Herb Abramson
Herbert C. Abramson ( born November 16, 1916 in Brooklyn, New York City; † November 9, 1999 in Las Vegas, Nevada) was an American music producer in the rhythm and blues of the forties and fifties and one of the founders of independent labels Atlantic Records.
First professions in the music industry
Abramson went to New York to school and then began studying dentistry. In addition to his studies, he worked since 1945 as a freelance producer for the newly founded record label National Records. He produced the first SK Blues, the Johnson and Turner Blues and Watch That Jive for Big Joe Turner (recorded in the session of February 2, 1945), and A Cottage For Sale (May 2, 1945 published in June 1945; National # 9014 ) and Prisoner Of Love ( September 1945 / January 1946; National # 9017 ) Billy Eckstine for. One of the first singles at National Records was Bum Dee Dee Dah Rah by Gatemouth Moore, taken on November 15, 1945 (# 4004 ).
While Abramson was still working for National Records, he founded his own label in May 1946. Jubilee Records that specialized in gospel music offshoot Quality for jazz. Besides the Orioles were in the starting phase in the label catalog almost hardly any other artist. Abramson produced here on January 2, 1946, only two gospel plates for Sister Ernestine Washington, namely, Does Jesus Care? / The Lord Will Make a Way Somehow (Jubilee # 2501 ) and Where Could I Go But to the Lord / God 's Amazing Grace (Jubilee # 2502 ) with Bunk Johnson's Jazz Band, who were then not be published. Salesman Jerry Blaine was a short time after the foundation also holds. On January 4, 1947 Abramson had his preliminary biggest success as a producer for National Records, than that produced by him with the black comedian Dusty Fletcher absurd plate Open The Door Richard ( National # 4012 ) reached the Billboard charts and # 3 over a million copies transposed, the later Drifters manager George Treadwell played trumpet in the session. In July 1947, prevented the timely intervention of Abramson that is under contract with the National Ravens were sent to prison; they had a few copies of published in June 1947 Single Ol ' Man River (recorded on April 24, 1947) thrown from the George Washington Bridge into the Hudson River, which Abramson towards the police played down as a publicity stunt. Abramson is considered as a co- producer of this million Sellers. In September 1947 Abramson sold - because of irreconcilable differences in the production policy - his share of Jubilee Records minority shareholders Blaine and had thus the start-up capital for a new company together. Only Blain helped Jubilee Records after breakthrough.
Atlantic Records
Together with Ahmet Ertegun ( with a bet of $ 10,000 borrowed ) founded Abramson ( $ 2,500 ) in September 1947 Atlantic Records and became Managing Director, and his wife Miriam took over the administration and accounting and had thus played a key role. Ertegun had no knowledge of the workings of the music industry. Abramson was the only one at Atlantic in the establishment phase, the knowledge brought back as a producer and label owner. The first recording sessions at Atlantic took place under the supervision of Herb. Abramson undertook with Ertegun many trips to attract talent for their label. In 1947 he was in a New York recording studio recording engineer Tom Dowd and beat Ertegun prior to hire him at Atlantic Records. The following year he discovered along with Ertegun in Washington DC, the young R & B singer Ruth Brown, who received a recording contract in January 1949. During a trip to the southern states Abramson discovered in 1949 Professor Longhair, whose first six recordings for Atlantic Records Hey Now Baby (as Roland " Bald Head " Byrd And His New Orleans Rhythm ), She Walks Right In (as Roy " Bald Head " Byrd, Atlantic # 897, published in February 1950, B-side of Mardi Gras in New Orleans), Hey Little Girl / Willie Mae (Roland Byrd; Atlantic # 947, published in October 1951), Walk Your Blues Away / Professor Longhair Blues ( with the Blues Scholars, # 906, May 1950) Abramson produced in December 1949 in New Orleans. Herb took over in April 1951 Big Joe Turner, who had landed after a dozen brands at Okeh Records, Atlantic, in the same month in 1951 gave Herb and Ertegun the Clovers a record deal, Turner took on April 19, 1951 The Chill Is On / Bump Miss Suzie his first single on Atlantic (Atlantic # 949, November 1951 ). Abramson produced the recording session with Ray Charles on September 11, 1952, from which the title The Sun 's Gonna Shine Again, Roll With Me Baby, The Midnight Hour and Jumpin ' In The Morning emerged. He also produced the million-seller Chains of Love (19 April 1951) and Still in Love ( With You ) (23 September 1952) for Joe Turner.
