Art Rupe was the founder of Specialty Records, an influential force in early rock and roll.
- Died: April 15, 2022 (Who else died on April 15?)
- Details of death: Died at his home in Santa Barbara, California at the age of 104.
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Specialty Records
Rupe was one of the first to see the potential of Black musicians to cross over to the mainstream. He founded Specialty Records in 1946, first called Juke Box Records, to record the gospel music he had come to love. He then began branching out to bring in rhythm and blues artists, and Specialty had an early hit when Rupe recorded a young Lloyd Price (1933–2021) singing “Lawdy Miss Clawdy.” It was an R&B chart-topper with strong sales – including to white listeners. Price brought Rupe his next chart-topper when he suggested to Little Richard (1932–2020) that he should send an audition tape to Rupe. The emerging musician recorded “Tutti Frutti” for Specialty, making history with the song that was essentially the birth of rock and roll. Other artists that recorded for Specialty Records included Guitar Slim, John Lee Hooker, and the Blind Boys of Alabama. Rupe continued running Specialty until 1991, when he sold it to Fantasy Records. He was a member of the Blues Hall of Fame and was honored with the Ahmet Ertegun Award by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Notable quote
“There was something in Little Richard’s voice that I liked. I don’t know what it was. It was exaggerated, over-emotional.” —from a 2011 interview for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Tributes to Art Rupe
Full obituary: The New York Times
