Nashville, Tennessee. When you order, ask for the Big Blues special or simply say, offer number two; now, let's dig this.." and he would proceed to the next set of offers on the Ernie's Record Parade radio show after playing one or more songs. Record production and artist management While still working at WLAC, Richbourg branched out into record production. Beginning in the early 1950s, and with the station's permission and approval, Richbourg began recording gospel and blues acts using WLAC facilities. Initially, he leased these recordings to other labels. In the late 1950s, he set up his own label, Rich Records, which released R&B records and the occasional gospel single. Although nothing released on Rich Records became anything more than a regional hit, during this era Richbourg developed and produced several artists who would go on to have substantial careers in soul music, notably Bobby Hebb. Rich Records ceased operations by 1960, but Richbourg continued to develop, manage and produce R&B talent, leasing his productions to a variety of labels. He also began using non-WLAC studio facilities, including the Stax Records studio and Chips Moman's American Recording Studio (both in Memphis), as well as various Nashville studios. Around this time, he even became a recording artist himself, releasing two-blues based singles. These singles featured John R., tongue firmly in cheek, half-singing/half-talking his way through the lyrics. In mid-1965, Fred Foster of Sound Stage 7 recordings struck a deal with Richbourg, and Richbourg became the label's de facto head of A&R. From this point on, Sound Stage 7 was strictly a soul/R&B label, and almost all of the label's output was produced by Richbourg under the aegis of his JR Enterprises company. Richbourg's biggest commercial success was bringing country-influenced R&B Joe Simon to the label in 1966. Simon had already scored two hits on Vee-Jay Records in 1964/65, but was left without a contract when that label went under. Richbourg became his manager, signed him to Sound Stage 7, and produced 15 singles for Simon on the label between 1966 and 1970—all of which made the US pop and/or R&B charts. Simon's biggest success on the label was his 1969 hit "The Chokin' Kind", which hit #1 on the R&B charts, and #13 pop, and sold over a million copies. All told, Richbourg produced over 100 singles for Sound Stage 7 between 1965 and 1970, including minor R&B chart hits