Ken Ritter

Born in Gary, Panola County, Texas on December 12, 1928. Died December 30, 2007 in Beaumont, Texas. Brother of Gordon Ritter. Nephew of Tex Ritter. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, Ritter hosted a popular musical program on KFDM Radio in Beaumont, Texas, and at the same time promoted live shows featuring such singing legends as Hank Williams Sr. and Ernest Tubb. During the Korean Confilct, Ritter entered the U.S. Army and worked with Armed Forces radio at television station KRAM at Camp Chafee, Ark. Upon returning to Beaumont, Ritter affiliated with Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI). In 1956, he was granted the first music-publishing license there, and at the time it was among the earliest in the state. In 1958, his first major success came when he co-produced the recording that took J.P. Big Bopper Richardson to national fame. With two novelty songs back to back, the Chantilly Lace side became a huge hit and sold in the millions. In the early 1960s, Ritter discovered the talents of brothers Johnny and Edgar Winter of Beaumont, Texas, and produced some of the recordings that ushered them toward legendary status in the rock and blues music fields. Later, with famed music business personality Jack Clement, Ritter co-produced a Capitol Records album by Tex Ritter; all songs being recorded in Beaumont. During the early 1990s, Ritter teamed up with music promoter Joe Carter to form Ritter-Carter Management Corp., which managed country music superstar Tracy Byrd. Owner of a Comet label Recorded also for Feature, Khoury and Sarg labels.