Talent scout and rhythm and blues record producer, artists and repertoire manager and song writer Ralph Basso Jr. was born on May 1, 1911 in The Bronx, New York.
As a boy he showed an interest in music and was given music lessons. He grew up listening to blues, jazz and other forms of music but developed a desire to assemble sounds. In the early 1940s he began work as A&R manager at Black And White Records, including T Bone Walker’s landmark recording of “Stormy Monday”. By 1948 he was working for Savoy Records from 1948 to 1951, then King Records of Cincinatti. Extensively touring the southern states, he realised that R&B music appealed to increasing numbers of listeners across social and racial divides. He set up Federal Records and recorded the classics “Sixty Minute Man” (The Dominoes), “Work with me Annie” (Hank Ballard) and others. He signed James Brown but record company owner Syd Nathan hated the first recording, “Please Please Please” so it was issued on Federal. Chess Records poached him in 1959, where he worked until 1976 when he moved to MCA Records.
Ralph Bass died in New York City on 5 March 1997.
Image: Kevin Mazur / Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame
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