Édouard Ruault, better known as Eddie Barclay, was a French music producer whose illustrious career spanned over several decades. Born on January 26, 1921, in Paris, France, Ruault was the son of a café waiter and a post office worker.
As a child, Ruault spent much of his early years with his grandmother in Taverny, Val-d'Oise, before his parents purchased the Café de la Poste bar in the heart of Paris. At the age of 15, he left school to work in the café, where he developed a passion for music and piano.
Ruault's love for American jazz led him to frequent the Hot Club de France, where he would often listen to the quintet of Stéphane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt. He also became a pianist at the "L'Étape" club in Paris, where he would perform alongside the young Louis de Funès.
During World War II, Ruault's love for jazz led him to hold secret gatherings with other jazz enthusiasts at his home, where they would listen to jazz records and illegal radio stations. After the war, he changed his name to Eddie Barclay and opened "Eddie's Club" in Paris.
In 1947, Barclay started a band featuring his wife, Nicole, on vocals under the name Eve Williams. He also founded "Blue Star Records" with his wife, using their apartment to store 78 rpm discs, which he would deliver himself. The label featured musicians such as Don Byas and Eddie Constantine.
Barclay's success led him to write songs with Charles Aznavour and Boris Vian, and he even edited Jazz magazine with Vian. In 1952, Alan Morrison invited Barclay to visit the US to see the new recording technology that enabled the production of 45s and LPs.
In 1955, Barclay agreed to manufacture and distribute Mercury Records in Europe. He took 60 masters to Pathé-Marconi's Paris factory and began promoting the new microgroove format to the French market. As well as releasing US records by the likes of Ray Charles, Dizzy Gillespie, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Duke Ellington, Barclay engaged Gerhard Lehner to make original recordings in Avenue Hoche, Paris.
After selling 1.5 million copies of the Platters' "Only You", Barclay Records rose to become the top music production company in France. His success led to his nickname as "empereur du microsillon" (king of microgroove).
Throughout his career, Barclay discovered and launched the careers of many francophone singers, including Hugues Aufray, Michel Delpech, Dalida, Mireille Mathieu, Claude Nougaro, and Eddy Mitchell. His artists appreciated the artistic freedom he afforded them and the trust he placed in their judgement.
