Juana Records was an independent American record label founded in 1975 in Midfield, Alabama, by musicians Frederick Knight and Clinton Harris. Closely associated with Southern soul, R&B and disco, the label became an outlet for Knight’s songwriting and production after the decline of Stax Records. Juana was initially distributed by T.K. Records, the Florida company that became one of the defining forces in the disco era.
The driving creative force behind Juana Records was Frederick Knight, born in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1944. Before becoming a label owner, Knight established himself as a singer, songwriter and producer. He recorded for Mercury and Capitol before joining Stax Records and scored a substantial hit with “I’ve Been Lonely for So Long” in 1972.
Following the collapse of Stax, Knight turned towards independence. Juana gave him the opportunity to develop artists while controlling much of the songwriting and production himself. Clinton Harris was a co-founder and later served as executive vice-president, while Knight headed the operation and remained its principal creative figure.
The company later moved its operations from Alabama to Jackson, Mississippi, strengthening its connection with the Southern recording scene. Knight produced Juana’s albums and much of its singles output, giving the label a recognisable musical identity.
Juana Records achieved its greatest commercial success with Anita Ward. Knight produced Ward’s debut album Songs of Love and persuaded her to record a rewritten version of a song he had originally composed for teenage singer Stacy Lattisaw.
That song was “Ring My Bell.”
Released on Juana in 1979, it became an international disco phenomenon, reaching No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 in the UK. It was Juana’s defining record and transformed the small independent label into an internationally recognised name.
Although Juana Records maintained a relatively small roster, several notable soul, R&B and disco performers appeared on the label. They included Anita Ward, The Controllers, Frederick Knight, True Image, Tommy Tate and C.L. Blast.
The Controllers were particularly important to the label’s Southern soul identity. Their debut album In Control appeared on Juana, while “Somebody’s Gotta Win, Somebody’s Gotta Lose” became a significant R&B success, reaching No. 8 on Billboard’s R&B chart in 1977.
Juana Records never possessed the vast catalogue of Stax, Motown or Atlantic, but that is part of its appeal. It represents the smaller independent labels that kept Southern soul evolving as musical tastes shifted towards funk and disco during the late 1970s.
Its legacy rests above all on Frederick Knight’s ability to combine songwriting, production and entrepreneurship. With Anita Ward’s “Ring My Bell”, Juana Records also secured something many much larger labels never achieved: a record that crossed musical and geographical boundaries to become one of the enduring sounds of the disco era.
“Ring My Bell” transformed a simple phrase into one of disco’s most memorable double entendres. Discover how Anita Ward’s 1979 hit blends romantic invitation, sexual innuendo and irresistible dance-floor energy.