Artie Wayne
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Artie Wayne | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Wayne Kent |
Born | New York City, United States | January 22, 1942
Died | February 19, 2019 Palm Springs, California, U.S. | (aged 77)
Occupation(s) | songwriter, singer, producer |
Years active | 1959–2008 |
Artie Wayne (born Wayne Kent, January 22, 1942 – February 19, 2019)[1] was an American record producer, music publisher, songwriter and singer.
His first hit as a songwriter and producer came in 1963 when he co-wrote
Early years
Wayne first worked with Bobby Darin in 1959, who sent him to Don Kirshner, who had just formed Aldon Music with producer Al Nevins.
He went on to collaborate with Paul Vance ("Itsy, Bitsy Bikini") and in 1963 co-wrote his first hit, " Midnight Mary" with Ben Raleigh ("Tell Laura I Love Her").[4] He also produced the single, which was singer Joey Powers' only hit.[2] Wayne also wrote UK top 50 hits by Helen Shapiro ("Queen for Tonight") and The Magic Lanterns ("Excuse Me Baby").[5][6]
After a short stint as professional manager of publishing at
In 1965, Wayne moved to
He also recorded under the name Shadow Mann for his own label, Tomorrow's Productions, distributed by Morris Levy.[9] He is also credited with discovering actress Sissy Spacek who recorded for his label under the name Rainbo.[10]
Hollywood
After moving to Hollywood in 1970, he contributed pieces as a photographer and journalist to Rock and Fusion magazines. He also reviewed acts for
In 1973 Wayne co-wrote with George Clinton "Little Christmas Tree" for Michael Jackson which was featured on the Motown compilation LP A Motown Christmas which hit the top of the Billboard 200 in 1973, as well as being released as a single in some countries. It is Jackson's only solo Christmas song and has had a number of re-releases.[13][14][15] Wayne also co-write "Touch the One You Love" for the star.[16][17]
The same year he co-wrote "Sending My Good Thoughts to You" with Patti Dahlstrom which was dedicated to their late friend, the singer Jim Croce who had recently died in a plane crash.[18]
When his friend Don Williams from rival publishing company MCA Music played him an acetate of the unreleased Rock Opera, "Jesus Christ Superstar" by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, he sensed it was going to be a phenomenon. Williams, Wayne and their friend Allan Rinde promoted the record to their "underground tastemaker" friends. MCA records as well as Rice and Webber credit the trio with breaking the record in the US.
At the Tokyo Music Festival in 1974, Wayne found a song from South African songwriter Terry Dempsey, "Daydreamer", which David Cassidy recorded selling 5 million units across the world.
When he became the executive director of A+M's publishing company, he represented the songs of Paul Williams, Roger Nichols, Jeff Barry, Peter Allan, Richard Carpenter, John Bettis, and Billy Preston.[19] He also signed newcomer Rick James to an exclusive songwriting contract as well as future Academy Award winner Will Jennings ("My Heart Will Go On"). In his first week after becoming head of Irving/ Almo music he gave Olivia Newton-John "I Honestly Love You" which became the "Record of the Year".[20]
After leaving A+M, he formed the Artie Wayne Organisation, and went around the world selling dance records that were produced for him by David Foster, Jack Conrad, Art Munson and Joe Klein.[20] Also, he was the first American to have his own Japanese record company without having his own label in the US. In his spare time he also represented Joe Klein as agent, who created radio and television ad campaigns for EMI, Capitol, Casablanca, Ariola, K-Tel, and Warner Brothers Records.Wayne also recorded a dance album for Neil Bogart's Casablanca Records under the name Arthur Wayne.
Wayne also won a "CLIO" award (the Grammy of advertising) for co-writing and producing the Radio Record spot of 1983 (with Joe Klein and "Frenchy" Gauthier) for Kenny Rogers "Share Your Love", which featured the phrase, "Fall in Love All Over Again". The slogan has been recycled and used for the past 25 years in film campaigns to promote Sleepless in Seattle, My Best Friend's Wedding, While You Were Sleeping, the 2005 re-release of Disney's Lady and the Tramp, as well as countless ads for music groups, including Simon Cowell's recent number one album El Divo.
In 1983, Allan Rinde, produced the Artie Wayne Songwriter Motivational Course. Among the aspiring songwriters who attended were Jason Bloom (who went on to write for the Backstreet Boys), John Barnes (who went on to co-write much of the "Bad" album with Michael Jackson) and Diane Warren ("Unbreak my Heart", "How Do I Live (Without You)?").
When Rinde decided to open a Chinese restaurant in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood in Hollywood, Wayne gave him the name Genghis Cohen. He was host there intermittently for nine years. He also started a "Wearable Art" clothing business. His clients included ERTE, (the father of Art Deco),
Later career
Wayne went to New York in 1988 to be Director Of Creative Services for Harvey Russack's UNIQUE Clothing Wearhouse in the East Village. He had seven graffiti artists working under him who airbrushed jackets and jeans for the top recording acts
On his return to the West Coast, Wayne performed and presented shows to standing room only crowds at The Genghis Cantina, Allan Rinde's new venture located next to Genghis Cohen.
When Wayne moved to the California desert for health reasons he began to paint/sculpt works on unfinished quartz that were sold in Palm Springs and La Quinta. Until mid-2014, he wrote a blog about his experiences in the music industry that reached an audience of over 2 million.
Death
Wayne died in Palm Springs, California, on February 19, 2019, aged 77.[1]
References
- ^ a b "Obituary:Artie Wayne", DesertSun, February 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2019
- ^ a b "Fifty years ago Washington's Joey Powers was a Top ten artist".Observer Reporter Accessed 2015-12-30
- ISBN 9781477276334. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
- ISBN 0823074994
- ^ Songs written by Artie Wayne, MusicVF
- ^ "Excuse Me Baby", 45cat.com
- ^ "Kapralik Sets Up Co.". 29 May 1965. Billboard 1965-5-29
- ^ a b c "Executive Turntable". 27 March 1971. Billboard 1971.3.27
- ^ "A New Label For Roulette". 21 December 1968. Billboard 1968 Dec.21
- ISBN 1401324363
- ^ "Silvers Revamping Garrett Co.". 12 September 1970. Billboard 1970.12.3
- ^ "Nanette Success Perking Ties Between Disks & B'way". 17 April 1971. Billboard 1971-4-17
- ^ "Little Christmas Tree". AllMusic. All Music -Accessed 2016-01-11
- ISBN 1507624409
- ISBN 1495045986
- ^ "Touch the One You Love". AllMusic. Allmusic -Accessed 2016-01-11
- ISBN 0-7552-0091-8.
- ^ "Biography". at Patti Dahlstrom.com Accessed 2016-01-11
- ^ "Executive Turntable". 9 March 1974.-Billboard 1974-3-9
- ^ a b "Artie Wayne, On His Own Now, He Craves Hits,Hot Catalog". 28 September 1974. by Nat Friedland, Billboard 1974 Sept.28
External links
- Official website
- Artie Wayne's Blog
- Artie Wayne Discography
- Artie Wayne discography at Discogs