After six years running their own record company, the couple has finally signed an artist.

It is testimony to how patience in the business world is more than a virtue: it is the difference between success and failure.

"We have put our entire life savings into this,'' said Raymond Robinson president of local record company label Bermuda Triangle Records.

Well-known on the local airwaves as disc jockey "Ray Love'' Mr. Robinson formed the record company with his wife Leslie.

While it might seem a long time in coming, the couple has finally signed their first artist Timmy Maia, an American, and report that a few songs from his CD are already being broadcast both in Bermuda and the US. While he would not divulge how much money he and his wife put into the company, an upbeat Mr.

Robinson said he anticipated making it all back in the next six months.

"It's taken us six years to get to this stage, and we're broke right now,'' he said, "but I figure in another six months I will have made that money back.'' Explaining why the company took so long to make its first record contract, Mr.

Robinson stressed the importance of being patient.

Ray's labour of love "As a new record label the worst thing we could have done was to sign the wrong artists,'' he said. "It's a long process. We first had to find the right artist, then the right songs, the right producers and engineers.

Another time consuming element of the process according to Mr. Robinson was getting studio recording time.

"Studios are $200 to $300 per hour and many of them are booked solid as much as eight months in advance,'' he said.

Defending his decision to sign an American and not a Bermudian, Mr. Robinson said he couldn't find any locals "dedicated enough to commit''.

"I have at least 50 demo tapes from locals,'' he said, "but what we found with the Bermudians is that they were pre-occupied with the performance side of things and not very interested in the business side.

"We couldn't find anyone who was willing to commit full time to their music and that is what we needed and were willing to pay for,'' he added.

Mr. Robinson added that he is about to sign two local acts, but was not at liberty to divulge who they are.

He said he was introduced to Timmy Maia through a mutual friend and pointed out that his music is not without Bermudian influence.

"We actually got the artist to come to Bermuda,'' he said, "he spent a lot of time at the beaches, at Horseshoe Bay and some of the songs were written through inspiration he received right here in Bermuda.'' Mr. Maia is a rhythm and blues singer and the introductory CD features 11 songs. According to Mr. Robinson, two of those songs, Dance Floor and Silver Lining have been getting quite a bit of air play in the New York tri-state area.

"Radio play is very important to our success,'' said Mr. Robinson "so I have been and will be attacking all my radio friends. Programme directors will be hearing from me and even hiding from me,'' he added.

Timmy Maia will give several performances this weekend including one at the clothing store The Source II at 12.15 on Saturday afternoon. On Saturday night he will be formally introduced to the local market at a release party at the Port Royal Golf Club in Southampton.

Mr. Robinson said at least two more release parties have been slated in the next few months. One in Hartford Connecticut in January and the other in February in Atlanta.

Patience pays off: Raymond `Ray Love' Robinson, who has signed his first artist -- an American.