart/The Rest Of My Life (1963)
3021 Jimmy Donley - Santa Please Don't Pass Me By/Santa's Alley (1963)
3022 Sunny & The Sunliners - Rags To Riches/Not Even Judgement Day (1963)
3023 Jerry Starr & The Clippers - Hearts Of Stone/I'm Confessin'
3024 The Hitchhikers - Goin' To L.A./Wimpey's Blues (1963)
3025 Sunny & The Sunliners - Cuando El Destino/Emocion Pasajera (1963)
3026 Jimmy Donley - I Really Got The Blues/Just A Game (1964)
3027 Sunny & The Sunliners - Out Of Sight Out Of Mind/No One Else Will Do (1964)
3028 The Loafers - Honey Hush/Ain't That Loving You Baby
3029 Dale McBride - Guess Who/Lovely Little One (1964)
3030 Champagne Brothers - It's Raining/Robin
3033 Steve Tyrell - Stand By Me/I'm Losing You
3034 Jimmy Donley - I'm Lonesome Without The Blues/Forget The Past (1964)
3035 Sunny & The Sunliners - It's Too Late/You Gave Me A True Love (1964)
3036 Kirby St. Romaine - Oh, Baby Doll/Summertime Fun
3037 Sunny & The Sunliners - Dime Como Le Haces/Tu Nueva Vida (1964)
3038 Rudy & The Reno Bop's - Rudy's Monkey/Together Again (1964)
3039 Rudy Gonzales & The Reno Bops - El Tejano Enamorado/Un Ratito (1964)
3040 Sunny & The Sunliners - You Send Me/His Greatest Creation (1964)
3041 Dale McBride - Barbara/I Can't Ever Free My Mind (1964)
3042 Champagne Brothers - I'll Run Away, Far Away/Let's Live
3043 Margo White - If Only You Were Here/I've Got A Right To Lose My Mind
3044 Rod Bernard - Our Teenage Love/Doing The Oo-Wa-Woo (1964)
3045 Sunny & The Sunliners - Something's Got A Hold On Me/Not A Fool Anymore (1965)
3045 Sunny & The Sunliners - Something's Got A Hold On Me/Teenage Promise
3046 Champagne Bros. - Snow On The Ole' Bayou/Christmas Time Without You
3047 The Stardusters - La Bola Negra/No Me Tengas Compacion (1965)
3048 Rudy Gonzales & The Reno Bops - Sufres Porque Quieres/Fuiste Tu Me Destino (1965)
3049 Perry Salinas - Sorpresa/Un Poco Mas
3050 Rudy Gonzales & The Reno Bops - Do The Jerk Like Me/Once A Day (1965)
3051 Jimmy Donley - Love Bug/I'm To Blame (1965)
3052 Rod Bernard - My Jole Blon/You're The Reason I'm In love (1965)
3053 The Stardusters - Alma Sin Rumbo/Amor De Todos
3054 Sammy Jay & The Tiffanaires - Come Closer To Me/La Tentacion
3055 Don Keyes - Little Man (Part 1)/Little Man (Part 2)
3056 Sunny & The Sunliners - Hey Little Dancing Girl/Token Of Love (1965)
3057 Rudy Gonzales & The Reno Bops - All I Could Do Was Cry/Have Faith (1965)
3058 Ivory Joe Hunter - Heart Don't Love Her Anymore/I've Asked You For The Last Time
3059 The Champagne Brothers - Raining In My Heart/Old Enough To Break A Heart
3060 Rod Bernard - No Money Down/Little Green Man (1965)
3061 The Stardusters Con Chano Rodriguez - La Vacilona/Tu Retirado
3062 Dale McBride - Am I That Easy To Forget/Our Hearts Beat As One (1965)
3063 Rudy "Tee" Gonzales & The Reno Bops - It Was Just An Illusion/The Phillie (1965)
3418 Juan Ramos - Acapulco Rock/Son Tus Perfumenes Mujer (1978)
3421 Henry Balderrama - Vuelvo A Querer/Me Preguntaron Por Ti
3422 Rudy And Rudy - Lo Siento Mi Vida/Silver Wings (Alas De Plata) (1978)
3425 Jeff Lopez - Jacob/Jenny (1978)
3426 Paul & Jerry - Fanny Mae/Fooled Around & Fell In Love (1978)
3428 Juan Ramos Y Los Principes De Nuevo Laredo - De Todo Como En Botica/Los Dos Inditos (1978)
3429 Julio Casas Con Mariachi - Pideme Dios Mio/Tus Ofensas (1978)
3430 Eddie Torres - Vida De Mi Vida/Lamento Triste (1978)
3432 Jay Garcia - El Papel/Tiempo Feliz (1978)
3438 Jay Garcia - Necesito Tu Amor/Maria Rosa
3440 Conjunto De Lorenzo Hernandez - De Nuevo Mia/Por Ella Bebo (1978)
3445 Ray Gonzalez - El Diablo Y Yo/Siento Perderla (1978)
3454 Juan Ramos Y Los Principes - /El Ano Viejo (1979)
3456 Ramon Garcia Y Su Conjunto - Camino De Espinas/Jamas (1979)
3457 Machismo - Aquel Amor Que Se Le Fue/Esta Fiebre (1979)
3458 Street People - Juro Que Nunca Volvere/Carinito De Mi Vida (1979)
3464 Beatriz Llamas - Te Vas A Arrepentir/El Amor Que Pedi (1979)
3465 Juan Ramos Y Los Principes - Viajando Con La Migra/La Guillotina (1980)
3466 Street People - No Me Quiere/De Milagro
3470 Wayne Michaels - Wicked Woman/You're Just Buying Someone Elses Troubles (1981)
3473 Black Mountain - Get To Know You/Rubber Dolly (1981)
3476 Street People - De Nada Sirvio Querete/Sonado Un Amor
3479 Doug Sahm - Who Were You Thinking Of/Velma From Selma
3481 Doug Sahm - I'm Not A Fool Anymore/Don't Fight It (1983)
3486 Fast Buck - When The Moon Goes Down On Medina Lake/Best Game In Town (1983)
3487 Bad News - No Soy Juguete/El Sol Y La Flor (1983)
3490 Bobby Rio Band - Time Won't Let Me/I Know Better (1984)
3491 Lydia Rubio Y Texas Express - No Quiero Mas Llorar/Take These Chains (1984)
3495 Buddy Ace - It's All For You/I'll Love You
3600 Trooper Rusty Martin - A Soldier's Promise/Blue And Gray
Note: Kenny James (#3002) is actually Jimmy Donley
Sources
"Down in Houston: Bayou City Blues"
Osborne's Record Guide
Texas Monthly Magazine
A Guide to the Huey Meaux Papers, 1940-1994
Texas Music Industry Directory (published by The Texas Music Office) Office of the Governor, Austin, Texas
Born To Be A Loser: The Jimmy Donley Story by Johnnie Allan and Dr Bernice Larson Webb; Copyright 1992 by Jadfel Publishing Lafayette, LA
Chicano Soul: Recordings and History of An American Culture by Ruben Molina; Copyright 2007 by Mictlan Publishing; 1st Edition.
Review: 'South Texas" Collects Producer's Checkered Career, (Huey P. Meaux). (NPR Web Site:Playlist-Transcript; 08-12-13).
Houston Bound: Culture And Color In A Jim Crow City by Tyina L. Steptoe; Copyright 2015 by University Of California Press Oakland, California.
House Of Hits: The Story Of Houston's Gold Star/Sugar Hill Recording Studios by Andy Bradley and Roger Wood: Copyright 2010 by University Of Texas Press Austin, Texas.