Harry Balk

Harry Balk (October 1, 1925 – December 3, 2016) was an American

The son of Russian Jewish immigrants, Balk was born in the 12th Street area of Detroit, Michigan.[1] As a young man he managed the Krim Theatre, owned by his uncle, and began running talent contests through which he discovered Little Willie John in the early 1950s. Balk became his manager, and guided John to a successful career with such songs as "Need Your Love So Bad" and "Fever" before eventually tiring of his unreliability.^[2][3]

Balk then established a business partnership with former

After Twirl Records folded in 1965, Balk set up the Impact label, and a publishing company, Gomba. One of the acts on Impact was the Shades of Blue, who had chart success in 1966 with "Oh How Happy" (number 12 pop, number 16 R&B), "Lonely Summer", and "Happiness". Balk also signed and recorded singer-songwriter Sixto Rodriguez, whose later recordings (as Rodriguez) became popular in South Africa and decades later resulted in the award-winning film Searching for Sugar Man.^[6][3]

Balk then established another label, Inferno, which was bought in 1968 by

Balk later lived in California, where he set up another record label, Avatar, before returning to Detroit in later life. He was married to singer and actress Patti Jerome. He died in 2016 at aged 91 in Oak Park, Michigan.^[1]

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