There are places in Arkansas that do not look like much as you pass them on the highway. But every so often, one of those places carries a story large enough to travel far beyond the state line. Rimrock Records was one of those places, a small recording business that managed to leave a surprisingly loud mark on the music industry.
Founded in 1961 by Wayne Raney and his son, Zyndall, Rimrock was not located in a big city known for music studios such as Nashville, Memphis, or Los Angeles. Instead, it was located in the small town of Concord (Cleburne County) near Greers Ferry Lake. It wasn’t where most people would expect to find a record company, yet for more than a decade, that’s exactly what existed there.
Rimrock Records was more than a record label. It was a place where music was recorded, pressed onto vinyl, and distributed across the country under one roof. At a time when most small labels had to send recordings elsewhere to be pressed, Rimrock handled the entire process in a small building in rural Arkansas. It stood as a rare example of what determination and creativity could build, even far from the industry’s usual centers, and it did so with a distinctly independent spirit.
Inside those walls, country, gospel, and rockabilly artists found opportunity. Some were regional performers hoping to put their music on vinyl for the first time, while others were more established names who found their way to Concord for their own reasons. The sound that came out of Rimrock was not as polished as productions from Los Angeles or Nashville, but that was part of its appeal. There was something authentic in it, music that reflected the place it came from. And then, of course, there are the stories.
Over the years, it has been said that even major artists passed through Rimrock’s doors. Names like Elvis Presley and Ike & Tina Turner have been linked to the studio, with stories suggesting they recorded to get away from public attention. Whether they came for convenience, curiosity, or simply the privacy a small town like Concord could offer, their rumored connection has only added to the legend and mystique that still surrounds the place to this day.
Rimrock’s run, like many other record companies, did not last long. In 1974, the pressing plant was sold to the legendary Stax Records and moved to Memphis, bringing an end to Concord’s unlikely chapter in the recording industry. It was a reminder of how quickly things can change, especially in a business that rarely stands still. Even so, the legacy of Rimrock did not simply disappear when the equipment was moved.
Today, Rimrock records, those original 45s and LPs, have become pieces of history. They turn up in collections, flea markets, and antique stores, valued not only for the music they carry but for the story behind them. A quick search online shows several albums still circulating, typically priced anywhere from around eleven dollars to fifty or more depending on condition. Each one serves as a quiet reminder that meaningful things do not always come from major cities or famous studios. Sometimes they begin in places few people think to notice, and that may be the lasting lesson of Rimrock Records.
The Natural State has long held a deep musical tradition, even if it does not always receive the recognition it deserves. However, hidden within its hills and small towns are stories like the one of Rimrock Records, shaped by ambition, creativity, and the belief that something worthwhile can be built anywhere, even far from the bright lights of big cities.
Sometimes all it takes is ingenuity, determination, and a company such as Rimrock Records, situated in a wide spot along an Arkansas road, to prove just how far a small place can reach.
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