George Goldner
George Goldner | |
---|---|
Born | Brooklyn, New York, United States | February 9, 1918
Died | April 15, 1970 Turtle Bay, New York, United States | (aged 52)
Occupation(s) | Record label owner, record producer |
Years active | 1948–1970 |
George Goldner (February 9, 1918 – April 15, 1970) was an American
He established (or helped establish) a number of record labels, including Tico, Rama, Gee, Roulette, End, Gone, and Red Bird. It was said of him that he "discovered more talent, both in front of the microphone and behind the scenes, than most producers get to record in a lifetime. Moreover, in the decades since, much of the music that Goldner recorded and released has retained an astonishing appeal to generations of listeners".[1]
Early life
Goldner was born to a Jewish family[2] in 1918 to a mother Rose originally from Poland and father Adolph from Austria. He and his two sisters grew up in the Turtle Bay neighborhood of the east side of New York City, and he attended Stuyvesant High School. While still in school he worked weekends as a waiter at the Shelton Hotel, where his father also worked while acquiring furnished brownstones. Goldner later worked in the garment business, before opening a chain of dance halls in New York and New Jersey.[1][3]
Latin music and Tico Records
Goldner's dance clubs thrived in the late 1940s during the craze for
R&B and rock 'n' roll
Finding that increasing numbers of
Because radio stations would play only a few records from each label, Goldner also set up
According to one source:[6]
"In the studio, Goldner and his right-hand man Richard Barrett... had multi-faceted jobs: find the right key and "groove" for a song; collaborate with the musicians to create a "head" arrangement; encourage and control the young, often inexperienced singers during their maiden visits to the recording studio; oversee the vocal balance by placing the singers at the proper distance from the microphone; keep an eagle eye on the clock (sessions were traditionally three hours in length, after which overtime kicked in); and, most importantly, recognize the magical "best take" that would ultimately click with the record-buying teenagers."
Goldner signed and recorded
In January 1957, Goldner, Kolsky and Levy formed
In 1958, Goldner hired a young Artie Ripp, (who went on establish his own record labels and was the first to sign and produce Billy Joel as a solo act), as his "gofer". Goldner taught Ripp his practices regarding how to create and distribute music, including how to structure a record contract, how to work a studio, and how to get a record on the radio.[7]
By the early 1960s, Goldner had sold his End and Gone labels to Levy,[1][3] and worked for a time as a record producer at Roulette.[6]
Red Bird Records and later life
Goldner's last successful label,
Goldner's final venture was to form the short-lived Firebird label in early 1970.[6]
Death
Goldner died of a heart attack on April 15, 1970, at age 52.[9]
Legacy
A musical based on the life of Goldner and featuring music from his record labels premiered in Hollywood in 2012 titled The Boy from New York City.[10]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Biography by Bruce Eder, Allmusic.com. Retrieved 24 June 2014
- ISBN 9780307819000.
- ^ a b c d e f g David Edwards and Mike Callahan, The George Goldner Story, 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2020
- ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4165-5938-2, pp.198-206
- ^ a b c d George Goldner, at Black Cat Rockabilly: adapted from the entry for Goldner in The Encyclopedia of Record Producers, by Eric Olsen et al., Billboard Books, 1999. Retrieved 24 June 2014
- ISBN 978-0-8230-8248-3. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
- ISBN 0-393-02635-3.
- ^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 211. CN 5585.
- ^ The Boy From New York City. Retrieved 24 June 2014