Rick James: The Funk Years (1980–1984)

From 1980 to 1984, Rick James brought funk's wildest energy to stages across the country—and SHOWCO was there to deliver the sound. These were years of "Super Freak" fever, packed arenas, and the kind of behind-the-scenes moments that only the crew knows about.

This section of the archive highlights SHOWCO's work on Rick James tours during this era, with materials including tour passes, crew memorabilia, photos, and technical documents from the road.

I'm building this archive by hand and will keep adding photos, itineraries, stage plots, and ephemera as they're located and digitized.

Were you on the road with Rick James or working with SHOWCO between 1980 and 1984? If you have photos, passes, documents, or stories from this era, please contact me to help expand this part of the archive.