In February 1953, Abramson was drafted into the army as a dentist to Germany, Jerry Wexler was followed in June 1953 as a replacement and took a 13 % stake in Atlantic Records. As Abramson returned from military service in April 1955, he found a completely changed record company. He brought with him a German friend named Brunhilde, which led to divorce from Miriam 1957. Abramson produced after his military service, only the Mabel Mercer Sings Cole Porter LP (Atlantic # 1213, taken on November 7, 1954, published in 1955 ) and four titles for the Al Hibbler After The Lights LP Go Down Low (# 1251, 1956). As mentioned before his conscription, he also produced after only a few titles, while Wexler next Ertegun made the main creative work.
Label boss at Atco Records
In August 1955 he became chief of the newly created subsidiary label Atco Records. The label had success with the Leiber / Stoller musical fully furnished Coasters, but Abramson could not bring out Bobby Darin's talent. The first three singles for Atco I Found a Million Dollar Baby / Talk To Me Something (May 1957 Atco # 6092 ), Do not Call My Name / Pretty Baby (recorded on August 21, 1957 # 6103 ) and Just in Case You Changed Your Mind (May 1957) / So Mean (August 21, 1957 # 6109 ) could not reach the charts. As Abramson planned, Darin to fire after the expiration of his record contract on 1 May 1958, this turned to Ertegun and Wexler. The next track Splish Splash found neither in nor Abramson at Wexler appeal, but Ertegun had two colleagues outvoted. Following the publication on 19 May 1958 Splish Splash became the million-seller and helped the artist to break through. Abramson produced after the LP Bobby Darin (published in September 1958), on which the first unsuccessful singles were included. Yet in December 1958 left Abramson Atco voluntarily, leaving his equity stake in Atlantic Records for $ 300,000 to his ex - wife Miriam Bienstock (now married to the music publisher Freddy Bienstock ) and Nesuhi Ertegun.
Ephemeral own record label
He invested this money in December 1958 for his own short-lived record label Triumph Records, together with the daughter Label Blaze. It was here on 27 October 1959, the first major musikologisch Gene Pitney - single under the pseudonym Billy Bryan and the title Cradle of My Love / Going Back To My Love, released in November 1959 ( Blaze # 351). In Triumph previously undervalued blues singer Varetta Dillard was released in June 1959 Good Gravy Baby ( # 608). This also took over in 1959, written by Abramson ( Twee - twee - twee ) The Lovin ' Bird for the record label Blaze. Bobby Comstock brought to triumph in September 1959 issued a late rockabilly version of Tennessee Waltz, which brought it up to rank 52 of the pop charts. The label Festival Abramson founded in 1960, the Just A Piece of Paper brought to the market by Comstock in September 1961. Jimmy Ricks & The Ravens, in the core of the group of National Records published here in December 1961, their resulting on November 10, 1961 version of the Otis Blackwell composition Daddy Rollin 'Stone. The labels had to offer no big hits and were ultimately liquidated in late 1967 again. Abramson investments were not worth it.
In May 1962, he earned $ 10,000 for the A-1 recording studio, the original Atlantic recording studio in New York's 56th Street, and took Titus Turner here, Tommy Tucker, Otis Blackwell and Louisiana Red on. He produced here probably as early as 1962 Tommy Tucker's original composition and subsequent mods anthem Hi Heel Sneakers with the distinctive guitar work of Welton " Dean" Young, on January 13, 1964 reached a rank 11 of the pop charts after the publication of the Chess Records subsidiary label Checker Records and some 200 versions is among the most covered songs.
Tucker presented the producers with the blues performer Louisiana Red, whom he immortalized in eight produced by Abramson recording sessions 1965-1973 with 78 titles. A selection thereof appeared together on the published LP 1972 Louisiana Red Sings The Blues in the occupation of Napoleon " Snags " Allen, Sidney Barnes, Dave " Baby" Cortez, Bill Dicey, Leonard Gaskin and Tommy Tucker. Abramson, which was denied both as a producer and as owner of record labels in the large success, lived from 1965 in Culver City / California in poverty.
Statistics and awards
Abramson was in contrast to Ertegun and Wexler hardly emerged as a composer. Overall, BMI lists 19 titles, of which Don Cornell country song I'm Yearning ( September 1953 ), Night Flight ( with Jimmy Forrest May 1959) nor were the best known. Together with Don Covay, he wrote in 1964 the follow-up single Long Tall Shorty for Tommy Tucker. In February 1998, Abramson received from the Rhythm & Blues Foundation Pioneer Award.