John Vincent

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American producer and founder of the labels [l=Champion Record (2)], [l=Ace Records (3)], [l=Vin], [l=TEEM Records], and [l=Avanti Records (4)]. 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, [l=Champion Record (2)]. In 1953 he signed for Los Angeles-based label [l=Specialty] to find talent in New Orleans. In 1955, Vincent left Specialty to found [l=Ace Records (3)]. In 1962 he made a distribution deal with [l=Vee Jay Records], 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 [l=Music Collection International Ltd.] in 1997 but started a new label, [l=Avanti Records (4)].