American Latin music record label
RMM Records, also known as RMM Records & Video Corp, was an independent
Latin music record label established in 1987 and based in New York City. The label was most active during the late 1980s and early 1990s and produced primarily salsa, Latin jazz, and
merengue music. At its peak, RMM Records employed 55 staff members and had distribution deals in 42 cities around the world, occupying 9,000 square feet in two floors at its Soho headquarters. The label was established by
Fania Records promoter
Ralph Mercado, who had established RMM Management in 1972 as an artist management and booking agency, providing bookings for Latin artists
Tito Puente,
Celia Cruz, and
Ray Barretto.
Artists who recorded for the label included Tito Puente, Celia Cruz,
Tito Nieves,
Oscar D'Leon,
Eddie Palmieri,
Cheo Feliciano,
Ismael Miranda,
José Alberto "El Canario",
Tony Vega,
Johnny Rivera,
Ray Sepúlveda,
Domingo Quiñones,
Miles Peña, Orquesta Guayacan, Conjunto Clasico,
Manny Manuel, the New York Band,
Marc Anthony &
La India. Record producers included
Sergio George,
Isidro Infante, and
Humberto Ramirez.
Empire and legacy
RMM filed for bankruptcy in November 2000, selling its assets to
Universal Music Group.
[1] According to the
NY Times,
[2] unpaid royalties, as well as a lawsuit settlement of $7.7 million to
Glenn Monroig totaling over $11 million, plus interest, contributed to the end of RMM Records. On June 25, 2001, as part of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy sale, Universal Music Group (UMG) announced the acquisition of RMM’s assets.
[3]
Founder and key staff
-
Ralph Mercado Jr. (September 29, 1941 – March 10, 2009) was born in Brooklyn to a Puerto Rican mother and Dominican father. He entered the music business as a teenager, organizing parties and dances as president of a neighborhood social club. In the 1960s, he promoted R & B and soul artists like
James Brown and paired them with Latin artists like
Mongo Santamaria. In the 1980s-1990s, Mercado was a promoter of
Latin Jazz,
Latin rock,
Merengue and
Salsa. He established a network of businesses that promoted concerts, managed artists, and led to the foundation of the record label Ritmo Mundo Musical (RMM). Following the bankruptcy of RMM in 2000, Ralph Mercado returned to artist promotion.
[4]
- Debra A. Mercado, starting in the early 1990s, was RMM's National Director of Publicity, as well as overseeing international promotions generated by RMM International.
[5] She also was in charge of public relations for four other enterprises: RMM (Management), Ralph Mercado Presents, Caribbean Waves Music (ASCAP), and Crossing Borders Music Inc. (BMI).
- Damaris L Mercado, started her production career with her father while in her teens. She moved up the ranks from Production Assistant on concerts and music video projects traveling to different cities and countries and landing in Miami. There she worked out of the RMM Records office based in the Sony Discos headquarters as Manager of Production & Manufacturing eventually making her way back to New York City during the transition to Universal Music and culminating her position as Director of Global Production & Manufacturing.
- George Nenadich, who has been with Sirius XM Radio on the Caliente channel for the last 11 years as host of the very popular classic salsa program "Salsa Nation" on Caliente, every Saturday morning at 10:00am EST, as well as Rumbon (a 24Hour classic salsa channel launched by George Nenadich with the program La Jungla de Rumbon every Friday night at 7pm EST), became part of RMM Records in November 1988 as Promotions Director. One of the first employees of the label along with Martha Cancel (who was there prior and managed the everyday operations of the label at that time, including promotions).
Familiar recordings
Artists
Labels
See also
References
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