Scott Seely, a songwriter, arranger, and musician, started Accent Records in 1954 as a way to promote original compositions for which he held the publishing rights. Seely's career started in Kansas in 1930 as a jazz pianist and arranger for the Lloyd Snyder Band. By the mid-1940s, he had an office in Hollywood, called "Designs In Music," that provided musical arranging and vocal coaching services. He had calls from artists such as Dorothy Dandridge and Martin Denny (the future creator of "Quiet Village"). His first music publishing company was S&R (Songs & Records) Music, formed in 1951 to professionally represent original compositions and arrangements. He partnered with lyricist/copyist David Garvin and songwriter Mark Bigler. Accent Records was formed two years later as a way to promot