(September 29, 2026) We are devastated to report the unexpected passing of longtime music executive, promoter and label founder Ray Caviano, an influential behind-the-scenes figure whose career touched some of the biggest names in soul, pop and dance music. The news of his passing has led to words of praise and gratitude from artists and fans whose musical lives were changed by him. We had most recently worked with Ray just last week on our recent article featuring singer Prince LDJ.
A New York native, Caviano spent more than five decades in the music business, with early stops at Rolling Stone and London Records, where he worked with artists ranging from Al Green and The Rolling Stones to The Moody Blues. But he made his biggest mark during the rise of disco in the 1970s, developing a reputation as one of the era’s most innovative record promoters.
At Henry Stone’s TK Records, where he ran the label’s disco promotion, Caviano helped break such acts as Vicki Sue Robinson, Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band and Village People, along with TK’s own KC and the Sunshine Band, T-Connection and Peter Brown. His success ultimately caught the attention of Warner Bros., which brought him aboard to lead its dance music efforts.
Caviano subsequently founded RFC Records, backed by Warner Bros. and named for his initials, and the label became home to artists including Gino Soccio and Change. The latter group would introduce many listeners to the extraordinary voice of a then-little-known Luther Vandross on classics such as “The Glow of Love” and “Searching.” Caviano’s work during that period helped establish the club DJ as an important force in breaking new records and reshaped the way major labels marketed dance music.
After stepping away from the industry for a period, Caviano later returned to music, reviving the RFC name and continuing to work in promotion, marketing and consulting. In reflecting on his career, he wrote that after more than 50 years in the business, his story had always been about “the beauty and integrity of a good song.”
Ray Caviano was one of those important music figures whose name may not have been on the album cover, but whose fingerprints were all over the music. His impact on the worlds of soul and dance music will long be remembered.
Rest in peace, Ray Caviano.
