Hy Weiss

American record producer, songwriter, & label owner of Pop/R&B music in 1950s-1960s.

Born 12 February 1923, Romania.

Died 20 March 2007, Englewood, New Jersey, USA.

[b]Weiss[/b] moved with his parents to the Bronx, where he grew up and, after WW II, where he returned to work as a furrier and then a bouncer. During the mid 1940s [b]Weiss[/b] then learned the art of shifting music product as a sales distributor for the [l92737] and [url=http://www.discogs.com/label/Exclusive+(2)]Exclusive[/url] labels, selling to record stores and later to jukebox owners.

By the late 1940s the activities of [b]Weiss[/b] were part of a New York music culture that had really began to heat up in a fusion of diverse styles and clubs, such as [a=Morris Levy]'s 'Birdland' and those of [a=George Goldner], which sprang up to cater to a fan base that would, in turn, provide a record-buying audience. To tap this market in the early 1950s [b]Weiss[/b] and his brother [url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Sam+Weiss+(2)]Sam[/url] started the Parody label and recorded [url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Danny+Taylor+(2)]Danny Taylor[/url], whilst also aiding distribution of [l71694] and [a=Jubilee] labels, helping in the success of [a383344].

In July 1953 [b]Weiss[/b] intercepted [a2115449], who were about to audition elsewhere, and got them to record 'You Could Be My Love'. This was when the [b]Weiss[/b] brothers moved into what appeared on paper to be a prestige Madison Avenue address at East 125th Street. It was in fact a small office in back of an old theatre, previously occupied by a duplicating company called Old Town Corporation. To cut corners, [b]Weiss[/b] used this company's old stationery stock to launch [a2115449] on his new label. Thus, [l=Old Town Records] was born.

The label launched a history of popular artists, from R&B, blues and doo wop to pop. One of its first national hits was by [a340090]. [b]Weiss[/b] also began the distribution house Superior, which came to handle [l33515], Cindy, [l98754], Lamp, [l=Coed], Tip-Top, [l=End], [url=http://www.discogs.com/label/Gone+Records]Gone[/url], Bullseye, [url=http://www.discogs.com/label/Vee+Jay+Records]Vee-Jay[/url], and [a=John Vincent]'s labels, such as [l1588567] and [url=http://www.discogs.com/label/Ace+Records+(3)]Ace[/url]. He created a publishing company called Maureen Music and initiated other labels, such as Whiz, [l234230] (on which he signed [a375478]) and [l238226]- named after his son, who would later become president of the [url=http://www.discogs.com/label/Zomba+Records]Zomba Label Group[/url]. Old Town also enjoyed some success in the UK. By the 1960s [b]Weiss[/b] had begun to wind down his work with the label and briefly worked with [a=Arthur Prysock] (who had recorded for Old Town) at [l=Stax] before selling his publishing interests and Old Town, whose back catalog is featured on the [l=Ace] label.

[b]Weiss[/b] died of natural causes, aged 84, leaving three children, four grandchildren and an indelible legend as one of the industry’s great original independent record men and entrepreneurs.

Father of [a=Barry Weiss (3)].