CBS Records Conventions (1975–1979): The Label’s Live Showcase

During the 1970s, CBS Records’ annual conventions brought together label executives, radio programmers, international staff, and artists from across the company’s roster. These private industry gatherings were more than meetings—they were multi-night live showcases built around upcoming releases and major performances.

Showco was hired to manage the audio engineering and production for these events, bringing concert-level sound and staging to a corporate setting. Surviving Showco staff materials point to the scale of the showcases, with artists including Willie Nelson, Carlos Santana, David Allan Coe, REO Speedwagon, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Bill Withers, Jeff Beck, and Boz Scaggs appearing across these industry events.

This section of the archive collects Showco-related materials connected to CBS Records conventions—staff shirts, passes, documents, photos, production materials, and other surviving pieces as they’re located and digitized.

I’m building this archive by hand and will keep adding items as more materials are identified and preserved.

Were you part of a CBS Records convention, one of the featured artists, or a Showco crew member working behind the scenes? Please use the Add to Story feature at the bottom of this page to share your memories.