Mike Vernon

British producer, engineer, musician and music executive. Founder of the [l=Blue Horizon] label (distributed through CBS and Polydor), owner of [l654015] and key producer for numerous British blues artists and groups during the late 1960s - particularly Peter Green's [a47333] and [a299538].

Vernon played in a few bands before joining the A&R Department of [l5320] in November 1963 in a minor capacity, working progressively on his seniors until given the go-ahead to produce and engineer at [l269986] with several blues artists, moving on later from Blue Horizon to a very broad genre of artists. His work encompasses such diverse artists as [a=Furry Lewis], [a=Level 42], [a=David Bowie] and [a=Rocky Sharpe & The Replays] (In which he also ghosted as 'Eric Rondo'). Labels he is also associated with are [l1446985], [l261476] and the later [l=Indigo Recordings] and [l=Code Blue (2)], the latter distributed through Atlantic, reviving the works of Blues, Jazz, Funk and Soul artists - such as [a=Jay Owens] and [a=Sherman Robertson].

In February 1965, he founded the [l=Blue Horizon] label with [l=Purdah Records] and [l=Outasite] appearing within the following twelve months.

Owner of [l874659] / [l96274].

Born: 20 November 1944, Harrow, Middlesex, England.

Died: 2 March 2026

Brother of [a1985191]