Gary Katz

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Gary Katz is an American record producer, best known for his work on albums by Steely Dan. Katz has also produced numerous other recording artists and assisted in the discovery and signing of a number of subsequently successful acts. He has four Grammy nominations.[1]

Career

A lifelong music fan, Katz grew up in

Avco Embassy, but two years later the company closed. A friend in Los Angeles who was working for Dunhill Records suggested Katz write a letter to Jay Lasker, the head of Dunhill, to ask for a job. The letter amused Lasker, and he hired Katz.[2]

Katz worked with The Mamas & the Papas, Steppenwolf, and Three Dog Night.[3] Katz also has broad experience with A & R, responsible for artist signings such as Jim Croce, Chaka Khan, Rufus, and Jimmy Buffett.

Katz is most famous for his work as a producer on every Steely Dan album recorded during the first run of their career, from Can't Buy a Thrill in 1972 to Gaucho in 1980.[4][5][6] He also produced The Nightfly, the first solo album by the band's lead vocalist Donald Fagen, in 1982.[3]

The original cast album The Gospel at Colonus was produced by Bob Telson along with Fagen, Katz, and Daniel Lazarus.[7]

Katz produced a remake of “Let’s Do It Again” by the Repercussions for All Men Are Brothers: A Tribute to Curtis Mayfield, with Curtis Mayfield singing the second verse while lying on his back in the recording studio.[8][9]

Katz's other production credits include albums by Diana Ross, 10cc, Joe Cocker, The Alarm, Laura Nyro, Rosie Vela, Thomas Jefferson Kaye, Eye to Eye,[10] Love and Money, Roger Christian,[11] and Marc Jordan.[3] He was a project manager for the alternative metal band Sevendust in 2005.[12]

Katz had a joint venture with

Interscope called Jake Records before moving to Warner Brothers as a producer and A&R man, where they enjoyed success as a company and creating new artists. He was one of two people responsible for signing Prince, Dire Straits, Christopher Cross, and Rickie Lee Jones to Warner Bros. He worked at the Burbank offices for six years, then at the New York offices for another four, alongside Jerry Wexler
.

Awards and honors

[1]

References

  1. ^ a b "Grammy Awards". grammy.com. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  2. ^ Houser, Kristin (26 July 2010). "Interview with Gary Katz". Lamusicblog.com. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "Gary Katz | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  4. ISBN 978-1-84353-105-0
    . Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  5. ISBN 978-0-7432-0120-9
    .
  6. ^ Cromelin, Richard (13 April 2011). "Roger Nichols dies at 66; engineer gave Steely Dan its distinctive sound". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  7. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  8. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  9. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  10. ^ "Billboard's Top Single Picks". Billboard. 3 April 1982.
  11. ^ "Previews Albums" (PDF). Music & Media: 24. 4 November 1989 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  12. ^ "Next – Sevendust | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 January 2021.

External links

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