Elektra Records was an independent record label started in 1950 and continuing for 23 years. During that period, owner/founder Jac Holzman nurtured the tiny company from obscurity into a powerful label that ultimately signed the likes of Judy Collins, Love, The Doors, Queen, Carly Simon, and many other prominent artists.

Holzman's unique vision was responsible for the celebration of a host of folk artists including Josh White, Theodore Bikel, Jean Ritchie and Bob Gibson. Through the '60s and '70s, he developed a litany of important artists such as the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Tim Buckley, Phil Ochs, Bread, the MC5 and the Stooges.

Author Mick Houghton carefully documents the history of the label by dissecting the various key albums released by Elektra as well as going to the source for quotes from the artists themselves. Holzman may not have been as famous as Clive Davis--the head of Columbia Records who signed Janis Joplin and Bob Dylan--or Ahmet Ertegun--the head of Atlantic Records and the man responsible for signing Led Zeppelin, Ray Charles and many others. But he was an integral part in the history of music, and his tale is told beautifully and honestly here in this history.