Jump to content

Ric-Tic Records

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ric-Tic Records
Founded1962
FounderJoanne Bratton
Ed Wingate
StatusDefunct
GenreR&B, Soul, Northern Soul
Country of originUnited States
LocationDetroit, Michigan

Ric-Tic Records was a record label set up in the 1960s in Detroit, Michigan, United States by Joanne Bratton and Eddie Wingate. Twinned with the Golden World label, Ric-Tic featured many soul music artists and was seen as an early competitor for fellow Detroit label Motown.[1] Motown's owner, Berry Gordy was unhappy with the success of Ric-Tic and in 1968 paid $1 million for the signature of many of the label's artists.[2]

In 2003, it was established that Ric-Tic was named for the deceased son of co-founder Bratton and her then husband, boxer Johnny Bratton. The boy, named Derek and known to his family as Ricky, Ric, or Ric-Tic, died at the age of 11 in 1962.[3]

Recording artists

[edit]

Many early recordings on the Ric-Tic label by artists such as Freddie Gorman, Edwin Starr, and J. J. Barnes were re-released in the 1970s by Motown to coincide with the popularity of the Northern soul music scene in the UK.[1] The group The Fantastic Four were also signed to the Ric-Tic, and became the label's best-selling act, outselling Edwin Starr in the United States. Much like Starr, they continued to record under Motown when Ric-Tic was absorbed by the record company. The Detroit Emeralds (having just moved to Detroit and added the word "Detroit" to their group name) recorded briefly for Ric-Tic, achieving their first R&B Chart (#22) success with "Show Time", released in 1967. They then joined Westbound Records in 1970.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Ric-Tic Records - The Epitome of Detroit Soul". www.groovesvilleusa.com. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  2. ^ "Ric-Tic Records". www.soulbot.com. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  3. ^ Motown Encyclopedia: Golden World Records, by Graham Betts