The magazine became the leading black music journal in the UK, and Abbey remained its editor until the late 1970s.
The labels licensed R&B recordings from independent US labels for release in the UK, and Contempo had hits with Tami Lynn's "I'm Gonna Run Away From You", and Dorothy Moore's "Misty Blue" and "Funny How Time Slips Away".
He set up international tours for musicians including Curtis Mayfield and Clarence Carter.
The pair established Ichiban Records in Atlanta in 1985, with a roster that expanded from soul music into blues, gospel, rock and hip-hop.
[8] In 2015, he was appointed CEO of Connor Ray Music, based in Houston, Texas, responsible for artists including Trudy Lynn.