In 1991, Mark Carpentieri wanted to record his band Somethin' Blue but like many musicians, he didn't have the money. He ended up making a deal with the studio owner. He would dump a van full of construction garbage for a night's worth of recording. Through simple barter, M.C. Records was formed. In 1996, Mark signed his first artist, Mississippi bluesman Big Jack Johnson and released his music throughout the world.

It was in 1999 that M.C. Records would be nominated for its first Grammy ward for Odetta's comeback recording "Blues Everywhere I Go." Since then the label has been nominated for four more Grammys. M.C. Records has been nominated or won over 35 Blues Music Awards. In 2006, M.C. Records received The Blues Foundation's Keeping The Blues Alive Award. Many great artists have released recordings through M.C. Records including R.L. Burnside, Cyril Neville, Guy Davis, Dayna Kurtz, Pinetop Perkins, Kim Wilson, Tommy Malone (the subdudes) and Joanna Connor to name a few.