John Broven News Today

New Orleans singer whose 1950s and 60s hits included Ain’t Got No Home and (I Don’t Know Why) But I Do

Ms. Knight received a Grammy Award nomination in 1972 for best female R&B vocal performance, and “Mr. Big Stuff” was nominated for best R&B song.

In Record Makers and Breakers, rock historian John Broven describes a confluence of events that cleared the field for savvy entrepreneurs to enter the record label market and catch the majors flat-footed.

Art Rupe, the founder of Specialty Records, an innovative independent label based in Los Angeles that brought rhythm and blues into the mainstream and

As the founder of the independent label Specialty Records, he helped set the table for the rock ’n’ roll era by signing performers like Little Richard.

Art Rupe, a record mogul whose independent Specialty label became a force in early rock, soul and gospel music and who helped discover Little Richard and Sam Cooke, died April 15 at his home in Santa Barbara, Calif. He was 104.