John Ryan and Athena Recording Co.

Athena Recording Company was mentioned a few days ago on this blog, as the record label on which musician Vern Terry released his only 45 RPM.

A little digging in the Lorain Journal online archives revealed that the company was owned by John (also spelled 'Jon') Ryan and began operations in the mid-1950s. For several years, its advertisements noted that it was the only recording studio in Lorain County. 

What follows are several ads that ran in the Journal beginning in 1956.

Nov. 20, 1956

June 28, 1957

Dec. 13, 1957

In 1958, John Ryan came up with an ingenious idea with educational appeal: produce and distribute records that a child could listen to while he sleeps as an aid to learning multiplication tables!

Feb. 7, 1958

This article from Feb. 15, 1958 tells the story about how Ryan came up with the "learn while you sleep" gimmick. The story also tells about the recording studio (it was only 22 by 15 feet) and how Ryan created some unique recording effects.

Feb. 15, 1958

It looks like Ryan managed to get the government interested in the records, just as he planned, as noted in this item from "Town Talk."

March 26, 1958

Ads coaxing Journal readers to make their own records ran for several years.

April 28, 1959

July 18, 1959

Aug. 23, 1961

Sept. 2, 1961

Sept. 8, 1961

Sometime in the mid-1960s, Ryan began what turned out to be a decades-long quest to be elected to a political office.

May 1, 1965

Anthem Recording Company was still in business near the end of the 1960s.

By the early 1970s, Ryan had made several attempts to get elected to various offices and attracted the attention of the Journal. This great profile of Ryan by Staff Writer Bob Cotleur provides a nice look at Ryan's life up to that point. The article tells how Athena Recording Co. got started with the purchase of a tape recorder, and how the business 'saved' him when he was down to his last buck (actually it was a buck and a quarter).

Jan. 14, 1973

More than twenty years later, Ryan was still a candidate for public office.

You have to admire a man with such dogged determination to try and help make Lorain a better place. But I think he already accomplished that – since his company undoubtedly produced keepsake recordings (such as the Vern Terry 45 RPM single) that are still cherished today.