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Art Rupe
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Art Rupe

American record executive
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Art Rupe was an American record executive who founded Specialty Records. He began by recording local Black artists for jukeboxes and built a roster that included gospel groups and rhythm-and-blues artists. Specialty Records achieved significant success in the early 1950s with hits like "Please Send Me Someone to Love" by Percy Mayfield and "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" by Lloyd Price.1

Rupe's biggest artist was Little Richard, whose song "Tutti Frutti" was a major hit for Specialty Records. Rupe also famously missed an opportunity with Sam Cooke, letting the singer move to another label where his secular music career took off. Rupe was known for his integrity, avoiding practices like payola.1

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2 Britannica Sources
  1. Specialty Records: Little Richard, Lloyd Price, and a Los Angeles Label
  2. Sun Records: Sam Phillips’s Memphis Recording Service

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