Eddie Barclay

Eddie Barclay was a French piano player turned record mogul whose flamboyant flair made him a celebrity in his homeland. Born Edouard Ruault in 1921, Barclay was a cocktail jazz pianist before founding Blue Star Records, the first of several small labels that he would oversee in the '50s. In 1960 he consolidated his labels under the Barclay name. The label rose to prominence, licensing U.S. releases and building a strong stable of French stars. Charles Aznavour, Eddy Mitchell, Henri Salvador, Frank Alamo, Nicoletta, and Jacques Brel were all Barclay recording artists. In 1979 he sold Barclay Records to PolyGram. Always a colorful and flamboyant character, he went on to some celebrity as a party host to France's biggest stars. Barclay passed away in May of 2005 at the age of 84. ~ Wade Kergan