| Rooster Blues | |
|---|---|
| Parent company | Bottled MaJic Music |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Founder | Jim O'Neal |
| Distributor(s) | Rounder Records (previous) Redeye Distribution (current) |
| Genre | Blues |
| Country of origin | U.S. |
| Location | Memphis, Tennessee |
Rooster Blues is an American independent record label founded in 1980. The label is dedicated to blues music from the Mississippi Delta. Rooster Blues was co-founded by Jim O'Neal in Chicago, and initially released 14 albums by South Side blues musicians. In 1986, O'Neal moved the label to Clarksdale, Mississippi and began focusing on the area's Delta blues performers.[1] Over the next 12 years, Rooster Blues released albums by artists like Magic Slim, Eddy Clearwater, John Littlejohn, Lonnie Pitchford, Roosevelt "Booba" Barnes, James "Son" Thomas, Larry Davis, Valerie Wellington, Carey Bell, Willie Cobbs, Super Chikan, and Lonnie Shields.[2]
In 1998 the label suspended operations, and in 1999 it was sold to Bottled MaJic Music. In 2000 Rooster Blues resumed operations and celebrated its 20th anniversary by releasing Willie King's Freedom Creek, as well as reissuing some classic recordings like Grand Slam by Magic Slim.[3]