Lew Chudd
Lew Chudd | |
---|---|
Born | Louis Cudnofsky July 11, 1911 Los Angeles, California, United States |
Citizenship | American |
Occupation(s) | Music industry executive, radio station owner |
Known for | Founding Imperial Records |
Lewis Robert Chudd (July 11, 1911 – June 15, 1998) was an American record label and radio executive who founded Imperial Records in 1946. The record company was influential in the development of rock and roll, with a roster of musicians including Fats Domino, Slim Whitman, Chris Kenner, Sandy Nelson, and Ricky Nelson.
Biography
Chudd was born Louis Chudnofsky in
In 1945, he set up his first record label,
A "shrewd and astute businessman",[9] Chudd became known for his "caustic tongue and abrasive personality."[3] He bought other record labels, including Aladdin and Minit, incorporating them into Imperial. In 1963 he sold the Imperial label to Liberty Records. The label was discontinued later in the 1960s and incorporated into United Artists.[4][9]
After leaving the recording business, Chudd bought several radio stations.[5] He continued to live in Los Angeles after he retired. He died there in 1998, aged 86.[1]
References
- ^ a b c "Lew Chudd", Variety, June 22, 1998. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
- ^ National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, D.C. Index to Naturalization in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, 1852 – ca. 1989 (M1744). Microfilm serial M1744, microfilm roll 31. Ancestry.com.
- ^ ISBN 9780306816338. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
- ^ a b c d Biography, Allmusic.com. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
- ^ ISBN 9780857121172. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
- ISBN 9780415926997. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
- ISBN 9780882894331. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
- ^ de Heer, Dik. "Dave Bartholomew". Black Cat Rockabilly. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
- ^ a b c Perrone, Pierre. "Obituary: Lew Chudd". The Independent. 3 August 1998. Retrieved 29 August 2015.