Panther Records was owned and operated by Greenville musician, songwriter, producer, and member of the Uptowners, Will Hammond. The label’s first release was Salty Dog from Hammond’s Uptowners bandmate, Ward Burton in 1965. It’s a riff on the old hillbilly tune set to a driving beat and polished for the teen market. This was Panthers target. Releases followed from  British Invasion-inspired groups like the Bojax, and blue-eyed soul singers like Ronny Lowe and The Dominoes. Hammond released his own compositions on the label as Willie Hammond and as The Invisible Burgundy Bullfrog.