About

Shaded Dog is a reference and a forum for collectors of RCA Living Stereo classical records. The original LPs in this series are referred to as “shaded dogs” because the label design features an image of a dog with a shaded background. Later labels include “white dogs,” “no dogs,” and “side dogs.”

This site focuses on the “golden era” of RCA Living Stereo classical records. These records were originally released in the late ’50s and early ’60s. They were significant in terms of music and sound quality. They represent an important part of audiophile history. This site attempts to document this history in a way that is engaging and easy to use.

  • Discography
    Includes all RCA Living Stereo records listed by catalog number.
  • Add your comments to any record page.
  • Help us make this site better by telling us what you know.
  • Share your opinions about each record’s music, performance, and sound quality.

This site is a work in progress. The discography section will grow in terms of the number of records included and the amount of information included for each one. There are three phases planned for the discography section before it will be considered complete:

  • Listings

All records released in the RCA Living Stereo series will be included. First priority is given to early single records (LSC-1806 to LSC-2699), second priority to multiple record sets (LSC-6052 to LSC-9300), and third priority to late single records (LSC-2700 and up). When known, the title included in the listing will be the same as that which appears on the record spine.

  • Photos

Original, high quality photos will be added for all records. These include front cover, back cover, and labels. For records released with more than one cover, both will be included, with the original displayed first. Inserts and gatefold covers will be included when possible.

  • Information

The following information will be added for all records:

  • Composer
  • Performer
  • Conductor
  • Producer
  • Engineer
  • Location
  • Recording Date
  • Release Date
  • Mono Equivalent
  • Also Issued As
  • Reissued As

Sources used to verify the information on this site include:

  • The Golden Era of RCA Records by James A. Mitchell (buy)
  • The RCA Bible by Jonathan Valin (out of print)
  • Boston Symphony Orchestra: An Augmented Discography by James H. North (buy)
  • The LSO Discography by Philip Stuart (offline)
  • CSO Online Archives (view)
  • Canfield Guide to Classical Recordings by David Canfield (see Classicalreference.com)
  • CJ King’s Pre-Recorded Half-Track Stereo Reel-To-Reel Tape List (see ReelToReel Yahoo Group)

Supporters of this site include:

Special thanks to:

  • John Garland
  • Harold Koenig
  • Alan Laxdal

Please email info@shadeddog.com with your suggestions and comments.