Righteous Babe Records
Encyclopedia
Righteous Babe Records is an American
independent record label
. It was created by progressive folksinger
Ani DiFranco
in 1990 to release her own songs in lieu of being beholden to a mainstream record company.
, Righteous Babe expanded in the late 1990s to release albums for emerging non-mainstream artists.
was scheduled to be demolished by the City of Buffalo. The church was built in 1876 and had become derelict with no upkeep. In 1999, Righteous Babe Records offered to buy the building from the city. Restoration efforts began in 2000, and by 2006 it had been converted into an entertainment venue. Originally referred to as "The Church", the name was affectionately changed to "Babeville." It has a 1,200-seat concert hall and is the current home of the label.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
. It was created by progressive folksinger
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
Ani DiFranco
Ani DiFranco
Ani DiFranco is an American Grammy Award-winning singer, guitarist, poet, and songwriter. She has released more than 20 albums, and is widely considered a feminist icon.-Biography:...
in 1990 to release her own songs in lieu of being beholden to a mainstream record company.
History
Righteous Babe Records was originally called Righteous Records, and the original pressings of Difranco's debut album have it listed as such. However, Difranco then discovered a pre-existing gospel music label with that name, and to differentiate herself, added the "babe". Located in DiFranco's hometown of Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, Righteous Babe expanded in the late 1990s to release albums for emerging non-mainstream artists.
Babeville
In 1995, an abandoned 19th century historical landmark, the Asbury Delaware United Methodist ChurchDelaware Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church
Delaware Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, also known as Asbury-Delaware Methodist Church, is a historic Methodist Episcopal Church located at Buffalo in Erie County, New York. It was constructed in two phases between 1871 and 1876 and is a distinct example of High Victorian Gothic ecclestastical...
was scheduled to be demolished by the City of Buffalo. The church was built in 1876 and had become derelict with no upkeep. In 1999, Righteous Babe Records offered to buy the building from the city. Restoration efforts began in 2000, and by 2006 it had been converted into an entertainment venue. Originally referred to as "The Church", the name was affectionately changed to "Babeville." It has a 1,200-seat concert hall and is the current home of the label.