JACKSON UNVEILS ITS 7TH MARKER
 ON THE BLUES TRAIL
 

The Mississippi Blues Trail salutes the musical legacy of Jackson’s Ace Records and its owner Johnny Vincent (Imbragulio) on Monday, October 5, at 3:30 p.m., with the dedication of the trail’s 87th historical marker. The unveiling will take place at the former site of Ace’s headquarters on the 200 block of West Capitol Street, between the Mayflower Restaurant and the King Edward Hotel.

“When you review the famous names that came through Mississippi and Ace Records in particular, you get a better understanding of how Mississippi earned the name ‘The Birthplace of America’s Music,’” Governor Haley Barbour said.

Ace Records was founded in 1955 by Mississippi native John Vincent Imbragulio (1925-2000), better known as “Johnny Vincent,” and was once Mississippi's most successful record company. Vincent first developed an interest in blues via the jukebox in his parents’ restaurant in Laurel. He later moved into record distribution and opened a record shop at 241 North Farish Street, a block away from Trumpet Records. In the early ’50s Vincent founded the Champion label, on which he recorded local country and blues artists; the latter included Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup of Forest. In 1953 Vincent signed on as a talent agent with the Los Angeles-based Specialty Records and among his achievements there was producing Guitar Slim’s massive hit “The Things I Used to Do,” which featured Ray Charles on piano.

In 1955 Vincent started Ace Records, using Trumpet’s Diamond Recording Studio and, mostly, Cosimo Matassa’s studio in New Orleans. Ace scored national hits with New Orleans-based rhythm and blues acts including Frankie Ford, Huey Smith and the Clowns, and Earl King, and had his greatest success with “teen idol” Jimmy Clanton. Although Vincent recorded Jackson artists including Sam Myers, Ace is widely considered as the first major “local” New Orleans label. In the ‘50s and early ‘60s Ace and its subsidiary labels Vin and Teem issued records by a wide variety of country, rock’n’roll, and rockabilly acts, as well blues/R&B artists including James Booker, Mac Rebennack (later Dr. John), and Lightnin’ Hopkins. This era ended in 1965 following the bankruptcy of Chicago-based Vee-Jay Records, which was in partnership with Ace.