Righteous Babe Records is an American independent record label. It was created by progressive folksinger Ani DiFranco in 1990 to release her own songs in lieu of being beholden to a mainstream record company.

Righteous Babe Records was originally called Righteous Records, and the original pressings of Difranco's debut album have it listed as such. However, Difranco then discovered a pre-existing gospel music label with that name, and to differentiate herself, added the "babe"^{[citation needed]}. Located in DiFranco's hometown of Buffalo, New York, Righteous Babe expanded in the late 1990s to release albums for emerging non-mainstream artists.

In 1995, an abandoned 19th century historical landmark, the Asbury Delaware United Methodist Church was scheduled to be demolished by the City of Buffalo. The church was built in 1876 and had become derelict with no upkeep. In 1999, Righteous Babe Records offered to buy the building from the city. Restoration efforts began in 2000, and by 2006 it had been converted into an entertainment venue. Originally referred to as "The Church", the name was affectionately changed to "Babeville." It has a 1,200-seat concert hall and is the current home of the label.

Ani DiFranco ( /ˈɑːniː/; born Angela Maria DiFranco on September 23, 1970) is an American singer, guitarist, poet, and songwriter. She has released more than 20 albums, and is widely considered a feminist icon.

DiFranco was born in Buffalo, New York, to Elizabeth and Dante DiFranco, who had met while attending MIT. She started playing Beatles covers at local bars and busking with her guitar teacher, Michael Meldrum, at the age of nine.

In 1989, DiFranco started her own record company, Righteous Records. Early in her career DiFranco worked with manager Dale Anderson, a writer for the Buffalo News, who started another record label called Hot Wings Records, after the two parted ways, that released similar sounding material. Her self-titled debut album was issued on the label in the winter of 1990. Later, she relocated to New York City, where she took poetry classes at The New School and toured vigorously for the next 15 years, essentially pausing briefly only to record albums.

Righteous Records was renamed Righteous Babe Records in 1994.

Nona Hendryx (born October 9, 1944 in Trenton, New Jersey) is an American vocalist, producer, songwriter, musician, author, and actress.

Hendryx is known for her work as a solo artist as well as for being one-third of the trio Labelle, who had a hit with "Lady Marmalade." Her music has ranged from soul, funk, dance, and R&B to hard rock, art rock, and World music.

Hendryx was born in Trenton, New Jersey in 1944 where she met fellow New Jersey native Sarah Dash and later met Philadelphia born singers Patricia Holte. After a short-lived tenure as a member of the Del-Capris, Hendryx and Dash formed a singing group with Holte once the lead singer of a girl group in Philadelphis called The Ordettes. In 1961, Cindy Birdsong, from Camden, New Jersey became the fourth member of the group, who became the 'Bluebelles' and signed their first deal with Newtown Records.

After the release of their debut hit, 1962's "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman", their name altered again to Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles. Hendryx's husky alto differed from Dash's sharp soprano, LaBelle's mezzo-soprano and Birdsong's second soprano. During this tenure, the group became known for their emotional live performances and their renditions of classic standards such as "You'll Never Walk Alone", "Over The Rainbow"and "Danny Boy". The group often found themselves competing against girl groups such as The Chantels, Shirelles and The Supremes. In 1967, Hendryx, LaBelle and Dash were shocked to discover that Birdsong, had secretly joined the Supremes after Florence Ballard was ousted from the group by Motown. Different members of the group were in touch with Birdsong over the years. Birdsong's relationships with the Bluebelles healed and they came together again for the ceremony when the group won an R&B Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999.

Animal Prufrock (born in Brooklyn, New York) is an openly lesbian and transgender singer-songwriter. S/he is best known for being the co-creator of the band Bitch and Animal.

Following the hiatus of Bitch and Animal, s/he wrote a musical based on the Hothead Paisan comics by Diane DiMassa which was performed at the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. S/he is the Musical Director for CASA, an afterschool children's arts program in San Francisco. Animal has written original music for five children's musicals in the last five years.

In 2008 s/he collaborated with the poet Judy Grahn touring the west coast as the opening act for Ani Difranco. S/he has a new record on righteous babe records, which was produced by Ani Difranco and released in November 2010 and has been performing in support of the album release. In April 2011, she reprised her role as opener for Ani on a west coast tour.

S/he is also currently pursuing a PHD in Transformative Studies developing theories around gender variance, creativity and theatrical collaboration.

Bruce Duncan "Utah" Phillips (May 15, 1935 – May 23, 2008) was a labor organizer, folk singer, storyteller, poet and the "Golden Voice of the Great Southwest". He described the struggles of labor unions and the power of direct action, self-identifying as an anarchist. He often promoted the Industrial Workers of the World in his music, actions, and words.

Phillips was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to Edwin Deroger Phillips and Frances Kathleen Coates. He attended East High School in Salt Lake City, Utah. His father, Edwin Phillips, was a labor organizer, and his parents' activism influenced much of his life's work. Phillips was a card-carrying member of the Industrial Workers of the World, the "wobblies," headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Phillips rode the railroads, and wrote songs.

He served in the United States Army for three years beginning in 1956 (at the latest). Witnessing the devastation of post-war Korea greatly influenced his social and political thinking.

Following service, he returned to Salt Lake City, Utah, and joined Ammon Hennacy from the Catholic Worker Movement in establishing a mission house of hospitality named after the activist Joe Hill. Phillips worked at the Joe Hill House for the next eight years, then ran for the U.S. Senate as a candidate of Utah's Peace and Freedom Party in 1968. He received 2,019 votes (0.5%) in an election won by Republican Wallace F. Bennett. He also ran for president of the United States in 1976 for the Do-Nothing Party.