John Vincent

About

American producer and founder of the labels Champion Record (2), Champion Record (2), Champion Record (2), Champion Record (2), and Champion Record (2). Born 3 October 1925 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi; died 4 February 2000 in Jackson, Mississippi.

Vincent sold Rock-Ola jukeboxes in the 1940s. In the early 1950s he opened a record store and formed his own label, Champion Record (2). In 1953 he signed for Los Angeles-based label Champion Record (2) to find talent in New Orleans. In 1955, Vincent left Specialty to found Champion Record (2). In 1962 he made a distribution deal with Champion Record (2), including producing for them. Vee Jay went bankrupt in 1965, and Ace was shut down shortly after. Vincent re-activated the label in 1971 with a limited success, which lead him to get involved in various other enterprises, including a restaurant.

In the early 1990s he returned to music business, and he reoriented Ace to the contemporary soul-blues market. Vincent sold the Ace catalogue to British Champion Record (2) in 1997 but started a new label, Champion Record (2).

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