"Uncle" Jim O'Neal founded the Rural Rhythm label in 1955 in Arcadia, California.[1] He sold via mail order, records were often produced with a generic white front sleeve with a stamped serial number in the upper right corner.[2]
O'Neal insisted records would sell for $3.50 apiece (as opposed to major label records that sold for $3.98 to $4.98). O'Neal also released 20 songs on each LP album, as opposed to major labels who released on average 12 songs on each LP.[3]
O'Neal died in 1982, and Sam Passamano purchased Rural Rhythm in 1987.[4]
The Heritage Collection brand reissues recordings from the 1950s–1960s Rural Rhythm archives. Recent Heritage artists include Hylo Brown, Red Smiley and The Blue Grass Cutups, and Mac Wiseman, Don Reno, Bill Harrell, J. E. Mainer, Curly Fox, Dale Potter, Earl Taylor, Max Martin, Buck Ryan, Lee Moore, Raymond Fairchild, and Jim Greer.[5]
Besides the Heritage Collection brand, Rural Rhythm issues bluegrass recordings under the Sound Traditions and Bluegrass Power Picks brands.[6]
In 2017, SONY Red Distribution became the distributors of Rural Rhythm mainstream recordings. New Day Christian Distributors continues to distribute their Christian recordings.[7]
