Ric Records

{{Short description|American record label}} {{Infobox record label  | name = Ric Records | image = | image_size = | image_alt = | caption = | parent = | founded = {{start date|1959}} | founder = Joe Ruffino | defunct = {{end date|1962}} | slogan =  | status =  | distributor =  | genre = R&B, Soul | country = United States | location = New Orleans | website =  }} '''Ric Records''', along with sister label '''Ron Records''', were American record labels formed by '''Joe Ruffino''' in 1959.<ref name="NolaRnB"/> Although most of Ric's releases did not rise above regional hits, the label was active during the golden era of New Orleans R&B and was an incubator for many artists who are now recognized as definers of the style.thumb|alt=Ric Records 45|Example of Ric Records 45 label

After his first taste of the music industry at A-1 Distributors,<ref name="distro"/> Joe Ruffino set out on his own with the Ric and Ron imprints, headquartered at 630 Baronne Street in New Orleans.<ref name="NolaRnB"/> The labels were named after Joe's two sons.<ref name="NolaRnB"/> Ric Records was focused exclusively on releasing local New Orleans talent. Edgar Blanchard was brought in to help with studio arrangements, and supervised all early Ric studio sessions.<ref name="NolaRnB"/> He was later replaced by Harold Battiste.<ref name="NolaRnB"/> Mac Rebennack (later "Dr. John") was also brought on as label president and helped with writing and producing.<ref name="drjohn"/>

Artists on the label included Eddie Bo, Johnny Adams,<ref name="Adams" /> Lenny Capello, Al Johnson, Tommy Ridgley and Joe Jones. Jones provided Ric with its only sizeable hit, "You Talk Too Much", which peaked at No. 3 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in late 1960.<ref name="NolaRnB" /> This record was the cause of legal issues with New York City-based outfit Roulette Records, for which Joe Jones previously recorded a version of the tune.<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=October 10, 1960|title=Roulette Buys Jones Master From Ric|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/60s/1960/Billboard%201960-10-10.pdf|magazine=Billboard|pages=4, 33}}</ref><ref name="talk" />

Sister label Ron Records had a similar focus on local talent. Artists released include Professor Longhair (local favorite "Go to the Mardi Gras"<ref name="Fess"/>), Irma Thomas, Bobby Mitchell, Eddie Lang (not to be confused with the jazz guitarist Eddie Lang) and Martha Carter. After being discovered in a local club by Tommy Ridgley, Irma Thomas recorded her first single "(You Can Have My Husband but) Don't Mess with My Man" for Ron within a week.<ref name="NolaRnB"/> She is now recognized as an important American singer,<ref name="irma"/> and was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2007.<ref name="nolahall"/>

The Ric and Ron labels became dormant in 1962 when Joe Ruffino died.<ref name="NolaRnB"/> Ruffino's brother in law Joe Assunt, owner of the One Stop Records store procured the Ric and Ron tapes and reissued various popular titles for the next decade, adding a couple of Johnny Adams 45s to the label listings.<ref name="NolaRnB2">{{cite web |last1=Kelly |first1=Red |title=The Ric and Ron Labels |url=http://cosimocode.com/ricandron.html |website=The Cosimo Code |publisher=Soul Detective |access-date=15 February 2023 |archive-date=28 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528203635/http://cosimocode.com/ricandron.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> On Assunto's death in August 1981 the tapes passed to his daughter Joel Ann Mcgregor.<ref name="NolaRnB2"/>

==References== <references> <ref name="drjohn"> {{Cite book | last = Rebennack | first = Mac | author2 = Jack Rummel | title = Under a hoodoo moon: the life of Dr. John the Night Tripper | publisher = St. Martin's Press | year = 1994 | location = New York, NY | pages = [https://archive.org/details/underhoodoomoonl00john/page/81 81] | url = https://archive.org/details/underhoodoomoonl00john/page/81 | isbn = 0-312-13197-6 }} </ref> <ref name="NolaRnB"> {{Cite book | last = Broven | first = John | title = Rhythm and blues in New Orleans | publisher = Pelican Publishing Company, Inc. | year = 1978 | location = Gretna, LA | pages = [https://archive.org/details/rhythmbluesinnew00brov/page/170 170–77] | url = https://archive.org/details/rhythmbluesinnew00brov/page/170 | isbn = 0-88289-433-1 }} </ref> <ref name="distro"> {{Cite web |last = Slaven |first = Neil |title = The Instant & Minit Story |url = http://lm-mail.com/mailouts/web16_web.html |access-date = February 20, 2011 |url-status = usurped |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110820051328/http://lm-mail.com/mailouts/web16_web.html |archive-date = August 20, 2011 }} </ref> <ref name="Adams"> {{Cite web | last = Dahl | first = Bill | title = Johnny Adams Biography | publisher = Allmusic | url = http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p50432/biography | access-date = February 20, 2011}} </ref> <ref name="talk"> {{Cite web | last = Ankeny | first = Jason | title = Joe Jones Biography | publisher = Allmusic | url = http://www.allmusic.com/artist/joe-jones-p561838/biography | access-date = February 20, 2011}} </ref> <ref name ="Fess"> {{Cite web | last = Nadal | first = James | title = Professor Longhair Biography | url = https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/professor-longhair | access-date = February 20, 2011}} </ref> <ref name ="irma"> {{Cite web | last = Block | first = Melissa | title = Irma Thomas: The Soul Queen Of New Orleans | publisher = NPR | date = August 23, 2010 | url = https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129345910 | access-date = February 20, 2011}} </ref> <ref name ="nolahall">{{Cite web | last = Aswell | first = Tom | title = Irma Thomas page at Louisiana Music Hall of Fame | url = http://louisianamusichalloffame.org/content/view/33/83/ | access-date = February 20, 2011 | archive-date = April 12, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110412143150/http://louisianamusichalloffame.org/content/view/33/83/ | url-status = dead }}</ref> </references>

Category:Rhythm and blues record labels Category:Pop record labels Category:Companies based in New Orleans Category:Record labels based in Louisiana Category:Record labels established in 1959 Category:Record labels disestablished in 1962 Category:Defunct record labels of the United States