Bert Berns

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"Bert Russell" redirects here. For the British mathematician, see Bertrand Russell. For the Australian footballer, see Bert Russell (footballer).

Bert Berns
Birth nameBertrand Russell Berns
Also known asBert Russell
Born(1929-11-08)November 8, 1929
New York City, U.S.
DiedDecember 30, 1967(1967-12-30) (aged 38)
New York City, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Songwriter
  • record producer
  • label executive
Years active1960–1967
Labels
Websitebertberns.com

Bertrand Russell Berns (November 8, 1929 – December 30, 1967), also known as Bert Russell and (occasionally) Russell Byrd, was an American songwriter and record producer of the 1960s.

Hang on Sloopy", "Cry to Me" and "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love", and his productions include "Baby, Please Don't Go", "Brown Eyed Girl" and "Under the Boardwalk
".

Early life

Born in the

African American and Latino neighbors. As a young man, Berns danced in mambo nightclubs, and made his way to Havana before the Cuban Revolution.[2]
: 23 

Music career

Beginnings (1960–1963)

Shortly after his return from Cuba, Berns began a seven-year run from an obscure

Isley Brothers, and featured as the B-side of their 1962 single "Twistin' With Linda". Also in 1962, the Isley Brothers recorded "Twist and Shout" on Wand Records, written by Berns and Phil Medley.[1] Berns also hit the charts in late 1962 with the Exciters' "Tell Him" on United Artists, and with Solomon Burke's "Cry to Me" on Atlantic Records. As an independent producer working with myriad record labels, Berns also made important records with Garnet Mimms ("Cry Baby") and Gene Pitney ("If I Didn't Have a Dime (to Play the Jukebox)").[1]

Atlantic Records (1963–1965)

Berns's early work with Solomon Burke brought him to the attention of Atlantic label chiefs Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler. In 1963, Berns replaced Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller as staff producer at Atlantic, where he wrote and produced hits for Solomon Burke ("Everybody Needs Somebody to Love"), the Drifters ("Under the Boardwalk" and "Saturday Night at the Movies"), Barbara Lewis ("Baby I'm Yours" and "Make Me Your Baby"), Little Esther Phillips ("Hello Walls," written by Willie Nelson), Ben E. King, Wilson Pickett and LaVern Baker.[1]

British Invasion (1964–1965)

With many of Berns's songs being recorded by

Baby Please Don't Go," a traditional blues song recorded by Them, and "Here Comes the Night," recorded by Lulu and Them.[1]

BANG Records (1965–1967)

Berns formed his own record label,

Cherry Cherry," both produced by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich
).

Shout Records (1966–1967)

With BANG Records releasing predominantly rock and roll, Berns formed

R&B and soul music, recording artists such Freddie Scott ("Are You Lonely for Me Baby") and Erma Franklin ("Piece of My Heart").[1] "Piece of My Heart", one of his last songs, was covered shortly thereafter by Big Brother and the Holding Company, which the then unknown Janis Joplin fronted,[1] peaking at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100;[4] the song also charted on both the Hot 100 and the Billboard Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles charts for Franklin's version (in 1967), on the Hot 100 for a medley by Melissa Etheridge and Joss Stone (in 2005), as well as charting at #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for Faith Hill
's version (in 1994).

Death and legacy

Berns, who had a history of cardiac trouble as a result of his heart being damaged from rheumatic fever contracted during childhood, died in his New York apartment of heart failure on December 30, 1967, aged 38.[1] He was buried two days later, following a funeral service at Riverside Memorial Chapel on New York's 180 West 76th Street in Manhattan. His widow Ilene outlived her husband by nearly 50 years; she died at the age of 73 on February 20, 2017.

The

Baby Come on Home" (originally titled "A Tribute to Bert Berns") was loosely based on a song Berns wrote for Hoagy Lands, and was recorded in Berns' honour.[5]

Here Comes the Night: The Dark Soul of Bert Berns and the Dirty Business of Rhythm and Blues by Joel Selvin, a book on his life and career, was published in 2014.[6]

A musical, Piece of My Heart: The Bert Berns Story by Daniel Goldfarb, premiered off-Broadway in 2014 at the Pershing Square Signature Center.[7]

A documentary film titled BANG! The Bert Berns Story, co-directed by Bert Berns' son Brett Berns and

Stevie Van Zandt
.

Awards and honors

Berns was inducted as a non-performer and given the Ahmet Ertegun Lifetime Achievement Award with the 2016 class to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Selected writing credits

Selected producer credits

Selected discography

  • The Heart and Soul of Bert Berns (2003) a CD compiled by
    Universal Music
    encompassing some of Berns' best work.
  • Twist and Shout: The Bert Berns Story – Vol. 1: 1960–1964 (2008), a CD featuring more than two dozen of Berns' R&B and rock hits, released through Ace Records of England.
  • Mr. Success: The Bert Berns Story – Vol. 2: 1964–1967 (2010), a CD featuring more than two dozen of Berns' R&B and rock hits, released through Ace Records of England.
  • Hang on Sloopy: The Bert Berns Story – Vol. 3 (2014), a CD featuring more than two dozen of Berns' R&B and rock hits, released through Ace Records of England.

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 0-85112-733-9
    .
  2. ^
    ISBN 978-1-61902-541-7
    .
  3. ^ "Russell Byrd – Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 16, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  4. ^ "The Hot 100 Week of November 9, 1968". Billboard. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  5. ^ Rohter, Larry (July 16, 2014). "Many-Hit Wonder, Out of Obscurity". The New York Times. p. AR16.
  6. ^ Gordon, Robert (May 30, 2014). "Hit Man". The New York Times. p. BR41.
  7. ^ "Piece of My Heart: The Bert Berns Story". Merged Work Productions. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  8. ^ "BANG! The Bert Berns Story". South by Southwest. March 11, 2016.
  9. ^ "SXSW Film Review". Blogcritics. April 1, 2016.

External links

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