Rudy Calvo

Photos by Alan Mercer

Le Chapeau by Alakazia

Over the course of a career that has spanned more than thirty years, Rudy Calvo became one of the industries most sought after makeup artists. His prodigious talents have touched the faces of such notable celebrities as Halle Berry, Denzel Washington, Queen Latifah, Will Smith, Angela Basset, Natalie Cole, Chaka Khan, Jill Scott and living legends Etta James, Nancy Wilson and Gladys Knight among countless others.

Calvo’s excellent reputation as the make-up artist to female vocalists is a natural outgrowth of his love for them. He is a passionate collector of vintage vinyl recordings, photographs, video clips, books and sheet music of such icons as Ethel Waters, Tina Turner and The Ikettes, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Josephine Baker and Patti LaBelle. LaBelle relied upon Calvo’s extensive knowledge of her career for her autobiography, “Don’t Block The Blessings.” As a result, Calvo helped provide a comprehensive discography and several rare photos that were incorporated into the book. Another discography that he was asked to help write was for the autobiography, “My Name Is Love," The Darlene Love Story. Currently he is working on his own book, “Songbirds”, in which he pays homage to the careers of many legendary female vocalists and will feature his unique makeup techniques.

What initially began as a hobby has mushroomed into a full-fledged archival service know as The Rudy Calvo Collection. He has been called upon to lend his collection to the A&E “Biography” series, Lifetime’s “Intimate Portrait” and BET’s “Journeys In Black with Patti LaBelle” on which he was also interviewed. Additionally he has worked on the British television special “Top Ten 60’s Soul” and has been seen on the BBC biography series “Black Legend” based on the life of Diana Ross, as well as appearing on another recent BBC special based on the legends of the dance world called “Queens of Disco” for which he also provided images from his vast collection.

His collection has become an invaluable resource for record labels such as MCA, Warner Bros., Hip-O, Ace, Brunswick, Reel Music and Motown (A subject that he is considered an expert on); as well as writers, producers and recording artists researching material currently out of print. He has also been a US correspondent for the UK magazine “In The Basement” that is dedicated to real soul music. His collection has also been seen in books such as "Black Hollywood Tragedies" and “California Soul,” which was based on the music of African Americans in the west.

I met Rudy Calvo nine years ago when I first moved to Los Angeles. He has been a great friend all this time. What a pleasure to share with you a little of my 'friend experience' with the one and only Rudy Calvo!

AM: Hi Rudy, Do you think you are gaining a high profile reputation for your Collection?

RC: Yes, it's been growing for the last ten years little by little. Word got out in England especially so I have been getting more and more calls by people who are researching for certain photos or songs. It's taken on a life of it's own.

AM: Was this your goal from the beginning?

RC: No, I have been collecting since I was a little kid. I did wonder why I was collecting as much as I was. It got to a point where I said, "What am I going to do with all this stuff?"

AM: Was the collection started as a fan of the music?

RC: Yes, it was all about my love of the music.

AM: When did you realize this could be something of importance?

RC: Years back when I got a call from Motown Records asking if I had any images of 'The Marvelettes?' It turned out I did have a few images in my collection that they didn't have. It ended up being the front and back covers of their box set called "Deliver The Singles."

AM: Who at Motown knew that you had a picture?

RC: One of the art directors knew that I was a collector and they called and asked if I happen to have any photos? That was one of the beginnings.

AM: Who is the most sought after artist that you have in your collection?

RC: Probably Patti LaBelle because I have had so many calls from different documentaries about her. I contributed nine photos for her autobiography. Patti always says, "Call Rudy because he will remember when I did something. He knows more about my career than I do." I get the calls about Labelle and Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles.

AM: Do you think Patti gave you a credibility as a Soul Music expert?

RC: She is one of the people. I did start out as her make-up artist, but I was a fan first and I had already started collecting her history. As I was working with her more and more she realized how much I knew about her career and how much I have collected about her.

AM: Tell me about your Ikettes collection?

RC: I like anything relating to Ike & Tina Turner, but especially the early Ikettes, Robbie Montgomery, Venetta Fields, and Jessie Smith who are all dear friends to this day. Ace/Kent records released a collection of their Modern Records recording and my photo ended up on the cover. It was a picture that nobody else had. I contributed a lot of photos and sheet music. Ady Croswell who is one of the heads of Ace Records, happened to be visiting Los Angeles and he came to my house for dinner, and he started going through my collection. He saw how much I had on the Ikettes. They already had a cover for the CD but it was the wrong grouping of girls. I said to him if they ever reissue the Ikettes CD it would be great to let me contribute some photos. He went back to England and then got a hold of me and I have been contributing a lot for Ace Records. They are the premiere label for reissuing Soul Music, really any kind of music as a matter of fact. They are a pleasure to work with.

AM: Do you consider yourself an expert on Soul music or 60's music or what?

RC: I LOVE IT ALL! I'm pretty much a walking encyclopedia of all music but I especially have a love for 60's Soul because I was collecting when I was a kid. The first record I ever bought was Dee Dee Sharp, "Rock Me In The Cradle Of Love." It's a very up tempo, gospel, type song. What made a kid of ten years old be so attracted to that sound? Something about it really attracted my spirit.

AM: Did you hear these songs on the radio?

RC: Probably I don't remember.

AM: Do you think anyone in your collection will be retro-hot soon?

RC: I've provided some photos of Brenda Holloway who was one of Motown's premiere female artists in the 60's. She did not get the proper dues back then. They just reissued all her pre-Motown recordings. She is someone I have been really passionate about collecting all these years; I had several images of her they had not seen. One of them made the cover as well as the inside centerfold. Brenda has always been at the top of my list. She seems to be having a resurgence. She is better known over seas than here in the United States as most of these artists are. They are never embraced in the States the same way.

AM: Why do you think that is?

RC: The over seas market seems to be filled with more connoisseurs of music and they go for more obscure stuff. They tend to embrace those songs that never gpt played here or sometimes even the B-side of some records.

AM: What is your goal with your collection?

RC: I would like to donate it to a museum like the Schaumburg in Harlem, where I know it will be preserved and embraced.

AM: Do you find your collection to be as gratifying as being a make-up artist?

RC: It's different. As a child and teenager I always wanted to be involved in music. Both professions have allowed me to work in the music industry. It's pretty fulfilling because I always wanted to work in this industry.

AM: Are there any other projects you want to discuss?

RC: Yes, as you know, I've been working on a book with you and some other photographers. This is where I will utilize a lot of the collection because I am using a lot of vintage pictures of long forgotten artists who are not known here but they are women of substance who have contributed a lot to the music industry. Maybe they haven't had a hit in thirty years but the fact that they still work makes them relevant. They should be recognized. The book will have a contemporary portrait and a vintage picture from their heyday. Another thing I am working on is compiling music for CD's. That is really exciting to me because I have always wanted to bring light to certain groups I am passionate about. I am working on a project I can't mention yet but it is thrilling for me to bring a lot of the music I have loved through the years back to life!