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Its original headquarters were in Gallatin, Tennessee but in 1956 the company moved its headquarters to Hollywood, California.
In its early years, the label specialized in artists from around Tennessee, then branched out to musicians and singers from throughout the United States. It offered a variety of country music, rhythm & blues, gospel music, rockabilly, pop music, and early rock & roll. After the move to Hollywood, Dot bought up many recordings by small local independent labels and issued them nationally.
In 1957, Wood sold ownership of the label to Paramount Pictures but he remained the president of the company for another decade, then in left to co-found the Ranwood Records label with Lawrence Welk. In 1958 Dot started a subsidiary label, Hamilton Records , for rockabilly and rhythm & blues. They also distributed the only record from Carnival Records.
In 1968, after Paramount was bought out by Gulf and Western, the Dot label was rebranded as a country music label. In 1974 the label was bought by ABC Dunhill RecordsABC Dunhill Records starts when ABC Records purchases Dunhill Records They purchase Duke Records and Peacock Records on 23 May 1973. Afterwards they also purchased The Famous Music record labels from Gulf and Western in 1974 which included Dot Records and, which discontinued the label in 1977.
Artitsts whose recordings were issued on Dot included Billy VaughnBilly Vaughn ( April 12, 1919- September 26, 1991) was a singer, pianist, and orchestra leader. He was born in Glasgow, Kentucky, where his father was a barber who loved music and inspired Billy to teach himself to play the mandolin at age 3, while suffer, Margaret Whiting2000 collection The Complete Capitol Hits of Margaret Whiting Margaret Whiting (born July 22, 1924) was a traditional pop music singer in the 1940s and 1950s. Her musical talent may have been inherited; her father Richard Whiting, was a famous composer of, Louis PrimaLouis Prima ( December 7, 1910- August 24, 1978) was an American entertainer, singer, actor, and trumpeter born New Orleans. Prima rode the musical trends of his time, starting with his seven-piece New Orleans style jazz band in the 1920s, then succesivel, Keely SmithKeely Smith (born March 9 1932) is an American jazz and popular music singer who enjoyed great popularity in the 1950s and 1960s through her collaborations with Louis Prima and Frank Sinatra, for which she was much admired for her exquisite singing style, Tab HunterTab Hunter (born 11 July 1931) was one of many Hollywood B-picture actors whose rights were owned by the studios. His films included: 'Battle Cry' 'Damn Yankees' 'The Loved One' 'Judge Roy Bean'. Polyester" He appeared in various beach movies from the 196, The HilltoppersThe Hilltoppers were a popular singing group. Originally the group was a trio formed at Western Kentucky State College (now Western Kentucky University), Bowling Green, Kentucky. The original members were three students, Jimmy Sacca (born July 26, 1929),, Sanford Clark , Pat BoonePat Boone (born June 1, 1934) is one of the biggest recording artists of the 20th century. Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Boone is a direct descendent of the legendary American pioneer Daniel Boone. He grew up in Nashville, Tennessee and began recording i, Lawrence Welk, Johnny Maddox , Eddie Peabody , Steve Allen, The Surfaris, Vaughn Monroe, Liberace, Roy Clark, Bonnie Guitar , Freddy Fender, the Andrews Sisters, the Mills Brothers, Jimmie Rodgers, Tommy Jackson , Gale Storm, Barbara Mandrell , and Leonard Nimoy.